Which XT?
 

Can someone please explain the history of the XT as it has been in the UK? I've been looking at a 1985 600 XT for about £600. Small tanked, in reasonable nick. Should I go for it, can I get a big tank and other bits, or should I hold out for a later tenere?

Hi
If you go to this page, it will give you a run down of the XT600 Tenere:
www.tenere.ch/english/etenerestory.html
I'm pretty sure that even if you can change the tank on a standard XT600,(doubtful), you will also need new side panels and saddle. Thiswould make it a very costly operation. You are much better off waiting until you find a proper Tenere. They appear fairly frequently on ebay, or I've just bought an excellent condition 1VJ model from HRS in Bristol for £1200 fully serviced and taxed and tested. They seem to be able to get them fairly regularly. Hope this helps.
Dave

Had a look at that website, thanks for that, but it doesn't really tell me what the main differences between a tenere and a regular XT, other than the tank and seat, are. You'll have to excuse what are probably very newbie questions. It's just that the old home mod'd XT's seem to come very highly commended elsewhere (Sahara Overland, on this site, etc.).
I just wondered why it wasn't worth getting a really big tank and super comfy seat for a bogo XT, compared with buying a standard Tenere, is there something else mechanical that I'm missing? Is a standard XT is just not as tough?

Sorry once again for my ignorance

Cheers.

Scamp

Hi,
I have never really thought about it before, and this is a personal view:

XT600 - Dual sport / on & off-Road;
TT600 - Purpose built off-road machine (i.e. no cush rubbers used in the final drive, etc...);
Tenere - Enduro version of the XT600 (based upon Paris Dakar versions with larger tank capacity & longer fork travel, etc....).

n.b. All can be modified, and road going TT600 can be a great machine. A Tenere can be a good 'green lane' machine, and an XT600 can be Tenere'ized, etc....

Hope this helps? Perhaps others can add?

If you find a good machine, there is alot of fun modifying it to your needs/wishes, as they are all the same basic core design. Again this is a personal view.

Good luck,
Geoff

I once had the 34L: tenere 1984.
Its better than new bikes, for those who likes
a strong engine full of torque, suspension was brilliant and fuel tank takes 30 litres.
Carbs are the weak point, with age bike started consuming to much.
Now I drive a 3AJ: tenere 1989.
Because its more reliable and engine lives long, but yeah, 34L is more fun to drive.
Currently been driving 30 000 kms with it, totalising 50 000 and nothing as problems, no oil connsumption, no sounds etc etc.

Bye

Matt

Thanks for the info.

So again, can anyone confirm what are the real differences between the old XT I'm looking at and a similar aged tenere? Is it just the tank? Are they otherwise the same? Same frame, engine, suspension?
Will this XT suffer from the same carb weekness? Is it the same Carb, cos it seems very reliable on this bike?

I need the facts! Its still for sale, tempting me!