About to get a bike again (got the green light from the Missus after selling my last bike a few years ago).

I'm pretty excited about it!

I have a KLR (4th one I've owned) and a DRZ400E that's currently tarded out. I'm probably getting a 990 Adv for my next bike.

Want a DRZ400 so bad

I have 2 KTMs. I race (enduro, cross country, hare scramble) a 300 XC-W, and have a 530 XC-W with dual sport kit. The 530 is not a true dual sport bike, but I bought it for adventure rides which require some public roadway transfers.

advrider.com is a good forum for dual sport riders.

Decided to get a KTM 690 Enduro R.

Looked at the Suzuki 400. Great bike, but after my previous bikes I've owned, I wanted something with a little more oomph!

I dual sport an xr400. My friends and I have done the continental divide Ride (cdr) and have been to Colorado a few times. I've rebuilt every but the bottom end and rear shock. If anyone is in BCS you're welcome to try it.

I've got two KTMs, a 2004 250 EXC and a 1998 250 MX. The EXC is stock and is a smooth bike. The MX is bored out to 272 has an aftermarket expansion chamber. It will smoke the fourstroke in a straight line. My father has a 2002 400 ex that was bored out to a 470 and who nows what else by thumper racing. Its got ridiculous amounts of torque, you don't need a clutch to do wheelies in the first four gears. I've ridden several other models including the 530 in dual sport trim. They are nice bikes with a lot of power, but all KTMs require a lot of maintenance or they won't run for very long. Both of mine need carb rebuilds before I ride again thanks in part to ethanol laced fuel. I'm pretty sure the 250 exc is going to have to have a valve adjustment and fork seals too. Its always something. On the other hand my 84' Honda 250R three wheeler starts every time easily, even after sitting for months. I used to have an 01' Suzuki RM 125 and a 00' Honda XR 250, those bikes always ran. If I were buying another bike I'd go Japanese again.

[This message has been edited by aggieforester05 (edited 4/24/2013 9:17a).]

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Decided to get a KTM 690 Enduro R.

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Great choice. I'd love to have one.

I have 3 motards including a KTM 450 EXC with lowered and modded suspension, a Honda CRF 450, and an Aprilia 450 twin. Fun to haul to the track, and they are street legal so occasional runs to the hill country. Three sisters FTW!

I've not done any off roading or adventure riding, but I do some MX in my back 40 on small bikes (150Rs, TTR 125s).

Katooms are relatively high maintenance, even more so than some other brands of similar build. All the 450s require regular oil and filter changes. Rarely do I put more than about 500 miles on one without changing the O&F, and valve settings need to be closely monitored if you are constantly leaning on it, which is what they live for.

I bet that Aprilia twin sounds awesome, those bikes have always intrigued me. I think the 550 has about 70 horsepower, which is insane in a dirt bike, but I'm guessing it's a blast.

The 450 is the way to go. The 550 has earned its' reputation as a hand grenade. Blame the vertically split cases....

Yucadoo,

werent the 550s finally "fixed" with the correct sealant for the cases, or are they still suspect to mix bodily fluids in the engine? If i could find a 450 up here in vermont I would snap it up.

I don't remember ever seeing a dirtbike that didn't have a vertically split case.