Going to finally buy an XT660R in the early New Year. I've tried to find the information on here but how frequent are the oil changes and at what point would members switch to synthetic oil (if, indeed, that is what is used)?

Oil change every 6000 miles or annually, which ever comes first.

Stick with a semi-synthetic which is what is recommended - save your money and change it more often. Motul 5100 (branded as Yamalube) is the oil that is used by dealers.

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Thanks for that. When you say change it more often, do you do one between services at 3,000 miles?

Personally, I do my oil roughly every 3K miles, oil and filter every 6K. Always have changed at half the recommended distance/time with every bike I've had. When you consider the cost of the fuel we chuck in our bikes, a few extra quid on more regular oil changes pales into insignificance. Well worth it for the extra peace of mind.

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.....3000km oil & filter... With the Rekluse you tend to get more clutch fiber in the oil...

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Harley Davidson..
The easyest way to turn gasoline into noise with out the side efect of horse power...

I always used to do an intermediate change on my R1100GS and I also do on the Ulysses. With the XT being liquid cooled I wasn't sure it was necessary. Incidentally I used to ride an XT500E (1983-1989) and went to Portugal three times on it and Greece once, so this forthcoming purchase of a 660R will be like retutning home. It's for a major trip in my early retirement. Cheating a bit by flying the bike from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur and then heading to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia before returning to Thailand and later Malaysia. I live in Portugal and my entire mileage will be around 10,500, including the European legs. Not as adventurous as being a real overlander but I don't care. I was thinking of taking the Uly but the XT makes more sense and I've wanted one for over a year. If I have to start a new thread for this I will but what spares would members suggest I took?

spares... If it's a new bike... 10,000 odd miles/km... only things like bulbs , fuses anything that could be broken if droped... a spare oil & air filter
for a used bike... replace brake pads/wheel bearings/seals maybe cush drive rubbers before yer leave .. check the chain/spockets take oil/air filters , fuses ,
bulbs.
sounds like yer have dune it all before... sure you have some idea...

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Harley Davidson..
The easyest way to turn gasoline into noise with out the side efect of horse power...

I have but in Europe where you can call breakdown out, although you couldn't in the 80s when I was on the XT500. Southern Europe then was primitive.
Back to the XTR, Don't you think a regulator/rectifier would be a good idea or don't these often go on these bikes? I know the 660s have a top name for reliability.