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Suburban
Scrambler
The Emperor’s new clothes
YAMAHA’S XT660R still follows the
time honoured XT ethos of being a big
single cylinder machine that is well and
truly road capable, but will still get the
blood pumping when the tar disappears
and the dirt appears.
Yamaha describe the XT660R as an
adventure bike, but might be drawing
a slightly long bow regarding this bike
being an adventure off-road machine, as it
does have its limitations. On the flip side
however, the XT660R has a very powerful
and torquey single overhead cam, single
cylinder motor, which is quite responsive.
motorvation
The motor is fitted with roller bearings
on the rocker arms in the four valve head
which is said to reduce engine friction,
TEST BY SHauN moloNEY PHoToS BY NigEl PaTERSoN
and is a first for a Yamaha engine. Much
of the engine’s responsiveness can be
attributed to the electronic fuel injection
system which certainly gives the bike a
healthy hit from the usable 47 horsepower
which is on tap at the twist of the throttle.
As the revs increase the motor continues
to impress, with strong acceleration and
a well spaced five-speed gearbox that
is comfortable at highway speeds for a
learner approved bike. Around town
and nipping through traffic is where the
XT660R really shines as the responsive
grunty engine allows the rider to quickly
slice through traffic with minimal effort.
The dual exhaust system not only looks
the goods but does a great job of keeping
the motor quiet without sacrificing
performance. Ample steering from lock to
lock further aids the XT’s ability to carve
through traffic, while a nice wide and
comfortable seat and MX-style handlebars
make longer times in the saddle and
dealing with the stop and start grind of
commuting easier on the body.
Handling the stopping duties on the
XT660R is a single disc up front, which
is firm and pulls the XT up without any
hesitation. The front brake hose could
be routed a little better as it does block
the rider’s vision to the dash in order to
keep tabs on the speed limit. On the rear
a single disc also handles the braking
duties well although we did find it a little
‘grabby’ at times when on the go slow.
RIDING GEAR: M2R helmet, Motodry jacket,
MSR pants/gloves, MSR boots.
suspension
Keeping the suspension of the XT660R in check is handled by 43mm Paoli
telescopic forks, which offer 200mm
of travel. They are well suited to road,
general dirt and gravel road use, but this
is pretty much the limitations of the front
suspenders as they have no adjustment,
so what you see is what you get. The rear
end falls into a very similar category, with
the Kayaba rear shock on the Monocross
suspension. It handles road use without
any hesitation, but once things get a bit
lumpy and bumpy, the suspension feels
out of its depth, due to the absence of
any adjustment apart from some basic
preload.
The XT660R is far from what you would
call an adventure off road machine,
but it is quite capable of tearing up dirt
roads and fire trails at will. The motor
really excels in this department and feet
up slides while standing on the pegs is
something that is well and truly within
reach of the average rider. A good couple
of hour trail rides along a mountain range
or similar is certainly within the limits of
the XT660R as a round trip of 200km is
attainable from its 15 litre fuel tank.
Grip
Depending on the type of use the
XT660R may encounter can also be a
defining factor regarding tyre choice.
Twin pipes make the rear end look a bit, fancy. Rubber footpegs would need changing if
you get adventurous.
cYclE ToRquE TEST-YamaHa XT660R
In standard trim the XT is fitted with
Metzeler Tourance tyres, with a 21 inch
tyre up front and a 17 inch tyre at the rear.
These have a conventional adventure
style tread pattern, which in most cases
would be the most popular choice for
riders. Of course with a set of knobbies
fitted, the XT will have greater feel in
the dirt and certainly be more capable in
slippery and tougher conditions. If off
road jaunts are intended to be a regular
occurrence, the owner may want to look
at trimming some of the fat off the bike
such as pillion pegs, as the XT660R hits
the scales at 181 kg with a tank of fuel.
If the pegs are left on, and being
Brembo rear brake adds a touch of Euro to
the XT.
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Tried and true 660cc donk.
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