Yamaha XT660X

[Dave The Rave]

Hello All, not sure I am in the right place to be asking questions about Yamaha as this is predominantly Suzuki site I guess? But I will try anyway.
I have more or less decided to get the above bike but I don't know anyone who has it and would really appreciate a bit of advise from some with more experience.
It is pointless to ask about it in Yamaha centre as I am sure they will say that this is the best bike in the world I haven't lived as I haven't owned one. I am hoping to use it for commuting and occasional fun over wekends or so. Mostly in town but occasional trip out to the country maybe required.

Anyone has experience with this bike? Please let me know your thoughts.

Cheers

Dave

[jonboy]

It's crap, buy an SV.

(Well what else did you expect? :lol: )

I think the XT660 is a little under-powered in many ways but is also probably a lot of fun to ride. At the end of the day, does it do everything you need a bike to? It certainly looks cool, and as an urban machine would be pretty sensible.


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[Dave The Rave]

SV was on my list but I had some negative feedback regardingthe quality and as I am planning to ride in the winter too I have decided against it.

44bhp will be enough for me for now. I am sure I can have plety of fun on it.

[jonboy]

Don't think the Yamaha quality will be any better, particularly not on a budget machine (and I think the XT still comes in to that category). Either way you can't really go wrong buying the XT, just don't expect 44bhp to cut it in the performance stakes.


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[rictus01]

there's no doubt it looks cool, although the long travel suspension (very soft) means it's always going to be "involving" if you decide to push it on the roads, the build (from what I've seen) isn't anything special, and it has as many cadmium bolts as the SV, instrumentation is basic

I haven't ridden one, but have several supermotos, and as a generalization, they are great for town and short journeys, but you wouldn't want to do great mileage on them.

Speed wise, expect it to be dead over 80 mph, but then you won't really want to ride it above that anyway.

The engine is a bit long in the tooth now having come from the XTZ660, although "tweaked" it's more reliable than exciting.
Brakes are adequate as opposed to great.

Weather protection is nonexistent.

Limited tank range is also a concern on this type of machine, as is luggage.

As a second bike or weekend toy they are great,perhaps if you only have a short commute then they would do (20-30 miles max), but short of that the impractabilities outweight the advantages.

Cheers Mark.

[Dave The Rave]

Bl00dy heck Mark,

I am now in tears :-) Well, I still think I will stick with it. Like the look, it is cheap and hopefully will be fun to ride for a tear or two. However, as it looks you know what you are talking about, what bike would you choose?

[Grinch]

Bl00dy heck Mark,

I am now in tears :-) Well, I still think I will stick with it. Like the look, it is cheap and hopefully will be fun to ride for a tear or two. However, as it looks you know what you are talking about, what bike would you choose?

Don't ask him that, he'll just say speed triple... :wink:

I do think they look and sound rather cool...

[Sudoxe]

Bl00dy heck Mark,

I am now in tears :-) Well, I still think I will stick with it. Like the look, it is cheap and hopefully will be fun to ride for a tear or two. However, as it looks you know what you are talking about, what bike would you choose?

Don't ask him that, he'll just say speed triple... :wink:

I do think they look and sound rather cool...
Speed Triple :lol:

[Scooby Drew]

Have ridden one briefly, belonging to the school where I did my DAS. It was only around town and after my ZX6 I found it a bit slow :lol: , but it was great and a bit of a laugh to ride. John, the owner swears by them, he has two, one with 15k miles and the other with 18k miles that he uses as instructor bikes. Some of his taller students have used them on test as well.

I had a word with him and if you email him on info@yourbiketest.com, he will give you some feedback. Just mention my name...

Drew

[Dave The Rave]

Cheers guys. Most helpfull!

[Ed]

Hired one in Spain. Vibey horrid thing, I couldn't wait to give it back.

Don't do it.

[rictus01]

Bl00dy heck Mark,

I am now in tears :-) Well, I still think I will stick with it. Like the look, it is cheap and hopefully will be fun to ride for a tear or two. However, as it looks you know what you are talking about, what bike would you choose?

I wasn't slagging the bike off, just giving an honest opinion on it.

as I said, I'd have a supermoto as a "plaything" but not as a serious road bike, a few years ago my brother was going to go to the Assen gp with me and we worked out he'd need nine fuel stops(ccm R30). and then we'd still have to travel a 70mph max if he was to keep up.

the seats aren't ment to be comfortable, but practical, great fun riding for short periods of time but you wouldn't was to go say 100 miles on one, now think about it, thats a 50 mile rideout and back, not far really.

of course you could, but it's not fun anymore, not what the bike was made for, if you're tied to the single and want something that way inclined then perhaps the Aprillia Pegaso 650 or alike would be more practical?

Cheers Mark.

[Jelster]

Good mate of mine has one, he loves it for winter riding and commuting. He regularly rides it over 100mph (I know, I've been behing him) and he's had it for just under a year and it doesn't look that bad actually.

I can't ride it, being a short **** I can't get on the damn thing :oops: But it is what it is, an "urban" supermoto type thingy.... Depends what you want it for, but it's designed for urban use and (very) occaisional green laning...



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[Peter Henry]

Ed...I think you will find that the bike being mentioned here is the Yamaha Supermotard bike which is not what you hired. Yours was a Trailie bike.

Further more I am not at all sure if the vibes you mentioned were the bike or your knees knocking as we went along the Ronda Road! :P :P :P

[jump]

go get a ktm LC4 640 - more expensive but more value.. components are all top quality etc...

[Dave The Rave]

KTM? Well it's the price what is worrying me. It costs much more than the Yam.

[Whitty]

Been down the supermoto route mate,hence now an sv owner!The yam is under powered and overweight for an S/M.KTM's are easily available for same money (big discounts on pre reg bikes,check dealers).If you're doing a few miles the vibes will drive you mad though.The latest big husky road based S/M is mean't to be a great road tool and smooth engined.Don't bother with owt competition based,too much maintainance.Hope thats some use. :D

[Dave The Rave]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I spent some time thinking about it and I decided to just keep going around some bike places in Manchester and just make the decision more or less on the spot. I don't know anyone who knows a thing or two about bikes so I am scared of buying private. I think I will keep my cards open as I am equally happy to get SV, Honda CBF, Yamaha XT660 or fazer or even others. As this will be my first bike I think I need to look at insurance as anything above group 12 would be just too expensive.
Thanks again.

[MrMessy]

Hi Dave,
I have a Yam600E trail bike has well as the SVS. It is a lot of fun for commuting and around the Dales. Been to the coast on it and it is O/K. Fairly bullet proof motor. Would make a good 1st bike for learning on, not too powerfull to get you into trouble but fast enough to keep up with the traffic and have sum fun on! The 660 is the watercooled version of the old air cooled 600.