Turning an MT-09 into a Tenere 900 dream machine
Some builds start with a blank slate. Others, like this one, come from a single obsession. Tyson walked into Purpose Built Moto with a clear vision: take Yamaha’s snarling 115hp triple and turn it into an adventure machine. A bike that looks Dakar-ready, sounds unhinged, and can eat gravel roads for breakfast.
Yamaha already gave the world the Tenere 700, a 689cc twin built off the MT-07 platform. So why not take the next step and create the Tenere 900 that Yamaha didn’t? Lighter, more powerful, and dripping with rally attitude. That’s where this Yamaha MT09 Rally Raid was born.
Built to go off-map
The MT-09 starts lighter than a Tenere 700, so the team beefed it up where it counts. KTM 1190 ADV forks and a 21” front wheel bring proper off-road clearance, while a custom shock and reworked linkages out back keep the suspension plush without losing control. Street wheels can still slot in, but this thing was built for knobbies.
From there, the Rally Raid vibe came to life. An Italian-sourced rally tower was adapted to the Yamaha frame, flanked by handmade aluminium panels that tie into the MT-09’s tank lines. Yellow Perspex wind deflectors pop against the flat Yamaha blue, nodding to Dakar bikes of the late ‘80s. The whole setup looks factory but is pure PBM handiwork on this Yamaha MT09 Rally Raid.
Details that matter
Under the seat, a pair of Yoshimura cans exit high and tight, fed by a custom mid-pipe. The side panels double as heat shields, and a custom tail section integrates LED lighting with a seamless factory finish. Purpose Built Moto also bent up a set of crash bars, bag racks, and a geometric aluminium bash plate—equal parts protection and sculpture.
Up top, mid-set off-road pegs, tall taper bars, and a grippy custom seat set the riding position for long days in the dirt. The whole bike is designed to be ridden hard, not parked in a garage.
The finished product
Once everything was raw and mocked up, the final step was paint. PBM landed on a Yamaha blue-and-yellow throwback, complete with speed blocks. The result looks clean enough to be a factory prototype, but with just the right amount of PBM weirdness.
On the road, the Yamaha MT09 Rally Raid is exactly what you’d hope for. Crack the throttle and the front wheel lifts without hesitation, the triple howls through the Yoshis, and the suspension soaks it all up. It’s wild, it’s manageable, and it’s guaranteed to stop traffic—both on asphalt and in the bush.
Purpose Built Moto set out to build a Tenere 900 that Yamaha never did, and they nailed it. The only question left: how dirty will Tyson get it?
