Thanks for the welcome mates!

Well, since I'm invited, I'll post my opinion.
I had a used Honda XR500R model 1984.
It was my first bike and the one I learned how to drive!
It had many mechanical problems and I sold it on 2002.

I purchased a new XT660R at 29/3/2008.
Having driven 4800km so far
Well, I'm VERY impressed and satisfied with my buy!

The stability on tarmac is a thing I didn't expect, really!
Driving at 150-160kph, the bike's stability is superb.
But I don't think that the bike was designed to travel so fast so,
I usually travel at 130kph.

The rider's seat is a little stiff but the riding position is good and comfortable.
My wife, also, was satisfied at the back seat.

I especially like the way the XT turns at country-roads with many bends.
Immediate corrections are not a problem and it turns very sharply for an
adventure bike. I like a lot the Tourance tyres. I think Yamaha made a good
choice here.

Another thing that I noticed was good range. With full tank, I usually make
280-320km of mixed use. (City-travel).

And a word about vibrations...
What vibrations are they talking about?
I didn't notice any annoying vibrations on any occassion...

I'm planning a off-road trip with a friend having a Honda CRF450 to a mountain range with "passable" road.

I hope my XT will make me proud, although I have my little fears as a
newbie driver.

Thanks mates!

Nice review of the bike. The larger wheels on the R do make it turn very well and the tourance tyres are very good on the road. Tank range is suprisingly good if you dont use full throttle everywhere, but sometimes this just cant be helped.

Billy have you done any off roading before? The XT im sure will handle what ever you throw at it, but on stock tyres you might just need to take it alot slower than your friend on his CRF450 as its just an off road bike and will take any off roading at 100kph.

Glad you like your bike and hope you have many more kilometres of fun on it.

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Plough on

Good report billy and looking forward to more later (including pics).

Do not fear - you will fall off when you go rough off-roading - it is part of the experience.

As for 'as a newbie driver' - read my 'Water Run' thread to see that at the age of 61 with lots of experience it can happen to anyone who leaves the rut of tarmac riding and gets into the ruts of off-road!

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Thanks for the interest mates!

Talking about off-roading...

I don't expect the XT to be as good as the CRF off-road.
As I believe the CRF can't come even close to the XT on-road, or travelling.

I bought the XT because it combines a lot of features like:
good performance, reliability, price, comfort, looks, in general
EVERYTHING I need from a bike.

You can commute, travel, go a little off-road etc.
Here in Greece, we have a lot of dirt roads passing through a wonderful
nature, not to mention the islands (mostly dirt).

I think that the "GO ANYWHERE, DO ANYTHING" that Yamaha says,
is true with this bike.

First times are *****es.

I won't be racing with the CRF, but my friend has a lot of experience and patience and he is willing to share it. I think he'll be a good teacher to me, so, I'll just follow carefully as much as I can, hopefully WITHOUT scratching my baby!!!

Your very true the XTR is a bike that can do all.

As for scratching your XTR dont worry the plastic panels are very keep to replace.

Have fun on the off roading i know i did when i took mine off roading in wales

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Plough on

Well, I'm impressed!
Wish I COULD ride like that!

if you read a few ride reports done here you will see tha the XTR is more than capable for offroad
www.vdsr.co.uk

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OFFICIAL CRASH TEST DUMMY

Owned XTs in UK for several years, and especially liked the last one there an XT600E. Traveled about 12k miles per year all over the UK. Moved to Cyprus last October and bought my XT660R new here in Cyprus last November. Have spent the last six months trying to get it to run smoothly with a steady throttle (surging/hesitating at all revs and in all gears). With advice form this website and a friend in the business I have been adjusting the CO level and now have a -13 which is just about manageable although town and off road riding are at best tolerable and at worst dangerous. No help from the dealer (this is after all Cyprus) and no where else to turn!!!. Have written to Yamaha Japan with no response. Not fit for purpose and a blinding disappointment when all the other XTs have been so good (perfect). If you've got a good one then make the best of it cos when they are good they are very very good but mine - a waste of money. If I could get a decent price I'd swop it for a used 600E tomorrow.

Bad luck!!! What can I say?

I'm sorry Tony! But, have you ever ridden other XT660's? I've ridden one XT660R and two XT660X's, and I found no difference in handling from mine!

Maybe you had the bad luck of purchasing a faulty or defective one!

Well, the EFI is not perfect but such dissapointment...

Hope you find a solution soon...

Keep the information coming mate...

Good luck!

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XT660R

What year is your bike?

By the way you have set your CO1 to get it better, it may be a 07 model & has a faulty engine ECU.

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Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
[
My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946