In rally-raid, a puncture can cost you a stage, or even the entire race. The choice of tires is therefore made primarily for grip, durability , and reliability.
With the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team and the Ténéré Spirit Experience, we ride the Ténéré 700 in demanding rallies: the Africa Eco Race, over 6,000 km from Tangier to Dakar, the Carta Rallye in Morocco, and other rally-raids.
Our Rally Setup: Michelin Enduro Medium 2 and Desert Race
On our Ténéré 700 GYTR / Ténéré 700 WR GYTR, we fit Michelin tires for their grip and stability on sand, rocks, and broken tracks.
Front tire: Michelin Enduro Medium 2, size: 90/100-21 with M16 Bib Mousse
Rear tire: Michelin Desert Race, size: 140/80-18 with M02 Bib Mousse
- Front, the Enduro Medium 2: a versatile enduro tire that maintains steering precision on both hard and soft terrain.
- Rear, the Desert Race: a tire designed for rally-raid. Its carcass is built to withstand thousands of kilometers of track.
👉 How to Read Tire Sizes
A tire size is read in three numbers. Let’s take our rear tire, the 140/80-18:
- 140: the tire width, in millimeters.
- 80: the sidewall height, as a percentage of the width. Here, 80% of 140 mm, which is approximately 112 mm.
- 18: the rim diameter, in inches.
The Bib Mousse: Zero Punctures for Thousands of Kilometers
The Michelin Bib Mousse replaces the inner tube with a foam insert. It’s a 100% puncture-proof solution, designed for enduro and rally.
- Equivalent pressure: approximately 1.0 to 1.2 bar. This is the ideal range for grip, traction, and shock absorption off-road.
- One reference per tire: M16 for the 90/100-21 front, M02 for the 140/80-18 “Desert” rear.
We don’t use inner tubes, so there’s no pinching on a rock or roadside repairs. In a rally-raid, that changes everything.
On Original Rims: Our Tires Fit, But the Bib Mousse Doesn’t
Our rally tires can be mounted on the Ténéré 700‘s original rims, using reinforced inner tubes. Two limitations remain: the Bib Mousse, and the rims’ resistance to rally impacts.
On a stock Ténéré 700:
- Front tire: 90/90-21
- Rear tire: 150/70-18
- Front rim: 21 x 1.85
- Rear rim: wide, designed for a 150/70 tire
On our rally Ténéré 700:
- Front tire: 90/100-21
- Rear tire: 140/80-18
- Front rim: 21 x 1.85 Haan Wheels
- Rear rim: 18 x 2.50 Haan Wheels
Why the Bib Mousse doesn’t fit on the original rim. The original rear rim is wide because it’s made for a 150 mm trail tire. The Bib Mousse M02 is designed for a 140/80-18 mounted on a much narrower enduro rim. On the original rim, the mousse doesn’t perform as it should.
Why we switch to reinforced rims. To push hard in a rally, the original rims are not ideal: they don’t handle repeated impacts from rocks well at race speeds. Our Ténéré 700 GYTRs therefore run on reinforced Haan Wheels rims, with Excel hoops, in 21 x 1.85 at the front and 18 x 2.50 at the rear.
This rally-specific setup accommodates our Michelin + Bib Mousse combination and withstands desert impacts.
The Compromise: Reinforced Inner Tubes on Original Rims
Do you want to ride with these tires without changing your wheels? It’s possible: mount the Enduro Medium 2 in 90/100-21 and the Desert Race in 140/80-18 on your original rims, using reinforced inner tubes instead of the Bib Mousse.
- Reinforced inner tubes, mandatory. Without Bib Mousse, they are what provide better protection against punctures and pinching on rocks, thanks to a much thicker wall than a standard tube.
- A complete repair kit: spare tubes, tire levers, and a pump. Even reinforced, a tube can puncture.
- The limitation: if you want to push hard in a rally, the original rims don’t handle repeated rock impacts well. For race mode, reinforced rims remain the right solution.
Want to experience the adventure without worrying about preparation? With the Ténéré Spirit Experience, you can rent a rally-prepared Ténéré 700 or bring your own and benefit from our assistance, including reinforced wheels.
