Yamaha Ténéré 700 loses 47 kg in wild YZ450F-inspired flat-track build
Taiwanese custom builder Rough Crafts has transformed the Yamaha Ténéré 700 (T7) into a flat-track-inspired machine, replacing much of the adventure bike’s hardware with components based on Yamaha’s YZ450F race bike.
Called the YenereZ 700 FT, the one-off build weighs 158 kg ready to race, shedding 47 kg from the standard T7’s 205-kg weight. The project began after Rough Crafts founder Winston Yeh saw a YZ450F flat-track racer from Yamaha Estenson Racing.
Yeh later created a digital mash-up of the YZ450F and T7, which caught the attention of Yamaha Taiwan. The company supplied the donor bike, while Rough Crafts worked with Faber Studio on the build.
The transformation starts with the rear section. The T7’s steel subframe was removed and replaced with an aluminum unit from the YZ450F. Rough Crafts then fabricated custom mounts for the YZ-style rear bodywork.
JZO Crafts built a one-off aluminum fuel tank that forms part of the bike’s structure and provides mounting points for the YZ plastics. The tank holds only 6.8 liters, fitting the T7’s new flat-track role.
The suspension was also reworked for flat-track use. Öhlins supplied custom-tuned RXF48S forks that were shortened for the lower setup. The T7’s rear monoshock was retained, but paired with a custom linkage.
Roland Sands Design Traction and Hammer flat-track wheels replace the T7’s standard wheels, while Beringer supplies the front and rear braking hardware. Instrumentation comes from a KOSO GPS speedometer.
The exhaust system was converted to a dual setup, with one pipe routed high and the other low to clear the YZ-style bodywork. Other changes include a DNA air filter, custom KCT sprocket and RK black-and-gold chain.
Despite the extensive changes to the chassis, suspension and bodywork, the T7’s 689cc CP2 parallel-twin engine remains stock.
