I love buying bikes once riding season's over.
 

Hi, I'm in Vermont USA and most riders have already retired their rides for the year. I was on craigslist two weeks ago and came across a 1988 Yamaha XT600 for $1,000. 9,000 miles, pretty much stock, only with a bigger gas tank & a Cobra exhaust. I emailed the guy and ended up buying it for $800 a week later. YEY! So now I have my 89 XT and this 88 one. My 89 has been painted black with tons and tons of home-made mods done to it, so it's nice to get this one in pretty much original state. I drove it back to my place last weekend (only 2 hours), but it was cold & rainy...so the 2 hours were plenty. She rode really nice. Good power, that exhaust sounds damn nice! Front brakes are toast, so I'll have to flush and get new pads. Tires are still good. Handlebars are pretty crooked, but Renthal's are on their way already. I look to take the Cobra exhaust off this one & putting it on my black 89. The stock exhaust will go on the 88. I'd like to switch the gas tanks as well, but if I do, I'll need to paint it black, which I don't really want to do. So, before I retire the bikes (mid-December sometime, hopefully later), I'm looking at tweaking: - new handlebars - valves adj. - carb cleaning - oil change - air filter (at least lube it), it looked in good shape - blinker housing is pretty messed up (I still haven't figured out why the blinkers sometimes work, sometimes don't), but it might need a new switch. I'll dig into it this weekend. - seat cover (one little rip), but I'm anal that way - get front brake working - Oh and the tach & speedo clear plastics are so cracked that I can't see what it says underneath it unless I get close & personal w/ it. I'll be on the lookout for new glass or new units all together. The black one will just get normal winter prep work done, the new one requires a bit more. I love these bikes Safe miles all ;)

I've been looking at bikes myself - but not for myself!!!

Normal prices can be halved around this time of year and hit rock bottom around Xmas/New year.

If you have some spare cash it's a worthwhile investment if you get the right bike.

I've even been looking at importing bikes too (don't want to say too much yet:blushing:)

It was this tme last year that I found my '88 XT6 SupaMoto on Craigs.....waited till late January to finally purchase it as I was short on $$ @ the time. It too, had only 9k on the clock.......but currently has 13+k & counting.:cool4:

:welcome: to the forum :mchappy:

(I still haven't figured out why the blinkers sometimes work, sometimes don't), but it might need a new switch. I'll dig into it this weekend. -

Just a thought on this as something quick and easy to try. I often find that some of that aerosol cleaner designed for electronic components will attack and disperse the accumulated crud that gets into these switches. Readily available from computer shops, Radio Shack etc. Also great for curing crackly volume control sliders etc.

Geoff

LEC (live electrical cleaner) sorts most crud on switchgear failing that a needle file and a bit of patience also does wonders on switchgear :thumbup1:

gotta luv the fair weather bikers it means there are some great bargins out there i'm looking for another toy pref a dirt bike like an rm250 at the mo myself :cool4:

some pics....
1st the 1989 XT. It will be 2 years with her in February. I've owned about 5 bikes in my riding career, and this one is the best bike I've ever had..it takes me anywhere I want to go.
Attachment 2695
Attachment 2696

And here's the 1988 XT..new to me. Pics taken by previous owner.
Attachment 2693
Attachment 2694
Thanks for the ideas with the blinker switch guys.:thumbup1:

Your new XT looks awfully like a 1984 model, not a 1988!

hmmmm...must look into it.
Thanks for the heads-up.

If the blinker switch is shot, you may be able to replace it with a smaller one, the stock switches are often physically big. You probably need to make a bracket though. Aluminum is good.

I was not a fan of the stock switch on my TT600, I wanted a “push” switch that returns to neutral when released. See pics:

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/v.../blink_001.jpg


http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/v.../blink_002.jpg


http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/v.../blink_003.jpg


http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/v.../blink_004.jpg

Yeah looks like a 34L to me because i went to look at a 1985 one last night & it looks identical to that one!

Hi guys, I just called my dealer & he ran the VIN...it turns out it's a 1988 after all. Not sure what the previous owner did for mods (plastics probably) to make it resemble an 84.

Hey G600...nice job on the switch. Ha, so I had a few minutes last evening before my hockey game to "work" on the bike. Well, I got nowhere fast. All the bolts/screws on the blinker housing are completely seized. I sprayed a little WD40, and hope to continue today or over the weekend. My Renthal handlebars haven't arrived yet...I was really hoping they'd be here by the weekend.

Hi Icehole,

Nice bike.

North America didn't get as many xt 600 model changes as in europe. Your bike looks like a correct ( for N. Am.)1988 to me. In Canada and the US we only got two xt600 models from 84-89 and 90-95. A european 1988 would look significantly different than your's. That's where I think the confusion over the year of manufacture came up.

Have fun with it!

Pawlie

Hi Pawlie, thanks for the explanation. I got worried there for a little bit ;)
Enjoy the winter olympic games when they come to Vancouver..I'm still considering catching a hockey game. Me being from CZ, I'm thinking CZ vs. Russia. No need to see Canada destroy us, seen that before ;)

Take care

Ah right - apologies for the red herring - I didn't realise you North American types were so far behind the times in 1988!