I think rather than worry too much about whether there will be a bike shop handy when you break down that has all teh parts for your bike, it would be better to set up an account with a major parts supplier or two to ship parts to you. That way if you need something, it is just a phone call away and flash the plastic. By all means carry small things that are likely to need replacing.. chains,cable brake pads, but leave the crankshafts at the parts shop. I know of some BMW riders who have carried hundreds of pounds worth of parts for years. Likely hood is these parts will either never be used or given away when they sell their bikes. In my view it is better to buy what you need if you need it. even with taxes and shipping could easily work out cheaper.

thanks for your replies.

i did googling for new xt600 but did not find on the first 3 pages and there is no in ebay.co.uk eihter.

as far as i know they have not been produced after 2004, am i right? even if i buy a brand new one, it will be a 2004 make.

i am still between DR650 and XT600. I got TT panniers, scottoiler, etc... just need to buy or make a rack and give a good service.

about the spares.. of course i will have a phone or e-mail of a part supplier. just wanna carry the essencial things like tyre stuff, bolts, oil, tools, seals etc.. wanna travel light.. (less is more) even for cloths.

I put about 70kg on my bmw and the rear shock has been broken in Italy gave me some trouble. so this time i'll be very very sensitive about the weigth this time.

Yes, that's basically the situation - they have not changed of course for some years; if you go to a Yam dealer they should be able to get you a new one i.e. there are still some to be "had" - they may not want to do this but would rather sell you a bike that they have in stock.

The end of the line XT600E was a bit of a poor relation to the classic earlier XT's. Same basic engine as the old 80's bikes, but with very basic parts, cheap suspension, steel rims and pretty heavy for a 600 single.
If you've become used to more modern bikes like the f650 then it will be a real step back in time.
On the plus side they're very cheap, simple and reliable.
Have you looked at Yamaha's TT-R 600? Similar engine, but in a much better spec'ed chassis.
The KLR has been around for a long time, but they were never that popular in europe, so aftermarket parts aren't as widely available as in the states.
The DR's are good, solid bikes, but have you looked at the DRZ400S? The more modern 400cc engine makes similar power to the old air cooled 600's and is equally as reliable.

Hi MarkLG,

Thanks for the comments. Which model xt600 are not as good as the previous one do you think? There is no TT-R's here so I have to stick eihter the xt600 or dr650.

i have just checked the dr400s and found brand new in suzuki.com.tr but it is hell expensive for a 400cc. (could not find used for now as they are new imported bikes). the brand new is about 6300 pounds. there are some used 4 years old dr650 which are almost half price of it.

still investigating and thinking..

thanks again..

Sorry, I have to agree with 'walkabout'....still BMW by far, and I mean the old airheads. Lucky for me 'Martynbiker' is on a ban or I'd be 'flamed' for this post! :rofl:

Okay, I give up - I may have been WRONG!
 

Perhaps I should withdraw that comment and replace it with -

"Probably the most widely used African Adventure bike ever"
There is that more acceptable to you (BMW) purists out there?

NO, first cut is the deepest! :rofl:

Depends of what part of RTW you mean!
 

"Most popular RTW bike" depends on what you consider "the world".

The earlier XT600 Tenere's from the late 80's to the mid 90's are genererally thought of as the best of the line. They came with large tanks as standard, plus good quality suspension and wheels. The problem is finding a good one - there aren't many around which are worth looking at.
The later models lost a lot of their off-road and overland ability - small tank, cheaper suspension with less travel and heavy steel rims. They're also a good bit heavier than the older models. They're still a reliable bike, but pretty dull to ride - things have moved on a long way since the bike first came out in the 80's.
The DR650 is a better quality bike all-round - ligher, more powerful, decent suspension and real off-road ability. Of the two bikes it's definately the one to go for.
Another bike to consider if you can find one in your price range is the newer water-cooled Yamaha XT660 - a very solid bike, with a very nice, smooth engine.

I am curious now, what happened ?

If you mean what happened to Martynbiker,well Caminando has been baiting him for a while and when Martyn retaliated it resulted in a ban for both of them till Jan30th, before Christmas Cammy got himself a 3 month ban reduced to 4 days ??? for abusing Martyn, it seems Cammy is a pr:censored:k.

mollydog
your post have really shocked me.. it is like "the brief history of motorbikes and motorbikers of America". Amazing really. I have "again" realized that I have too much to learn and a long way to walk. Thanks for your time for that long post..

MarkLG
Thanks for sharing your experiences and knowedges with me. Many people has voted for XT600 buy I think is it the old XT up to mid 90's and it is really hard to find a good and realiable one here. So, the best choise would be a DR650SE. There is one here 2004 make low milage. I think I'm gonna read the threads about "prepare a DR for rtw" and apply them as my budged allows.

Thank you very very much again to everyone who helped me with their experiences and advices.

Hope to see you all somewhere on the road.

Thanks dave

I tend to just let things go when people have a grump....


Ozanhu...... sadly (in my opinion) you did not consider the lean burn Enfields. 160kg, simple to maintain and 80+mpg. a very different animal from the old 1949 design. sadly people keep on with the 60 year old mantra's. I am sure i could find problems with 60 year old jap bikes. You know the crap ones before they copied the brit bikes. :)

Mollydog,

I really enjoyed reading that reply, very interesting indeed and written by someone who palpably knows what he's talking about. Nice to get the "slant" on things from our American cousins across the big pond...

All the best.
Neil