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Old 05-11-16, 01:46
madruss madruss is offline
SemiPro XT-Moto
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Inland northern NSW/ SW Qld
Posts: 47
madruss is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up My 660 story

Funny how your taste in bike changes throughout your life, I'm up to about # 30 now at 57.
My last bike was (should say tractor) FLHTUC before a bikeless garage for 6yrs, I was at a bit of a loose end.
Then in 2012 I went to assist my 26yr old son & a couple of his mates compete in the Finke Desert Race. What a blast during the whole event. Within a month I had a WR450F in the shed. Bl@@dy hell, was I out of riding shape & skills.
Anyway after improving my fitness levels & riding skills, the limits of single tracks & the drudgery of the load /unload cycle for a ride wore off.
Early 2014, I was getting keen again, watching the "Longway Down" & Dakar on the tube, the idea of combining the two styles of bike, aimed me towards the adventure bike market.
An aquaintence had a 20 yr old DR650 for sale for $2500 with a heap of goodies, so the deal was done. Fun but just a 2 wheel version of a diesel hilux, pretty bullet proof though the excitement & look factor, was fairly well down the scale.
By mid 2014, I was working away, 11 days on, 3 off Riding the DR back & forth 240ks each way. Near home, I'd pass this XTZ660 sitting out the front of the local dealer. It'd been there for months, so I had a look one evening. 9200ks on the clock, appeared real good, so I took it for a test ride & liked it straight away. The killer was, it had my name on it, RUS-80. (rego plate)
Two years gone by now, been away on a plenty of rides, even use it as a commuter to work. If I have time, I go the long way via the scrub.
Overall, it does everything well without the hefty price tag of the Euro stuff. I'll keep mine for the rest of my riding days.
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Two wheels keeps you young. Regards. Russ