Hi All - recently introduced myself in the newbie section

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=20112

Anyway - I am planning a round the world trip in 2014. Its been a plan I come up with after undergoing heart surgery in 2010 to cure a genetic disorder that has left me with a mechanical heart valve (carbon fibre and titanium upgrade!) and a lifelong need for blood thinning warafrin. ...

No that any of that is particularly important as I'm fit and healthy, young enough to enjoy myself and old enough to know better!

So my current bike a modified Triumph 955 daytona

The latest in a long unbroken line of bikes stretching back to my FS1E at 16

When coming up with the plan for the trip I knew I wasn't going to be using the Triumph. Having built it from a bare frame it is a keeper that will be garaged for the year...

My original idea involved a 660 tenere, which just seems the right bike. Its not overly complicated , its light(ish) and will be a damn sight easier to handle that the behemoths that the factories keep coming up with in the 1200 Tenere, triumph explorer and market hyped adventure BMWs

I rode a KLR650 across the Pyrenees in 2002 and wouldn't have wanted anything else on that trip apart from the very very lonely, slow and abominably cold journey round the M25 and up the majority of the M1 overnight in February on the way back. I was tempted by a 660X a couple of years back after selling 2 GSXRs , but resisted lol, but it proved to me that I don't need much more than a similar bike to do the journey on.

So that part is easy.. thoughts of KTMs and Aprilia's flitted across my sights, but reliability (perceived or real) kept popping up and the thought that effectively the Yamaha engine has been around in various guises for a long time swung its favour.

Now I've been sat back planing everything, saving the money for year off work and the prices of 660z Tenere's has got me thinking about alternatives.

The initial part of the trip will be through Europe, down through Italy and Greece then Turkey. All will be on road stuff.

The middle bit across Russian, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India, Nepal will demand some off road capability, as more than likley will the bit around Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.. Probably Australia as well.. Then the final leg across the USA will more than likely not need that off road ability unless I particularly plan it...

So Given that I could probably pick up a 660R for about half the price of a 660Z, what am I missing out on? - the fuel capacity is one, but a couple of 5 litre cans on the side of the panniers will compensate for that easily enough.

The engines are basically the same unit (I think?) same with chassis parts - or certainly close enough to not make much difference - so I'm paying extra for the "rugged" styling then - hmm not enough to warrant taking somewhere in the region of �2k out of my travel budget I think.

Which leaves the 660x... I still like the supermoto styling and that cross over between tarmac and dirt is more than likely a good compromise especially if I fit something like Pirelli MT60's for the off road bits..

And it all seemed so simple !

Any thoughts ?