Modern adventure bikes like the Yamaha Ténéré 700 seldom get customized. It’s partly because they’re purpose-built machines, designed to go anywhere—and any modifications outside of the usual dual sport remit can undermine that usability. But it’s also because a Ténéré 700 is a more complicated machine than, say, a vintage Yamaha XT500.
So why exactly did Gas & Oil Bespoke Motorcycles decide to customize this particular Yamaha Ténéré 700? The answer is simple: it was wrecked, and it had already served its purpose. So why not?
The 2020-model T7 belonged to a friend, who had bought it to travel from the Czech Republic, where Gas & Oil is based, to New Zealand. “Unfortunately his route ended prematurely in Iraq, when he had a frontal impact with a car, that was overtaking another car, that was overtaking a truck,” explains the workshop’s founder, Matej.…