What to look for !

[chris Aus]

Hello

I am planning on buying a XTZ660 Tenere for a trip to Australia from the UK. What are the main things to look out for when checking out this particular bike?

[AnteK]

Hi Chris,
I own mentioned bike and done so far around 80.000 km on it. Take a look mostly on engine condition, if done more than 50-60.000 km, do rebore on first/second oversize, you can do it for reasonable price. Also, check front and rear suspension, change oil and replace stock springs with progressive on front susspensions. XTZ 660 is well known oil consumption bike, take as normal consumption up to 0,3 lit/1000 km. Always use semisynthetic oil ( esther blend if possible )or even mineral, normaly 15W-50 or 20W-50. Later model of XTZ 660 with double round lights are better in electrics, but also are slightly underpowered; if ride without passangers, quite enough. Once you get used on it, you will find it as very good choice, due to low fuel consumption and very good endurability. With enduro tyres mounted ( MT 21, T63, TKC 80 ) Tenere is realy usefull bike on bad tracks, much beter than , for example, Transalp or so. My is now on 130.000 km, just one rebore, never let me down ( so far ) :-)
Regards,
AnteK

[chris Aus]

Thanks AnteK,

Some great info there. I am very impressed with the bike doing that many klms and no bottom end work! I have found some conflicting information on whether Yamaha built 600cc XTs through 1990 - 1999. Do you know if they did?
Thanks Again

[AnteK]

Hi Chris,
before my XTZ 660, I owned brand new XT600E, year 1991, and done around 79.000 km on it. XT 600 is realy bike worth that money, but comparing with XTZ 660 seems like a little baby; too small in dimensions, less in power, somethimes need waterproof electrics suit :-). Altogether I have found my XT 600E as a good bike, but not suitable for long trips on road due to small fuel tank and lack of power on motorways. In that conditions XTZ 660 is much, much better. The best advantage on XT 600 is built quality and mechanical simplicity which allows you overlanding continents out of worry finding_spare_camshaft or so. If you intend ride a lot of offroad ( unpaved roads ) XT 600 is reasonable choise, but once you taste XTZ 660 you will find out that liquid cooled single of 660 produce more usefull power and especialy torque and cruising 130 km/h on motorways is a rhytam :-) Same constant speed with XT600 is more pain that joy, but anyway, I can concluse that legend of XT 600 is well worth. It is up to you :-)
Regards,
AnteK

[acuna]

Sorry ive got no info on the bikes but i'm thinking of doing a similar thing next year. I'm assuming that your riding all the way from London to Oz.
If so would you be able to post some info about rough costs and routes. The routes ive seen so far are going through Turkey and Iran, Or through Russia then down through Mongolia and China.

And can anyone suggest ways of earning money along the way? I'll be fine once I get to Queensland as ive got relatives but in between could get tight money wise.

Thanks for any help and good luck with your trip.

[This message has been edited by acuna (edited 28 June 2004).]

[chris Aus]

Hello,

Sorry about the late reply!
Costs we are planning on having at least £4000 for the trip excluding bikes Carnet’s and other equipment. As far as working on the way I know that there is normally some kind of work in many holiday destinations but don't think you would easily make any decent money to continue your trip just enough to survive in the place your in. This is because pay-rates and currencies are so low in the majority of countries you will be travelling through after Europe.

Route is still being finalised due to possibilities of visas through Myanmar but will look something like this:

France
Germany
Czech rep
Slovenia
Hungary
Croatia
Serbia Bosnia
Yugoslavia
Albania
Greece
Turkey
Syria
Lebanon
Jordan
Iran
Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
Nepal
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Vietnam
Cambodia
Laos
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
East Timor


Australia!