Thanks for the comments, all very helpful.

So if I'm ticking along in 2nd or 3rd, up on the pegs, and come across a deep washout or hole I didn't see in time to avoid, will a flick of the clutch and some body language loft the front wheel over it? Not up in the air balance wheelie, just enough to clear the obstacle. I've always found if you look after the front wheel the back looks after itself (mostly).

It all depends on your experience offroad.....Jase is the one to answer that...

But as far as I see it, from a novice point of view, yes you will be able to do that. It has plenty of low down grunt.

As far as the many "offs" and "climbing trees" events I have had, the XTR drops well, I did bend my gear lever, and replaced it with a Touratech one (again, only on the German site).

it is a pretty tough bike all in all....do the handlebars, get some ebay footpegs, barkbusters, tyres and a sump guard, and you'll be fine. The rad bars are a good idea tho, as extra insurance,...and I will say again that they look very neat. (I may get some in the future.)

a flick of the clutch and a bit of a lean rewards in 2nd will have it stood up vertical if you want to get it that high!! in 3rd it will still have the desired effect.

You are correct in what you say about lifting the front over obstacles and the rear following but i am often bottoming my bash plate when riding like this and several times now i have actually bent it so that it was touching the exhaust pipes.
but then i am 16 stone so that might have something to do with it????????

The XTR will do it easily in 2nd but 3rd might be pushing it slightly it will lift the front but will take a pretty big slip of the clutch if your carrying any form of luggage.

My suggestion would be to run a 14 tooth sprocket up front which will give you that little extra enuff when needed but the bike will still easily cruise at 65-70mph when required.

and id be similar to stumpy dave only not that stumpy but still got the pounds!!!!

I go along with the 14T front sprocket.

Sounds good! Looks like the xtr could be a great hoon bike as well as an adventure bike :-)

Having just done 6000km in three weeks on my XT660R out through the Flinders and a bit more of SA and western NSW, I can say it's a great all rounder.

But it needs a bigger tank (Gilli-moto tank on the way) I did have two Roto-pax fuel tanks with me and needed them several times.

I'm hoping the larger tank will give more protection to the rad as well, if not I will be looking at making some bars or ally to add some strengh in there.

I am sticking with standard gearing because of how long we can sit on higher speeds in some places in Aus, as some may know it's nothing to sit on 120 ish for hours on end.

It's a great bike and while not as stable on the dirt as say a TTR600 it's good enough. Oh, and a s**t load of fun hehe.

i would like to add my experience with off road riding, to get anywhere close to serious riding i had to make a lot of changes to OEM.

For me best option is metal mule concept including 2-1 exhaust, bash plate and radiator grill, which will give you good protection and most imporatant your bike will loose at least 8kg and gain some space underneath engine.

As for sprockets im using 14 tooth in front and 46 in back, gives you little bit more on though terrain.
Best protection that i have is kappa side rack, sometimes im using saddle bags so this was it's primary mission but it works very good as crash bar as well.

It's is still not a hard enduro, but we like to think it can go everywhere :tank:

wi yer luggage on the bike,, its more prone to be lighter on the front end... 3rd gear lifts over obstacles off the throttle wi no half clutchin is easy,,especially wi weight onthe back.... its very Torky ye know..said the dustin in the lift. well he said shes very sparkly ye know.......