Another stoopid what-should-I-get thread…I know!

[Hardware]

Here's the situation.

I have the RT.  Mrs. Hardware has the F650GS which I ride periodically.  I also have a 4x4 ATV.

I have the bug big time to get another bike in addition to the RT.  When I see a sportbike I want a sportbike.  When I see a thumper I want a big dual purpose.  I don't really want an F800GS (too expensive and too close in mission to the RT in the sense that I wouldn't off-road an F8GS in any gnarly stuff).  In all reality, when I think about it, I don't need and don't think I'd get full use from a sportbike - there are no tracks around and the RT sans luggage is sporting enough on twisty roads.

So...I'm shopping locally for used thumpers.  KLRs are a little too street oriented IMO (although I'd grab a gently used one if the price was right) so I'm leaning towards a DR650 or XR650L.  A guy a couple of hours from here has a 2009 DR650 for sale for $6K with 5 kms (that's literally 5.0 kms on it) as he bought it and upon delivery realized it was too big for him (new rider).  There's also a 2006 XR650L with 4800 kms for $4900.  That's about 7 hours away but I have family there and will be travelling there soon.  The DR is new and about $2K less than a new one in the local dealer's showroom.  The XR has low kms and is the better off-road bike IMO.

I don't need an enduro or MX bike - I have the ATV for hardcore off-roading and want the flexibility of riding to an area on public roads and then exploring.  Plus it's a little more comparable to the Mrs' GS (for the way she rides it) if we want to do short sightseeing rides locally.

Is/are there any other model(s) I should be considering?  Discuss...

[birdrunner]

Well,  I've a XR, and it's a tank in the tight stuff.   The motor is a workhorse, and if the tires can hook up, you will move.
It's good for over 110 kph with knobbies on, then it gets weird.

If you want a better off road bike, Husky and KTM are your answers in big bore thumpers.   I'd love a KTM 690 or a Husky TE610, as the technology is twenty years newer than either the DR or the XL.

A good idea might be a DR400, which has approx same HP but in a smaller lighter package.  They can be found used. (In fact there's a nicely farkled on for sale here in Edmonton.

[falconati]

How about a gently used MV?  Seriously though, what's wrong with the Mrs' bike?  You could get the BMW 400 dirtbike to complete your collection of German bikes  

[VT636]

Husky 610/630  w/ two sets of wheels gets my vote.

[CLAY]

I have the XR650L, and it is a beast.  Of the big duallies, it's probably the best in the dirt.  I have two sets of rims- one with dirt oriented tires, one with street oriented tires.  It is a blast to ride.  I often use it in the fall to ride out to my hunting land, take the two track-single track-woods trail up to my game cameras to check the cards on it.  Works awesome.  

[Hardware]

Found a new DR650 at a local Suzuki dealer for $6800.

Checked out an XR at the Honda dealer.

The XR appears to be a much more robust machine...

[tgat]

Those are absurd prices on either of those DR's. I'd be slapping myself if I was looking at one for more than 4200$ NEW.

Anyways, if by "robust", you mean piggish, then you are right. Both of the 650 street thumpers are pigs, put out lots of torque and not a lot of power. They are all 80/20 machines, with the 20 being fire roads, not dirt.

Huskies/KTMs are nice street machines if the motor is greater than 600cc's, otherwise you'll be spending more time doing valve checks and rebuilds than riding.

I spend a long time looking at dualies before settling on the Zed with D606's. It puts out plenty of power (same HP as the jap 650's, but less torque), is heavy but not so much that you have to fight it (50-100 lbs lighter than the jap 650s) like the KLR/DR/XRL. It was also cheap at 4800$ OTD, compared to 8K list for a TE630 (8500 OTD) or 10K+ for a 690 enduro.

Best part was that there are suzi dealers everywhere, vs 2+ hours in any directions for a husky/KTM shop. Makes maintenance a breeze.

The only other bikes that I seriously considered for my area were the BMW G450X (found out that it was a lemon unless you were a mechanic and did the 2500$/70 hours riding rebuilds yourself) and the WR250F (nice bike, but too small IMO).

[County Tar]

The DRZ is maybe 50 lb lighter than the DR650 and will certainly out perform it in dirt.  That said, you can juice up the DR really cheap by swapping out jets (I use a 055 with the stock muffler) and opening up the air box to let the motor breathe (they come way too leaned out to meet EPA regs).  With a 060 jet and an FMF Q4 muffler I've seen guys pull wheelies at 70 mph.  You can tour with a DR if you can find the right seat.  

I've bought two DR650s at year end for about $4300; one had the gel seat already.  

Some of the common mods are available here:

http://www.kientech.com/

[1moreroad]

A Husky 610 (and similar KTM) with two sets of wheels would give you the dual sport AND the sportbike performance up to ~ 90 or 100 mph.

DRZ 400 would give the dual sport performance and sportbike handling (but not acceleration) up to ~ 70 mph,

WR250 would do the same again but up to ~ 60 mph.  There are light years of difference in handling between a KLR and WR, on road or off.

[sprocket]

Huskies/KTMs are nice street machines if the motor is greater than 600cc's, otherwise you'll be spending more time doing valve checks and rebuilds than riding.

That is absolutley wrong....I've had a 530 EXC for 2+ years now with one valve check...even then is was very close to specs.....motor rebuilds?
This is bad information Hardware!

If you want a bike thats has race proven performance and a plate....The 530 EXC is the standard to go by. It is capable of all you can give it offroad.....riding on the street though......well it sucks....it'll get there but its not really fun!

The 530 is a full bore race ready dirt bike plated for the street!

[Hardware]

No update yet - still haven't found a trailie yet.

Local ATV and outdoor dealer is a reluctant KTM dealer - they have a leftover 530 EXC with quite a bit knocked off the price - it's now going for just under $9K.

Correction: $9499, down from $10,999.

[Mike-H]

That is absolutley wrong....I've had a 530 EXC for 2+ years now with one valve check...even then is was very close to specs.....motor rebuilds?
This is bad information Hardware!

If you want a bike thats has race proven performance and a plate....The 530 EXC is the standard to go by. It is capable of all you can give it offroad.....riding on the street though......well it sucks....it'll get there but its not really fun!

The 530 is a full bore race ready dirt bike plated for the street!

Big there....though my opinion is biased cause I own one & had zero problems after the initial setup

[1moreroad]

That is absolutley wrong....I've had a 530 EXC for 2+ years now with one valve check...even then is was very close to specs.....motor rebuilds?
This is bad information Hardware!

If you want a bike thats has race proven performance and a plate....The 530 EXC is the standard to go by. It is capable of all you can give it offroad.....riding on the street though......well it sucks....it'll get there but its not really fun!

The 530 is a full bore race ready dirt bike plated for the street!

Your experience was better than a friend (and sometime STN contributor).  He had a total motor rebuild after a few thousand miles.  Costs him low four figures for a bike that was only a few years old.

[Mike-H]

What year?....there is buzz out there about oil pump gear update to avoid the grenade effect

[JonS]

For mostly off road riding, there is no reason to get anything bigger than a 400. I was recently in the market and bought a Suzuki DRZ400. It is 75% off road and 25% road. It was just the right buy for me, as I was also looking at XR400s and Yamaha WR400s. I bought the Suzuki because it was the one I found first. I was all set to go to Denver to buy a Yamaha, but missed out. In a time far gone, I raced a Yamaha 400 and did pretty good, so I have a soft spot for them. Really, any of the 3 I mentioned would be great.

[Mike-H]

For mostly off road riding, there is no reason to get anything bigger than a 400. I was recently in the market and bought a Suzuki DRZ400. It is 75% off road and 25% road. It was just the right buy for me, as I was also looking at XR400s and Yamaha WR400s. I bought the Suzuki because it was the one I found first. I was all set to go to Denver to buy a Yamaha, but missed out. In a time far gone, I raced a Yamaha 400 and did pretty good, so I have a soft spot for them. Really, any of the 3 I mentioned would be great.

I would disagree because if a larger cc bike is the same weight or less then a 400cc & the handling is the same.... it would then come down to wrist control (or mental maturity if you wish) ...."as the old adage goes"......there is no substitute for cubic inches (cubic centimeters).....you don't need to use it but it's nice to know it's there

[1moreroad]

I would disagree because if a larger cc bike is the same weight or less then a 400cc & the handling is the same.... it would then come down to wrist control (or mental maturity if you wish) ...."as the old adage goes"......there is no substitute for cubic inches (cubic centimeters).....you don't need to use it but it's nice to know it's there

+1

Also depends on where you ride and your level of skill.  Tight east coast mountains are very different than wide open California deserts.

As far the DRZ, from everything I read and from my friend's feedback on both, it is a great all around and entry level bike but it is not a KTM -- it doesn't handle/ride as well, it doesn't cost as much, and it doesn't fall apart every 1000 miles.  

[garry]

It's pretty hard to beat a DRZ400S as a cheap 50/50 dual-sport. Open up the airbox, install a jet kit, put Dunlop 606 tires on it and go have fun. The Husky TE-610/630 is a better "DRZ" for a bit more money.

I now have a KTM 530 after owning two DRZs, and while it's better in every way, it was also 2X the money and still needed lots of initial setup mods.