Due to leave on my Cape to Cairo this morning, but my KLR was wiped out on Thursday evening (footage in link at bottom of page) so frantically making a plan B over the next week.

Can anyone give me the low down on the XT660z specifically (as an overland bike) - one's available locally. (Done a forum search using phone/tapatalk but could find anything).

Keen to know issues and genuinely essential mods if I buy today and have a few days only to sort it out.

Thanks
Andy

Days 4&5: interesting developments | Cape Town to Bristol
https://temporaryescapee.wordpress.c...-developments/

This chap seemed to think it was pretty good.
[url=http://www.roadtrooper.com/african-motorcycle-diaries-by-spencer-conway/]Road Trooper – Independent Motorbike Touring Magazine

Well - take a look in this thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...z-tenere-83688

And this: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rlanding-83304

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

The XT660Z 2008- is basically a very heavy bike for its size. A KTM 690 is 42 kilos lighter and a Suzuki Dr 650 is 35 kilos lighter.
And the big single engine is restricted and lumpy, is surging etc and has a narrow useful rev range.

I rode one XT660Z from Norway to Australia - approx 85 k kms and I have just turned around and will ride it back home now.

The engine is quite reliable and the frame are strong so thats good stuff.
The cush rubber drive in the rear hubb wears out quite fast - maybe only 15 k kms or so. Its useful to mod it by packing it with inner tube rubber or make small metal plates that fits inbetween the cush rubber and the hubb.
The rectifier is also a weak spot and many XT660Z owners have had to change those. Mine has however been fine so far.
The gearing is set up very high on stock bikes - cruising at 100 km/h the rpm is 4000. That is less rpm at 100 km/h than much bigger bikes. The stock chain/sprocket size is 520 so its imho a bit underdimensioned for such a big bike so I have put on 525.

And then the usual - suspension isnt top class, seat, handlebars, footpegs, headlights etc could use some improvements. But I guess that goes for many stock bikes.
And as mentioned above - engine is terribly restricted, consider new airfilter, exhaust and fuelling program improvements.

The XT660R is actually 20 kilos lighter I belive and by so a better choice. But it has a much smaller gas tank.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

I don't agree with some of these - it's not heavy for it's size, F800GS is heavier and it's smaller. KTM 690 enduro R is too small for taller people, bad ergonomics.
Tenere engine is pretty good and I don't feel it' restricted or surging, early models had this issue. I did on mine only 6k km but already know it's a keeper.
I have never ridden so comfortable bike, just finished a trip for 11 hours straight in saddle and no problems with my arse.

Why do you compare a single cylindred 650 with a two cylindred 800? Its like comparing grapes and water melons. Compared with a Goldwing or a Triumph Rocket the Tenere is superlight but compared to other single cylindred 600-650 bikes its heavy as shit. Its even 20 kilos heavier then the other two XT models the XT-R and XT-X. Even the old school Tenere from the 80's where 20-30 kilos lighter. Thats certainly not a development in the right direction. And compared with Dr and KTMs 690 as I mentioned above its just ridiciously HEAVY! And I have ridden several other single cylindred bikes and 90 k kms on a Tenere so I know what Im talking about. Its basiccally the heaviest single cylindred bike ever made except from the Suzuki Dr 800.

The seat - well good on you if thinks its great. You are most certainly the first person in the world Ive heard of that like it. All others riding long distances buy aftermarket seats and airhawks etc.

The engine is not restricted you say. Can you tell me how many revs you need in tallest gear for the bike to pull clean? Somewhere inbetween 3000-3300 right. Other old school single cylindred bikes pull clean from much lower revs. And why do you think theres such a huge market for aftermarket accesories to the engine for this model? Try to look on the forum of XT660.com and ask around there.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Thanks for all this.

I have agreed a purchase of a 2014 bike with 8,000 kms on it.

Nasty spill, at least you went over the hood of the car, dissipated speed sliding and it wasn't a T bone and face plant into the side of the car, hope you are ok mate.

Good job you got it on video too, the XT660Z is heavy for a single, but its not a bad bike, have a good trip!

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Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Well, i've ridden it from Cape Town to mid Tanzania so far. It has been very good.

My findings so far are:

Great on the tar - fully loaded is drinks the fuel a bit at 120kmph but below 100kmph happy days

Agree it wants to be up at 3k revs plus but actually fuelling is less fussy i think than the XT1200z i have in the UK (will test that when i get back home).

Handles well off road too i think but i am struggling with confidence, riding alone in remote places. I usually ride a 100kg KTM Freeride off road so the weight is an issue in my head (what if i drop it....)

I have dropped it twice in deep sand - I'm just no good at riding that stuff...

I have a couple of dings in the front wheel now from hitting rocks on gravel roads at lowish speeds (or perhaps potholes on bad tar), so maybe not the strongest

Did 900kms in my first day on the stock seat. Not a sofa but better than other bikes i've ridden over that distance. Using an airhawk when riding on tar now as a precaution.

Cheers
Andy

this is the bike I am always excited when I hope on

not so much with the other two I have...


p.s.
those who claim tenere seat is not good should add that it's not good for your specific arses, because for majority this seat is one of the best long distance
butt rest.