Hello all. It's a week now since I suddenly got the XTZ 660 fever. Again. I like the very early 3YF, either in white or blue, with the speed block, silver line in the tank and silver radiator panels. There's one of each around here (Spain) with 60.000 km, for about 1500€, possibly less.




I already have four bikes. A XT600 2KF converted to e-start with a rebuilt 3TB engine and a 34L tank still to be repaired and fitted (viewtopic.php?t=3599). Two SRXs 600, one runnig fine and the other a project a la Gilera Saturno. And a FJ1100 which I am just finishing after two years of work.

Please, tell me not to buy the Ténéré.
Please, tell me it won't be any better for Morocco (mostly tarmac and easy pistes) than my XT.
Please tell me that they are unreliable.
Please, tell me that they suffer from the fifh gear problem just the same.
Please, tell me that they are uneconomical.
Please, tell me that spares are scarce, expensive and/or unobtainable.
Please, tell me that at 51 you still have plenty of time ahead to fulfill your dreams.
Please, help me before it's too late.

Marcos.

I don't think they are any more unreliable, the plastics may be hard to find, you probably know the answer to most of your questions apart from the last one, it's not just age but health as well.

Oh my god! Thanks for the input. It's too far from home to go see, so it has to be pretty much of a blind purchase. Dead battery and some missing bits as per picture. Not running in the last three years, but said to start well with jump leads and to sound good. Known history of one single owner. Phone chat with seller has inspired me confidence but who knows. Price is now down to 1000€.

Pictures can make something look ten times better, but, might be worth a punt at that.

Thanks a lot for your support with this difficult decission, Jibber.
I can't sleep.I have tried cold showers, electroshock, they failed to take the fever away.
I have ordered detailed pictures and appointed for lobotomy in the mean time.
May be this time I am beyond cure.
Will let you know.

I did it. Closed the deal for 900€ with a temporal write off. I feel the happiest man on earth.

Wtf is a temporal write off?

Hello again,

jibber wrote: Sat Jul 03, 2021 8:32 pm Wtf is a temporal write off?

He he, well his was my clumsy attempt to name the condition of a vehicle put out of order by agreement with the traffic authorities (so that it doesn't need to have an insurance nor pay taxes) but in a reversible way. Please bear in mind english is far from being my mother tongue

jibber wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 8:22 am Pictures can make something look ten times better, but, might be worth a punt at that.

Sure this was the case. Upon seeing more pictures we re-negotiated the going price, looks like the bike has sat in the wheather for a while. My major concern now is spoke rust and rim internal corrosion. Time will tell.








I will update once she reaches me in a week or two.
Marcos.

Hola! Keep us updated

jibber wrote: Sat Jul 03, 2021 8:32 pm Wtf is a temporal write off?

We would call it a repairable write off, rather than a complete & total write off where the frame can never be registered again & is only good for spare parts.

Mezo.