Ducati Monster Forum

Ok this is a ducati forum i know, but i rather hear it from people i know than other forums with scattered thoughts.

my DR650 got stolen. ;\ doenst look like im getting it back, and the only two bikes that can replace it is the Honda XR650R (not the L), another DR and the 690 Enduro. Does anyone here have one and used it extensively with DS tires? My main use is for off roading (trails and forest) and commuting. about 30/70. But with 30% being really tough off roading (relatively speaking for the bike of course).

The DR650 was litteraly the KING of reliability, carry-all, with a really good torque output. That bike was just a bit on the heavy side for getting out of tight spots. Id love to get another one, but im just scoping out the market right now.

You can get some ideas here, though not specific to the bike you are interested in:
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=53746.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=53746.0)

This could be my new bike in 2016, so....

 [popcorn]

haha, ive been OOGLING this bike for a long time.

I sat on every KTM at the Int'l show this year and wanted them all.  690 Enduro is at the top of the list.

are you trying to buy new or used? I cant find too many used ones. maybe only 5-6 are for sale in the whole US right now.

Yeah, I noticed that as well.  I won't be in the market until at least Jan-Feb next year at the earliest, so I only occasionally browse online more as a curiosity.  Like looking at bike porn.  But yeah, about 5-6 nationwide sounds right.

I don't like buying new cars/bikes because I think the best value is in ones that are 2-3 years old---big drop in price without much wear.  But who knows, if I have no other options and NEED the 690, I'll be putty in the dealer's hand.

I'm hoping some 2012-13s will come on the market by next year.  But that doesn't help you since you're looking to replace your DR650 sooner rather than later.  Also, the season might be an issue---I tend to see fewer bikes for sale in winter, at least here in the NE.

especially of the KTM variety.

i dont mind flying to california and doing a reverse TAT (if you dont know what this is and like offraoding you need to check the TAT out!!), but the buyer would have to be very trust worthy for me to do that.

Financially, if I go new... i'm thinking of financing one.

I ride to work everyday so its not as much as a toy as it is for some other people and on top of that i dont have ANY hard loan credit history and buying a house in the future will need that hard loan credit history. It might be a good move to go that route instead of burning through my savings.


but i agree, 2-3 years old is the best. Buy it from someone who made a mistake and throw on the basic goodies, bash plate, handguards and maybe some rear racks!!!

We need to make KTM "cool" on wall street so that when traders get their bonuses they blow them on impulsive toys like KTMs that will inevitably be on the market at fire sale prices 6-12 months later.

Maybe you and I can plaster some KTM posters on bus stops and construction barriers around the offices of JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

Ducati did just that with their GP bike from that movie with wall st. haha! man i want that 690!!!

Ask Dan the man.

He rode his 690 around the country.

Just looked up TAT.  Yeah, that now goes on my things to do list.

But He Man, didn't you start a job last year?  Where are you getting the time to take off on a 5000 mi DS ride?

I started at an engineering company June 17 2013, its a rather large company and i had permission to take 25 days off to ride the TAT last summer, but i bailed cause my friend(s) who said they would ride bailed on me, and i wasn't mentally ready to do it solo. This year I am.

Anyway, i have 5 weeks of vacation saved up this year, and i plan on working my jobs so that i dont have a high work load in August. Typically in our industry we have spurts of design and construction administration, and then for a while our jobs are able to administer themselves in the field. That time is typically around August when summer construction is full blown and is usually problem free. Sometimes this is not the case and its full of problems and i might have to abort. though we have lots of engineers on staff so theres someone to push the job onto.

What's most impressive in all that is that you had the balls to ask for 25 consecutive days off within a year of starting a new job.  [clap] [clap]

hahaha, i wow them with stories of my past riding and skydiving adventures. I negotiated up front before i was even hired...as an intern..then i re anchored the thought when i was hired full time. LOL

i need to ride man. At this point, i dont know what id do without riding.

What about the upcoming Husky 701?

if you get this bike, you can't be He Man anymore.. you have to change it to DICK

ahahah. is everyone hating on KTM???


I wouldn't get the 690 if i could help it. but there is NO other choice in the market BUT to get KTM when we are looking at the 650cc higher performance dual sport bikes.

I was gonna say Husky but I didn't realize none of their 600 bikes are for sale in the US.  Well, except this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-SMS-630-2011-husqvarna-sms-630-supermoto-/251781226835?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a9f54a153&item=251781226835&pt=US_motorcycles (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Husqvarna-SMS-630-2011-husqvarna-sms-630-supermoto-/251781226835?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3a9f54a153&item=251781226835&pt=US_motorcycles)

But the TR650 is not available here I guess.  Shame.

doesnt KTM now own Husqvarna? how reliable are they? I hear the 690 is quite reliable, dont forget im coming from a Ducati and a Suzuki! its almost both ends of the spectrum!

Yes, owned by KTM (as of 2013 I think).

I can't comment on reliability, but these people can:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&oq=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.9584j1j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on (https://www.google.com/search?q=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&oq=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.9584j1j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on)

First hit is a 12-page thread called "KTM 690 Reliability"

im not questionin the 690, i think its the most reliable 650 platform there is, but there is no competition so its in its own class.

If you start putting the KLR and DR into the equation, they win automatically, but they are also 100-150lbs heavier and 30hp less!

I was asking about the Husq, i think the KTM ownership is strictly financial isnt it ? i.e. like VW owning ducati. it just changed ownership hands.

Apologies.  Misunderstood.  Husk then:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&oq=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.9584j1j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#q=husqvarna+reliability+site:advrider.com&safe=active&ssui=on (https://www.google.com/search?q=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&oq=ktm+reliability+site%3Aadvrider.com&aqs=chrome..69i57.9584j1j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#q=husqvarna+reliability+site:advrider.com&safe=active&ssui=on)

That's all I got.

I was under the impression the new Huskys coming out maybe this year or next will share the 690 engine and possibily other components.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1025652 (http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1025652)

Fly n ride.

You could have bought my Elefant 650

 ;D

sat on the 690 enduro R this weekend. Its 2" too tall, but thats solveable  [evil]

its got my name written all over it!!!!

Ok, been super busy and missed this thread. I own an 08 690 E.

Questions? They have some quirks - but once sorted out... ah yeah

Couple massive, almost too big to read threads on them on ADV.

And there's a good bit of info in the KTM section of supermotojunkie. The 690 E and SMC share a lot, so people (like me) will stick 17s on the E

Engine reliability? though the E model is a slightly smaller motor than the current R.

What about ease of maintenance? I.e. how hard is it to get to the battery, airfilter ec.

Any long term issues? I know the 690R models had that left side crank case bearing issue resolved, but any other known ones?

Hows the FI? Clean smooth and responsive?

They changed out all the 690s as far as I know, from 650 (mine) to a full 690cc. Nothing crazy - though it is wise to keep an eye on the exhaust rocker. There's an auto-decompression device that seems to be not so good for one of the bearings on that rocker


Very easy to get to both. Remove seat and the battery is there as it the filter lid which is secured by two bolts. Oil changes are a tad fussy as they use the paper cartridge filters in a horizontal recess - so you need to fish them out with a pick or punch a hole in the end and hook 'em. They won't just drop out


Early ones needed new fuel filters very very early. Like a couple thousand miles early. If left too long they resulted in burned out fuel pumps.


It benefits from some tweaking. The O2 sensor makes it a bit jabby at low RPM low throttle combos. Also *needs* remapping to run any lest restricted exhaust lest you enjoy stalling.

I have been riding more in enduro mode lately. I have a 08 smc that ive adapted the bigger wheels to for full knobies.

If your doing technical single track you will find its short coming. Turing radius sucks and really shows up on tight corners. And it has a lot of power for the dirt. You can ride all day in second, but have to be really smooth on the power. In fact you want to ride in second and lug it around out of the power band in the tighter stuff. A lot of clutch work. Im sure if mine was geared lower the power would be more usable in tighter stuff, but i'm running the street gearing.

I don't really see the weight as being an issue to prevent you from using the bike on technical stuff, just turing radius and power.

Tire choice will help with feel on the street. I was running pirelli scorpion pros (soft terrain tire) and they are horrible on the street. Just put on some D606's and they feel 100% better.

 

Yeah I saw one that needed early rocker replacement after only low kms on warranty. Was told it was not uncommon. The part itself (rocker and bearing kit) was surprisingly not expensive (but then maybe that's the issue).

Any chance you looked at any of the Husq 600-sized bikes?  Sadly, they pulled the line, probably in connection with the KTM purchase so as to not compete with itself.  but by all account some great bikes that are maybe a step up from the DR/KLR but not as expensive (and finicky) as the KTMs.   There are some near-new TR650s out there for ~$5k.  Dump another $1500 in aftermarket stuff (probably needs a bigger tank for more range, along with pannier mounts) and you have a basically new, farkled, reliable, easy-to-work-on DS.

Anyway, just a thought since I continue to look at options out there and the Husqs are very enticing alternatives.

KLR650,  TR650 and KTM 690 showdown:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/reviews/husqvarna-tr650-terra-vs-kawasaki-klr650-vs-ktm-690-enduro-r-singles-club (http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/reviews/husqvarna-tr650-terra-vs-kawasaki-klr650-vs-ktm-690-enduro-r-singles-club)

There was a run of rockers with bad bearings - I can't recall the date span. But ones made in a specific time range were prone to going off extra early.

Even with *better* bearings, the bearing that contacts the cam lobe which has the auto-decompression integrated seems to go off sooner than one might hope.

It's easy enough to check on - aside from the time commitment to get in under the airbox. Really the airbox is the most annoying time consuming part. I've very much considered going to the EVO II kit with it's pod filter just to eliminate the GD airbox.

He Man, over a month since your last post on this topic.  How's the bike search going?  You got  me looking at KTM 690's!

I read a review somewhere on the 2014 model and it mentioned that the turning radius could be tightened up by adjusting the stops, evidently they came from the factory adjusted out on their test bike.  Never owned any sort of KTM yet, but one is getting to the top of my wish list.

I decided to buy it next year and ended up buying a KX250F and am in the process of getting it turned into a enduro bike.

Bet you'll have so much fun on the Kawasaki that you'll forget all about the KTM.

probably.  [evil] im going through some paperwork to get it street legal through the Vermont method. it works for bikes under 300cc.