Regarding XT 600s

[445_SUPERMAG]

I just bought a 90 XT 600 in almost like new condition with 8000 miles. My out of state son is holding it for me till i can get it to me. I can find very little info on this bike online. Can any of you fellas give me your opinions on how this bike stacks up to the competiton. This bike will only be used on the backroads in da ozarks,no trails. Will this bike stay with the KLR,DR,XR ? Thanks for any replies! Royce

[Tim_in_WA]

I can't remember what year Yamaha changed the style of the XT's. It was either 90 or 91. Is yours blue/grey, or white/red. I had an '88 XT600, and really like it. The older XT's were much better suited for the dirt than the newer ones. For fire roads and the like, the XT's are a great bike, but they won't fair as well as the Honda XR's or XRL's. In my opinion, they are a little better in the dirt than the DR650. The DR is just too heavy, but it's a great all around bike. You might want to get some progressive fork springs for the front, and stiffen up the rear shock, as the suspension on the XT's is on the soft side. I do miss mine, but I wouldn't trade my WR400 for anything. Power wise, I did pretty well up against a '95 DR650, but I never did any comparisons against the Honda's. Have fun, and enjoy your new bike.

[BrandonW]

I sold my 90 XT600 about 3 months ago. Tim told you pretty much everything there is to know about that bike. The suspension has no adjustablility in it. I put in some Progressive Suspension springs in the front, and that helped a little bit. It is a VERY heavy bike that has more road comforts than dirt. I have ridden mine on 800 mile camping trips, and it did very well. On the dirt, it is a wrestling match the entire way.

The e-start is nice, but there is no kickstarter on the bike, and the compression prohibits rolling starts unless you have GOOD traction for the rear tire.

Everything said, it is a great bike. Bulletproof motor, great on the pavement, real comfortable and able on the fire roads, a real pig on single-track tight riding.

Hope that helps,

Brandon

[445_SUPERMAG]

Thanks for the replies fellas! I should have my XT here Fri. Its the blue+gray one,im gettin excited! Bummer bout the suspension,but it will probably suit my rideing style ok,mainly gravel roads and some curvey asphalt. Just in time i found a website that has roadtests on bout any bike from the 60s on,there sending me 44 pages of articals on the 90-95 XT-600.Royce