XT660Z write up in this months BIKE magazine - Page 2 - .: XT660.com

uberthumper · # 11 29-11-12, 13:09

Utterly different bike.

The 690 would come out great in a road test where the tester only rode it for a couple of hours. It's a good 50kg (25%) lighter, better suspension, 50% more power.

As a 'fun' bike, or something to use for UK rallies, etc, that assessment would be fairly accurate. I don't want to knock them as they are cracking bikes for that purpose. If I could justify having a bike purely for doing the rallies, then it would only be my dislike of "doing the obvious" that would stop that bike being a 690, because they really are in a class of their own as a "big bore enduro bike", particularly now the Husky TE630 has been discontinued.

Perfectly possible to turn one into a good travel bike as well, and there's plenty of people who have done trips on them that make everything I've ever done look like a trip to the shops. But in the same way I've spent a fair amount turning my Tenere into something that works for racing, you would spend a lot turning a 690 into something with decent fuel range, luggage capacity, and wind protection.

The point I'm slowly getting to is that in any group test involving the Tenere, it will probably come out badly, because I don't think there's anything genuinely comparable on the market as a stock bike. The ~800cc multi-cylinder bikes are much bulkier, much more powerful, and much more road oriented. The likes of the 690 are smaller, lighter, and off-road-racing oriented.

The closest things to a comparable bike to test it against IMO are the likes of the XTR and the G650 Beemers. Don't have the tank range or wind protection, but if the Tenere didn't exist and I was after something as a do-it-all bike for commuting, trail riding, travelling, or if I had to buy a new, stock bike and head straight off on an overland trip, it would be something like that.

Now it may be that the review in Bike managed to capture all this, and acknowledge why it's not like a V-Strom or a Tiger - the people that have actually read it have said it's fairly complimentary.

mash101 · # 12 29-11-12, 16:12

Spokes on my X are rusting pretty bad on front wheel. I would have been more than happy to have paid the extra for proper stainless spokes in the first place - I regularly coat them with ACF 50 & hardly ride in the wet.

SingleMinded · # 13 29-11-12, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberthumper

Utterly different bike.

The 690 would come out great in a road test where the tester only rode it for a couple of hours. It's a good 50kg (25%) lighter, better suspension, 50% more power.

As a 'fun' bike, or something to use for UK rallies, etc, that assessment would be fairly accurate. I don't want to knock them as they are cracking bikes for that purpose. If I could justify having a bike purely for doing the rallies, then it would only be my dislike of "doing the obvious" that would stop that bike being a 690, because they really are in a class of their own as a "big bore enduro bike", particularly now the Husky TE630 has been discontinued.

Perfectly possible to turn one into a good travel bike as well, and there's plenty of people who have done trips on them that make everything I've ever done look like a trip to the shops. But in the same way I've spent a fair amount turning my Tenere into something that works for racing, you would spend a lot turning a 690 into something with decent fuel range, luggage capacity, and wind protection.

The point I'm slowly getting to is that in any group test involving the Tenere, it will probably come out badly, because I don't think there's anything genuinely comparable on the market as a stock bike. The ~800cc multi-cylinder bikes are much bulkier, much more powerful, and much more road oriented. The likes of the 690 are smaller, lighter, and off-road-racing oriented.

The closest things to a comparable bike to test it against IMO are the likes of the XTR and the G650 Beemers. Don't have the tank range or wind protection, but if the Tenere didn't exist and I was after something as a do-it-all bike for commuting, trail riding, travelling, or if I had to buy a new, stock bike and head straight off on an overland trip, it would be something like that.

Now it may be that the review in Bike managed to capture all this, and acknowledge why it's not like a V-Strom or a Tiger - the people that have actually read it have said it's fairly complimentary.

... I'm on a 690 now after putting my old trustworthy Ten to all kinds of offroad abuse and since I'm using a big company Beemer for commuting purposes...

... but if I had to do it all with only one bike, I'd be back on a Tenere without a doubt.

Compared to the Ten, the 690 makes life off-road a whole lot easier!

HJ

Pleiades · # 14 29-11-12, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithblade

All bikes spokes will rust if you dont know how to treat them so Bikes comment is total ******.

FYI Bike didn't actually say

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woottonboy

Your spokes will be a rusty mess within 6 months if they aren't polished daily?

in the article (or mention anything about the Tenere's spokes) - only Wootonboy did! (and by the sound of it he hasn't read the article)

Incidentally Keith, I'm with you 100% on the spoke care thing - My Z, like yours, doesn't have any sign of rust on the spokes after 4 years and 22K miles in all weathers.

jimmysimpson · # 15 29-11-12, 21:06

My spokes have no rust and that's 20000 miles in 2 years and seldom sees a shed or a bucket of soapy water. I don't think the stainless spokes are that expensive so when next you change a tyre ?

steveD · # 16 29-11-12, 22:01

Perhaps riding in the rain keeps the dust off the spokes which seems to promote rust / corrosion ?

Gas_Up_Lets_Go · # 17 29-11-12, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pleiades

Incidentally Keith, I'm with you 100% on the spoke care thing - My Z, like yours, doesn't have any sign of rust on the spokes

I'll third that.

Mort · # 18 30-11-12, 09:00

I have had most makes of bikes depends on how much you won't to spend on them and how much time you spend cleaning them,**** i just won't to ride mine i treat it like a Landrover get it muddy and wet leave in the corner until the next day.:tenere:

ScottyD · # 19 30-11-12, 22:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberthumper

Utterly different bike.

The 690 would come out great in a road test where the tester only rode it for a couple of hours. It's a good 50kg (25%) lighter, better suspension, 50% more power.

As a 'fun' bike, or something to use for UK rallies, etc, that assessment would be fairly accurate. I don't want to knock them as they are cracking bikes for that purpose. If I could justify having a bike purely for doing the rallies, then it would only be my dislike of "doing the obvious" that would stop that bike being a 690, because they really are in a class of their own as a "big bore enduro bike", particularly now the Husky TE630 has been discontinued.

Perfectly possible to turn one into a good travel bike as well, and there's plenty of people who have done trips on them that make everything I've ever done look like a trip to the shops. But in the same way I've spent a fair amount turning my Tenere into something that works for racing, you would spend a lot turning a 690 into something with decent fuel range, luggage capacity, and wind protection.

The point I'm slowly getting to is that in any group test involving the Tenere, it will probably come out badly, because I don't think there's anything genuinely comparable on the market as a stock bike. The ~800cc multi-cylinder bikes are much bulkier, much more powerful, and much more road oriented. The likes of the 690 are smaller, lighter, and off-road-racing oriented.

The closest things to a comparable bike to test it against IMO are the likes of the XTR and the G650 Beemers. Don't have the tank range or wind protection, but if the Tenere didn't exist and I was after something as a do-it-all bike for commuting, trail riding, travelling, or if I had to buy a new, stock bike and head straight off on an overland trip, it would be something like that.

Now it may be that the review in Bike managed to capture all this, and acknowledge why it's not like a V-Strom or a Tiger - the people that have actually read it have said it's fairly complimentary.

Totally agree.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

enduro374 · # 20 01-12-12, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas_Up_Lets_Go

I'll third that.

Same here and yes it's got properly wet 'n mucky.

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