This is an excellent sports motorcycle, which, however, many consider to be a sports touring motorcycle. This is due to the fact that the Yamaha UZF 600 R Thundercat is perfect for traveling, which is not typical for a regular sports bike.
However, in its appearance and characteristics, this motorcycle is one hundred percent sporty and has nothing to do with the tourist direction in the motorcycle industry. He is able to demonstrate serious results on the race track due to his zealous character.
Engine
The car is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 260 km/h, which is quite significant even by modern standards. This is facilitated by the engine borrowed from the FZR 600 R, which has been redesigned. As a result, both power and torque increased. The YZF 600 R Thundercat boasts 100 hp. and 66 Nm.
Yamaha XT660X
text from MotoDrive No. 11, 2006
At times we have to complain that the majority of people still live with some kind of illusions about what is best to ride in the open spaces of their fatherland and do not want to understand that enduro is a panacea. I thought so, I thought, but when it came to testing the Yamaha XT660X motard, the brother of the XTR enduro, which we tested in the seventh issue of Moto-Drive this year, it turned out that these cars leave showrooms faster than fresh ones pies from the bakery on the weekend. Nevertheless, those who seek will always find!
For the test we got a bright orange “Japanese” with a distinctly combative look. Although... is he Japanese? Paioli telescopic forks, Brembo brakes, Excel wheels and Pirelli tires give food for thought about the assimilative properties of the Italian climate.
The design of the bike exactly repeats its enduronic “relative”: the plastic body kit is made in the style of the WR series hard machines and looks very interesting. Having exchanged untrodden paths for a mirror of asphalt (quite chipped in places), the Yamaha XT660X lost 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels with “toothy” universal tires. Their place was taken by Italian seventeen-inch Excel spoked wheels and the most road-ready Pirelli tires. The handling requirements of a motard are somewhat different from those of an enduro, so on the XTX the fork angle is 1.25 degrees less and is 26 degrees. Accordingly, the front wheel offset is also smaller, equal to 94 mm (107 for the enduro modification). The next significant difference is in the suspension settings. They use more rigid elements, and the front fork travel is reduced to 200 mm. The travel of the rear pendulum suspension remains the same and is also 200 mm. The engine is one of two modifications and does not bear any differences. The single-cylinder liquid-cooled dry-sump power unit is equipped with a four-valve head with a single camshaft. However, 48 horsepower on the XTR and 48 horsepower on the XTX are not the same. For some reason, the Japanese engineers’ motard turned out to be five kilograms heavier than the enduro (and the dry weight of about 177 kg is not small in itself), so if there were more “horses”, no one would be offended. Large “banks” of mufflers, located in the “tail” of the bike, give the motorcycle solidity, and also carry an integral attribute of modernity - a catalytic converter. Thanks to this device, as well as the electronic fuel injection system, it was possible to fit into Euro 2 environmental standards and, my heart feels, the arrival of Euro 3 will be met without any problems. The considerable dry weight of the motorcycle becomes noticeable when maneuvering in dense traffic at low speed, it is annoying and encourages you to quickly break into the “operational space”. In order to ride this motorcycle like a real street fighter should, you will have to take care of proper physical shape, otherwise David will not defeat Goliath. If you don’t want to be “fast”, then the bike will help with its juicy torque characteristics (60 Nm are produced at just 5250 rpm), but you should remember that large-volume single-barrels don’t like ultra-low speeds and begin to “choke,” which is expressed in convulsive jerks.
Meanwhile, when the flow of cars thins out a little and picks up speed, you begin to understand what the fundamental difference is between the two cars in the series. The Yamaha XT660X stands rooted to the road - the combination of a fairly large stroke with tight settings gives reliable contact with the road surface. Maneuvering, changing lanes, and cornering are easy; there is not the slightest hint of the “coldness” noted by our testers in the behavior of the enduro. The broken exits from the bridge, which used to be passed almost on foot, no longer attract attention. Little by little, a sweet feeling of permissiveness begins to awaken, the XT naturally pampers the driver. Despite the fact that high speeds are not the “calling” of such machines, the Yamaha XT660X gives no reason to complain about its behavior even at speeds of 140-160 km/h (enduro did not like such modes at all). A natural limiter to the heat is the lack of a normal fairing, so those who like to travel at cruising speed will most likely have to think about installing a tuning windshield. Seventeen-inch Pirelli tires grip the asphalt tenaciously, and when it seems that it’s dangerous to lay the bike down further, it turns out that you still have a solid reserve, and the illusion of danger is the result of a high landing. The ergonomics of the driver's seat are good. The long “bench seat” is pleasantly firm, just enough so that the driver does not relax and “does not go out of character.” The straight, wide handlebars and low-mounted footpegs ensure an assembled and at the same time comfortable riding position. You can stand up on the footrests with equal ease, move towards the tank when braking and accelerating, hang out in a turn or move cross-country to the outer part of the seat. The choice of style depends on the driver, but the bike offers all the conditions for realizing ambitions. The rear-view mirrors provide a passable overview, the quality of which drops sharply if you rev the engine hard: at high speeds, the 660 cc single-barrel engine works roughly, creating noticeable vibrations. Brembo brakes help calm the driver's ardor. Like the enduro, the XTX has a single-disc brake, but its diameter is a respectable 320 millimeters, and is paired with a four-piston caliper instead of a two-piston one. At the rear there is a 220 mm brake with a two-piston caliper. The brakes are good, the bike stops dead in its tracks. At the same time, we are pleased with the clear feedback provided by the reinforced front brake hose, which is already installed “in the base”. Stopping on the Yamaha XT660X is much easier than it might seem when looking at the massive silhouette of the motorcycle. The instrument panel is ascetic, but you don’t have to look there too often, except to inquire about the remaining fuel in the tank. But no one will provide you with exactly this information; only when the reserve is turned on, a warning light will appear, which is not very convenient.
The Yamaha XT660X is a great fan machine for the city. If we were talking about supermotards in their pure, canonical form, then it would be more appropriate to test the Yamaha WR with a “whale” of road wheels. It would be a bomb. But Japanese designers decided to go “from the other side” and offered a universal city motorcycle. It does not provoke recklessness, does not make the blood boil or the heart beat faster. The XTX simply significantly expands the boundaries of what is allowed in our road reality, but still its weight is too large. In essence, the XTR is more of an enduro than the XTX is a motard. If you throw away the canons and look outside, then he won’t have many rivals (you can count them on the fingers of one hand). A pleasant engine, brakes with clear feedback and high efficiency, comfortable landing, the ability to go really fast, regardless of the quality of the asphalt. These are the cornerstones on which the philosophy of such machines in general and the Yamaha XT660X in particular is based. If desired, nothing prevents you from installing a higher glass and mount for panniers, and here in front of you is almost a touring motorcycle, which will definitely not allow you to approach a mountain stream hidden in a secluded impassable corner, but will make you a king on serpentine roads. Its exterior, design features and internal essence allow us to compare the bike with alternative directions in music. This is something between pop music and rock, but with notes of urbanism. The price of versatility in Ukraine is 55,162 UAH, which is a justified investment, but provided that you clearly understand why such bikes exist.
Text: Denis Los Photo: michel
EICMA-2008: New colors for Yamaha XT660X
Japanese Yamaha Motor presented a new color scheme for the XT660X motorcycle at the EICMA 2008 exhibition in Milan.
Offering one of the best combinations of on-road and off-road performance on the market, this bike is available for 2009 in three colors - Racing Blue, Yamaha Black and White Sports.
XT660X - a device with technology inherited from supermotards, has a power unit in the form of a single-cylinder engine with electronic injection with a power of 48 hp. (at 6,000 rpm). Maximum torque – 60 Nm (at 5,250 rpm).
Featuring a compact steel frame, 17-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, aggressive styling and a wide range of optional accessories, the 2009 Yamaha XT660X is redesigned.
EICMA is the largest motorcycle exhibition in the world. This year it takes place for the 66th time. Last year, in 2007, 1,937 brands (1,515 motorcycles and 452 bicycles) from 39 countries were represented here. During all the days of operation, the salon was visited by 535,000 people.
Dimensions and weight
The 19-liter gas tank is a good solution, allowing the model to be considered an excellent motorcycle for touring trips. The wheelbase is quite average at 1415 mm. The seat height is 805 mm, which makes the bike far from the most comfortable for people with a height of less than 180 cm. Together with fuel, the YZF 600 R Thundercat weighs approximately 212 kg, depending on the version.
Yamaha XT 600 – review of a unique motorcycle, photos and videos
For many years, one of the most popular models of the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer YAMAHA has been the XT600 model, developed back in the distant eighties of the last century. Over time, the motorcycle has evolved from a fairly highly specialized enduro into an almost absolutely universal device for traveling on and off the road. This was appreciated by both critics and fans of motorcycles by increasing the number of purchased units.
Performance characteristics of the Yamaha XT 600
Regarding the motor, it is worth noting that its original design was created back in 1975, and since then has not undergone any major changes, which, of course, has a positive effect on the reliability and ease of maintenance of the motorcycle. Although it is precisely this parameter that surprises many, because so many years have passed, new technologies and methods of their implementation have appeared, and the engine is still reliable and simple. The “heart” of the motorcycle
The power unit, developed for the famous Paris-Dakar trophy raid, was brought to almost ideal characteristics by the nineties of the twentieth century. Perhaps this is precisely the key to the genius of the developers, whose brainchild is still being used with great success.
A unique power system with two carburetors operating on different principles and responsible for different intake valves provides the engine with all the necessary mixtures for smooth and long-lasting operation in any conditions. This is a very significant plus when choosing a motorcycle in principle.
An absolute drawback of the power system is the design of the air filter, which is too susceptible to dirt and dust, which significantly reduces the service life of this important element.
The engine capacity is a very sufficient 596 cubic centimeters , which allows it to achieve a power of 42 horsepower at 6250 rpm. The engine power is more than enough to overcome both asphalt roads and very serious off-road conditions.
Chassis
Years of improvements and changes have almost completely erased serious off-road qualities from the motorcycle’s chassis. A soft suspension with small travel cannot support aggressive off-road driving that includes jumps and other motocross elements. At the same time, the motorcycle easily and at high speed overcomes difficult sections of public roads. The relative softness and low energy consumption of the suspension makes driving over long distances more comfortable. You can purchase high-quality spare parts on the pages of the online store astar.ua. The prices pleasantly surprise even experienced drivers, who know well that in our time it is quite difficult to find high-quality spare parts at an affordable price. A gas tank volume of 15 liters and an average fuel consumption of 4 - 4.5 liters per 100 kilometers provide a sufficient range for travel, while the possibility of installing tuned tanks of a larger volume brings autonomy to very respectable indicators.
In general, the age of the model has had a very positive effect on the number of various accessories that allow you to “tailor” the motorcycle for a variety of use cases.
Behavior on the road
The design of the YAMAHA XT600 quite strictly determines the environment of its use. It is very versatile, but completely unsuitable for cross-country trails. The engine's power and thrust are more than enough to overcome serious off-road conditions that do not involve jumping.
The behavior of the motorcycle on the road is extremely predictable. He forgives the pilot for mistakes that are unforgivable for others, for example, a high-speed pull to the side of the road to avoid an obstacle. At the same time, the motorcycle suspension gives the driver the opportunity not to pay attention to uneven road surfaces and the presence of stones and sand on it.
This behavior immediately puts the YAMAHA XT600 in the category of motorcycles recommended for novice pilots. Driving errors, such as the front wheel skidding during hard braking, do not lead to the expected fall.
