Ducati Monster Forum

I'm in the market to purchase another moto.  Probably new.  I am torn between the KTM 690 Enduro R and a Husky TE 630.
Anyone with any thoughts on this?

What are your goals?

I wanted something relatively inexpensive to buy and to maintain, so I bought an XR650L.  I don't care that it's not the world's best dirt bike, as long as it is capable of taking me on interesting dirt roads and trails and works well on the road.  I'm very happy with it.

You've listed some much more serious bikes.  Are you willing to spend more time wrenching on them?

I would probably choose the KTM over the Husqvarna because there are more dealers.

Is the 690 Enduro R the best choice from KTM?  A friend of mine has a 530 EXC that is an excellent dirt bike, but also an excellent supermoto with the addition of a wheel and brake kit.

So how about a few more details of what you're trying to accomplish?

I just bought an 09 Husky TE610. I rode the KTM690 and the 525/530 before I decided.
I wanted a bike that was single track capable (ie light weight) good for long distance on the road and a light maintenance schedule.

The 690 is a great bike, weighs about the same as the Husky, probably has slightly better suspension but similar maintenance schedule.
But I couldn't find a used 690 and there were no deals to be found near me so the price at nearly $11,000 was out of my range.

After riding the 525 and a new 530 back to back with the TE it was obvious to me that the KTMs would not be good on the street for
anything more than hoping from trail to trail. The Husky is so much better on the road, much more stable and smooth.

The smaller KTM's also had much more maintenance required and had low stator power output for any accessories like heated grips, GPS etc.
It was clear to me that the KTM525/530 was more race oriented than I needed and the 690 was too expensive.

I've been very happy with the Husky. The fuel injection is flawless and the race map is pre-installed and activated with a $40 plug-in chip.
There's a good comunity of help and quite a good selection of aftermarket parts (although nothing like there is for KTM)

I wanted something I could use for adventure touring as well as single track forest rides. I know for myself I made the right choice.

I am primarily interested in being able to ride to/from the trails around my home.  This involves between 8-18 miles on public roads have a strong  [leo] presence.  The trails are mostly single track with a few old wagon trails/narrow rail beds (there is an old iron mining area nearby) thrown in.  The trails themselves range from hardpack to mud to sandy to rocky and boulder strewn.  Plenty of woods riding and mountain riding.

I am staying away from the "more highly strung" bikes (ie the 530/525, etc.) as they are definitely more labor intensive than I would like.

I haven't ruled out the possibility of 2 day camping trips and either bike would more than suffice.  I must admit to completely overlooking the XR.... :P  I now have 3 bike to choose from....

If you are going to check out the XR, why not the DR650 and the KLR650 as well?  Sadly there is no Yamaha 650cc thumper sold here.

The 3 japanese bikes are pretty similar.  I would avaoid the Kawi, b/c I don't like the local dealer that it would tie me into.  I can add the Suzuki to the list as well and maybe the DRZ 400 as well.

It's a good thing I am not in a hurry, as my list of motos keeps growing!!!!

My Kawasaki dealer sucks too.

Shopping for a new bike is half the fun!

i love my XRL

the DR has an odd rear tire size.

the klr, while wuiote bulletproof seems to suffer in the dirt compared to the XR and DR


i like my XR because parts are esily found, it's cheap to fix(most of the time) so if i fall down i'm not worried. and i'm also not worried to jsut go for something. in fact, i'm so fearless about it there is a video of us trying to pull my XR out of a stream after i drowned it. [laugh]

The Japanese bikes don't compare to the two you first mentioned, they don't have the power or the suspension and they weigh a significant amount more.
(the KLR is 450lbs and not really acceptable for much single track riding) The XL is a good bike but still quite a bit heavier than the Husky or the KTM.

the DRZ that I rode was disappointing and if you get into the race bikes with good power, streetability and maintanance becomes a problem.  

The KTM 690 and the Husky TE610 are the two best choices IMO. I spent a great deal of time researching and test riding before I purchased.
But my needs may not be the same as yours

You're welcome  ;)

but can the husky or the ktm run on 2 stroke mix from a chainsaw because you forgot to top off the last time you were near a road and gas station?  [bang]

na huh....really!  I would like to try that on my crf230L haha....well maybe not...i'll just take your word for it.

it makes odd sounds, but it works!

i also wouldn't recommend it.  [laugh]

Thanks guys!!!  I 'm still leaning towards the 2 Euro bikes, but as someone stated, the shopping part is half the fun.  I love kicking tires and talking to people in dealerships.  I also fall victim to overanalyzing.  This could easily drag out into next spring :P

We just barely started this spring.

Find a used XRL or KLR for $3000 and ride that while you're deciding.  You should be able to get almost your full investment out of it when you sell it to buy the "right" dual sport.

Scott,
That's just crazy enough to work... [thumbsup]

advrider.com if you're not already there.... welcome to the addiction....

There are so many options when it comes to dual sports its insane.  I have owned several ducatis and thought an XR650R (big difference from the L) would be the best dual sport for me.  Cool bike, but when it comes to build quality, riding feel, etc, if you are used to Euro bikes, Jap bikes feel like pieces of crap.  

If you plan on taking it out of the country though, I would get something basically disposable.  If you seize a tranny, etc, fly back and leave it there.

Be realistic with yourself on how the bike will be used.  Its easy to get carried away planning awesome long term trips or really gnarly single track runs, but then you end up with a bike that never really gets used for what you set it up to do.

I started riding offroad a lot with guys that ride the smaller KTMs (450s being the biggest), and the 650 became a real chore. I sold my XR and bought a KTM 250SX for the dirt, but will be looking for a 530EXC, 690E, 950SE  [bow_down] or TE610 when I get back into dual sports.  Aside from the weight and maintenance issues, the real problem with dual sports is tire choice.  Tires that are good off road suck on road and vice versa.  I was running Michelin T63 and they seemed to be a good mix, but suffer on both terrains.