TT600,s out there?

[Boyracer]

Has anyone rebuilt a TT600L or the like? I had a TT600 T twenty years ago and they were great old beasts but not many seem to be around anymore.

[Hoony]

they were a nice bike in the day, but very heavy. i had a mate with an L model as well. funny how that motor never gained a following like the 500 did?

[Boyracer]

Maybe the excitement died down, this was a time when the XRs started to appear in numbers as well but the big TT still looked tougher.

[dkupf]

I still take my old 84 Tenere out for a run every month of so Darcy

[Boyracer]

I did a quick search and there,s not many for sale either, old yammys look good.

[dkupf]

There was a bloke in Brissy a few years ago buying up all the TT/XT 600's he could put his hands on. Pulling the motors out and putting them in Sidewinder carts :'( Darcy

[EML]

had g/box issues I heard
1 for sale on the ASA site, complete with a wheel on the sidestand and dual headlights so you can make it home after dark.

[LWC82PE]

As a Solo the gear boxes were fine. it was only when they had sidecars on them that the weakness showed up. Second gear was the most common to break, but it usually depended on how much you abused the gearbox. Back when these were still in fashion, most teams would start the season with a fresh built motor and than usually the serious ones would tear town and inspect the engine before the 24hour and replace any suspect bits then before they broke and that was usually good enough to ensure you finished. They were still good enough bikes to win the 24hour, 12 and 6 hr trials many times as solos and sidecars. As long as you didnt break first gear you could always limp to the finish as some proved over the years. As a sidecar they really only broke a gear once every half a dozen seasons or so. It wasnt like every 2 or 3 events. So yeah i guess thats why G-box bits are hard to get and pretty much any parts for them are hard to get or expensive from Yamaha. You wont find much stuff from them in SA or wreckers anywhere in the country for that matter.

[mustanggrahame]

Hi all,
Just a few thoughts on the early TT600's after working on mine over winter. Parts seem to be impossible to buy NOS. Any parts I needed have come from the US. The gearbox looks very strong and has a great pressure fed oiling system. My bike weighs 128kg full of fuel. Being a K model, 1983, it actually had current YZ rear suspension and 43mm forks with the twin leading shoe brake. The TT500 could never claim up to date suspension. I really like it, but it is certainly no motocross bike.
Cheers, Grahame

[Marc.com]

I have had 83 one for a long time, totally bomb proof and still runs really well./ It is my loaner so a lot of people have flogged it.

My experience is XRs had far more gear box issues when used a lot. Weight difference is not much between XR500, so TT is valid alternative, plus they will work on MX track, you just have to muscle it about a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9VyobubyM

[firko]

I had the same model drum brake TT600 and it was totally bulletproof. The only problem I vaguely recall was the nut holding the counter balancer coming loose. Luckily I caught it before any drama occurred. I reckon you could make a great pre 85 4t racer out of one...you can still get all sorts of go fast bits for them and modern shock and fork upgrades would surely help. Even though the engine's a heavy lump, it's not that noticable while moving. I used to take that bike into all sorts of gnarly situations and I don't ever recall it not being good enough to handle it. I'd own another one tomorrow if 1: I was 20 years younger and 2: my dicky knees could handle kicking the big bugger over.

[Colin Jay]

Parts seem to be impossible to buy NOS.

I have been rebuilding a 1983 XT600ZL Tenere that I bought from my brother in October 10, and have been able to buy just about every part I have needed through my local Yamaha dealer. I was able to get new sidecovers, front and rear guards and a rear chain guard through Yamaha and just about every engine and chassis  part I required. The exceptions were, the headlight cowl which was NLA (I got one from CMSL) and the rubber boot that protects the bottom shock mount (for which I am still searching) and for genuine fork boots (available NOS in the US, just havn't order because I have been away over Xmas) .

The only non-genuine parts that I put in the engine so far are a Wisco piston (std bore and compression) and an LA sleeve as the Wisco piston kit was far cheaper than the genuine Yamaha item and the sleeve was needed as the engine was already final OS and had been seized. I am still waiting for my crankshaft to come back from having a rod kit fitted, again the Pro-X rod kit was far cheaper than the genuine parts, which were available.

All the yamaha part have been quite expensive, and I dread adding up the total amount of all the invoices I have collected over the past couple of months.

LWC82PE, thanks for the heads-up, I intent to fit a sidecar to this bike later in the year, and will now have a good look at the gearbox, and especially 2nd gear before putting the engine back together.

CJ

[LWC82PE]

If your gonna do that Col, make sure you strengthen the top down tube by inserting another tube up inside it an pinning it. Also make the bash plate more structural. I think XT is same as TT in that its just bars?. Anyway what we did weld some plate in all the sections between the bars, then drill a stack of 12 or 13mm holes for drainage. Ive seen guys take the stock bars off and replace with about a 4mm thick sheet alloy bash plate. This is not good enough because then the rocker box cracks around the head stay mount. Also you will definitety want a leading link on it. Also strengthen the area where the rear shock link attaches to the frame. The links have been known to tear off the frame. And yeah just make sure all your gears are good, check out the dogs. Also replace all G-box bearings and balance shaft bearings. Also make sure the main bearings are tight in the cases. They can work loose and wear out the cases. That is pretty important. I cant remember what exactly causes it but the balance shafts can burst through the top of the cases if something is left neglected. Also make sure the rear engine/swingarm bolt is tight. If it gets sloppy then the cases crack at the back, again common prob if things are neglected. I think the XT is different compared to TT in this area but on the TT, i recommend swapping the.... im just trying to remember, i think its the lower shock bolt or a link bolt, there is one thats about 100mm long and its actually hollow and has a grease nipple. Change this to a solid bolt. The hollow ones break.