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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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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 12 Jan 2013
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Heh, came across a link to your site on ADVR and had a look only yesterday. You sound to have had a great trip, and I was interested in the bike prep stuff. Thank you.

Got the bike home today, and the ride home was a blast. The bike is everything I had hoped for. Whether I will ever feel warm again is another matter.
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  #2  
Old 12 Jan 2013
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Had one here in Turkey for the last 5 years. It's a 2004 model and has now got 60,000kms on the clock. I use it for off-roading, commuting and two up touring.

The only extras on it are a rear rack, bash plate and Yamaha hand guards. I couldn't justify the cost of an aftermarket exhaust 'cos the bike didn't need it and I prefer quiet exhausts which I find less annoying over distance.

I use Oxford throw over panniers and and a roll bag for the rear rack. The panniers are protected from the exhaust by the original silencer guards.

I've been lucky and have had no fuelling issues. Apart from tyres, chains and other consumables the only thing I have had to change were the front fork oil seals. Previous bikes included Gold Wings, Pan Europeans and BMW tourers. I'm currently finding less is more

Cheers,

Dickyb

DickyB's Turkish Delights - ADVrider

To sum up the bike is inexpensive to run, will take me anywhere me and the Mrs want to get to
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  #3  
Old 12 Jan 2013
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I rode a new f650 last year,looked like it would last 3 years but not much more..definitly built to a price..
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  #4  
Old 12 Jan 2013
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Originally Posted by marcm View Post
I rode a new f650 last year,looked like it would last 3 years but not much more..definitly built to a price..
Sadly, I think you are right. The bike is 'entry level' and not designed to be robust and field-repairable like the older models. I have compared the build and materials quality of the 650 with a friend's 100GS/PD, and they might as well have been made on different continents.
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Old 28 Mar 2013
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Originally Posted by BlackDogZulu View Post
I have compared the build and materials quality of the 650 with a friend's 100GS/PD, and they might as well have been made on different continents.
They were, weren't they?
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  #6  
Old 12 Jan 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dicky View Post
Had one here in Turkey for the last 5 years. It's a 2004 model and has now got 60,000kms on the clock. I use it for off-roading, commuting and two up touring.

The only extras on it are a rear rack, bash plate and Yamaha hand guards. I couldn't justify the cost of an aftermarket exhaust 'cos the bike didn't need it and I prefer quiet exhausts which I find less annoying over distance.

I use Oxford throw over panniers and and a roll bag for the rear rack. The panniers are protected from the exhaust by the original silencer guards.

I've been lucky and have had no fuelling issues. Apart from tyres, chains and other consumables the only thing I have had to change were the front fork oil seals. Previous bikes included Gold Wings, Pan Europeans and BMW tourers. I'm currently finding less is more
I has an 04 originally, and the low-speed fuelling was definitely poor. This one (06) is tons better than that, although still a bit lumpy at low revs and changes between 1-2-3 need careful throttle. But a big improvement.

The OEM silencer guards are pretty substantial and I would imagine do a good job of keeping the panniers from melting. But on my last trip with soft luggage I did a lot of cosmetic damage to the plastics (Triumph Sprint) and vowed to have something in place to prevent that next time.

I have large and small Givi Monolock top cases which are interchangeable according to needs, which works well for me (small for commuting, large for touring) and I have a pair of FT Endurance Cargo soft panniers. I may upgrade these to Ortliebs or similar in due course, but for now I am set up OK.

Amazing how much better the XT sounds compared to the GS, even with the standard cans. A proper growl, as opposed to the duff-duff (exhaust) and pockety-pockety (intake) of the Beemer. I may keep these.
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