I have seen a 1988 Yamaha XT 600 Z Ténéré near me for sale with the twin head lights and electric start for £750 which is confusing me since i wasnt aware the 1988 UK model had twin lights and Electric start? Would this bike be a good buy as a first big bike or best to avoid untill a 660 or TDM comes along?

All info is:
Owned last 5 years, garaged, recent tyres and battery, MOT til Aug 08, electric start,good condition. £750. ono.
31,000 miles
600 cc
E reg (1988)

If i take a look at it is there anything i should look out for?
And do you think offering £600 would be insulting?

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Check on the details of the bikes because the Z model did not have twin headlights nor did they have electric start and they had a Drum rear brake. either somebody has converted a Z and put a electric start on or it is a Ze version both are good bikes the petrol tanks look big but the airbox takes a lot of space under the tank. if the bike is road legal it's a cheap bike for £750 v cheap at £600. they tend not to go wrong and where the first real overland bike.

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Grendel, check the swingarm for Play. up and down any more than 5 mm and its bushes and bearings, anything up to 90 quid to do yourself.... if there is ANY side to side movement then there is wear ( get him to hold ot up in the air on the sidestand to check or alternatively take a mate with you who knows about Bikes....... Swingarm bearings again not too bad, bit of a cow to strip but doable at home. parts available from Wemoto Home also check wheel bearings and chain n sprockets.

Make sure the engine sounds 'healthy' no bad Knocks, rattles or unusual taps. ( they aren't the quietest bike in the world like so again, preferably take someone who knows XTs)

Make sure it goes into all the gears smoothly and the gearchange is smooth and positive both up & down the box.

Most Important.... Take Your Time. ask questions Be direct after all your not a mind reader and once you have paid your Money you own the Bike.

XT's are a strange Beast, an aquired taste, but an addiction, an addiction that will make you look for exscuses to take the bike rather than the car.

Dont say I didnt warn you about the addictiveness...there is no XTholic's Anonymous! we dont want to stop!

Martyn

Hmm Interesting. Chatting to a chap on another forum he tells me that it's:

The XT600Z (3AJ) was the last - (and some say the best) of the awesome Yamaha Tenere range of single cylinder 600's.
leccy boot & twin headlight was only sold between 1988 and 1989

And the general advice is that its fairly bomb proof so looks like i'll be calling the chap in the morning to see if it's still for sale.. What are they like for 2-up touring?

Only sold my bike yesterday and already getting withdraw symptoms.
Meant to be waiting for a nice TDM or Transalp to come along but may just go for this bike after all.

This site might be of interest to you:-

Termine

Altavista Babelfish will translate it, in a fashion.

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Dave

Yep, this must be one of the early 3AJ's, so the other posting stating that there have never been E-start twin headlight Tenere's is not correct.
Owning one myself and having friends with them, can tell you that they are very difficult to kill.
The engine is identical to all 600 XT, TT models, with the same hiccups.
The only thing with this early 3AJ model might be the gearbox; the older ones did not have the strenghtened 5th gear yet.

Price wise, it depends on what you want to do with it, and the state of engine, brakes, swingarm etc. But, if there's no excessive noise from the engine and the rest of the bike looks good, I'd buy it.

Auke

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Auke
http://aukemarieke.blogspot.com

If the bike is really in good conditions - I would go for it! It was only built 88-89, and I think it was the best Tenere ever! A bike that can nothing very good, but everything somehow. Nearly impossible to kill, somehow you always get there(Capetown, Tierra del Fuego, India)it doesn`t matter! Easy to fix, reliable technic, what else do you want?

But it is not the lets "ride around Europe in 1 week bike", that you have to know. Not like TDM or something like this. If you take it easy with time, it should last forever!

TENERE-Club Rhein-Neckar Germany

I have the 86/87 Tenere, one headlight, 150 000 km, but I changed the whole engine to a newer one.....More problems with the 1 headlight Tenere(1VJ).

Go for the 2 headlight(3AJ) Model.

Buy it and get started!!!!!

Maybe to the first HU Meeting in May, Germany, check it out!

El Aleman - Jens

Just phoned he seller. It sold last week

Now I have seen the Pic. I am pretty sure it is one that was advertised on ebay a few months back and had just had a major rebuild because the head bolts snapped. came with a spare head and barrel if i remember correctly. if it is the same one...... it sold for 1750 Quid! and ....why take a grand loss????
The reason I am so sure it is the same one is there are not many of that year with twin lamps and in that condition! It did look VERY clean mind you. I would have given 750 Quid for it and threw my engine in!

Martyn

Hi,

I guess the main question for you is whether an Air Cooled Single/Thumper is for you? I think the other bikes you have mentioned are water cooled &/or a twin.

I have an '88 E-plate 3AJ Tenere (imported Series 1), and it looks remarkable similar to the one shown, and I have a theory. I think it is perhaps an import (hence the good condition) and the year being '88 hints at it also being a Series 1 that were available in Italy (as an example) in '88. The UK models tended to be from '89 and a Series 2, and this link shows you the UK advert:
UK Tenere Owners

Hope this helps clarify the twin headlight, electric start, rear disc brake, etc... issue? It looks to be a very standard bike in good visual condition.
Geoff