XT Info?

**James Surtees** · #1 8 Aug 2005

Myself father and a friend are finally biting the bullet and going to make a trip this winter, setting of Nov 1st through Europe into North Africa down the East Coast and then back through Europe.
The tool of choice for myself and my father is looking like an XT600E, leaving it a bit late I know! We have found a couple of bikes but are wondering about getting the bits and pieces to make them the touring machines we are looking for. Two things immediately spring to mind a larger tank as the standard range is a bit measly and pannier racks and panniers. Does anyone know about availability of such things and were to get them from? Any other hints or tips would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks in anticipation

Regards

James

**braindead** · #2 8 Aug 2005

I have equiped an AJ3 with racks and alu panniers with the help of this guy paul@eibcltd.co.uk

the tank size is fine at 22- litres which is standard on the tenere. If you have bought post 89 XTs then you will need to change tanks and I am not sure whereer older model ones fit. I have an old spare in need of cleaning if you want it.

see the racks and pannier etc on my bike here. we also put racks for soft luggage on the 1AJ my wife Rides.

http://groups.msn.com/UKTenereOwners...aharatrip.msnw

Charles

[This message has been edited by braindead (edited 08 August 2005).]

[This message has been edited by braindead (edited 09 August 2005).]

**Eriks** · #3 8 Aug 2005

Off the Road AG www.off-the-road.de have everything you need.

Other fine suppliers are www.kedo.de and www.touratech.com

Good luck!

Eriks

**XTANDY** · #4 8 Aug 2005

James
I have a 2002 XT'E' which I did a month long tour of the southern morrocan desert plust the atlas mountains. All I used was a 22L acerbis Tank - good for 400kms, a CRD bashplate, A hepco and becker rear rack to which bolted a homemade silecencer heat guard from 3mm ali plate to enable the Oxford throwovers. I also used Acerbis 'Rally' handguards, braided stainless brake hoses, got some spare wheels laced with ali rims and heavy duty galvo spokes, used Pirelli MT21's. Ran XT on fully sytentic and changed it and filter every 4000 miles. I am only in York so if any photos of bike/questions just ask. ANDY
ANDREW.NEWTON@INVENSYS.COM

**leigh** · #5 9 Aug 2005

What about a TT600RE? I Just bought one new with a 2 year warranty for £3599.00, lots of second hand ones about though nearly new. I have had a TT600R for 4 years ( basically the same). It has better brakes, suspension, wheels and bashplate than the XT.
Acerbis do a 20 litre tank which will give you 500km or 300 ish miles going really steady. Hepco and becker, metal mule and off the road all do hard luggage etc for them. I would recommend the off the road luggage. Happy travels!

**James Surtees** · #6 10 Aug 2005

To All,
Thanks very much for the information! I picked up my XT today it is a 1992 model so what that is in terms of the designation I know not? She's in really good nick, but as a bonus she already has pannier racks with built in heat shield for the devil can plus a built in tool storage box and a fairly major bash guard!
Just can't wait to get out there and start riding....

Many Thanks Again

James

**aukeboss** · #7 11 Aug 2005

Just make sure:
1. Your racks and panniers need to be bombproof. Plastic items will break eventually. Hepco & Becker racks are very good. Boxes from Dearr.de are fairly cheap and good.
2. Rear shock: replace the original one with a good one from WP, Technoflex, and have a spring installed adjusted to your weight plis luggage.
3. Change the rims from steel to alloy.
4. Don't go on Pirelli's. Take either Michelin deserts of T63's. The last ones also good on wet roads.
5. Remove the filter on top of the float needle seat, plumb in in-line filters.
6. Find a solution to replace the original paper air filter by something washable.

Auke

**Mark** · #8 11 Aug 2005

Hi,

I agree with most of the above comments, but not sure about replacing the rims.

My girlfried and I went on a 35000 mile trip round Asia, Oz & NZ, including a few pretty rough roads. She was on a XT600E with the original steel rims and heavy duty spokes, I was on a tenere with its original fitment alloy wheels, also rebuilt with deavy duty spokes.

She had no wheel problems, but I developed a number of cracks from the spoke holes, which had not been modified, and then had spokes breaking. I had a new rim and spokes sent out to me and had the wheel rebuilt in Bankok, but the problem soon returned.

On this ocasion it was caused by the aftermarket rim having spoke holes at the wrong angle for the hub.

Tried again in Oz, the wheel builder knew all about having to adjust the holes in the rims and had an impressive list of customers, problem returned in less than a thousand miles.

It could be that still using the original shock played a part, but so was my girlfriend !

Mark

**braindead** · #9 11 Aug 2005

Michelin T63s are very good in the wet and the rocky stuff. They are also very good on the slippery chalky mud of SALISBURY PLAIN.

I agree with all the mods recomended and run DID Alu rims myself.

Charles