Blue or Black frame color?

[EvN]

Hi there, Nils here from the Netherlands, I'm new here. I have already been reading along for a while but now was the time to join the forum.

After a couple of holidays in the Italian/French alps on the triumph tiger I noticed that it was a little bit to heavy for the things I was doing


So i was looking around a little bit for another bike, when a friend told me he was thinking of selling his 1983 Tenere.
Is I'm also a fan of classic bikes and the motor should also be suitable to ride on the highways (otherwhise it will take to long to get to the alps) the Tenere could be the perfect bike for me.

I could buy the bike from him after I promised that he would have the first choice if I would ever sell the bike again.

Here it is after I collected it. Yes it is a blue one.




It is a solid base which needs some work and parts.

The plan now is to make it technically in good condition in order to register it in the Netherlands (it is still on French registration).

Then ride it for a while and probably do a restoration next winter.

As it is missing some parts and some parts has to be replaced, I was looking around and found some things in Belgium.

A complete rolling chassis of a 55W.

But now the question from the the topic title:

After some searching on the internet I noticed that the most of the 34L's have a blue frame. However mine has a black frame (no blue underneath it, and it doesn't look like the bike has been restored before).
On the Yamaha 60th anniversary website there is a picture of one with a black frame.

Is there anybody who has more information about this?

[Mezo]

Hi there.

I think the first year (1983) was black frame, then 84 onward was blue.

Mezo.

[EvN]

Thanks. Looking to other pictures it seems that indeed only the 1st year was with a black frame.

[Mezo]

So your at that point where you have to decide, do i keep it true to the year & paint it black? or go with what i like.

Personally i would paint it blue, if a guy in the future wants to go original, its only a matter of sandblast & fresh paint.

Mezo.

[EvN]

I will keep original and repaint/coat it black. I quite like it like this, especially because the ones you see are 9 out of 10 times blue.

Butt that is sometging for next winter, who knows maybe I change my mind

[madmax]

It is harder to know if a Tènèrè is blue or white from the frame number, but if the frame number is known and the bike is blue the frame is black if less than 34L-020101 or blue if higher.