100k miles with all original parts, engine, clutch, even front brakes etc..



lemons happens from time to time, most often on other brands though.


p.s.
I have only 20k km on mine but I treat my tenere like a dirt bike, often hard off-road, went for one rally even. No problem whatsoever.

I didnt get a receipt but the mech who did the job I know personally through a good friend and he have sent me photos all the way through the process. So I hvae no doubt is done properly. The bike didnt use oil the first 2-3000 kms after rebuild, but then it started. So its the bike thats the cultprit.

When the bike was newish I got 27-28 kms pr liter, when I changed sprockets to 15/48 and loaded it up for overland travel I still got 25 kms/l without having to ride in fuel saving modus all the time. And now I get around 20 kms/l riding max 90 kms/h. Thats ridiciolos lousy fuel milage! All other similar bikes I have been riding, even the carburated Dr650 got 24-25 kms/l. Bmw 650 gs rotax engine get 25-28 kms/l, Suzuki Vstrom 650 25-28 kms/l. Hell even the Triumph Tiger 955 I had got a whole lot better fuel milage if I rode it easy (which I didnt do often though) No something is clearly very very wrong...

A single bird doesnt make a summer...

oh please, that single bike (lemon) is just yours. Look at the statistics and happy travelers on tenere all over the world. Your rant on all teneres is just silly, I understand you're angry it happened to you on RTW trip, everybody would be but be realistic. Every brand has issues from time to time, for xt660z tenere was the only year 2009 that few gearbox problems occurred. Before i got mine in 2015 I did detailed research on this, as I like to know what I'm getting into. That's why I didn't get bmw F800GSor R1200GS and today I won't get Africa twin. Put tenere engine failure on google and see what you get...nothing. Try this with other brands...


Also this bike is know for very good mileage, I'm still getting over 500 km per tanks as on day one. No oil taken.

If you were a tad less ignorant you would very easily see that there are heaps of problems with the XT660 range. Take a look at the XT660 forum where you will see heaps of idiotic problems. Take a look at different facebook groups and you will find ditto. That is - if youre a bit less ignorant and one track minded. Tenere get acceptable fuel milage when theyre newish but it will soon decline. Come back and share your experiences when you have done half the distance I have...

ok, I rest my case, waste of time with you kid.



another RTW on tenere, no promlemo

Yup, it is very true this model has had it's fair share of troubles including gearboxes, regulator/rectifiers and some frame problems/corrosion. I hadn't heard of oil usage but that can affect any bike as all machines can have material problems or assembly defects. However, it is probably better than the BMWs, if not as good as the wee-stroms and I haven't had any real hassle with mine... Sorry you had the troubles you did; good luck with the rest of your trip.

Hello

I'm sorry to hear of your many problems.
What is the year and milage of your Z and when started the problems?

I do not think that this is normal and representative for most of the Z's on the road.
There are reports of gear and bearings failings on the net, but overall the 660 engine is very reliable.
I know that doesn't help you, I wish you all the best to solve your problems and save your trip.

It's not what I've experienced with my '08 Z.
Did 105'000km 2 years RTW with some problems but nothing that stoped me for too long.
Started with a new bike. 0km.
27tkm: rectifier, bad contact, saldered the pins and good, no parts needed.
35tkm: rear break disc bended, due to overheating, the break didn't open properly. Replaced disc 4tkm later.
45tkm: hit a rock and had to bend the front rim in a 20t press, 2-3 loose spokes for the next 70tkm.
50tkm: new steering bearing, not enough lubrication at manufacturing.
65tkm: suicide of a kangaroo, after treating the pipes with the press, still slightly bended front fork for the next 50tkm.
80tkm: headlight broken inside, maybe from the accident, stuffed it with foam. No parts.

Valves: checked at 50tkm, o.k. at 105tkm 1 valve needed adjustment.
Fuel consumption was normal at all times, 4.75-5.5 l/100km depending on my riding.
Oil consumption was not measurable until 50tkm, then maybe 1l/10tkm.
Not sure if it was the engine that burned it or the oil vent through the breather hose, a problem of the '08 models.

The spring in the rear suspension lost 2-3cm tension, better to take a stronger spring

At home:
110tkm: a small hole in the radiator caused by a screw of the ventilator mounted on it.
115tkm: bowdon cable of the gas broke.
117tkm: finally I burned the clutch while riding in the snow, got surpriced, used too much grinding clutch.

I would recommend the XT660Z to anybody as a RTW bike.
Perfect bike for someone with limited mechanical skills who treats it not too well, like me.
The R needs some modifications but is lighter.
Can't say anything about the BMW.


sushi

How many continents have you crossed with your Tenere? And how many years on the road on a RTW trip did you say you have done?

Come back when you have done half the milage I have done and share your experiences, if you ever will go that far, something I doubt very much...

This weeks problems in some of the fb-groups:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1812...7520316291792/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1812...5725573137933/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4737...6241850913351/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4737...6222055948351/

Mine is a 2011. It has now 153 k kms on the clock but in reality it has done somewhat less. Its ridiciously overgeared OEM so I have changed the rear sprocket from 45 to 48 and now ride with a 47.
Anyhow - problems started at around 70 k kms. Suddenly fuel consumption went from 25 kms/l without thinking about riding slow to 20 kms/l. And to this day spending huge amount of cash on technical checks, top end rebuilds etc the fuel milage is still 20 kms/l riding 80-90 km/h max. And this is not right at all. A 650 cc efi bike should have a fuel consumotion something like 25-28 kms/l if its ridden moderately. And the low output Teneres should probably have less. Mine had 27-28 kms/l km when it was new.
Oil consumption started around 50 k kms, and has increased since. Its not uncommon for certain bikes, the problem with the Tenere is that it still uses oil after a recent top end rebuild. I have had numerous problems with oil leaks too. Some have ben easy to fix, some not. For a time I had a oil leak and none could even find out where it came from. But its not there for the moment although Im sure it will come back one sunny day...doh

Valve checks - they are supposed to be done every 20 k kms, mine has been done and Im always told they are way out of specs.

Its a clear myth that the Teneres are reliable. Every time I meet or hear of a Tenere I hear about all the problems they have had. I rode with a german guy in Australia and his rectifier died. His cush rubber drives worn out after less than 10 k kms. An australian guy in northern Argentina spend heaps of money on a rebuild and repair and travelled by bus to Santiago Chile to get spare parts. When done he rode 2-300 kms on it and it broke down again. He had to truck it to nearest shipping town and ship it back home to Australia. Not exactly what you had expected on a RTW trip?
I know a couple of guys back home with Teneres. One of them blew up his engine after 50-55 k kms after numerous problems before that. He had a long case going with the local Yamaha dealer who refused to replace anything under warranty as he had added the Kev mod on his bike. He wasnt very happy about that and rides a KTM today.

Adding that the Teneres are very heavy, in fact the very heaviest single cylinder bike except the very ancient mk2 of Suzukis old Dr800 and that the engine is set up so lean that it requires adjustmenst that void the warranty - dont even think about it.

Hello

Thanks for the reply.
150tkm is a lot for 1 cylinder. No matter what kind of model the bike is, RTW counts triple compared to riding back home.
Mine was done after my trip for passing a road safety inspection in Switzerland, but I could have done more RTW, but not trouble free after the 100tkm.
Even bikes with 2 cylinders have more problems in the 100-200tkm range.

The Z has had a problem with the "ventilation of the engine" and the oil goes out through the breather hose. Yamaha changed something with the airbox. Sorry, don't know the correct explanation in english.

Would have done that had I found enough Yamaha service stations along the way.

Yes, the rectifier, small cause (bad contact of a pin), big problem.
Just break the plug open and solder the pins directly to the rectifier, seal with silicon or something else, before the problem occurs.
Cush rubbers, use a piece of old tube around them and change the tube everytime you take off the wheel.
I used new cush rubbers at 18tkm and again back home at 110tkm.

I don't know how often problem are mentioned on Facebook or xt660.com.
I'm active in xt-660.de, covers the german speaking countries.
Over 3000 users since 2004 starting with the first 660 engines.
Sure, most ride just at home, few RTW but I think thats not much different on the english speaking site.
There were few with gearbox or engine failure, but it happend.
Long thread on rectifier. Overall still very reliable.

I haven't had the chance to meet a fellow Z rider on my trip.
But, I met lots of riders with other made bikes.
One rider on a KTM 690 had 4 breakdowns where he needed transport just in southamerica, on the same route I had two minors problems with no need of transport.
At first I was doing research on F800GS and found many stories of breakdowns so I droped the idea of buying one.
I don't think the Z is a legend that never breakes, but, I think it's a good bike for the money you pay.

Anyway, just my opinion on the Z.
wish you good luck for the rest of your trip.

sushi

Well - last top end rebuild I got a completely new cylinder mounted and new piston, rings etc. Top and valves overhauled and machined - but the bike still uses oil and fuel consumption is still shitty.
I had a Triumph Tiger 955 earlier on and at one stage that bike also started to use a whole lot of oil. But I got it rebuild and it was good as new, no oil consumption and fuel consumption was never an issue on that. Its strange to think about that if I rode the tuned 950 cc Tiger with around 110 HP in 80-90 km/h it used notably less fuel than my 48 HP Tenere at the same speed. Fuel is the single biggest expense on a RTW trip so it bothers me a lot, and especially since the Tenere newish I could get 27-28 kms/l.

I would like to hear more about the «ventilation of the engine» issue with the Tenere? Mine is running hot too for the moment, I have had thought about oil circulation issues or the PVC valve and the breather box. Breather box was improvisedly fixed at one stage. But unfortunately Im not very mechanically skilled so I dont know...

KTM 690 has many issues that I have read about, at least the earlier models. But then again its a highly tuned high performance machine. Its not a tractor like the Tenere. Anyhow - KTM was not a part of TS questions...

Hello
what is that in l/100km

Know this thred in german:
Modifizierter "Ölabscheider" - Seite 4 - XT-660.de
Google of the part number 11D-E5371-10 I found that, hope it helps.
https://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=12331&page=2
https://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=8394
After 50tkm I had always oil in the pipe, so I removed the cap on the pipe and put a cigaret filter in it. So the oil droped out, couldn't measure how much went through the pipe or got burned in the motor.


Hope it helps


sushi

Thanks for answer

27-28 kms/l would be 3,5 l 100 kms - and thats what a fuel injected 650 should get if ridden moderately. Lets say 25 kms/l if throttled up a bit. I have tried many other bikes myself and measured fuel milage and talked to many other riders on different bikes and I have spend quite some time and energy researching this issue. Even a BMW GS 1200 with a pillion got better fuel milage than I have, then clearly something must be wrong. I had a Suzuki Dr650 on New Zealand and even the carburated old school Dr got waaay better fuel milage than me.
20 kms/l will be 5 l 100 kms which is what I get nowadays riding max 80-90 km/h.

I have never paid any attention to the oil drain pipe. The last posting in the longest thread you linked to was from 2010 so maybe Yamaha has changed this?
I have never had any oil in my airfilterbox, then I never ride it at speeds above 100 kms/h for a long time. So I dont know....

Hello

3.5l/100km on a XT660Z?
Not in my wildest dreams. Never read that someone achieved this over a long term back home.
I did 4.75l/km riding really relaxed on small dirt roads.
Up to 5.5l/100km on highways but hardly over 100km/h due to saving tires.
Wind and lugguage play a big part in fuel consumption.
So to me, 5l/100km on average is nothing to worry about with the engine.
I bought an other used Z (better than restore the old one) and it uses the same amount of fuel.


Yamaha changed the part on the new models and on the service if complained by 08-09 models.
I bought my Z new in 2011 BUT Yamaha Switzerland had too many 08 models on stock, so they slipped me a 08 in black.
Because of the rectifier problem I didn't go for a used 08-09 model and bought a new one... Found out on the road, best indicator ist the seat, 08 model is made of only one piece , then of course the VIN and Google.

sushi