My XT is the most unreliable bike I have ever owned!

I would like to know other owners experiences.

In eight months and 8000 miles, it's failed to start on average once a month requiring the RAC to be called on three occasions. Solution dry the spark plug due to flooding. I now carry a spare spark plug!

Final insult after riding home in the pouring rain last night it fails to start this morning. Everything else is active but I only get the occasional attempt at starting from the button. Leaning the bike to the right means it will attempt to start, upright or to the left and it won't.

Yamaha dealer will look at it on Fri 13 (which made me smile). Their test and I quote "we will pressure wash the bike and see what happens".

PS, 14 year old DR650 started first time!!!

Hi peach,sounds like you are very unlucky,I have a 2008 xtr and it has never failed once even after riding in extreme wet conditions although I have onlt done 7000 kilometers on it.Will be very interested to hear how your bike works out after Friday the 13TH.
Cheers Geoffrey

Been riding XTX's for 4 years now, 25000 miles/40000 kms in total & have never been let down once.

Going by your discription I would get them to check your tilt sensor, air & coolant temp senders & load test the battery to see if it is cranking the bike fast enough. Let us know how you get on.

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Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
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My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

Sorry to hear your not happy with the XT. I have done about 6500klms in all weather with no worries to date.

Posts like these make me very angry, on average, not picking on the poster himself/herself, they just show F*CK ALL knowledge about bikes. There is always something suspicious when a bike is giving up the ghosts, and if the ever knowledgeble ( Ed.: sarcasm) Yamaha official mechanics can't find it in their 2 page checklist, then you either take it to a real bike mechanic or ask here in this forum becase we have some of the best in the world in Kev and Freez.

So... out of respect for those who own, run and manage this forum first and also to the many happy owners members, starting a post saying "this is the most unreliable bike I have ever had" makes you unpopular and won't get you much help round here, from those who actually can give you advice.

As said by others these problems are very rare, but they do occur from tme to time and it doesn't mean that all XT's are the most unreliable bikes ever, it's just bad luck.

I have heard of many many BMW GS1150 and GS1200 returned to their dealers for serious issues within the first 2 weeks.

Do I hear Ducati? ouch

? ManicMic clone ?

The XT is the most unreliable bike I have ever owned, fact. If that truth makes me unpopular, so be it. I posted before with regards to EFI and flooding, nobody responded.

Do I detect a BMW issue here? My T plate 1150GS hasn't missed a beat, my colleagues 07 1200GS has been in for numerous issues. Still makes my XT the most unreliable bike I have ever owned.

The bike has been looked at by two RAC mechanics and one AA mechanic on six separate occassions. The bike mechanic I use has gone over it the day after I've had an issue and can't find a thing. He reckons I have an electrical issue or a bike built on Friday.

I didn't say the XT is the most unreliable bike ever, I asked for other riders experiences. Your responses are useless, stating that these problems occur from time to time is stating the obvious.

GordyGus, Kev and Dan71 responded with their experiences and some advice, thank you.

Thing is Peach, we are here to help, all of us, we really are, we are keen to help everyone specially when we are approached nicely, but we find it difficult with those who are starting on a negative approach dismissing the bike as pile of crap.

Surely 6000 odd registered members would be screaming with complaints here rather than praising their satisfaction.

If you are so dissatisfied with the bike to the point where you have given up on sourcing the problem, then it would be advisable to sell and find a different one.

That's what I need help, especially with regard to the XT and probably for myself as well ;-)

I chose the XT after trying other bikes and reading owner reviews and love the bike when it's bloody working!!! I haven't had a car in 17 years and have a soft spot for Yamaha since purchasing my first "large" bike, a TDR250, in 1990.

It doesn't help that it's been noted by work that I've been late recently, due to the XT leaving me stranded in the arse end of nowhere.

Any help, advice or XT experience is greatly appreciated...

done bout the same myself and just servicing it now and an oil seal where the gear selector bust but cant complain,wear and tear parts mainly

Well Iv had mine 3 days so Im not much help, but for those 3 days I would certainly not think twice about going for a long trip because I feel very comfortable with the xt as I have with all Yamaha,s I have owned in the past and had next to no problems with Yam,s.