XR650L or KTM500 EXC

[Eteen12]

XR650L or KTM 500 EXC

Ive owned a XR650L and I have a few bikes, but wanting to down size because I don’t have space for both. The XR is great on the highway and around town but SUCKS on trails or any technical stuff.

Im 6’2 and the XR is still too top heavy even for me. But on the highway runs like a dream.

I want the KTM for daily commute (20k round trip) which is about 10 mins of riding, and on the weekend I need to go on the highway (100kmh) for about 10 minutes, to access trails.

Do I stick with XR reliability or go to KTM for fun factor?

 

[filterwrench]

XR650L or KTM 500 EXC

Ive owned a XR650L and I have a few bikes, but wanting to down size because I don’t have space for both. The XR is great on the highway and around town but SUCKS on trails or any technical stuff.

Im 6’2 and the XR is still too top heavy even for me. But on the highway runs like a dream.

I want the KTM for daily commute (20k round trip) which is about 10 mins of riding, and on the weekend I need to go on the highway (100kmh) for about 10 minutes, to access trails.

Do I stick with XR reliability or go to KTM for fun factor?

Why not consider the CRF 450 rl it's 80% of the KTM 500 on the trails and 150% of the KTM on the road with decent reliability.

 

[offworlder]

Agree with @filterwrench - Honda CRF450RL absolutely SMOKES the 500EXC, everywhere. Honda reliability and build quality is also miles above the KTMs. The CRF450RL is simply the most amazing off-road focused dual sport you never knew existed!
Its also cheaper than the KTM, way more comfy (KTM's idiotic peg placement expects everyone to be in attack position all the time), and has no where near the vibrations of the KTM. The only place the KTM has an edge is in very slow gnarly stuff where you need to lug the engine.