Sure of course ! The standard bars are 1". Just make sure you get 1" risers.

How much was the tank & spring
Kev

Prices were on the first page but just for you !!

The tank was about £200

http://www.racespec.co.uk/rs_shop_final/enter.html

and the spring about £60 from David Lambeth.

One thing I tried to do on mine was change the mirrors so I could see past my shoulders :censored: ! Replaced the small, square OEM mirrors with rectangular, "universal Yamaha", black plastic "flag" mirrors. Better, but not much. I just ordered M10x1.25x45mm mirror extensions from Motorcycle and Scooter Mirror Extensions. My plan is to separate the OEM mirror head from the base, and insert the 45mm extension in between (like the Web site's photo on a Suzuki DR650). The extension will not work to raise the mirror (due to the Yammie's right/left-hand thread combo), but that's OK with me. I'm also ordering a seat cover from Sweet Cheeks* seat cover (once I measure the seat) to widen the seat for me instead of looking for a Corbin.

Just found this thread from last year...

Its crazy lol... The amount of time and more importantly MONEY that I spent was mad..

So, now im back and I battered the bike I can say with hand on heart what I wish i hadnt done to the bike..

1. Gorilla alarm. It drained the battery at a phenominal rate and went off all the time. Piece of junk. Just get a cable lock.

2. Fat bars and risers. Not neccessary and makes repairs and adjustments auwkard. Let alone fitting accessories to the oversized tube.

3. Metal Mule luggage. Im a softbag man now !! 10x cheaper and lighter and not a repair nightmare after a spill.

4. 12v Socket.. used it once in 7 months to charge my walkman. Only £7 though :)


I have to say that the centre stand, bash plate, brush guards, big tank and screen are the only mods anyone really needs for the XT. Sheepskin was needed for long days too.

Happy riding.

Hi Ted, thanks for the update. I am preping a 2002 XTat the moment for next summer and will be taking your latest advice. Do you have a trip report from your last trip? Andy

I have just found this thread and even if I'll go with a ttr and not an xt this was helpful. Especially the part about the luggage.

Hard or soft luggage is one of the questions that has the potential to basically paralyze me, not to mention keep me up at night...

Cheers mate!

Go Soft
 

I got hard boxes for my TTR, used them once, got soft-bags.

the soft bags full weigh the same amount as the boxes empty.

shaun

My blogs in my sig mate.. Touring Ted

Nice one Ted, read your set up thread just after you had departed, and checked your blog out. Fantastic that you also took the time to tell us about the 'in hindsight'.

I was looking at mods that would improve an XT, so your level of detail and the photoes were spot on.

I had issues with my alarm on a road adventure 10 years back, and haven't used one since. I had European breakdown assistance then, but still lost two days of my trip. The chain weighs some, but then that's re-assuring in itself!

I had opted for soft luggage too, but that's because green laning I've had my leg kicked off the peg, and if a bit of hard luggage was behind my leg, it would have nowhere to be kicked off to, if you see what I mean. It really would have been wedged between a rock and a hard place.

I still fancy the 12v socket, but like you, although it's an incredibly useful addition, I may not use it. Surely you charged your phone on it though?

:oops2:Hi Ted, i realised after i posted the reply that you had a blog link, Friday afternoon brain fade.
i have already bought some soft luggage for my XT, did you have any problems keeping your soft panniers off the exhaust and out the back wheel? I was going to make some sort of bracket / guard for them, do you think this is needed? Andy

So now I've got her. I'm glad you spent all that dosh Ted, and not so glad that you "battered" her; you didn't tell me that bit...lol! And that bloody screen all but disintegrated.

I love the sheepskin and the noise; and so does everyone else!

Just finished prepping her for another jaunt up to the Carribean Coast - how is the weather in Blighty, by the way? ;)

Well, I left the metal mule pannier rails on the bike which kept the panniers off the side and gave them an anchor point. If i had another XT and used soft bags, i would deffo build or buy a steel rack system to do that again.

I think it is needed as the exhaust sits high on the XT..

haha I been "battered" in a passionate and almost sexual way lol :scooter:

Way to make me jelous man.. weather here is un shockingly awful. Overcast, windy, rain and now its getting bloomin cold !

I think id much rather be heading up the Colombian coast watching life and chicas ! :)

p.s. I told you to keep those screen bolts tight.

Thanks a lot, Ted! There I was with my new (to me) XT600E, happy to be back in the XT fold after years on sportsbikes and tourers, and satisfied with the standard product: XT for the winter commute, ST1300 for the longer trips. Now I am looking at spending at least another grand bringing it up to spec so I can tour on the XT as well. The shopping list is growing. If only you hadn't started this thread!