XChallenge OR Tenere 660

[Jonbontjofi]

650 XC

Just to add my two penneth, just bought a second hand XC from a well known BM bike dealer. I don't use it on the road at all and bought the bike purely for the big bike rally challenge events as they are mainly pretty close to where I live.
It has done 500 miles and on checking the oil this weekend, there is emulsion in the oil tank which points to water contaminating the oil. I haven't done 60 miles on the bike since I've had it, so well cheesed off. It's still in warranty so will get it off to the dealer to get it sorted.
Having seen the new tenere in the NEC, I wish I'd saved up a bit more and gone for that. Certainly looks the part. I'll be considering my loyalty to BMW as my 1200 GSA has been a bit of a disappointment suffering breakdowns and the build is less solid than my previous 1150s and 1100.

 

[mcgiggle]

Happy with my XCH, done a couple of enduros in the last few months, it is a little on the heavy side in the real twisty stuff and great on the more open/fast parts.
In the prosses of preping it up for India and back (20K mls) leaving in August this year so I guess i'll see how it does on the longer journeys

 

[Timpo]

Also in the XC's favour is the fact that 1 man is all that's required to roll it up a ramp into the back of a van

Compared to what? Rolling the van up the back of the XC?

T.

 

[MattW]

In the prosses of preping it up for India and back (20K mls) leaving in August this year so I guess i'll see how it does on the longer journeys

Ace! Make sure you take lots of pics

 

[alcanara]

Something that has not been mentioned is the XC's engine..... been around a long time and practically bullet proof.

Stuart

 

[ONYERBIKE]

I think that the Tenere engine is derived from the old XT600 engine, been going for donkeys years, also bullet proof. Didn't Yamaha have alot of success with this engine,albeit modified for the Dakar during the 80's.
I had a deposit returned to me after I bought a Tenere at a good price, in the end I decided to get a more off road focused bike and kept my road bike as well. So far I have been happy with the X Challenge although I still look at the Tenere and wonder if I have made the right choice.

 

[Losttheplot]

It has done 500 miles and on checking the oil this weekend, there is emulsion in the oil tank which points to water contaminating the oil. I haven't done 60 miles on the bike since I've had it, so well cheesed off. It's still in warranty so will get it off to the dealer to get it sorted.

I used to get problems with very slight emulsion appearing in the oil tank of my DRZ, but this was mainly down to not using the bike for a period, and water forming in the tank through condensation and lack of use.

If it has done a water pump seal and or head gasket, it's the first standard bike that i've heard of to suffer anything other than electrical gremlins.

(Lee walters managed to blow his up, but that bike didn't have a rev limiter fitted IIRC).

My experience of BMW warranty has been pretty good, with a lot of stuff being picked up on service and sorted.

I bought my XC for green laning, which will mean doing ever more road miles as the trails slowly dissappear, and the welsh trail bike rallies, for which the bike is excellent.

It's on road manners are good to, and as Wreford say's, it will quite happily tramp along at motorway speeds, though at 70+ you might want to consider a small screen.


The only criticism i have for the bike is the lack of protection for the gear lever (it sticks out a bit), and the rear shock can be lacking sometimes.

My only near experience to the XT660, was a Raptor quad (which shares the same motor). I had to give it back after 1 lap of the MX track before i ended up in hospital

HTH

Nathan

 

[Daithi]

I'm well pleased with the XC, I'm not up to putting it under much preasure,

but it really does everything I want of it.

 

[Jockser]

Jaysus lad, that ManFlu has shrunken you something terrible

Another vote for the XC
Does tracks & trails here with more ability than I can muster. Three weeks in Morocco, not camping but all clothes, etc needed plus a laptop , doing everything from a playing in the sand (much easier than the 1200 !) to unmade mountain passes & 300km days on main roads.

 

[Rushy]

My mate missed out on a nice XC because it was too far to travel and as yet he's till not made a firm decision beween the two. However, I've read enough about the XC to make me think that I need to have one now

 

[Jockser]

However, I've read enough about the XC to make me think that I need to have one now

G'wan, g'wan, g'wan. Ya know ya want to

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

My mate missed out on a nice XC because it was too far to travel and as yet he's till not made a firm decision beween the two. However, I've read enough about the XC to make me think that I need to have one now

Yep you do...................one of the best bikes that BMW & Aprillia have made

Pity so many haven't discovered it yet