Marc Bourgeois, Manager of the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team, has seen his riders and customers achieve great success on the Ténéré 700 World Rally equipped with GYTR kits. He gives us the inside track on what sets the Ténéré apart from the competition.
Marc has helped his team win major events over the past 12 months, with historic victories for Pol Tarrés at last year’s Transanatolia rally and at the Morocco Desert Challenge 2024 on the Ténéré 700 World Rally, which beat the 450cc prototypes.
GYTR performance kits
He manages the team in collaboration with the riders and his entire team, including Emanuele Vignali, race engineer at Yamaha Motor R&D Europe, who played a key role in the development of the GYTR kits.
The addition of the GYTR Rally Kit, GYTR Performance Kit and GYTR Handling Kit to the Ténéré 700 World Rally gives the bike an edge over competing models, and gives riders like Pol Tarrés and Alessandro Botturi a powerful weapon with which to take on their rivals.
For Ténéré Spirit Experience customers like Stéphane Poulet, who rode alongside Tarrés in Morocco last month, or for customers who take part in events in the Raid category, their Ténéré bikes equipped with GYTR parts enable them to move up a gear.
Marc Bourgeois explains: “The Ténéré has a strong history: it began in the desert over 30 years ago, with the Dakar and Stéphane Peterhansel. Today, we have rediscovered this symbol of adventure and freedom with the Ténéré.
“We’re fortunate to manage the Competition Racing side of things with Pol Tarrés and Alessandro Botturi on the bike, to have a strong link with R&D and to optimize our bikes to reach the top. Last year’s Transanatolia was the first time a twin-cylinder trail bike had beaten a 450cc prototype.
Feel the difference on the bike
Working with professionals like Emanuele Vignali, racing engineer at Yamaha Motor R&D Europe, is a considerable asset: “With the R&D department and the link with our official Yamaha Rally Team and our riders, we have created the new GYTR parts which are now available to all Ténéré owners, at all our dealers. So you can personalize your Ténéré.
He continues: ” I tested Pol’s motorcycle and those of our customers at events such as the Africa Eco Race and the Morocco Desert Challenge, or on short desert rides, and it’s obvious that this configuration allows you to ride in complete safety. The GYTR kits are really good value for money. If you want to improve performance, there are plenty of very interesting possibilities among the parts on offer, such as the package with the airbox, the complete Akrapovic exhaust system, the footrests, the seat and so on.
Improvements that help customers improve their riding experience
In addition to this equipment, which enables riders to improve the performance of their bikes, he adds: ” Reinforced wheels can also make all the difference for the customer, preventing the kind of damage that can occur with standard wheels, especially on the hard pack with stones. Then, with the suspensions we use, the length, comfort, rigidity and precision, it’s really a big step forward.”
He concludes: ” Our job is to optimize our team’s performance and enable our customers to experience intense emotions. With the link we have with R&D and our team of riders, the aim is to reach the top and stay there. To achieve this, we need to continue to develop throughout the year by offering new products in our GYTR catalog, so that our customers can benefit from our experience.
