1988 XT 600 Z Tenere ANY GOOD?

[Grendel]

I have seen a 1988 Yamaha XT 600 Z Ténéré near me for sale with the twin head lights and electric start for £750 which is confusing me since i wasnt aware the 1988 UK model had twin lights and Electric start? Would this bike be a good buy as a first big bike or best to avoid untill a Transalp comes along?

All info is:
Owned last 5 years, garaged, recent tyres and battery, MOT til Aug 08, electric start,good condition. £750. ono.
31,000 miles
600 cc
E reg (198

[Stormforce8]

Go get it - awesome bike - and at an excellent price.

The XT600Z (3AJ) was the last - (and some say the best) of the awesome Yamaha Tenere range of single cylinder 600's.

leccy boot & twin headlight was only sold between 1988 and 1989 - and then moved to the inferior (in my opinion) XT600E range.

The one you are looking at is Yamaha's 'tip of the hat' at the successful SONAUTO team that raced the Teneres

For more info have a look through the excellent Tenere site of Ingo Lochert and the German XT600 forum.

This is one of the BYRD Dakar replica's built by Ingo Lochert.

[Jenna]

yep £900 is about average.

[The Pheasant]

It it's in good nick, why not? Most likely problem on old XT600s is worn piston rings; if it does not smoke on hard acceleration, it's a good 'un.

[Grendel]

What are the parts like on a bike of that age.
Are they easy to get?
Whats it like 2-up touring?
Can you get engine bars for them?


Only sold my bike yesterday and already getting withdraw symptoms.
Meant to be waiting for a nice TDM or Transalp to come along but may just go for this bike after all.

[Stormforce8]

Parts are readily available - either new from Yamaha who still keep a vast range of spare for these bikes - or on Ebay (especially Germany). The bike you have is the 3AJ version and you'll find that many parts are interchangeable between models - but check first!

These bikes are iconic and have a huge following - surf the net a bit and you'll end up with information overload.

It's probably not the best bike for 2-up touring, but that's subjective on what luggage you carry and the size of the people on the bike........

Engine bars are available for them - again Ebay Germany for secondhand bars, but there are a number of places that sell new ones - I just haven't got them in my favourites - I'll post if I remember to have a look around.

In the UK, Dave Lambeth, has a reputation as being Mr Tenere for any upgrades and LDT modifications.

[Grendel]

Just phoned he seller. It sold last week

[loolah]

Just phoned he seller. It sold last week

It did indeed, to my mate Buffalo We drove 50 miles in the pouring rain to look at it, then he wobbled back home on it through even worse rain on it, getting a good drenching in the process, so at least some effort was put into getting it!

[ilizarovman]

the xt 600 z tenere is a great bike i have one right now and the same blue and yellow model . ive owned it 3 times now . mines a 1989 just rebuilding it new paint job new rims and spokes sprockets chain new con rod and im just about to re bore it with a big American forged piston to take it out to 621 cc 11.5 to 1 also stage 3 dyno jet that should make it thump . check out the cam and camshaft bearings they wear out the camshaft bearing caps and cant be replaced unless you know a good engineer . but over all the xt 600 is a bomb proof bike . ps i have many engine parts if you need them