Hello there everybody. Forgive me for any mistakes i may make as this is the 1st forum i have ever been in and i'm still learning all this computer talk and stuff. Anyway i've recently bought a 2010 model xtr to take out bush in NSW Australia to go fishing (my wife was starting to get very very angry with me taking her car bush and coming home with it covered with mud and grasshopper guts and stuff). As i have to travel 20-30 klms to were i fish i decided on the xtr. I love the bike on the tar and dirt roads but on the rough stuff it's a bit of a handfull, but that is only because i still have the Tourances on. So guys i need some suggestions on a good tyre combo that is good on the rough stuff and won't scare you to death on the road and get reasonable mileage. Also will try to lose a few kg's on the bike by changing the exhaust to a 2 into 1, what system do you recomend and can you get it here in Australia? Have rang around here and no one has any in Aus only overseas.

Hey mate i'm from melbourne and i'm currently looking into a 2 into 1 exhaust system. The best chance of getting one is aus is to go to a motorcycle exhaust specialist. I dont know what companies would be suitable in nsw. Check the yelow pages?

To save some money if you are going to build your own, get the headers from the USA for a Raptor 700, then you only have to make up the link pipe & can.

Or get the headers from a Aprilia Pegaso.

It depends what your looking for from a tyre?

If your looking for something that is alot more road than off road the tourance is am sorry to say one of the best tyres you can get really, its not the best off road, but give it a while on the road and you will soon be touching your toes down in the corners.

I worn a set of toe sliders through within about 2 months of proper summer riding, and these bikes arent suppose to be good at handling???

If your looking at something more off road than on, your probably looking at a Continual TKC, or something similar, they will suprise you by holding the road quite well, as long as you dont jam the throttle open mid corner. They are good off road in the dry stuff, but do get a bit clogged in the wet.

2into1 not sure, i know Metal Mule do one over here in the uk, the full headers, link and can. Not sure who makes any other but keep an eye on the Uk ebay as there is normally 1 comes up every now and then

Do you know if the header from the pegaso fits the frame on the XT660R?

No I don't, Pegaso parts are quite hard to find.

I think the pegaso headers a a good bit different to the XTR's, my mates got a pegaso and the headers seem quite slimmer to the XT's, and also from my memory i dont think they really every got right into one exhaust but i could be wrong

23 years after selling my XT500 I am thinking of buying an XTR. I want to ride to Tokyo (Trans-Siberian Highway) and this bike really attracts me. I run a Buell Ulysses, which is brilliant to ride with amazing grunt BUT I wouldn't trust it to get there. I'm definitely not buying European or American again. My last Japanese bike was an Africa Twin, which I bought in Tokyo in 92, when I was living out there. I've had, since then an MZ 301, a BMW R1100GS, a KTM 950 Adv before the Buell. But you know I had just as much fun on the XT500 in the 80s. I did Portugal 3 times on it (live here now) and Greece once. It NEVER let me down. I like the style of the XTR and I reckon with a rear rack (with an Ortlieb roll on,) a Touratech tankbag and sod all else (panniers? ********!!) I will be totally sorted. I'm not bothered about going fast. A decent amount of torque, good fuel consumption and RELIABILITY is what I want.

Good write up....
A XT is what it is...same as a KLR650
trys to be a bit of everything..but dose no one thing well..
seal/gravel roads/easyer trails they are great..
I enjoy cruseing around the back country on my XTR...
I'm to old now to thow KTMs/Husky's around the hills
a silly speeds these days...
So the XT suits me fine these days..

Exactly my sentiments