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Hello all! Great site! I am located in Sugarland/Missouri City area. I am looking to do some Dual Sport/Adventure riding. I am in the process of choosing a new Dual Sport, I want something lighter than my Tiger. I hope to get into trail rides and need something manageable for all the inevitable drops! Anyway, hope to meet some of you soon. I'm currently torn between something like the KTM 690 Enduro R or Yamaha WR250R. Want to stick to trails, fire roads and the occasional small country pavement ride. Hopefully a 250/400 class is enough to keep up on the road portion of group rides? What do you guys mainly ride? I'm assuming it's all over the place.
 
Welcome! Yep, all over the place around here. I don't know much about KTMs but they are great, and light, bikes. The WR250R would probably suit you very well, and be fine on the highways you described. Most folks here on these rides are not speed demons on the highway.

Dual sports are always a compromise. You have a lot to choose from.
 
Welcome from stockdale.

I'm partial to the xr650l, due to price and reliability.

But a @South Tex on here recently purchased a husky 701 enduro that I've ridden twice and it is a sweet bike.

If I had the money I'd buy the husky 701/ktm 690

@bwdmax has some experience with the wr bikes
 
Thanks for the replies gents! I like the KTM 690 Enduro a lot, but just a little leary of the horsepower since I don't have much trail riding experience. I have ridden street pretty much exclusively. I do mountain bike, but obviously not the same thing. LOL! Anyway, wading through tons of youtube videos. Guess I'll come up with something.

Edit: Looking at XR650L as well, but concerned about size and weight, Really don't plan to get on freeway at all. Hope to do do highways if part of a group ride.
 
Thanks for the replies gents! I like the KTM 690 Enduro a lot, but just a little leary of the horsepower since I don't have much trail riding experience. I have ridden street pretty much exclusively. I do mountain bike, but obviously not the same thing. LOL! Anyway, wading through tons of youtube videos. Guess I'll come up with something.

Edit: Looking at XR650L as well, but concerned about size and weight, Really don't plan to get on freeway at all. Hope to do do highways if part of a group ride.

The power of the 690/701 is alot. Without slot of experience a wr might be a better bet.

The xr is a decent trail bike. Has plenty of torque, but very predictable. Stock leaves a lot to be desired, but that is an easy fix. I have a dyno jet kit, fmf powerbomb header, pro circuit t4 muffler and a uni airfilter on my bike and it makes a world of difference.
It is heavy, but you get used to it. It's still very easy to pick up off the ground. Suspension could be better for me personally. But the same guy who bought the 701 also has an XR and loves it.

You can find a good shape, well set up, used xr650l for -$4000 I believe there are some forsale here on the forum

Maybe some gracious members in your area who own wr,xr or 690s would let you take a test ride after you get to know em alittle. If you ever get down near stockdale you are welcome to take a spin on the xr. I have some trails at the house
68a61200f170742e21bb31be13c8360c.jpg
 
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Thanks for the replies gents! I like the KTM 690 Enduro a lot, but just a little leary of the horsepower since I don't have much trail riding experience. I have ridden street pretty much exclusively. I do mountain bike, but obviously not the same thing. LOL! Anyway, wading through tons of youtube videos. Guess I'll come up with something.

Edit: Looking at XR650L as well, but concerned about size and weight, Really don't plan to get on freeway at all. Hope to do do highways if part of a group ride.


Horsepower will not be the problem. Weight will be the problem. The 690 is fine for chasing gravel roads around Texas, but get it out into the sand or a on rocky hillside it may be a handful. Check the weight between a 690, 500, 300 and see the difference.
 
Seeing a lot of really good reviews of the WR250R....too bad there's not a 350-400 version. Going to take a look at one this weekend.
 
Hi.
I am going through exactly what you are.
I have a Tiger too (2013 road version) but wanted to try dual sport with something much lighter and forgiving etc.
Also knowing I was keeping the Tiger for now, I wanted something used and affordable for an additional bike.
I went with a 2005 Suzuki DRZ-400S.
I trailered it to Big Bend recently and am happy with the choice at this time. Much to learn still, and wouldn’t you know it, I have conflicts all of the upcoming weekends for getting the TARA meetups, etc.
Good luck with your search!
 
Welcome to the site! :wave:

If you have not already seen and read it, you might want to take a peek at this thread...


Another rider was asking almost the same question and there are LOADS of good answers in there ;-) Probably the most important thing to take away from that thread is this... There is NO perfect bike! :-P
 
The power of the 690/701 is alot. Without slot of experience a wr might be a better bet.

The xr is a decent trail bike. Has plenty of torque, but very predictable. Stock leaves a lot to be desired, but that is an easy fix. I have a dyno jet kit, fmf powerbomb header, pro circuit t4 muffler and a uni airfilter on my bike and it makes a world of difference.
It is heavy, but you get used to it. It's still very easy to pick up off the ground. Suspension could be better for me personally. But the same guy who bought the 701 also has an XR and loves it.

You can find a good shape, well set up, used xr650l for -$4000 I believe there are some forsale here on the forum

Maybe some gracious members in your area who own wr,xr or 690s would let you take a test ride after you get to know em alittle. If you ever get down near stockdale you are welcome to take a spin on the xr. I have some trails at the house
View attachment 230835
701, Agree. Expensive but pretty much do all. Weight shouldnt be a problem, but is tall bike being an enduro.
Good luck with your search. They also got those new Honda 450L 's out now too
 
450L does look cool, but is expensive! Just looking to have some fun getting out on some trails and dirt roads....bike will probably only see the street riding around my neighborhood or whenever I can find a group that wants to do some back roads. I'm 48 not trying to get too crazy or work too hard picking up bikes.😂😂
 
I've owned a KTM 690 for four years now and I'm pretty impressed with it. I've done everything from local exploring, to week long Ralleys in Montana carrying all my camping gear on the bike. On those week long Ralleys there are typically 40-ish riders on varied bikes. The majority of the bikes are 690's, followed by Yamaha WR 250's. I've met one guy that rode his 250 fully loaded with camping gear, solo to Alaska. I met another fellow with over 70,000 miles on his 250 and the valves never needed adjusting, he said he just changed the oil and rode it.

Recently, Pkiser and I swapped bikes on a ride (he has a 250 Yamaha). I have to say, that little bike impressed me. It doesn't have the arm stretching power of the 690, but it'll run down the hiway at 65 without any problem and it handles the ruffer dirt roads very well. For a newbe DS rider that 250 would be a great starter...
 
Wow! Great impartiality....that's solid information. Going to look at both bikes today and try and twist some arms!
 
If you don't have any off road experience and are leaning towards that end I would go Smaller, i.e., 250. Like the man said there is no ONE bike. You'd be better served learning the offload side on a lighter bike than the other way around. Whatever you decide you will want to make sure that the bike has the Almighty "Button"!
Welcome and ride safe.
 
@aspr What's that windscreen on the XR? Kinda leaning that way....
Slipstreamer S-06 Spitfire Shield with 1in. & 7/8in Clamp Tint https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WK8EGA/?tag=twowhetex-20

I got mine used from someone on adv rider. Used it to help with windchill this "winter".

Does a good job, had to play with the angle a bit to get it to work how I wanted. Adds a little bit of handle bar vibration.

Now that the weather has warmed up it is taken off until it gets cold again.
 
Hello! If you're just doing trails and gravel lots of good light-weight choices, however, if you ride highways to get there, a fantastic dual sport is the V-Strom, 2013 or newer. More road, use 90/10 tires, more gravel 60/40. Very linear, manageable power, low center of gravity. Not heavy, not light.

Other than that, the best ride is always the next one you'll get.
 
231367
Welp guys, just chose a Yamaha Tracer 900 and had the tires swapped to TKC 80s , it will look alot like this when done. Getting the engine cage, skid plate and crash ba
231367


r next week.will look alot like this one.
 
Is it gonna look like that one with the same scenery? :-P
 
Welcome aboard!

A lot of us here use the KTM 500EXC & it's Swedish sister, the Husqvarna 501 for exactly the type of riding you describe. Excellent bikes, you'll love the lightweight and no one ever said they lack giddy up!
 
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