Finally found a bit of time and weather to start getting acquainted with my recently acquired XT660X.
Its a 2005 model with 20,000 miles on the clock, confirmed by the service history.

Had a lot of fun down the back roads of Wiltshire today, I have no idea what (if any) mods have been done to the fuelling of the bike but it doesn�t suffer from any surging or hesitation. I might post a pic of whats under the seat and perhaps someone could spot any clues!
It has got a Pipeworx exhaust fitted, I will explore the mod that eliminates the popping on deceleration as there are many horse riders on the roads around here and it is a bit unsettling for some of them. Likewiise I am looking at making the pipes a little quieter as, even with the baffle in, it won�t enhance my popularity with the neighbours when I am on early shift. I am thinking about spot welding a washer in the baffle, reducing the size of the hole to quieten it down a little (see pics) but I don�t want to do anything that will upset the way it runs. Any thoughts?
. I�ll probably be back on later with some questions about tyres but thats all for now!!

As promised a question about tyres.
Now maybe I'm gonna appear a bit thick, but as I understand it, the xtx requires tubed tyres. Whats fitted at the moment is a Maxis Supermax Sport 120/70 x 17 on the front and a Michelin Pilot Road 160/60ZR17 on the rear, both are marked as tubeless. I always thought it was a bit dodgy fitting tubes in tubeless tyres? Should I be concerned?

Oh yeah - I've just found out that the SW Motech centre stand doesn't fit with the Pipeworx system, so I have to decide whether to try and find new (2nd hand) exhaust system that is compatible or put the stand up for sale. Watch this space!

Hi Handy andy. I have Akras and the baffles are easily taken out, so if I want a quiet ride, I put them back in and so on.
I live in London, so most of the time, they're out for self defence, but I can understand why you'd need a quieter ride, I do however have a marble in the AIS pipe that has all but removed the popping.
The Akra's and whichever other make you go for, have let the bike breathe properly.
I use battlax front and rear, the ones on the front mind, took a few months to bed in, until then, it's handling was quite scary

Fitting tubes is the only way on a conventionally spoked wheel, it's different when the spokes go to the outer edge of rim.
I ran maxxis supermax sports front and rear on my Baghira, found them a good all round tyre so put a pair on the XT, done a couple of hundred miles and they seem fine, far better than the possibly 12 year old Pirelli's fitted when I got it bike (2005 with 6k on the clock)
Why do you need a centre stand? A paddock stand is a fair bit cheaper than a new exhaust, especially if you are happy with the pipeworx cans.
The AIS blanking kit is not expensive on eBay, personally I don't mind the popping on the overrun, but appreciate the horses don't!!

Al.