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What should i look out for xt600 What should i look out for xt600
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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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  #1  
Old 13 Sep 2011
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What should i look out for xt600
Well in our little part of the world the Australian defence force is auctioning off 90 odd XT600's fro 1991 with from as little as 8000k's up to 60000k's. the auction center that i'll be going to has 25 for sale with no reserve and no starting price. These are military bikes and have been serviced and repaired using only Yamaha parts, service intervals have been adhered to. the bikes are standard except for a large tank (acerbis) and additional wiring for black-out lights etc.
So the question are....
  • what should i be looking for,
  • do they have frame cracking issues,
  • will they take a rebore
  • are the parts expensive
  • these don't have a kicker...good or bad..
  • can the head be removed without taking the engine out of the frame
Any help would be great as this will be the dirt road bike, and my first foray into solo adventure touring, I'll be taking my riding buddy along and he intends to buy one as well

this is an example of the bikes...





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  #2  
Old 13 Sep 2011
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Watch out for Redbacks in the toolbox.

Nah serious there's one sat right next to me, bargain bikes.

Mezo.
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  #3  
Old 13 Sep 2011
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Have a good look at the rims, some have had a pounding and have cracks in them.

And some will have replacement plastics, painted black to match the black OEM.

It appears that only white plastics are now available, and it is getting scarce, particularly RHS side covers and hand guards but I am happy to be contradicted on this.

Don't pay too much, $less than $1000- should get one , unless it is particularly clean and low mileage on the speedo is matched by the condition.
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Old 13 Sep 2011
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Redbacks, nice ....as for the rims that had skipped my mental list, i take it they are alloy and the Army didn't order steel rims for some strange reason. As for the plastics i don't really care if they have been painted as I'm not going to restore the bike just set it up for some touring and and and well we'll see

Can the engine be striped in the frame?

Rod
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Old 13 Sep 2011
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If I could I would LOVE to take three or four of those AT LEAST!


Oh man 25 you say?! I'd be in wonderland


Vando
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Old 13 Sep 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bacardi23 View Post
If I could I would LOVE to take three or four of those AT LEAST!


Oh man 25 you say?! I'd be in wonderland


Vando
No not 25.....90 to be auctioned off Australia wide
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Old 2 Nov 2011
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I picked up one of these bikes from the Perth auction last week. I got mine for $1400, $1655 with fees. more than I wanted to pay, but it was the second cheapest bike of the day. People were paying more for lower kms, which is a good idea, except that two bikes had obviously new speedometers on old bikes (with 561 and ~3000kms on the dial), and they went for over $2000. Didnt make sense to me!

I got the bike home, it started once, but hasnt run since. I have a mechanic coming to look at it next week, hopefully a carby rebuild will solve its problems.

Im not overly interested in all the army gear hanging off the bike, does anyone know of a group that would want this stuff? Im happy to give it to someone who will actually use it.
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Old 2 Nov 2011
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The bottom end of the XT market here in South Australia is around $3,000- they are a popular bike here and the owners seem to keep them for a long time, and repair / rebuild them rather than rather than sell them.

So when they come on the market the are usually good mechanically and are complete with all the farkles and the necessary bits too.

Hence the floor around $3,000-, and what appears high prices at auction for the ex army bikes.

That was the second batch to be sold and the first lot sold a good bit cheaper, but there was a bit more publicity this time.

Mine came from the first batch, and the PO did all the expensive bits first up, registered it for a year then sold it a month later, for around $500- less than they went for at the second auction.

It has two broken exhaust header studs,and a few stripped threads- Photographicsafaris was right on that one, but just what is the best way and the right tools to get them out insitu?

I wad kind of resigned to removing the head and welding a nut on to the broken bit, but if five hours of fiddling gets them out that is OK too, if someone cane let me know how.
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