escie Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 The time has come where im booking my bike test and moving up to something bigger. I am liking the KTM 625/690 SMC's, Suzuki dr-z. had a look in to the xt660x but couldnt find much positives on it. so might have to move from a yamaha. Any ideas or recommendations. p.s i would use it to commute aswell. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 I am liking the KTM 625/690 SMC's, I hope you have a good toolkit and deep pockets..... Suzuki dr-z. Yep, decent bike - although uncomfortable on long stretches had a look in to the xt660x but couldnt find much positives on it. so might have to move from a yamaha. You are not looking in the right place -> xt660.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escie Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 I hope you have a good toolkit and deep pockets..... Yep, decent bike - although uncomfortable on long stretches You are not looking in the right place -> xt660.com thanks for your advice thats kinda the conclusions i had come to aswell. ye the cost the ktms put me off as i need something reliable (just moved to a new house so money tight!). i like the drz they are pretty cheap and reliable from what i have read but clunky and slow? how do you find your xt660? i want something with some poke but i dont like sports bikes. maybe even something like a gsr 600 looks appealing. i loved the style of my dt even for a 125 it was amazing fun and was hoping the bigger SM's will leave me grinning after every ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas up - Let's Go! Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 how do you find your xt660? Over the years I've had alot of bikes, and one thing runs true through all of them, none of them made it to three years in my garage. I have a TTR600 that I've now had for 4 years and my XT660Z will be 3 in May'11. I have no intention of changing either of them (the XJR's days are numbered though....) I've done 2 expeditions trips on the Tenere, the first was a pan-Europe jaunt taking in 8000ish miles in 19 days, the second was in MAy this year where I covered over 800 dirt miles in Portugal. I've covered the UK on this bike, clocking up 23K in just over 2 years (around 1000 on the TTR and 4K on the XJR). The bike has it's faults like anything else, but they are few and well documented. There are not many bikes you can squeeze 300 miles out of one fill-up, and she will cruise at 80 on the M'way if that's your bag, but it much more a B, C and Unclassified road bike. Incidentaly, you can also cover gravel roads at 80mph without so much as a wiggle out of place! A mate of mine raced his bike to Dakar (Heroes Legend Rally) this year with only suspension modifications, and another mate raced the same last year (though her bike was a little more modified). On both occasions they rode the entire length from the UK to Dakar - and the Tenere was the only bike to do this without breaking down at some point (KTM's and BMW's were giving up all over the place). Another guy I know uses his as a workhorse and has something aproaching 50K miles on it (it's a year old) - he delivers packages on it. I know one guy who has ridden his Tenere around the world and two who have ridden from Europe to Cape Town on the same. How do I find the XT660 - It's kinda like a Landrover, it's never going to win a drag race, but it's always going to finish. As for Smiles-per-mile, the bike is nibble and quick through traffic, perfectly acceptable on the road and will cover countries on whatever surface you choose to ride on, in good comfort. Here's a few pics fro Portugal this year: In 2012 the bike will be leaving a trail through Russia and into the Stans..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escie Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 Over the years I've had alot of bikes, and one thing runs true through all of them, none of them made it to three years in my garage. I have a TTR600 that I've now had for 4 years and my XT660Z will be 3 in May'11. I have no intention of changing either of them (the XJR's days are numbered though....) I've done 2 expeditions trips on the Tenere, the first was a pan-Europe jaunt taking in 8000ish miles in 19 days, the second was in MAy this year where I covered over 800 dirt miles in Portugal. I've covered the UK on this bike, clocking up 23K in just over 2 years (around 1000 on the TTR and 4K on the XJR). The bike has it's faults like anything else, but they are few and well documented. There are not many bikes you can squeeze 300 miles out of one fill-up, and she will cruise at 80 on the M'way if that's your bag, but it much more a B, C and Unclassified road bike. Incidentaly, you can also cover gravel roads at 80mph without so much as a wiggle out of place! A mate of mine raced his bike to Dakar (Heroes Legend Rally) this year with only suspension modifications, and another mate raced the same last year (though her bike was a little more modified). On both occasions they rode the entire length from the UK to Dakar - and the Tenere was the only bike to do this without breaking down at some point (KTM's and BMW's were giving up all over the place). Another guy I know uses his as a workhorse and has something aproaching 50K miles on it (it's a year old) - he delivers packages on it. I know one guy who has ridden his Tenere around the world and two who have ridden from Europe to Cape Town on the same. How do I find the XT660 - It's kinda like a Landrover, it's never going to win a drag race, but it's always going to finish. As for Smiles-per-mile, the bike is nibble and quick through traffic, perfectly acceptable on the road and will cover countries on whatever surface you choose to ride on, in good comfort. Here's a few pics fro Portugal this year: In 2012 the bike will be leaving a trail through Russia and into the Stans..... wow great post and that tour of portugal looks amazing im high jellous! I really cant make my mind up on what to get its tough. :( im sure it will be what i can afford though and whats available! i love both the yams i have owned. both fun in different ways. maybe i should get a test drive on a xt660x. i have see xt660 and drz for under 2k both tidy examples. thanks for that post though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escie Posted November 30, 2010 Author Share Posted November 30, 2010 im not missing any other great bikes am i? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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