660 Tenere
 

Bike: 2011 XT660Z

Mods/Accessories: Ally bashplate, heated grip inserts, foam grips, high front mudguard, suspension raising bones (2"), accessory socket under seat, satnav mount, cush drive mod with inner tube, snorkel removal, MTC dual exhaust (v loud), case saver, handguards.

My opinion only:-

Good - image, height, cockpit space, simplicity, accessory availability & choice, range & fuel economy, reliability, easy to modify & home service

Bad - Yamaha build quality, soft suspension (even on max), vibration, wind turbulence, handling

To do - replace screen with solid black item (anyone know where I can get one?), braided front brake lines, headlight protector grille, chain guide, decent pegs/levers

I've always had crossers/enduro/trial bikes so used to buffetting and vibration and it's no worse on this one. Most of them have been Jap jobs so corrosion always on the menu but some makes better than others. Yamaha on a par with Suzuki, better than Kawasaki and worse than a Honda. KTM best so far by a margin but maintenance a lot more.

Only a couple of minor niggles regarding handlebar alignment (which is the hardest thing on the bike to adjust - not even the dealer could fix it - and still remains askew) and bottoming out two-up (temp cure by raising the bike).

Great all rounder and perfect now it's my only bike. Very practical.

The end.

If you mean the bars appear twisted and not aligned when compared to the top yoke, it's more often than not that one (or both) of the rubber mounting bushes holding the riser/clamps in the top yoke have become dislodged.

Loosen each nut underneath the top yoke (the ones that holds the clamps in place), then straighten the handler bar, check the rubbers are located correctly and retighten the nuts. You get quite familiar with this procedure if you lay your bike down a lot! ;)

Didn't know about the rubber bits - will try that.

Usually when i've dinged the bars it's when the forks have twisted in the yoke - just loosen all the nuts and they usually spring back in line....admitted prob Yamah's way of trying to cure vibes?

Cheers for the info.

2" suspension raisers? I can barely climb aboard with normal suspension :111:

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps31b409b9.jpg

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1a0ab18c.jpg

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6ab89bbf.jpg

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd69988fb.jpg

First photo uploads....ever:smilies0948:

http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfb813f4e.jpg

It's easy to upload!

Sorted the black screen with matt car film, �9 off amazon.

Next:

Foam air filter upgrade, new (bigger) foot pegs and maybe braided front brake lines.

Happy Christmas

Exhausts
 

Hi, what are the exhausts?

I have just the same problem with my bars.

At the weekend i tired to sort it out once and for all. Tha bars are not bent is just the clamps don;t line up with the top yoke.

So i undid everything as suggested and made sure everything was nice a loose. No matter what i did i could not get them straight.

I pulled..twisted...pushed..all sorts but nothing. So now they are back exactly as they were.

Any ideas?

Mike

Did you take the risers/clamps completely out of the top yoke? Might be worth checking that the studs are still straight. They can, and do bend. Also while they're out, check the state of the rubber bushes. Are they deformed, or dislodged?

I'll have a look..cheers.

Mike

Cans - MTC.

Done recently - Foam air filter upgrade, magnetic sump plug, oil temp gauge, oil drain valve thingy, big foot side stand, headlight protector, polyurethane cush rubbers.

To do - braided lines, decent footpegs & levers, chain guide

I love a bolt on part! Bike's starting to look the way I want...OTR been ok so far

What are your plans for the chain guide? I've only seen home-made/improvised solutions.

You are right that the quality of the XT660 range is very poor indeed compared to most other Yamahas. These bikes are made/assembled in Italy at the ex Minarelli factory which Yamaha owns, and although some very good components are used (some Brembo parts for instance) I have owned 3 XTXs and all 3 have started to show corrosion within one or two years use. The petrol cap rusts and sticks, the spokes rust (but the rims ore lovely!!), the swinging arm looses its finish and these are all things that I never experienced on any Japan-built Yamahas.

Prob going to tap a couple of holes in the right place and do what others have done on here to get a chain guide fixed up. It's a big step for me as most of the stuff has simply been unbolt/bolt on.

As for build quality then yes Yamahas aren't the best and to be honest the style of the bike and a family connection to a dealer (= decent price) made me buy it. Now the back of the bikes raised it actually wants to go round corners (and that was a first impression until I got used to the handling).

I've changed the fuel cap too, again an aesthetic bolt on job but looks the dogs.

Although I've not ridden it much in the last few months a change of job will rectify that shortly so hopefully some of the changes will improve the experience!

Very nice looking bike, the only mod I made to mine was lowering the rear 40mm and the front about 15 mm..