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I'm Torn! 500 EXC or 690 Enduro R or ???

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thrill-billy85 said:
If something on my xrl is the slightest little eenth off from where it likes to be, she'll get all "slappy" on me at highway speeds.

So yes, a SLIGHT change on his 500 will almost certainly have the sake effect. For better or worse. Be in the stem nut, or even putting the bike on the stand, breaking everything loose, then retorquing it all may alleviate it completely
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[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txta4uThApE"]South Park Mr Mackey mmkay - YouTube[/ame]

:giveup:
 
By the way I just spoke to one of my very best friends whom I raced with for over 20 years. He has a RS1200 and KTM 500 EXC and he said the best thing he ever did for the KTM is to install the Scotts steering damper. This is a huge statement from a guy that never ever installed anything that wasn't truly justified.

He said the KTM scared him when he got over 50MPH in the sand because it was so twitchy. This is a guy who could ride anything and make it look fast.

I was very surprised to hear this. He does not have one on his GS, but he does on the KTM.

Just more FYI...
 
First I'd like to thank the very generous TWT forum member who reached out to me privately and offered to let me ride his 690 Enduro R. He turned over the keys to his 2015 bike and allowed a complete stranger to take it for a 35 mile ride. Wow! Without that ride I'd have been making a decision in the dark. (I'll let him identify himself if he wishes)

I first followed my host around a small track in his pasture to get a feel for how it handled in a sandy hilly environment. After that I headed out on my own for a higher speed 35 mile loop on the streets that included some 70mph riding and also nice curvy smooth country roads.

Perhaps it's my size or my age but I was immediately comfortable on this bike. I felt very comfortable going around the sandy berms and small ally-oops (???) at very modest speeds. Didn't feel the bike was too heavy to handle the type of trail riding I do although there's no doubt it'll be more work in some of the rockier areas. The 500 will definitely handle the trails with more easy and agility. As far as the street driving, there was no comparison to the 500. The 690 was far more planted and relaxed on the road and the riding position far more comfortable.

In the end if I'm going to have one trail/dual sport bike I have to decide what I'm going to do more of and compromise towards that activity. With that I'm sure it'll be more longer-distance dual sporting than trail riding. The 690 would have been the perfect Mexico bike in my opinion.

This thread has been a HUGE help to me and I thank all you guys who jumped in with comments, suggestions and offers of help. I'm glad I went through this exercise before spending additional money on the 500. I've decided to sell the 500 and start looking for a 2014 or newer low-mile pristine 690. Once I get it I'll put some of the mods in place that will make it a better bike for me.

Thanks again!
 
If you really are going to get rid of the 500 six days, I may be interested...

Pm me let me know what you might be asking
 
Bart, great meeting you yesterday and glad the ride helped you figure out what fits your riding. I have a 500, 690 and 1190. When I was younger, I was dedicated to off road riding with a little dual sport mixed in. As I have gotten older, I have found my riding preference to be much more dual sport focused. As a result, the 690 and 1190 have taken up much of my riding time these days. The perfect bike question is answered differently by each person, which is guess is a good thing as it provides lots of different solutions provided by the various bike manufacturers. Good luck with your sale and purchase, and I look forward to riding together soon.
 
Late comer here; The 690 is I think the best compromise dual sport available, but KTM appears to have dropped it from the KTM model line in favor of the Husky brother 701 or something. But, the 690 would have been a more perfect compromise with a larger gas tank. As is, only good for about 140 mi with reserve.

It is capable at 311 lbs dry, 10 in of suspension at both ends, and 65 hp, oh yes. Mine has been over some wicked terrain in the Alpine Loop of CO. And it will tolerate the highway. 12K miles for valve adjustments and the rest is easy. It will eat tires, and am giving the Heidenau K60 a go, a 50/50 tire. I'll keep mine
 
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SparkyBlue said:
Late comer here; The 690 is I think the best compromise dual sport available, but KTM appears to have dropped it from the KTM model line in favor of the Husky brother 701 or something. But, the 690 would have been a more perfect compromise with a larger gas tank. As is, only good for about 140 mi with reserve.

It is capable at 311 lbs dry, 10 in of suspension at both ends, and 65 hp, oh yes. Mine has been over some wicked terrain in the Alpine Loop of CO. And it will tolerate the highway. 12K miles for valve adjustments and the rest is easy. It will eat tires, and am giving the Heidenau K60 a go, a 50/50 tire. I'll keep mine
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Yay,back on topic!!! :clap:

Have you done anything to increase the range?
 
:tab Let's leave the personal stuff out of this thread please...

:tab Maybe I just don't know what I am missing, but I've never had a steering dampener on any of my bikes. The big GSs seem to do just fine in sand/gravel without them. My KLR felt a little squirmy relative to the big GSs at any speed or in sand/gravel, but I just got used to that feeling and never really worried about it. My KTM 530 EXC is much like the KLR in that respect.

:tab When I first got the KLR, the front end felt like it was all over the place at any speed above 60mph. It turned out that the stem bearing was WAY loose AND the front suspension was so soft that it allowed the front to sit too low. If I shifted all my weight to the rear of the seat at higher speeds, it made a BIG difference. I pulled the front end off the bike, cleaned and inspected the stem bearings, reassembled and properly torqued the stem nut. That helped some, but the biggest improvement was putting new springs and slightly heavier fork oil in the front end. That raised the front end a bit and the bike became rock solid stable at any speed. It also helped with the excessive squirminess in sand/gravel. So getting the front end set up correctly DOES have a serious impact on how the bike will feel.

:tab The KTM has never suffered from that excessive squirminess. I have ridden it in DEEP sand and DEEP river bed gravel and it was fine. You just have to realize it is not going to feel the same as running down pavement. As for pavement, the KLR (once fixed) and the KTM, both run great on pavement, even at "fun" speeds ;-)

:tab Where I think a dampener would really make a big difference for ME is in the rocks. I'm talking about places like Big Bend Ranch, the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Utah, and in the Rocky Mountains. The few times I have had a problem and have actually gone down have been because my front end caught the side of a good sized rock and the hard deflection of the front wheel put me on the ground. So I would need it for that HIT to the front end instead of just the constant slow movement or wiggling. They're just so expensive... ;-)

:tab For the original poster, I am wondering if his weight and size have something to do with the perceived front end issues? These bikes are not sprung for big people. If you weigh more than 200 lbs, you are likely not going to be real happy with the stock suspension. I would experiment with shifting your weight bike like I did when you are running the bike at 60+ mph. If that makes a noticeable difference, then it is likely you simply need more preload and perhaps stiffer springs up front. This keeps the front end from sagging excessively which affects the rake/trail of the front end and can cause that instability. New springs are not expensive or difficult to install. I did it on both my KLR and on my Vstrom 650 and it made a world of difference on both bikes. (For the record, I weigh about 185 lbs or so, maybe 200 all up with gear).
 
Tourmeister said:
For the original poster, I am wondering if his weight and size have something to do with the perceived front end issues? These bikes are not sprung for big people. If you weigh more than 200 lbs, you are likely not going to be real happy with the stock suspension. I would experiment with shifting your weight bike like I did when you are running the bike at 60+ mph. If that makes a noticeable difference, then it is likely you simply need more preload and perhaps stiffer springs up front. This keeps the front end from sagging excessively which affects the rake/trail of the front end and can cause that instability. New springs are not expensive or difficult to install. I did it on both my KLR and on my Vstrom 650 and it made a world of difference on both bikes. (For the record, I weigh about 185 lbs or so, maybe 200 all up with gear).
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Thanks Scott. I will definitely get the new bike (it it all works out) setup to my weight. I'm sure the 500 was under-sprung for my size. If I'd decided to keep it I'd have set it up as well.

My more recent face-plant in the trails was when my front tire glanced off a unseen submerged root. In a second I was sliding down the trail on my chin guard and chest. Kinda of shocking really. I'm wondering if a damper would've help keep that front wheel pointed down the trail instead of glancing off so violently.
 
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copb8 said:
My more recent face-plant in the trails was when my front tire glanced off a unseen submerged root. In a second I sliding down the trail on my chin guard and chest. Kinda of shocking really. I'm wondering if a damper would've help keep that front wheel pointed down the trail instead of glancing off so violently.
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:tab That would be another good example, similar to the glancing blow off a rock or perhaps hitting a downed branch/log at an angle where it tries to deflect the front end rather than allowing it to just roll on over. I had the exact same kind of get off coming down a rocky trail in Cloudcroft, NM. I hit the rock and was on the ground sliding face down in an instant.
 
Tourmeister said:
:tab That would be another good example, similar to the glancing blow off a rock or perhaps hitting a downed branch/log at an angle where it tries to deflect the front end rather than allowing it to just roll on over. I had the exact same kind of get off coming down a rocky trail in Cloudcroft, NM. I hit the rock and was on the ground sliding face down in an instant.
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There are two camps regarding steering stabilizers, those that like em and those that don't think they're worth the money. I've ridden numerous bikes with stabilizers and just don't care for them. Often times I think folks would be money ahead to get their suspension sorted out instead of spending that money on a steering stabilizer. It always seemed to me that a stabilizer just masked a problem with the suspension.

The single track I typically ride is riddled with roots and a lot of sand, and my bike handles it well, with no stabilizer. Properly tuned forks will take the glancing blow from a sharp obstacle, keep the bike going straight, and still not jerk the bars out of your hand. Where as a stabilizer on improperly tuned forks may keep the bars from jerking out of your hands, but will alter the course of travel. For me, money invested in the suspension yields the best returns...
 
Rsquared said:
...For me, money invested in the suspension yields the best returns...
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This is true but why not do both? The damper doesn't cost that much relative to what people invest in their bikes. Consider it a one time insurance policy for ~$400. If you have MBS the damper is also super easy to swap from bike to bike with only two screws. You will only need to purchase an extra mount for each bike.

Now having said that I don't have dampers on any of my bikes yet but have recently accumulated mount kits and dampers so all of them will be outfitted soon.

_
 
Experimenting with the clickers can pay huge dividends. Most ride set 'em and forget 'em, when a couple of soft/fast clicks might cure deflection problems.


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I never used steering damper until I was running about 60 mph thru hard pan in the desert and picked up a severe head shake. Thought I was going to die. From that point on, I have used steering dampers on my off road bikes where I might be running with any speed. So, my 500 and 690 have dampers.

For fuel on my 690, I use the following engine guard with tank from Rally Raid that holds 2.5 liters which I use as a reserve for most rides. For longer range, I also put a 1 gallon rotopax on the rear rack which in total gets me to just under 5 gallons.

http://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/image/cache/data/websitepictures164-500x500.jpg
 

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I'll tell you what.... I'm gonna let you ride my bike....


It's an xr650l.

It's not sexy though. But it is the perfect bike for me, after deciding that my 510cc KTM just really wasn't enough bike for me...

It was a high-strung race bike that was no fun on the highway.
 
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I just sold my CRF250X & DR650 and used the proceeds to buy a '14 350 EXC-F with all the goodies and 3.9 total hours. Does everything the CRF did, but better, and outshines the DR in everything but extended street time. But if I'm on pavement more than 25 consecutive miles, I'm doing it wrong.


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Btweaver13 said:
I just sold my CRF250X & DR650 and used the proceeds to buy a '14 350 EXC-F with all the goodies and 3.9 total hours. Does everything the CRF did, but better, and outshines the DR in everything but extended street time. But if I'm on pavement more than 25 consecutive miles, I'm doing it wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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10-4!!!!!
 
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