1994 XTZ 660 -- Common problems? Headlight conversion?
 

Hi! This is my first post here, after being a long-time lurker (:

I am going to take a look at a 1994 Yamaha XTZ 660 Tenere tonight. It has 54000km on it and judging by the pictures it seems to have been taken well care of.

I know little about these bikes -- what should I look for mechanically except the basics?

And also, are the headlights easily converted to H4 like the XTZ 750 and Africa Twin?

http://cache.finn.no/mmo/7/230/913/17_-1283402441.jpg

Thanks!

-Andreas

Im pretty sure the headlight IS h4 :)

Hej,

beside the basics take a good look on:

spokes back wheel (loose, complete - XTZ660 illness)
Choke funktion (cable, choke piston often corroded in carb)
battery, charging system (multimeter needed for check)

..........otherwise it is a nice bike, pretty much underrated in my opinion.

Good luck!

Spokes were pristine, choke worked well. One thing though, the starter made a strange sound before engaging. Also the handlebar was a bit off, but I think that's easy to fix. No idea about the battery, but it turned the engine around easily.

Mechanically the engine and gearbox seems to be in very good condition. No ticking or rattling, shifts smooth as butter and even throttle response.

It looks pretty darn good cosmetically too. One or two small scrapes, no rust. And some fairly new TKC-80's on the rims.

Not exactly an Africa Twin though (mine was stolen two weeks ago). But I think I might like this bike very much :)

And yes, the bulbs were halogen!

....sounds good.

The handlebar is rubber mounted, feels always a little strange.

Feels like the starter clutch makes the sound you noticed.
Not a big deal - but you´ll have to pull the flywheel for repair or replacement.

Max MC Import from Denmark offers aftermarket spares for Yamaha starter clutches - but I don´t know if the 660 is on the list. Just google for dealers, they sell in Norway too.

Starter clutch, got it. Is it likely to fail completely at some point if not replaced?

.......hard to say, but on a bike without kick-start I would go for a perfect clutch.

Don´t know if the engine has already been warmed up when you started it.
A warmed engine (thin oil) is easier to turn for the clutch than a cold one (thick oil). It´s summer now - but the clutch can fail on lower degrees in fall!

Should be fixed - just my 2 cents

Allright, then I'm putting it on my todo-list.

Here's a picture the seller took of me on the bike today. The geometry seems spot on for me:

http://bildr.no/image/676751.jpeg

If the handlebars appear not straight stick the front wheel in a corner of the garage and give the handlebars a push to straighten them up,I do it to mine every time I drop it.......which is often........

Great, thanks kenymact I will try that. I bought the bike this morning. Might not be registered to me and ready for pickup untill tomorrow though. I'm looking forward to it! :D

Hi,
another common fault is the fuel vaccum pump failure (engine works fine when the tank is full, but hesitates on high rpm or does not work at all when the fuel level is low). Solution is opening the vacuum pump, clean, put in new screws.

Congratulations, you've bought a great bike,and one much more offroad capable than most say about the late models.:thumbup1:

Ah, the fuel pump. How bizarre that this issue haunts so many bikes of this type from that era.

The offroad capabilities seem to be very good. The suspension is almost too plush. I can hardly feel potholes anymore (:

One thing to note on the starter clutch. before assuming you need to replace it, try an oil change. the slipping may well be because of an inappropriate oil, or one that has some manner of crappy additives that belong not in motorcycle engines.

The fuel pump usually just needs retightening, not complete overhaul, so we are spared a couple of € :thumbup1:

The suspension can be hardened a bit using a different grade oil in the forks (SAE 15W) and tightening the rear shock preload. I found that the "no rebound damping" works best for me with knobbies... :) :scooter:

I took a 40km ride today, and I must say this bike is a joy to ride. The engine is really smooth, almost close to Africa Twin smoothness (: It is very easy to maneuver despite being top heavy. I could have liked some more power though, but I'm NOT complaining.