Well gents this is the beginning of the end for me…I've made a commitment to the cause and bought a dirt bike to start my adventures into the great unknown

I've been looking for a dirt bike ever since attending the "Horizons" get together in Dayboro Australia in 2011 and had settled on a late modle Suzuki DR650 but as we all know about...the best laid plans of mice and men…this hasn't happened.

I spotted a 1991 Yamaha XT600e on the local Ebay and at the price it looked damn nice, so off for a look! well a long story short, the owner had bought the bike new in 1991 and used it as his lead bike in an adventure touring business. So the milage is high 111100K's BUT the bike has been maintained with-out cost all its life, as it had to be reliable and safe for his business.

The bike was fitted with a long range tank from new, but this was sold off a few years ago so the original tank has be refitted, the engine was rebuilt 2000K's ago and everything else on the bike works and is in amazing shape for a bike with high K's.

As you can guess, i bought it…….

So where to now? well i have been touring the "black Top" for a few years so I already have some luggage. The first search was to find a rack to fit my H&B top box, once again the Bay was searched and a suitable second hand one was found in Germany (on its way via DHL as I type) the rest of the bike will stay as Yamaha made it for a few K's, as I want to get to know the bike first before modifying it in any way.

This is my first foray into dirt road/outback track riding, so, as you can tell I'm a little tentative and will look to the forum for some support and guidance in the coming months.

I'm now doing a full service on the bike, including wheel bearings, chain guides, fork seals/boots, all fluids, brake discs/pads, steering head bearings etc!!

One question, the previous owner has fitted an 18'' rim to the rear! can anyone explain this? My thoughts are for extra stability and better range of tyres……maybe..

Rod

My current touring and sport ride. 1999 Yamaha TRX 850



The new baby….fitted with a Staintune muffler!! sounds great.

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I once ruled the world, till mum told me it was only the garden!

Looks tidy enough, im also a big fan of the DR650 as well as the XT600, enjoy the ride.

Mezo.

Nice. Looks almost new.

Rod, the usual reason for replacing the standard 17" rear wheel-rim with one of 18" diameter is for easier availability of off-tarmac tyres (making use of most enduro tyres, etc.).

I see it's an alloy rim you've got, which might also save (a small amount) on unsprung weight, although many of the seasoned veterans argue that an alloy rim is not as easy to get repaired 'out in the wilds'.

Welcome and all the very best, mate.

Thanks mate, that was one of my theories. I do like the idea of a better range of tyres! Should make travelling the back road of the world easer on the mind

Well i registered the bike a 11:00am yesterday and by 12:45 was on my first dirt road

Went for a test ride through some local forest roads, and, well, what a great bike!!!

I had filled the oil reservoir when the bike was cold Now, after seeing the oil drip from the air filter box was a shock. At first i thought the shocky had spring a major leak until i traced the oil to the air filter box drain. Which had me stumped, where i was, there was no other option but to keep riding, when i pulled up ten minutes later there was no fresh oil

The rest of the ride was just great with a couple of creek crossing and lots of great DIRT!


When i got home i did a search on the net and then realised what i had done…….never fill the oil when the bike's cold…..

So my first 67K's on dirt has replenished my soul to 50% and i can't wait to do LOTS more.

Photo's taken with my Iphone, next time I'll take a better camera!

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I once ruled the world, till mum told me it was only the garden!