Hi all - looking for some info please.
Looking at a couple of bikes for long trip - prudent to both be the same.
Thinking about the XT660Z for me but I think the R would be better for my wife as a lower seat height and 25KG lighter.
Wondering how similar they are? And weather the usual spares taken can be shared.
Many thanks for any info from you technical types
FF

Same engines, a few electrical components. They are different bikes though.

I liked my R. It was much lighter than a Z so feels quicker and easier to ride. It does suffer with limited ground clearance though. Depends on your riding.

If you go for an R, avoid 04/05 models. Bad fueling and rough runners. Later models have o2 sensors in the exhaust for better running.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Thanks Ted.
Electrical components are handy to share but I assume then that the chassis are different- cables etc.
There will be no hard core off road - typical gravel tracks in South America, maybe the odd one more difficult but we will not take any risks.
FF

BTW - do you know if late model Zs have 02 sensors, there is a lot of talk about the ‘Kev mod’ to stop low speed surging.
Thanks again

The Z models do have O2 sensors. Avoid 2009 models as there are a batch of almost 2000 bikes that are prone to break third gear with total engine failure as a result.

I have now been on the road almost 5 years on an around the world trip with my Tenere and my bike has passed 200 k kms a couple of weeks ago. To be honest the bike has been a utter piece of garbage. I would not recommend it at all if you ask...

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

- Says bike is utter piece of garbage
- Rides 5 years around the world on it.

K

Just in the interests of balance i’ve had a 2014 Z since mid 2016 and done a few trips on it in Africa and love it.

It is heavy for a dirt bike, i have a small ding in the front rim from hitting a pothole at speed in Zimbabwe and in dusty conditions i need to clean the air filter regularly. Otherwise i have had no issues.

For me it had proved comfortable, reliable, and good on the typical dirt & gravel roads i am riding, plus able to carry luggage, run electrics etc.

I could send you to a thread of pals of mine who have had a nightmare with a dr650. Every model will have some bikes with more issues than average.

On the Z and R question, I rented an R for a pal and did a shorter Z & R trip in South Africa last year. Quite different feels. One of each may not be a bad shout as the Z is physically a bigger beast (for context i am 6ft and 16st/100kgs+); the R is much lighter and with smaller tank, which worked for my lighter friend.

Good luck with your search.

Wether you love the Tenere or not doesnt make it a good bike. And «a few small trips» ANY bike would do without problems. If the persons taking it around the world get serious problems then we should pay attention. I have mentioned a few earlier on. Have a look at those stories and have a look at the Tenere forum I mentioned earlier on for a plethora of Tenere problems. Notably those nearly 2000 bikes with potential gearbox failure....

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

Hi Snakeboy, not looking to get into a bun fight here, clearly you have put way more miles on your Z than most of the rest of us here and as such represent 1 very relevant data point. Your note on 2009 models and Ted’s on 2004/5 R models are great insights for the OP.

But if we tell everyone asking questions that a particular bike model is rubbish because one example had issues over a 200,000kms life, or there are some weak points for a model that emerge over time, then there’s going to be a seriously short list of feasible bikes that make the grade. This was the point I was making by citing my pals with big DR issues.

Cheers
Andy

The "problems" of the 660 is pretty well known, in regards to the rectifier and cush dampers, and the lean conditions. Theres pretty cheap fixes for all of it. This should be no surprise.

- Theres a "kev mod" to fic the fuelling issue (which just about and FI thumper has)
- Theres guides to fill the rectifer with dielectric grease and/or relocate it.
- Theres a guide to mod the sprocket carrier to fit a bigger bearing, making th life of the cush rubbers easier.
- You can fit polyurethane cush dampers for +40.000 miles trouble free use (with the above mod)
- Cush rubbers can be filled with spare pieces of innertubes as shims.

I know this, and I dont even own the bike.


When I think about, all the bikes I've ever had has hat some sort of "common failure point"

2000 "potential" bike isnt a lot, how many Lc4's has had rocker arm failures? How many wr250r has had fuel pump and stator failures? How many wr450f has had gearbox failures? How many transalps have had cdi box failures? How many dr650 has 3rd gear explode, how many xt600's had 5th gear failures, how many klr650 had the doohickey spring brake? How many dt125rs had headgasket issues? ect ect ect.....

Seems like someone was just unlucky, most of this could have been avoided with a couple google searces. Its a pretty common round-the-world-bike for a reason.

Good day

There are way way more common problems than the one you have mentioned. For example ignition barrel problems, it locks totally or as on my bike you can remove the key when ignition is on. Tacometer needle goes off, water/moisture in speedometer, final drive nut disengages just to mention a few. And what about an idiotic high gearing it has? What about only a 520 chain/sprocket set up on such a heavy lean set up single thumper? Even the Dr650 has a 525 set ip. What a windscreen that creates insanly much turbulence for an average tall rider?
No you obviously havent owned such a bike Mr Eskildsen - its shows very clearly!

Some of the fixes on the Ten might be easy and cheap, but for example the rear hubb one is neither easy or cheap at all! If you cant machine one yourself it will be very costly. And taking a new bike and start to fill innertube rubber in the rear hubb - nah that is - excuse me - not how a bike should come out of a factory. And the same goes for both of the socalled Kev mods. There are both an O2 mod and a fuel mod - didnt you know that? And you will need a wuite expensive aftermarket airfilter and ditto exhaust to get a decent result out of this. Cheap you said? LOL

And to compare fuel pump issues or headgaskets on a twostroker with the gearbox issues on the Ten is excuse pure nonsense. Both can be fixed in less than an hour for a small cost. The gearbox issues on the Ten can cost shipping home to Europe from Mongolia and then find a replacement engine. Cheap and easy my ass!!!

2000 bikes isnt a lot you say? It would be interesting to know how many bikes you consider a lot? 100 000? 999999999999? Imo a single bike with a potential failure is too much. Other brands makes recalls and take responibility - Yamaha gives a god damned shit about their bikes and customers....

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

Please man - I have mentioned several other Tens, their owners, their problems, where the problems occured (all on RTW-trips) and in addition I have mentioned the most used Facebookforum for Teneres where you can have a look. My experienses are not at all the main thing here. But if you dont want to understand theres nothing I can do about it. Dont say that I didint try...

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

I am not trying to avoid understanding Snakeboy; I am very happy with my bike and understand perfectly well its strengths and weaknesses.

What I, along with others in this thread, am doing is trying to provide the OP with a bit of balance to your ‘only I know best’ views (is it really credible to condescendingly dismiss someones 40,000 miles of experience of riding a Z as irrelevant because they haven’t done 100,000 miles, yet hold out your opinion on the DR650 based upon a 6 week trip?), whilst attempting (and now failing) to ignore the rude and condescending way you make your points.

Really, it is not a very nice way to behave.

That’s me out of this thread, it is not why I use forums like this. My sincere apologies to the OP that this thread has degenerated in this way - don’t get talked out of the Z & R based upon this discussion alone.

40 000 miles are not exactly very much. 95% of all new bikes will roll their first 40 k miles without any issues. Come back please when you have 100 000 miles on it...

The Ten is NOT a reliable bike. There are for example potentially almost 2000 bikes with gearbox failing. The 2009 (and early 2010?) models. Now everybody likes to give shit to BMW, KTM, Honda etc when they have recalls on their bikes - Yamaha doesnt even recall or fix anything on warranty even though they have admitted that there was a failure when producing gearboxes that year. Do you still have faith in Yamaha???
I have mention names on persons with Tens and their problems - where they broke down etc etc and I could have mentioned many many many more. Have a look on the Tenere forum I mentiond above and see what the huge plethora of problems Ten owners have...

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