Amazing, look at this XT going round the world. A bit of an eye opener.

http://earth-roamers.blogspot.co.uk/...r-perform.html

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2010 XT660Z Blue, Exan can, UFO high front fender, SW Motech baseplate, heated grips, 12v point, Kevs Fuel & O2 mod, DNA Stage 2 Filter and cover, Givi tall screen, Mefo mfe 99s, Kevs throttle mod, TT high seat and 'compass'

And yes they will choose the XT to do it again!

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2010 XT660Z Blue, Exan can, UFO high front fender, SW Motech baseplate, heated grips, 12v point, Kevs Fuel & O2 mod, DNA Stage 2 Filter and cover, Givi tall screen, Mefo mfe 99s, Kevs throttle mod, TT high seat and 'compass'

Sorry all still learning to place a link, so here's fingers crossed. http://earth-roamers.blogspot.co.uk/...r-perform.html

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2010 XT660Z Blue, Exan can, UFO high front fender, SW Motech baseplate, heated grips, 12v point, Kevs Fuel & O2 mod, DNA Stage 2 Filter and cover, Givi tall screen, Mefo mfe 99s, Kevs throttle mod, TT high seat and 'compass'

Good read. Thanks for pointing it out.

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And the bit on the xt that broke was made by KTM!!!! That should shock a few

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2010 XT660Z Blue, Exan can, UFO high front fender, SW Motech baseplate, heated grips, 12v point, Kevs Fuel & O2 mod, DNA Stage 2 Filter and cover, Givi tall screen, Mefo mfe 99s, Kevs throttle mod, TT high seat and 'compass'

I'm appalled by the lack of service, knowledge and sympathy (especially) by such widely-dispersed Yamaha personnel.

This points to almost the entire organisation, rather than isolated cases.

That said, until they decided to abandon Yamaha, Pitmans here in Adelaide were outstanding in their support of the brand, and a were a good enough reason to buy a Yamaha over anything else imo.

In the absence of Pitmans, Yamaha World have been very helpful in supporting me with my 'interesting' WR250R from behind the spares counter.

So not all Yamaha dealers are atrocious, luckily. But Yamaha New Zealand not giving warranty to an overseas bike? I thought warranty applied world-wide, and still believe this to be so.

I realise that the experiences are those of only one traveller. And it is not hard to cross-reference parts - dead easy, in fact. I found in about 2 mins that an XT660Z genuine c/s sprocket is not an American listed part ie nothing imported to the US has the identical sprocket (note 'identical').

However, again in very short order, I went online, found a JT sprockets catalogue and the XTR relevant numbers. Easy to cross-reference from there. Piss-weak effort from the Americas, I'd say.

Finally, re the sprocket incident, I'd say that any traveller who goes to a country, knowing his/her bike model isn't imported there, is a bit of a knob not to carry some basic spares such as a clutch cable and a countershaft sprocket. I don't even go to work without these spares and many more for my bikes, though admittedly I don't have to carry them every day. But if I was travelling anywhere, even within my own country, I would have a basic spares kit for the Tenere. Air filter, clutch cable, chain link, plug, and a c/s sprocket if big distance/mucho dirt was expected.

Bottom line: This traveller was under-prepared and under-researched.