TTR 600 vs XT600
 

What is the difference between a TTR600 and an XT600. I can tell just by looking at them that there is obviously a difference, but would like to know a bit more about the TTR600.

Also, I picked up somewhere on this forum that the late models of the XT600E were plagued with problems, and no where near as good as the earlier XT600s. Is this true. I know that the new XT660 is not rated that highly but always thought that the one it replaced was pretty similar to the early 90's ones.

i made the switch from an 03 XT 600 to an '04 TT600re this june.
So far i have ridden over 6000 km on the TT and feel i can pass some judgement on it.
The TT has WAY ! better suspension yamaha Belgarda outsources many components for the TT Paioli forks,ohlins/sachs dampers,Brembo brakes instead of the in house or no name stuff they used on the XT, and you can tell the difference.
i have taken my TT places where i would not think of taking the XT
on the downside the TT is basically a DIRT bike so it lacks a cush drive in the rear hub.. it may eat some more chains and sprockets due to this, or maybe not if you use knobby tires which tend to flex a little and absorb driveline shocks.
The top speed is probably a little less on the TT due to lower gearing, but its a lot more stable than the xt which has thinner plastics in the front fender ( it flops around a lot )and skinnier fork tubes

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Laromo '04 TT600RE

and i just found out this last sunday.. the TT crashes a lot better than an XT, i kissed the pavement at about 20kmph and both me and bike slid a fair distance result : scratched acerbis handguards ( but otherwise functional), bent clutch lever (functional), scratched fenders and sidepanel ( adds character)i doubt the XT would have fared so well due to the abundance of protruding plastic bits and pieces

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Laromo '04 TT600RE

Does the TT carry the same amount of oil as the XT? Is it really the same engine? Fuel mileage?
By your words, i would assume a TT with a larger tank and confy seat is as good or better than a XT on the highway.

yes i think they carry the same amount of oil 2.7 liters, the XT has an integral in the frame oil tank where the TT has an aluminum tank below the airfilter box. Fuel mileage is the same 4.5 l pr 100 km. engine is the same apart from clutch linkage ( cable on the XT is on the right side of engine, TT left )carburator on the TT is bigger than the XT and breathes through a much bigger airbox (8 liters) with an oiled foam filter.
IMHO the TT is what the XT should have been instead of the "look a like " dirtbike that it evolved into.
Sadly the new XT 660R is not an improvement over the old XT 600.

And do you use your TT to tour on tarmac also, as do many people on XTEs?

depends what you mean by "tour" a weeks trip covering maybe 2ooo km no problem..RTW ? absolutely not!! It IS an off road bike first and foremost.. that being said.. if i were to install a custom seat and a 20liter acerbis tank.. it could be done.. just not by me ;-) i would choose a goldwing instead

As an XTR owner, I think I should add my sixpenny worth to this thread.
The XT660R is a quite different animal to either the old XT or the TT. It is more of a road bike, but has reasonable off road ability. I can follow my DRZ riding companion into some pretty rough terrain and it copes just fine if you take it easy. The XTR's strength is in its on road performance:
Here the handling and stability is superb, as good or better than a lot of road bikes I have owned and ridden. Almost up to Sports bike levels.
It has a lot more power than the TT and XT and is a genuine all day 70+ mph machine, with a 100+ mph top speed. Excellent for this type of bike.
It is very comfortable - I've ridden 400 mile days with no problems.
It has a 200 mile tank range and returns an average 70mpg.
Headlight is very good. Brakes are OK - nothing special. Cosmetics are very poor for the price. General finish is reasonably robust and nothing has worked loose.
I would sum it up as a better all round riding machine than either a Transalp or BMW650.
My only question mark is its long term reliability if subjected to extreme riding. As this is such a new bike, there is no way of knowing if it can take BIG miles. I have done nearly 4000 miles, on all sorts of terrain, without a single problem, but would not want to take on any journey which was too ambitious (eg London to Cape Town)until there is more data on this model.
Out of the 20 XTRs and Xs which I know of, there has been only one which has had a problem. This was a leak from the oil tank. Otherwise there have been no reliability issues.
It is a true "Dual Purpose" machine.

[This message has been edited by XT Alan (edited 30 September 2004).]

Hi - I can't say I have had any problems with my 2002 XT600e, but it has only done about 13000kms - mostly on the road with occasional trips off road.
So far it has been totally reliable and fun to ride.
The TTR is a different bike - much more off-road oriented and if I was looking for that kind of bike I would probably go for a Honda XR 400.

Ive just completed a trans Africa on my 1985 XT600 Tenere, if only they still made bikes like this!
As much as i love the old beast I am now looking to put it into retirement and buy something a little newer.
Im told that the TT, although a more competant rough-terrain bike has a weaker frame than the XT making it difficult to secure panniers for distance riding.
Any experience here?

Hi Jim!
the rear sub frame is a bolt on part (4 bolts) instead of the XT's uni construction. i agree it may not be as suitable for huge aluminum panniers and top box allthough a german company sells a rack and frame for this ( off the road something or other)

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Laromo '04 TT600RE

Hi Jim, spent 7000km this year in Russia and Eastern Europe on a TTR with fully loaded alu panniers. The rear frame has not suffered from this experience. However there are a few other considerations: On tarmac the bike was surprisingly stabile despite being light and tall, though when the road quality declined the stability declined proportionally. For the next 7000km I'll keep the Hepco&Becker rack which is great, but I have ditched the panniers and gone for Ortlieb soft luggage.

Hi Erik,

Quick intro as I'm new here. Knocking on 50, 47 bikes, some trials, enduro, road and a wee bit o racing. Wrote for UK dirt mag and just bought a new TT600RE.

I need a racka nd you mention the Hepco&Becker but I don't see one on their site?

I bought the TTR for its better road manners than my XR's and CCM of old. I like the rubber mounted bars, blancer shaft and on my 03/04 model - the leccy start! I need to consider retro fitting a kick start?

I'm pretty sure mine has a cush drive, I'll check. I like the 2 inch lower suspension than the 2002 models and like others love the Brembos and Paiolis.

Have done an online gearing calculator for my bike.

http://john.rushworth.com/tt600re/GearingCalculator.htm

John



Hi Jim, spent 7000km this year in Russia and Eastern Europe on a TTR with fully loaded alu panniers. The rear frame has not suffered from this experience. However there are a few other considerations: On tarmac the bike was surprisingly stabile despite being light and tall, though when the road quality declined the stability declined proportionally. For the next 7000km I'll keep the Hepco&Becker rack which is great, but I have ditched the panniers and gone for Ortlieb soft luggage.</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just to add to the topic, I have a 2001 TT600R kickstart. Just come back from an 8500 mile trip from Newfoundland to California with luggage and girlfriend on the back. Have previously done Morrocco and all over Europe on it. 5th gear is now starting to suffer but otherwise no real problems. I use a 20 litre Acerbis tank,centre stand, alu boxes and rack from "off the road" in Germany (stronger than touratech etc).My ohlins shock is still going strong(preload set up high).
People in Canada/ U.S.A. thought we were insane to do the trip on a 600cc single but is anything easy worth doing?

Leigh,

Thanks. Do you have a contact or web address for the "off the road" rack please?

John

hi there
I think the site with the rack for TTR 600 is here
http://www.off-the-road.de./enduro/l..._bruecken.html

If any one knows any different sites with racks please post
http://raybemotow.com/ Has some good TTR information
Hope this helps

Yes, that helps thanks. Funnily enough even though I couldn't find the racks on a google search I guessed the off the road URL as http://www.offtheroad.de and that works as does your hyphenated version.

I called the guy in Germany and he was great. I suggested he put some English keywords in his site to help the search engines. He said they are releasing an English version of the site soon. I manged with a translator anyhow.

The nice thing for me up here in Scotland is that it is easier for me to visit him in Koln and pick up the rack and boxes as I'm only 30 minutes from the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry and he is only 200 miles from Zeebrugge. Getting even with all you southerners and those nifty French trips http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

There are some quite good deals for us on the overnight from here in winter for bike and no cabin passenger .

John

John

Take a look at www.kedo.de. They have about anything a TTR owner can wish for.
Download their catalogue and you'll find the H&B rack on page 247.
Product no.60267
Price 259 euro.

I did consider the rack from Off-The-Road, but really I think it makes the bike look ugly. Perhaps not the best reason, but nevertheless...

Finally, for those considering the Acerbis tank for the TTR, the one that is announced everywhere to room 20 liters, it is worth mentioning that it's just 17 liters (which was extremely annoying finding out considering the area where I ran out of gas).

To get the last few litres out of the acerbis tank you need to have both petcocks fitted. I get about 21 litres in mine.It is now available in blue (finally!) If you only fit the left (gear lever side) petcock you will have to tip the bike over to slosh the fuel in to the other side when nearly empty.
Erik, you are right, the Hepco and Becker rack looks nicer, but mine has pillion peg mounts and is made from 20mm tube so may be a bit stronger.
The oil thermometer from off the road is handy to make sure you dont thrash the bike on a cold day until it is warm.The centre stand and chain and sprocket kits are good value too.

Leigh

One hell of a TTR trip you've had - with luggage AND girlfriend. I guess Jim have no more reasons to question the strength of the rear frame.
I'm aware of the left side/right side tank reservoir, though I still cannot figure out how you get 21 liters into that tank. When mine was empty (yes, on both sides) I filled 17 point something liters and thats all that would go into it.
The H&B rack is often critizised in forums for being made of just 15mm tubes, though that is only the loop where you mount the boxes. The rest of the rack, where the major restrains are, is made of much more solid tubes. In any case I do not make too much fuzz about the outer diameter of rack tubes just as long as the metal and the metal thickness is good enough. The OTR rack is good I'm sure, they have lots of great stuff, and I'm glad it has worked fine for you.
Hey, thanks again for the electric diagrams you sendt me while I was touring the Baltics earlier this year. It's not forgotten.

Erik/Leigh,

Many thanks for your support. The becker rack looks high off the tailpiece and the offroad one too but less so, also I think it's a bit cheaper. I think I'll go for theirs with side pannier mounts and aly boxes and a blue matching 20l (ish) tank. Also as I may tie up a magazine article with prepping the bike - then offroad are much closer to me in Scotland using the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry. i.e Koln is only 200 miles away.

I download the 48 meg catalogue (good job we have broadband at last) and I'm uncertain who the temperature gauge you refer to is from?

John

John

Lucky you having broadband - I did not and the download lasted for more than two hours http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif Anyway, you'll find a nice little oil temperature gauge on page 60 in the Kedo Katalogue. I have it and it works perfectly.

Hi, guys!

Following this same topic, and given the fact that I'd like to buy a multipurpose bike, that's low maintenance and has low consumptions, I'd like to know if you guys would advise me to buy a TT 600 RE (the one I really like) or a XT 600 E, taking into account the following:

- It would be my first bike;
- My experience with bikes has been with a YBR 125 (I think that's the model) [10hp] and with a '72 CB 450 k5 [45hp];
- I measure 1.74m (5 feet, 8 inches);
- I am very careful while driving/riding, do not want the bike for speed and fast accelerations.

What are your thoughts; the TT is too powerful for begginers?

Thank you very much!!

TT600re is the better bike of the two, eventhough on an everyday basis on tarmac, they shouldn't be to far from each other. I've got an xt600 myself, but would have loved a E-start TTR for the suspention.

I dont know if the E start TTR have a cushhub like the xt600? That would smooth it out a bit on the road.

Buy the bike you like, motorcycles should be fun!

Help I am new here!
 

I am replying to a thread because I can not find how to ask a question, which is what I really want to do? I just joined to try find some information, and can see how to make quotes and give answers, great, but how do you ask a bloody question so others can help you???

You maybe have to post 5-6 times before you can start threads and send PM, i dont remember if this site is like that?