The new old bike

[cabbage]

Those Pegs are on my List, GORGEOUS

[phil w]

Get them ordered

[Richzrx12]

The 600e does feel a bit sluggish but they're solid as anything and you can do loads to them. How many miles did yours have when you found it? Looks very clean.

[phil w]

It was at just over 9000 miles and already on 9500 after a couple of weeks

[Richzrx12]

Only just run in then!

I have fond memories of my 600e and wouldn't mind another one. If you get a hankering for something a bit more old-school and a bit more capable though, I recommend the 2KF. Noticeably lighter and quicker. In the meantime, an Acerbis tank on yours and a few mods and you'll have all the bike anyone needs. If it was good enough for Dan Walsh it's good anough for anyone. If you haven't read "There Are The Days That Must Happen To You" I recommend it.

[Mezo]

If you haven't read "There Are The Days That Must Happen To You" I recommend it.

No i haven't Rich but thanks for the tip off, just bought a used copy off ebay UK for 99p after reading the reviews on Amazon.

Mezo.

[phil w]

I remember seeing that book with Dan Walsh and havent got around to reading it, I seem to remember mind he was on a BMW 650 wasnt he ?
I am not hankering old school stuff, mind, the 2kf model is the really early XTs werent they in the red white.... sorry Im not up on my XT ownership....... was/is a really nice looking thumper. Are the engines in these so different then to be quicker, or is it just down to weight and gearing

[Richzrx12]

I'm not sure why the 2KF is quicker but weight has to have something to do with it I suppose. I haven't looked at the specs but it just feels a lot gutsier than my old 600e. I was dreading the motorway trip home when I went to buy it, but it held a steady 140kmh no problem. I remember my 600e being pretty unpleasant on the motorway. Might have something to do with the Death Star Shark road helmet I used to wear though.

Dan Walsh started out on an XTE, loved it, thrashed it, abused it and on it went. I can't remember why but he swaps it for a 650GS half way round. I stopped reading after that...! I found his Bike columns a bit pretentious, all Hunter S Thompson stuff. But he's a good writer and a proper biker and some of the quotes in his book are great. By way of comparison, "The Road Gets Better From Here" by some Aussie called Adrian something who crosses Russia on a KLR650 isn't a book I enjoyed. He chose a bike as he reckoned it was a good way of travelling, but did zero maintenance then complained when it started rattling. Other than complaints he barely mentioned the bike, whereas Dan Walsh's book was as much about the bikes as him. Oh, and drugs.

[phil w]

I'm not sure why the 2KF is quicker but weight has to have something to do with it I suppose. I haven't looked at the specs but it just feels a lot gutsier than my old 600e. I was dreading the motorway trip home when I went to buy it, but it held a steady 140kmh no problem. I remember my 600e being pretty unpleasant on the motorway. Might have something to do with the Death Star Shark road helmet I used to wear though.

Cheers Rich, just having a search on info on the older XT 600 and it seems the gearing was 15/39 opposed to 15/45 mine is on which could explain the better speed. Mind I guess they are'nt for that, but if a motorway haul was needed then I will bump up the front sprocket on mine to a 16t, apparently fits on OK . To be honest I went out on the bike with my Open face helmet and 65 mph was fine and didnt feel the need for more really, then with my peaked off road helmet my head was getting buffeted far more. Whichever way, its an old aircooled thumper, which makes me smile.... so Im off out on it now

[Mezo]

I think (if you check) the earlier XT`s had more horsepower than the later bikes.

Mez.