these models got the newer 4 valve head, improved gearbox, but also more electronics due to the fuel injection. Bet you could have bought off ebay an used ECU+keys combo for a lot less.... most bikes these days have chiped keys but am not aware of it being a common problem. it's supposed to make thieve's lives harder...
recently upgraded to a newer gen of subaru forester that has coded keys. trouble is that i got it without a spare key and subaru wants 200 euro for one... the price of progress!

I've just bought a 2004 XT660R with 22,000 miles.

Pretty much the same set up as the Tenere as far as I know.

Build quality is as good as anything else.

The backlight on my clocks doesn't work and the ignition is tricky. Keys bend easily too as they're very long.

General build quality is quite good. Better than European stuff.

The motors are well proven and very reliable. I pack a spare coil, main relay and reg/rect in my pack along with obvious spares such as cables/tubes etc.

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

Im taking a Tenere 2011 RTW and it has been very far from reliable.

Btw - Ted, the Tenere was build in Europe. Started out in Italy, moved to France and to Spain. I think it was in this order at least...My 2011 has «Made in Spain» underneath the seat at least.

First of all - its a heavy bike, heavier than most people think. 206 kilos wet and even more for the ABS version makes it the second heaviest single cylindered bike ever made (only The Suzuki Dr 800 mk2 was heavier)
And the tuning state the engine is in originally with very lean fuel/oxygen setup which makes the engine needing more than 3000 rpms to pull clean at highest gears, the surging tendency is has, the very very tall gearing it is set up with, the two levelled seat, the medium tall windscreen it comes with (which never works, it has to be tall or low to work out well) All this as a start - is not a good start. Just to get rid of the surging and the not pulling clean in low rpm problem you need to fit «booster plug» or «Kev mods» which will void the warranty at most dealers. Not a good start for a bike...

Problems with my bike:
At 70 k kms the fuel consumption went up lover night» with 25 %. And although a lot of time, energy and money spent - the problem has never been solved. Cruising easily at 4 liters a 100 kms went to barly getting 5 liters a 100 kms in constant fuel saving mod riding.
At 110 k kms - ECU died and bike too of course. In the australian outback. Great! After putting it on pick up truck to the nearest Yammie dealer and a lot of work they got it running again.
At 130 k kms gearbox and clutch melted together, in Patagonia. Great place to break down. It only took 6-7 months to sort that out!
135 k kms final nut came lose. Luckily I realised it quite fast after reading about it on forums so could fix it.
Increasing oil consumption - at 145 k kms it consumed a lot of oil, around 7-800 ml pr 1000 kms ridining quite slowly at 90-95 km/h highway speed, which probably within normal consumption at that stage. But it had new piston and rings at first but to no help. So then - new cylinder, piston and rings and overhaul of the top - result is it still uses 250-300 ml oil pr 1000 kms at 90-95 km/h speed at max just after a total top end rebuild job! Great, isnt it? With thicker oil its a bit less but not that much,
At 170 k kms - water pump seals failed, but could be fixed in just 10 days in south-America.

The ignition is a joke, it can be twisted with a ice cream pin. The key comes out when the ignition is on and the engine running. On the other hand the key is very difficult to get out when in locked position. Very practical it is....

Just to mention the biggest issues. It eats cush rubbers and chain and sprockets is hard to get to last. Have to change much more frequently than with other bikrs I have had. And I have had several other big single cylindred bikes earlier on.

Would I take it again on a RTW trip?

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

@Snakeboy.

Thanks for the write up about your 2011 XT660Z Tenere journey around the world, very interesting.

As you know, I took a 1987 XT600Z 1VJ Tenere around the world and of course I had some problems, but had to put on a truck only once in 6,5 yrs and 252.000kms .... and would I take it again around the world? YES!

Greetings from Samaipata
mika

Great Mika, but the TS didnt ask about the 1987 XT600 1VJ model. A pity as it was probably a much better and more reliable bike than the Tenere XT660Z 2008-2017...

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