Yamaha XT660X Review

**Hellraiser** · 2nd August 2006, 12:24

Well here’s my XT660X write up, It’s going to be short cause I hate writing and am no good at it ……… lol

Fuel Economy:
My first thoughts were OH MY GOD its crap but I have since reviewed my opinion on this and although you have to fill up more often it has about the same economy as your average sports bike why cause the tank is only 15ltr and it has a 5ltr reserve which goes for ages.

Commuting:
It’s crap for this purpose it really doesn’t like crawling through Auckland traffic, personally I don’t think the gearing is set up for this either. It’s OK for filtering through traffic but I find the handle bars a little on the wide side. I love the ride height it is absolutely brilliant being able to see over cars. One thing I have found good about it is streets with judder bars are now fun …….. lol

Looks:
If you like Motard style bikes then this one is sexy I originally looked at getting the orange but I’m glade I stuck with the grey. I have fitted a Ventura Pack Rack which doesn’t spoil the over all look of the bike but my biggest disappointment was to come when I fitted some new Leo Vince Mufflers, to be brutally honest the standard ones look better.

Handling:
Around town its crap it doesn’t like doing anything under 50km/hr and being a big single, engine braking can be interesting at times, cruising at motorway speeds however is fine in fact it is at its most comfortable doing 110-120km/hr (top speed about 185km/hr). It is amazing on the twisty roads out the back of Clevdon with its lack of HP and Torque you can go through the tightest of corner with the power really on. The standard Perelli tyres that it comes with stick to the road like shit to a blanket but are not too great in the wet.

Conclusion:
To be honest the bike is a big pile of POO’s compared to my ZX-6R its slower, its harder to ride etc.. etc. But I can tell you this it is the most FUN bike I have ever ridden on the road, every time I get back from a ride I am grinning from ear to ear.

Recommendations:
Replace the standard Cans
Fit a Power Commander – this get rid of some of the ECU issues

**Wolf** · 5th August 2006, 16:52

I know what you mean by the engine braking. My XT225 has quite an aggressive engine brake, especially in the lower gears. Very good for stopping though - downshift, drop the throttle shut and you scarcely need the brakes.

Judder bars are indeed fun - my wife chuckled when we went down a street that had a gap in the judder bars that I could have ridden the bike through: I deliberately positioned myself to hit the judder bars.

Enduros are indeed great on twisty roads.

What model Pirellis are you running? I'm finding the MT90 A/Ts good in both wet and dry conditions on tarmac, OK on gravel and crap in the mud.

I can understand that the 660 would not be too keen on going slow and crawling through traffic. It would probably do a lot better somewhere like here in Hamilton where we don't have the same queues as you do up in Auckland. You're possibly finding that low revs in one gear is not right and high revs in the lower gear is wrong as well. You could probably alleviate the problem by changing the front or rear sprocket to gear it up to a point where one of the lower gears is suitable for the 'round town speeds in a comfortable rev range and that would also give you a higher top speed if that's what you'd like.

**Oscar** · 6th August 2006, 12:40

I think your problem around town under 50km/h may be lack of experience with big singles. After a multi it is hard to resist the temptation to rev the bike all the time. The XT will lug at very low revs if you let it. When you're feeling uncomfortable at low speeds (and this will sound irish) - change up, not down...

**wysper** · 6th August 2006, 13:42

Thanks for the write up Hellraiser.

This bike is definately on my list. Unfortunately my purchase has been put off to about xmas. DAMN

But will definately check out the commuting side of the bikes performance as it will be doing a bit of that.

**Hellraiser** · 6th August 2006, 14:36

Originally Posted by Oscar

I think your problem around town under 50km/h may be lack of experience with big singles. After a multi it is hard to resist the temptation to rev the bike all the time. The XT will lug at very low revs if you let it. When you're feeling uncomfortable at low speeds (and this will sound irish) - change up, not down...

LOL not so i also have a YZ250F which i have even more fun on usually at Ardmore, I supose its not a big single but it is a highly strung one ......

**Wolf** · 6th August 2006, 21:03

Originally Posted by Oscar

I think your problem around town under 50km/h may be lack of experience with big singles. After a multi it is hard to resist the temptation to rev the bike all the time. The XT will lug at very low revs if you let it. When you're feeling uncomfortable at low speeds (and this will sound irish) - change up, not down...

I found the LS400 which is a moderate sized single (and fairly gutless with it) would pull away and chug along in first not far off idle. Lemme see, change up to a gear that's not designed for raw power so at the lower revs it doesn't want to hie off like a cut cat? Am I right? If so, it's not that Irish - the lower gears have the raw acceleration, higher gears more speed. Changing the sprocket at front or rear for a higher top end speed (and subsequently less power) - more road oriented than off-road oriented - should also smooth out the aggression in the take-off.

Could also try starting off in second - if I can do it on my XT250 I'm sure the 660 could do it with less labouring but it wouldn't be so eager to mount and hump the car in front...

**Oscar** · 6th August 2006, 21:17

Originally Posted by Wolf

I found the LS400 which is a moderate sized single (and fairly gutless with it) would pull away and chug along in first not far off idle. Lemme see, change up to a gear that's not designed for raw power so at the lower revs it doesn't want to hie off like a cut cat? Am I right? If so, it's not that Irish - the lower gears have the raw acceleration, higher gears more speed. Changing the sprocket at front or rear for a higher top end speed (and subsequently less power) - more road oriented than off-road oriented - should also smooth out the aggression in the take-off.

Could also try starting off in second - if I can do it on my XT250 I'm sure the 660 could do it with less labouring but it wouldn't be so eager to mount and hump the car in front...

An XT should be a joy to ride at low speed...

He's almost certainly banging that thing down the gearbox like it's a big multi and then getting too many revs on in low gears making it feel busy and uncomfortable.

Sometimes I notice riding the LC4 fast on the road that if I relax and stop to wring the things neck, I can go faster. Hitting a corner with the thing buzzing makes it a)seem like it's going faster than it actually is, b) when I do throttle off, I get more engine braking than I want. If I look to be at optimal torque rather than optimum HP, I can go faster.

**carver** · 6th August 2006, 21:28

man, you write blunt reviews, almost as blunt as my posts about a cruisers.
interesting what you say- it makes a difference from the usual ass kissing, good on ya.

**Hellraiser** · 7th August 2006, 08:01

Originally Posted by carver

man, you write blunt reviews, almost as blunt as my posts about a cruisers.
interesting what you say- it makes a difference from the usual ass kissing, good on ya.

Lifes to short to be kissing ass all day.

I will do an updated review after i've had it abit longer, this review was just my first impressions.

**Wolf** · 7th August 2006, 08:13

Who the hell would want to kiss donkeys?

This question was brought to you by the Hamilton Chapter of BDOTGNZA...

**Hellraiser** · 7th August 2006, 08:15

Originally Posted by Wolf

This question was brought to you by the Hamilton Chapter of BDOTGNZA...

Ok I'll bite ........

What does BDOTGNZA stand for?

and

Where's Hamilton?

**Ixion** · 7th August 2006, 08:38

Originally Posted by Hellraiser

Ok I'll bite ........

What does BDOTGNZA stand for?

..

A pale and spurious imitation of BOTTYNZ, the original and inimitable grammar nazis. Accept no limitations demand BOTTY. We give green stamps.

**Wolf** · 7th August 2006, 10:17

Originally Posted by Ixion

A pale and spurious imitation of BOTTYNZ, the original and inimitable grammar nazis. Accept no limitations demand BOTTY. We give green stamps.

I wouldn't call Hitcher spurious

But he could do with getting outside the Customs Building once and a while.

Hellraiser, it's "Brave Defenders Of The Great New Zealand Arse". The only time I sit on an ass I expect it to carry me somewhere.

The once was a girl from Madras
Who had a magnificent ass
Not rounded and pink
As you'd probably think
But was grey, had long ears and ate grass.

I do recall (from a pamphlet on oral hygiene I read when I was around 10) that in medieval times the believed you could cure a toothache by kissing a donkey so even back then they believed in ass-kissing for the sake of their own comfort...

**Ixion** · 7th August 2006, 13:01

Originally Posted by Wolf

I wouldn't call Hitcher spurious

But he could do with getting outside the Customs Building once and a while.

Hellraiser, it's "Brave Defenders Of The Great New Zealand Arse". The only time I sit on an ass I expect it to carry me somewhere.
,,,.

But do they give green stamps? Huh? huh? Well, do they, huh , huh ?