The Yamaha Super Ténéré story begins with the TT500 off-road enduro machine released in 1975, and the XT500 dual-sport model the following year. These two big-bore four-stroke singles were the basis for the first adventure-genre motorcycles, just as the burgeoning rally competitions were beginning.

The XT500 was a big hit in Europe, with Gilles Comte winning the 1977 Abidjan-Nice Rally, a predecessor to the Paris-Dakar Rally. Cyril Nevue took wins at the 1979 and 1980 Paris-Dakar Rally events on an XT500.
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https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2020/10/26/2020-yamaha-super-tenere-1200-es-adventure-touring-test/