Yamaha Ténéré 700 Air Filter Guide: Pre-Filter, Main & Snorkel
The short answer, up front: the Yamaha Ténéré 700 has three air filtration points: a snorkel filter at the intake mouth, a pre-filter in the airbox, and the main filter guarding the engine. FunnelWeb Filter makes a pyramid-profile foam filter for each: the FWF 7889 snorkel filter ($59.95), the FWF 7890 pre-filter ($59.95), and the FWF 7891 main filter ($89.95). Together they form a three-stage system that holds roughly twice the dust of standard filters before airflow suffers.
Why the Ténéré 700 needs more than a paper filter
The Ténéré 700 is sold as an adventure bike, and adventure is dusty. The stock intake works fine on pavement, but T7 owners who ride gravel, desert, and two-track quickly find dust making its way into the airbox, and a paper element that's expensive to replace and impossible to clean trailside. Fine dust is what wears rings and valves; the filter is the only thing standing in its way.
Foam filtration solves this differently: an oiled foam element traps dust through its whole depth, can be washed and re-oiled dozens of times, and, in FunnelWeb's case, uses a pyramid profile-cut surface that doubles the external surface area of the filter without changing its size. Twice the area means twice the dust held before the engine starts working harder to breathe.
The three filters, and what each one does
1. Snorkel filter, FWF 7889
The snorkel is the intake mouth of the Ténéré 700, the first place dusty air enters. The FWF 7889 snorkel filter ($59.95) puts an oiled foam barrier right at that opening, knocking down the heavy dust before it ever reaches the airbox. Think of it as the outer wall of the castle.
2. Pre-filter, FWF 7890
The FWF 7890 pre-filter ($59.95) sits in the airbox ahead of the main element. Its job is to take the sustained load on long dusty days so the main filter stays cleaner, longer. On a multi-day backcountry route, the pre-filter is the difference between servicing filters at camp and just riding.
3. Main filter, FWF 7891
The FWF 7891 main filter ($89.95) is the last line of defense and the heart of the system, a full pyramid-profile foam element that replaces the stock filter. This is the one that determines what actually reaches your engine.
[IMAGE: diagram or photo of the T700 airbox showing the three filter positions]
Which ones do you actually need?
| How you ride | Recommended setup |
|---|---|
| Mostly pavement, occasional gravel | Main filter (7891) |
| Regular off-road, group rides in dust | Main (7891) + pre-filter (7890) |
| Desert, multi-day backcountry, racing | All three: 7891 + 7890 + snorkel (7889) |
Orders over $80 ship free within the USA, the main filter alone qualifies, as does any two-filter combination.
Does it actually work? A magazine put it through the desert.
"After 4 days of riding in dry Southern California the outside was almost completely brown, while the inside was a yellow as the day it came out of the package. Great filtering." - Dirt Rider
That's the whole idea in one sentence: dirt stays on the outside surface, spread across twice the area, and the side facing your engine stays clean.
Frequently asked questions
What years of Ténéré 700 do FunnelWeb filters fit?
All Ténéré 700 model years share the same airbox design, so FWF 7889, 7890, and 7891 fit every T700. If Yamaha revises the airbox in a future model year, fitment will be updated on the product pages.
Are foam filters washable?
Yes, that's the point. Wash, dry, re-oil, reinstall. A FunnelWeb element outlasts many paper filters. See our guide to cleaning and re-oiling a foam filter for the full process, and never use No-Toil brand oil or cleaner on a FunnelWeb filter (it attacks the foam adhesive).
Do I need to oil the pre-filter and snorkel filter too?
Yes. Oil is what makes foam filter. Dry foam stops far less dust. Every FunnelWeb element should be run oiled.
How often should they be cleaned?
Depends entirely on dust. Road-touring T7s can go a long time; desert riders check daily. The pyramid profile roughly doubles the interval versus standard foam. Full breakdown in our Ténéré 700 service interval guide.
Get the set: Main Filter 7891 · Pre-Filter 7890 · Snorkel Filter 7889, free US shipping over $80.