Yamaha Tenere 700 LeoVince Exhaust Review, Install and Sound

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

Yamaha  has developed one helluva bike in the Tenere 700 and this machine has the potential to make some sweet twin cylinder thump.  We installed a LeoVince LV ONE EVO aftermarket full system to see if we could shave a couple pounds and get a better exhuast tone. 

• Tenere 700 Stock Exhaust Removal and Aftermarket Installation

Unfortunately, the stock exhaust sounds a little muted and flappy like many do to meet noise regulations. Luckily, our friends at LeoVince stepped in and sent us their full system to alleviate the unwanted flappiness and shave eight pounds off the bike. The fit, finish, and style on the LeoVince LV ONE EVO system is top notch. Everything from the welds right down to the chosen hardware are superb. You can hear the difference at the video below, but first let's go over the install.

If you're only putting on just the exhaust canister, it's a pretty easy job and should only take about 30 minutes with the right tools.. All you need to do is remove the stock exhaust hanger and pipe clamp, slip on the new unit, replace the hardware, tighten everything up and you're good to go.

The stock header is a one-piece system, which is fairly easy to remove once the silencer and skid plate are off. You have four bolts at the exhaust ports and one mounting point under the bike.

The full system install is a little more complicated but should only take about an hour with basic tools.  It may take a little more or less time, depending on your experience level. The full system header comes in four pieces with a series of springs which help hold the components together. .

Don't forget, there's also an O2 sensor with a wire running along the frame to be removed. Be careful about not touching the tip of the O2 sensor. Any grease or dirt can foul the sensor and cause bad readings, so be sure it's clean when you re-install it. 

 

First, lay out the pieces so you know what you're working with. You have two headers and a Y-pipe whcih are held together again by spriung tension. The mid-pipe attaches to the Y-pipe with a provided clamp.

 Loosely attach the exhaust port collars as shown, ideally using a new crush gasket.  Many reuse the old gaskets if they're in good shape but we suggest installing new ones if they are easy to find.  Then, attach the provided springs to pull the headers into the collars. 

Don't have a spring puller?  They are generally inexpensive and It's highly recommended you get one if modifying bikes is something you plan to do regularly. Some exhaust kits we've had in the past came with simnple ones which often work for the smaller springs, but when pulling a heavier centerstand or sidestand springs, they'll often break under the tension.

Attach the headers to the Y-pipe with the provided springs and loosely mount it to the bottom of the exhaust hanger. Again, allow for some wiggle room by leaving the exhaust port nuts loose for now.

Don't forget to re-install the O2 sensor and make sure it's wires are neatly organized and free from touching any hot surfaces.

Sliding on the mid-pipe and clamp is easy. Be sure it is fully inserted and again snug down the clamp, but don't fully tighten it yet,

Attach the silencer to its clamp and carbon fibre hanger.

You're almost done! Lastly, be sure to tighten every nut and screw to the recommended torque specs. We suggest starting at the header and moving your way back.  Also note it's not unusual for aftermarket headers to be slightly different shapes than OEM.  In this case we had to bend the stock skid plate out a tiny amount to clear the new pipes.

Now you can put on the finishng touches, which in this case is the carbon fiber guard pieces. That's it!

• Tenere 700 Aftermarket Exhaust Sound Comparison Video

Now, we're almost ready to fire this bad boy up. We want to point out that the LV One system comes with a removable quiet core that pops out with only one screw, and makes a big difference in sound. Check it out the  exhaust install and sounds comparison video below. To get the full effect, this is best watched with some headphones or better speakers.

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https://youtu.be/7IaL-BFrcA0

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• Overview and Conclusion

The Tenere 700 now sounds like a proper twin cylinder should.  Our favorite setup is with the quite core removed. LeoVince's sound tight and full of body but not very loud at idle. Acceptable noise levels are relative depending on application, regulations and personal preference so If you're worried about noise, leave the quiet core in place. At idle, it won't be much louder than stock, but gets more growl on the throttle. 

This thing flat-out sounds amazing. Without putting it on the dyno, we can't say how the power delivery is changed definitively, but it feels like there's more torque everywhere in the rev range. LeoVince provides a dyno charts for both slip-on exhaust only and full-system tests which we're including below.

While a little extra power is nice, most of the benefits come from the improved exhaust note, looks, and saving over eight pounds on the bike. The canister itself removes five pounds off your bike and is now less than $500. The header system saves another three pounds and is now under $400, which puts you at just under a grand for both. The only thing we'd like to see improved are the instructions, or maybe a detailed video explaining the header installation.

Not everyone likes to upgrade exhausts, but if you do the LeoVince LV One system is a very nice farkle for your Yamaha Tenere 700 and we can't wait to get more saddle time. 

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Pros:
Excellent materials, fit and finish. 

Sound is amazing and tunable with quiet-core

Saves weight adds power

 

Cons:

Needs better instructions

 

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Also check out our Yamaha Tenere 700 Review and Test Ride Article  HERE!

• Yamaha Tenere 700 LeoVince Aftermarket Exhaust Dyno Power Charts

 

 

 

 

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