Newbie from Oz - North Kevs-ville
 

Hey there! I�m a newbie to the forum and lovin� it! Had a bunch of bikes in the past but have been off them for a while since babies, a wife and responsibilities bled me dry. Couldn�t take it any longer so recently purchased my first ever brand spanker � a 2011 XT660R. It�s sweet and as we speak is having its front end tweaked by Paul Baerick�s MPE on the Sunshine Coast (I�m from Brisbane, Oz� Kev�s backyard! Pretty happy to have Kev as a local, although mate, I�ll try not to harass you too much!)

The bike suits me well and my riding style these days - but of course I want to trick it a bit (as far as the budget extends� so it�ll be a staged process). The forum is awesome � having a bit of trouble concentrating on work because I just want to surf the forum and absorb everything that has gone on before me. Your collective knowledge makes the Yamaha boys at the local shop seem like clueless duds by comparison. I�ve had plenty of questions for them but the answers that they couldn�t provide are right here on the forum! Anyway, that�s enough of an intro from me� Congrats and thanks for the forum!

:hello: and :welcome: to :660:

Thanks for the good words, you are one lucky Ozzy to own an XT and live near Kev. :thumbsup: Make sure you keep him sweet :redwine:

G'day mate.:gsmile:

Congrat's on the new bike and welcome!

We like pic's..

Welcome Dan, took you a while to show yourself. How about some photo's of the machine.:clap:

Welcom mate and the first mod you should do is Kev's O2 controler, makes a great bike even better, cheers.

:006: Hello Dan and welcome aboard

Thanks guys, for the welcome. Happy to obligue with photos once I figure out how, although the bike's not too trick yet.

I'm a 6'5" tall freakshow so raising the bike is feasible to get more ground clearance and make me feel comfortable. Just got the bike back from the suspension guys here after a front end job. Got a new set of stiffer fork springs, a pair of emulator compression values dialed in - and for extra specialness I got a set of extended fork caps lathed up to entend the fork tubes a bit. It's now 2 inches higher up front and looks wicked, and feels awesome. No diving under brakes like before.

I know the turning can be compromsed so I'll square things up a bit with a set of shorter dog bones (don't suppose you have a set I can purchase, Kev?) - but already I love the set up.

Snorkle is gone, thanks forum for the tip!! I've still got stock cans for now and seems I'm gonna need at least a stage 1 DNA. Does the fuelling mods (including CO adjustment) apply to this model (2011) too? (I assume so but I ask because I've read that the ECU and some settings have evolved a bit over time.) If so, they'll be on the to-do list. You'd think Yamaha would have it sorted by now from the factory...

I've modified the back number plate assembly, put some bar risers on and made up a special bike jack to lift it off the ground for servicing the tail - but that's all so far. Anyway, I'm not good at being concise - better stop rambling. Cheers!

Welcome Dan
 

Well done Dan,

You'll find heaps of info here as you have already mentioned. In Europe these bikes are very popular, and for good reason. Touratech & especially OffTheRoad have an exhaustive list of farkles that you can use to trick your bike.

Link to raising linkage here:

http://www.off-the-road.de/XT-660/Su...nes-XT660.html

On a group ride I mostly get from people "what is that?" amongst the DRs, XTs, DRZs, Katos, Husky's etc.

I'm only 6'1" and I can flat foot the XT on both sides. Just right!

If your bike will be ready by then 2 mates & myself on DR650s are doing a ride Warwick-Toowoomba-Kilcoy-Noosa Nth Shore-Inkip Point on the 12-14th of October. Camping. You are welcome to join in, from Noosa might suit you?

Anyway, here's my bike so far:

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...n/DSCF4245.jpg

Hope to catch you on the trails soon, Boneman

Hey thanks, Boneman, for the advice. I've admired your bike before, on the ADVrider forum. It's a great looking rig. A set of knobbies really toughens it up. Love the 2-in-1... does the heat off those pipes going up thru the frame cause you/components any grief?

Thanks too for the offer to join you on your ride/camp adventure up to Rainbow. I 4WD thru a lot of those Noosa north shore areas and it's a great spot. I can't make this trip unfortunately because I fly out for the US on the following week (three weeks away from my bike!! Ouch. Oh, and my family). My missus would drop a load if I told her I was off riding on the w'end before I ditch her for 3 weeks. But I'm keen for another time... I could have met you at Kilcoy as I live not too far down the road from there.

Anyway, great to chat to some local XT owners. There doesn't seem to be that many in these parts. Even the local Yami dealers don't seem to take them seriously... if it's not a YZ or WR then they don't seem to be that interested. The teners get more kudos but not the XT-Rs. My experience anyway... Still, give me a bike I can commute on between w'end rides, and that I don't have to service every 150Ks. I love the XT!
Cheers... Dan