In Search of a New Dual Sport Bike

[bkoz]

Thanks for all the input, much appreciated! I am leaning towards the 500, with and immediate Renazco seat upgrade, gearing & a bigger tank for longer trips. However the new Husqvarna 701 looks like a 690 killer......

I thought the Huskie is essentially the same bike but in white??

 

[Bora20]

I thought the Huskie is essentially the same bike but in white??

Pretty much, they are fraternal twins.

 

[unsightedlight]

Stop waiting for someone to build the the "unicorn" perfect bike and just build it yourself instead!

Before...

And after...

 

[cactusreid]

nice bike. and a 5.0 l mustang lx in the background? nicely done sir!

 

[unsightedlight]

nice bike. and a 5.0 l mustang lx in the background? nicely done sir!

Good eye! But it's the 2.3 turbo svo mustang.

 

[cactusreid]

ok, good guess on my part, nice choice on yours! I'm thinking that turbo car still gets your grin real big and real fast, and stays with you for a while?

 

[cactusreid]

do you have any extra fuel volume with the rally fairing? does it have a tank/s integrated in the fairing?

 

[unsightedlight]

do you have any extra fuel volume with the rally fairing? does it have a tank/s integrated in the fairing?

Yes, just over 10 liters between the two additional tanks.

 

[twisted-hog]

Sweet ride unsightedlight :tup:

 

[Dorky]

Wow, that is a sweet unit. Nice! I still have a soft spot for 690s.

 

[offworlder]

Well done Sir ! Will you be offering test rides at yer booth at the Newbie ride ?

 

[unsightedlight]

Offworlder, I think I need to throw it in the ditch a few times myself before I start passing her around aha. Figured Id take the pics now because it's not going to look any better then that again.

 

[offworlder]

Its the Konflict tweaked suspension I wanna check out - how you likin it ?

 

[twisted-hog]

Well done Sir ! Will you be offering test rides at yer booth at the Newbie ride ?

Offworlder, I think I need to throw it in the ditch a few times myself

Will that be a ditch on the A or B route Newbie ride )):

 

[unsightedlight]

Its the Konflict tweaked suspension I wanna check out - how you likin it ?

It's as good as everyone says. If you've got an extra $1400 laying around you can make you 690 glide over everything aha.

 

[DirtClunker]

Very sweet bike - will we see it this coming weekend? Tell me more about Konflict suspension - is it just a revalve or a whole new fork/shock?

 

[unsightedlight]

Very sweet bike - will we see it this coming weekend? Tell me more about Konflict suspension - is it just a revalve or a whole new fork/shock?

I will be at the ride next sunday. Alex at Konflict is a super knowledgeable guy who does a HUGE volume of KTM 690/950/990/1190 Shocks. So much so that Touratech is using him for ALL of their suspension service in the USA. I've found him to be extremely professional and happy to talk to you for as long as you'll stand to hear it about the workings of your suspension and exactly what he plans to do and wants to accomplish. He can sell you a high end set of forks /shock but the service I got involved a revalve front and rear with his custom valve stacks and pistons and a re-spring front and rear with all the SKF seals etc.

 

[Flyman]

I am reading this with great interest as I to am contemplating the next bike...or just keeping my current ride.
May i ask if its not hijacking too much why the 500 ktm is so high maintenance?
The 690 with a few mods sure may be good.
What sort of range per tank of gas can be expected on the 690?

 

[DirtClunker]

According to the owner's manuals, the 500 requires oil & filter changes every 15 hours. A new piston every 135 hrs. 690 requires oil changes ever 10000km (100hrs at 100km/h) and a new piston whenever. This is why the 500 is higher maintenance. Similar kinds of change intervals for other maintenance items. Lots of people do different intervals or say the published intervals are for racing only. Using a different interval than the manual is a personal choice. I change the oil on my 350s every 15hrs. Lots of guys think I am wasting my money, but I hve not seen any proof yet.

Personally, when I think of "maintenance", I never count the farkles or the improvements to the bike. Maintenance means things like oil, filters, grease, and other wear items.

When I had my 2014 690 I think was getting 250km to a tank, not quite sure though? I also carried a 4l roto pack, so I am not 100% sure. Small tank on the 690 was a pain.

 

[Island Hopper]

Adding to what Dirtclunker posted, the reason for the more frequent service intervals on the 500 is performance VS displacement.. On the 500 the engine is tuned to run near its displacement peak capacity and runs a high compression [nearly 12:1} ratio which puts more stress on motor components... It has a lightweight shallow skirt piston which has a much reduced surface area to contact the cylinder wall which leads to a much shorter time period for it to wear out... The performance figures of the 500 likely exceed just about any single cylinder dual sport by far except the 690.. The 690 probably puts out similar peak numbers to the 500 on paper but loses in the HP to weight ratio... The 500 engine holds a decent amount of oil but its high performance level crushes it and breaks it down quicker... Fresh oil clings to parts better providing a cushion to sliding and moving parts, especially that shallow skirt piston.. So if you want any kind of life expectancy you need to keep the oil fresh, hence the short intervals...

The 690 is tuned a little more conservatively than the 500 with a lower compression ratio and a little higher oil capacity... It also runs a shallow skirt piston but with the extra displacement it does not need to be in as high state of tune to equal the 500s hp levels, so it takes a good bit longer to break down the oil... I would recommend to go with the new Husky 701 over the older 690s as I believe the new bikes have the improved valve drive assembly...