Love... Hate... Relationship!
 

I've wanted one of these the last couple of years but enjoyed my Fazer 1000 too much, it never missed a beat and was very forgiving... the downside? it went quick!! ...... all the time! My wife used to shake her head at my antics... a backyard full of kids and an idiot on a bike! WHERE am i going with this?? Top and bottom? I traded the Fazer in, without a test ride!!! Rode 40 miles home on motorway and A roads and thought... this is different?... surging... jumping... hmmm? I thought, must be me single cylinder from a smooth four? Anyway, I joined the forum to find out it's a common trait with mods available... sodding bike...hated it!!... well next ride out.... loved it, bike couldn't get enough of the green laning and neither could i .. little niggles, yeah I can live with that... ride out yesterday to do a little more bonding...loving it... loving it .. wet roundabout!!! surging!!! wrong gear??? slip clutch?? Sodding bike!! Ar*e twitching moment!! ... hating it!!.. with lot's of other vehicles too close for comfort!.. Anyhow rode home uneventful and wondering what I should do with it?? just started loving it again and thinking... don't be too hard on her you've only had it 3 weeks and 200 miles.. when, I noticed a clicking while manouvering into the garage?? Amazing!! what next? I thought the bloody clutch cable isn't long enough and catches on the oil filler cap when changing lock....!! You know what? This bike and me could have some fun... it looks the biz and makes me smile.... sometimes! BUT... YAMAHA .. need to address these little problems because I would not recommend my bike(a 2011 xtr) to my friends....... Is it me?? Tony

Hehe welcome on board Tony and enjoy the bike, you found the best place to learn ALL about it!!!!

A few mods will make your ride much more fun & controllable.

1/ Twist grip mod = better throttle control in the round abouts & traffic conditions.

2/ O2 controller = will help a lot with that surging.

3/ Rear sprocket rubbers = is there free play in the rear sprocket holder as there should not be any, the free play makes these bikes feel like they are surging.

Hi Kev, I know where you are coming from, all I want to do is get on the bike.... play ... clean it.... put it away... hug it... etc etc start again! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy pottering but I do think it's a bit of a tw*t? Ps say hi to my daughter over in Albany Creek for me please? Tony

love hate love
 

Hi Tony
I've had a blue xt660x for 2 years now and had a fair bit of help and advice from Kev. I too couldn't believe how poor the fueling was/is even up to this week I was still messing about with it.
I,ve put kev,s mod on, changed the filter system,fitted o2 sensor eliminator, modified the throttle but the fueling is still not perfect, better but not right.
But here's the rub!
over the last year or so I have been lucky enough to have use of some pretty decent bikes, harley electra glide, victory 8ball, triumph Rocket 3,Triumph Thunderbird and you know what, I jump back on the Yam its a laugh a minute on virtually every occasion.
I,ve used it for a weeks camping i use it every day for work i,ve taken it out for runs with mates on all sorts of sports bikes and cruisers its never at the back and it never feels like its straining.
i think this is the worst time of year for the 660 as your in the wet on part throttle and its horrible at times. if you wait till the roads dry up and you can give it some stick I think you'll see a different bike.
sorry to ramble but just a thought, have you tried altering the CO level?

No, you're not rambling, i'm just whinging, don't get me wrong? I like the bike and I guess I'll learn to love it? But I paid top money for it and would have been devastated had I originally was gonna buy a brand new one and it had done the same! I like to add subtle mods to bikes to personalize and enhance them, but find it hard to believe they need modifications to make them more rider friendly and road safe?... Just my opinion? Has I say I've not done many miles.... So I guess "Scary Spice" is here to stay!!!! Tony

I am having the same problems with Tony. The bike, unless I ride like a hooligan, is terrible. It is always surging even with the mods (tho it has improved a bit) and it needs constant clutch slipping at low speeds. On the other hand, if you go for a ride on twisty roads the bike is a marvel and it delivers an awesome experience. It is trully a love/hate relationship and the fact that its performance is actually the reverse of what I was expecting messed everything up for me. I bought the bike to go to work and casual 2 up riding and now whenever I take my 1KRR for a Sunday ride I end up thinking that maybe I would have more fun with the XT.

edit: I left work after posting the above and to my surprise the XT behaved much better. Almost no surging and alot smoother, in direct contrast with what my morning ride was. I also noticed that there was less popping from my exhausts. My guess is it has to do with the morning/night temperature difference although it couldnt be more than 2-3 degrees (C). Maybe the bike runs too lean? Any ideas?

Hi Tony, I bought my XTZ new and was a little disappointed with the fueling and throttle response at low revs. But now after 11,000 miles it is getting better, it pulls from lower revs with out complaint and I do not notice the vibes at high revs.I have just replaced the cush drive rubbers but no other mods, how many miles has your bike got on it? Stick with it , it will grow on you Steve.

Hi, Steve it has 2170 miles on it, i have only done the 170, i guess i haven't given the bike chance! I'm looking forward to playing!!! Tony

I know how you feel.... I have had my XTR for about 3 years... Theres part of me that still hates it from time to time.... There's just something about it... I can't sell it as I have spent $1000s on it to get it to my version of usable...

Gilli 22.5L tank.
MM high pipe.
pivot pegs.
fully re-worked "vavles/springs" showa USD forks..
Ohlins shock.
Kev's mods X2.
B&B bash plate.
Yamaha XTZ engine bars.
SS braided brake lines.
Rekluse clutch.
rally raid screen.
wave rotors.
Rox anti vibe risers.

weight... If only it was possable to make REAL weight saveings...

I'd like to agree with Ergoth on this
external temperature definetely seems to make the XT behave differently
or when its raining, snowing, windy, slightly sunny, sunny, etc
You get the picture no 2 rides seem the same
Now mines developed a new fueling issue, when you very first open the throttle just for an instant it tries to die. Tried raising the tickover to make it go away but if I had the engine ticking over any quicker i could ride to work without the throttle.
I too dont know why i put up with a bike that cost me over �5500 2 years ago have spent hundreds trying to sort out and it still has a mind of its own.

yes I do know,
it has a mind of its own, and the instant the tarmac dries out and you crack that throttle open or lash it in to a bend at a speed or angle you'd never dream of doing on any other bike thats why you put up with it.

:drool[1]:Ha ha ha Geoff, sodding bikes!!You can't help but love em can you? My damn thing has a mind of it's own......... I learned that very quickly and with no miles under my belt compared to you guys !!!!........... it looks like I did the right thing getting my xtr .... just a passing look at the black ****** in the garage made me grin!!!! Aaaaaaaaaah!...... Smitten ..... sigh!! Tony

Blimey where does one start!!.

You know where you come from bike wise has an effect and also is it your only bike and that's before you even get to in this case an XT,coming from a Fazer thou jeeze that's one hell of a change,where as for me I'd already got 3 big bikes and I'd sold a Gilera 180 runner that I used to nip down the shops on and bought my XT so my whole mental approach to the bike was totally different it was at the bottom of the food chain and that was where it was going stay,so I thought.

You want a bike that changes with the weather go buy a BM R1100s I've had one 14 years spent enough money on it to buy at least two new XT660's and still refuse to ride it on a warm day cuz it'll have you fillings out, on a cool damp day it's something special and I say that with a K1200r in the garage with a dyno read out for 162hp I digress.

I bought my XT with 580 miles 4 years ago next September from a dealer and it's still worth what I paid for it and it even came with brand new Akra's on I say all this because it's all part of the phychology of how you approach each individual bike,after my 3 other big bangers it was a world away non of those 3 bikes have the bland trait that you get on a Jap 4 cylinder like a Fazer I'd had that kind of bike for 30 years and I had enough that was in 99.

But when I got on my XT it reminded me of the blandness that I was desperate to escape from and had done for 10 years and it reminded me of why I had ridden Jap bikes for so long because they are easy to live with,after the novelty had worn off the jerky side of the bike showed it's self but quickly found the trick to riding was either on or off the throttle and nothing else,by which time I'd put a DNA 1 and 2 in,pulled the snorkel out and then realised too much air not enough fuel and fitted Kev's fuel mod some adjusting and the improvement was probably 60/70% and to be honest I'd have probably left it like that.

But I see a job lot of XT parts on ebay and buy the lot and with them was Power Commander fit and with some fetling and the require holes in the airbox found another 20/25% engine and it's to the point here in the Uk it's mine main bike,does it get ridden hard?? well yes it does I've never got more than 1200 miles out of a front tyre,but it's also rare I have any b*gg** overtake me apart from on a fast piece of straight road when any muppet can just open the throttle.

But there's a punch line and that It's not my only bike and in my subconscious I have a big bike to wheel out of the garage when I want,as far as the quirks of the XT go that's fuel injection for you,my 955 Tiger in the 13 years I have owned it from new must have had 10 different maps in trying to find the Holy Grail,my 1100s on a constant throttle would hunt like a pogo stick and among other things needed a PC,my K1200r eventually got so bad with the stock fuelling I had Rexxer map blown into the ECU to cure it that's the short story on all 3.

So of course not only you don't have the luxury of that big bike you also had the last of the bikes with carbs on welcome to fuel injection!!!

Sorry for the ramble.

Phew!.......... I would have to put my index finger out after that one!!! But I do get it? By the replies I've had it's clear that the popularity of our bikes and the fondness of there owners to them are it's individual and yet common quirks........ Bring it on.. Tony

I dont see what all these issues are tbh im on a 09x with akro stage 1 and 2 power comander etc etc (see below) and during winter ive run it standard so if I dropped it I wouldnt hurt my zhaust etc etc but I still dont see this whole fuel issue? Yes around mini roundabouts sometimes it involves usint the clutch but its a big single its got bottom end power its supposed to be torquay before I bought mine I read the mcn report and thought o dear am I doing the right thing buying it but I held with it and bought it and tbh its a complely diffrent machine to that report and iLOVE MY XT. Now am I a lucky one or something? I dunno? Same as cushdrive rubbers. I dont see the huge issue when I bought it a put new ones in cos it needed it yes they need replacing from time to time ? But hey its cheaper then ripping spokes from wheels or damaging transmission parts, its there as a weak link to protect everything else..... thats it purpose surely ? And most jerking and surging can be minmised by having a correctly adjust chain. Did I mention!!!!!! I LOVE MY XT

Don't get me wrong I don't suffer from Large blinker syndrome that you see on so many website because the routine is

Hello my name is Fred Blogs I've just bought the latest XYZ it's fantastic it's a keeper and their gone in 12 months,

The XT is a basic cooking engine and the bike is built to a price all fuel injected engines are the same you can make all of them have kangaroo petrol if you want,bit like having tooth ache and then you can't stop poking it.

Go on the KTM websites and see how they have the same problem with fueling and they've paid a dam sight more with a bike that could hand grenade at any time when your XT won't,I run my XT because I think with the mods it's a good result,I looked long and hard at the KTM option it had got nothing to do with money I'm not down to my last 50p but as big single cylinder the XT is a safe bet IMO I don't think there's a better compromise.

Shortly after getting my XT660Z I replaced the std exhaust with a Leo Vince.
Never had any surging issues, but I noticed a harshness at certain revs. As I have
done with my most recent bikes I took it to be remapped. Apparently it was running
seriously lean. After remapping the harshness had gone, and due to an increase
in rear wheel BHP and Torque bike now pulls top gear at lower revs than before. Its
also effortless to now sustain 80 - 90mph on the motorway. Fuel economy seems
unchanged and the bike feels happy at all revs. Happy days.

How was it remapped??

I took it here http://hilltopmotorcycles.co.uk/

Oh yes I know know of him :sad7:, you have just shocked me never in a million years did I expect to bump into that gent on here,I suggest you ask Kev if he thinks it's possible to remap an ECU without a piggyback or the like of Rexxer please please don't tell me he relieved you of �350 as well.

You have the like of Kev busting his ass with things like his fuel for peanuts mod and then you've gents like him grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I bet he gave you a silly dyno read out as well!!

Not an expert on the technical side so not quite sure what u are saying. All I know
is the bike runs sweet as a nut now, smooth in heavy traffic, more eager on the open
road. The details of which brand of ECU voodoo were performed is beyond me, its
the end result I am pleased with

i think people will find kevs way is good and ALOT CHEAPER yes suits most people and does the job but in terms of power and been able to control set rpm and mixture and power you cant beat a proper mapping with dyno run thats where you WILL get the best out of a bike as its individual to that bike

Go on then gives us a before after dyno reading,our man at Hilltop reckons he can put 25hp on a GS with just a re-map yea yea I know but he's never short of punters who beleave him,I've actually met this guy(when on a fact finding mission) the likes of Kev with all the hours of dyno work he's done would have a heart attack if he met this gent.

Hi TONY go back to a four banger you will love it more.:confused2:

:applause:Hi Mort, I like your direct approach! I think what I really need is a stable full of different bikes to play on............... Mmmmmmmm..... what a thought? Tony

Hello Tony and welcome.
Ive an 09 plate r owned from new by myself now with 20,000 miles plus whatever its done in the last year since the speedo stopped recording.
Several mods including stage 1 and 2 air filters snorkel removed kev fuel mod two into one exhaust with mtc can on it and probably some more ive missed.
Im going to be brutaly honest and say if i want a gentle potter round its bloody awful to ride, if however as someone else has already mentioned you ride it using the throttle like a switch (on or off) its an extremely fun bike to ride and never fails to put a smile on my face.
Mine has probably done as many miles off road as on and now looks like its been abandoned in a field for most of its life as i never clean it and theres many pictures on here of it stuck in mud or upside down in a ditch etc etc.

Would i swap it? No. Its a dog to ride sensibly but it continues to take the abuse i throw at it whilst remaining fairly cheap to maintain and at �5000 new four years ago i consider it a cheap toy.

All in all i think its been a value for money fun bike and i will definately look at another xt first when the time comes to replace this one.

Earlier today i had the pleasure of Tonys company and he asked if i could take a couple of photos of said beast thats causing so much heart ache. Well of course the pleasure was all mine....


http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps576be4c8.jpg


http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps21f9fd6b.jpg



http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps204d8635.jpg




http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa2e75358.jpg



http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps363d8e2c.jpg




:007: :007: :007:

Awwwww! Bless you Rich! You are a star! Tony ........ Little minx in it?

Jeez! Thats a bit clean

Ha ha... That's because all I do is wash it... dry it .. polish it!!! Sodding weather! ...I was only saying to Rich W... I can't remember having a bike I wanted to play on as much as this one for a long time.... What is it about these bikes??? Tony

What is it about these bikes indeed!!!!!???? I went for a play today and decided I hate it more than I love it......... I think? Rode through Doncaster to get to j&s and it was awful, bloody thing.... anyway I've only done 300 miles all told on it so it only has 2340 miles on the clock.... trouble is, it only seems happy when you're dogging it..... bloody thing.... anyhow if I don't get on with it shortly it'll be off!!! So I'm now looking at possible pt ex's. I have had klr's and xlr's before and though they do seem a little more user friendly (my opinion) they don't go round bends like this black bast*rd (my opinion) ........... The saga continues!!!!!!!!! Tony

Having changed the fork oil, regreased the head bearings and refitted the standard dogbones, I had to take my XTR out in the wind and rain for a test ride today. I've had, and still have, more expensive bikes, more technologically advanced bikes and certainly faster bikes but this thing is such good fun, I can see me holding onto it for a good while. It's so good for exploring back roads,does U turns on a sixpence (that's an obsolete coin for you young members),and scoffs at potholes, gravel and mud. I'm definitely loving more than hating mine!

papa dae ye ever go down tae the Cove at queensferry,,, i may see ye down there in the better weather.. how long ye had the Xt... maybe we could meet up sometime...

I've only been to South Queensferry in the car or on my pedal cycle so haven't been to the Cove yet, John. When I have passed by, it has always looked like a cruiser riders' hangout but I probably should pitch up on the bike one sunny day.
I bought the XT in October and I'm having a lot of fun with it.

Love or hate
 

Hi Tony
Don't give up mate
weather is starting to clear and you ll be able to get out on it and see its full potential.
Here's an example of the effect this thing has on me
Now it could be that there's something not quite right with me but a week ago I couldn't sit in another Sunday soooo
5.30am sees me and the xt off to wales
Bear in mind it's dark and icy(didn't know this till I arrived at Denbigh and nearly fell off on me arse) blasted here there and everywhere what a laugh it's icy muddy,single track roads dual carriageway,motorway on the way back. Got back around 11.00am covered in mud (me and the bike) still smiling about it all day Monday and then the ride home from work in traffic and it's a piece sh#t again
So you see its love love hate hate for some of us but it's going to stay with me
The XT is not my only bike I have a really tidy TDM850 which I've had from new,trouble is I find myself taking the xt all the time

ha ha Geoff, I love that thread! Yep you are completely barking.... but that's good! I like the love.. love ... hate ... hate thing? It sums up the relationship I have with this Black Bas*ard................. thanks for that, Tony

my XT is a ***** but i wouldnt be without her

Got my first ride on the XTR today from the shop. The first few minutes the surging was awful to feel but after my three hour ride the general feeling is happiness all over. From cruising in 3rd gear without being annoying to anyone to lifting the front wheel, it all feels great.

The rear locks up very quickly on the new tires but I'll keep on using both brakes and learn some specific XTR techniques to not go wide while cornering.

My background: had all bikes you can think of - but this is more pure then anything else. Love it, Hate it - it's has character!

Tony - your more than welcome to take mine out for a ride - see how it compares to yours :icon_scoot[1]:



:112:

Love my XT660R
 

I have had my XTR for just over 3 years, Almost 10000 miles on the clock now.
Every time I take this bike out I become a different animal :) in a good way. Coming from a sports bike background, I love this bike with all its glory!