Five-Day Ténéré Rally Adventure Delivers Again
Now in its fifth year, the Ténéré Rally picked up where the original Ténéré Tragics event left off in 2019. The Rally is a ride for owners of any model Ténéré, from the original 1983 XT600Z right up to the latest 689cc twin. That said, Beak was the only rider on anything other than the latest twin, preferring the old school ergonomics and light weight of the mighty single cylinder.
The Rally kicked off in Batemans Bay with registration and scrutineering – where new Dunlop tyre fitment was an option for riders rocking up on the Sunday. A welcome dinner at the Soldiers Club introduced special guest riders Mr Motocross Stephen Gall and former world champ MX rider – and now NZ Dirt Bike Tour trail boss – Scott Columb. The Rally also hosted TV stars Brendan Bell and Aidan Gale from Channel 7 Mate’s Aussie Adventure Bike Show.
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Day one was destination Bermagui, the long way. Recent rains kept the dust at bay and produced prime trail conditions as riders dodged the Mogo MTB trails and pulled up at Narooma for lunch. The ride is GPS navigation style which means you ride at your own pace, and it wasn’t long before riders found others moving at a similar speed and formed their own groups. The emphasis is on the social aspect with the key factor being no-one rides alone. This meant when it was time to hit Bermagui’s Beach Hotel, the Ténéré spirit was already in good supply. Another key factor is rider safety. All Ténéré rally participants are issued with Keep Left stickers for the inside of their windscreens – because this is something that the RideADV organisers take seriously. All bikes undergo a pre-ride check by Yamaha factory-trained technician Lincoln Brien and that can mean a last-minute tyre or wheel bearing replacement. And riders are asked not to turn up with adventure-style boots because these can lead to lower leg injury in the event of a mishap. MX boots are a minimum requirement.
Riders were keen to tackle the sensational trails leading to Nimmitabel on day two, but 20mm of overnight rain forced a re-route via the tar. The weather sucked, but only lasted until noon and provided top-class conditions for the next three days. Incredible levels of traction in the bush and dust-free trails soon became the standout features of the ride. Day two ended with a spectacular susnset in the South Coast fishing town Eden, home to a Killer Whale museum and tasty Dim Sum restaurant. Riders settled into their cabins at the Gateway Holiday Park because day three was planned as a 300-odd km loop ride on yet more prime trails.
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The next section ran south from Eden, looped back into Merimbula and ended at Bega. This turned out to be eventful for some with a couple of optional breakouts featuring loose rocks and greasy hillclimbs. Full commitment was required to clean these sections and several crashbars and Barkbusters were put to the test. One rider derailed a chain (okay, that was me), there were at least two punctures, a lost gear shifter bolt, dinged rim following a spectacular flying W episode – good save Aido - and several other minor incidents including an encounter with a strange woman who emerged shoeless from the bush to rip into unsuspecting riders. I had the pleasure of riding with a fast group consisting of Scotty Column, Russ Hicks and Belly and Aido from the Aussie Adventure Bike TV Show. When we hit the breakout session it was on, and my job was to keep Scotty in sight so I could capture the action on a helmet mounted Go-Pro. Easier said than done. Scotty looked as smooth as silk and I was on the ragged edge just trying to keep him in the frame. Fun times though.
The bench racing certainly ramped up that night as the prizes were handed out at the farewell dinner. Yamaha Motor Australia donated a lucky door prize to attend the 2027 New Zealand Yamaha Rally which included flights, accom and a bike to ride for the North Island tour in February. And the winner could not have been more popular – the Beak is heading to the land of the long white cloud. Maybe Scotty can find him an AG100 to ride… Ténéré Tom was rewarded for his efforts in building the lightest bike on the Rally and the prize for longest travelled went to young Harvey Jacka who rode up from Tasmania.
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Next year’s Rally venue was announced as the Flinders Range in SA, which is one of the most popular ADV destinations in Australia. Ténéré owners are advised to look out for an announcement and get involved in riding and celebrating all things Ténéré.
This year’s odyssey came to an end following a 280km ride from Bega back to the starting point at Batemans Bay. As riders high-fived each other having shared lifetime memories, they reflected on the past week. The Ténéré Rally is a ride with like-minded Ténéré nuts who are happy to share bike setup and riding tips over a cold beverage or three. An event where you know that if you go upside down you’ll be helped up before the sweeps arrive. Above all it’s a ride where you arrive as a stranger and leave with 40 mates. And the best bit about a Ténéré Rally according to Crash and the RideADV team? The bikes are so reliable there’s never much work to do.