And the two finalists are... - Horizons Unlimited

**alan hopkins** · #1 6 Dec 2012

Seems after reading the entire Internet twice that the two top contenders for solo trans-continental travel are the XTZ 660 Ten and the KTM 690 enduro with fairing and aux tanks fitted.
I wondered if anyone had an informed opinion on the above?
(Not interested in anything else, I've made my mind up and would really like to keep this one thread on topic)
In the blue corner...
:0))
Simple. Fixable. Reliable. Cheap(ish). Economical. Robust. Factory prepared. Tried and tested. Accessories avilable
:0((
High CofG. Underpowered. Basic spec components

In the orange corner
:0))
New. Powerful. Sexy. Desirable. Off road ace. Quality components. Now reliable(?)
:0((
Expensive. Small tank. Expensive screen-tank mods to construct the missing adventure model. Not as reliable as yam. Fussier regarding servicing than yam. Not as good MPG as yam

Personal use.
I plan to travel into Morocco. Like to do some dune riding maybe (KTM). Like to do the Alaska to Argentina Trans trip (YAM) and overland to India and throughout India (?)
I don't know myself how much "off roadness" I would require and therefore which bike or the spares availability. I don't want to drag alternators and rectifiers around if possible

What say you and is the new true 690cc Ktm the way to go?

Please keep on topic....
Thanks in advance

**alan hopkins** · #2 6 Dec 2012

To ad... I have a road bike (R1200r classic) which I love so it would not be my only bike. I did wonder if I could do some green landing as well if I went for the KTM?

**spooky** · #3 6 Dec 2012

Hmmm... being a LC4-640-Hybrid smart ass my self, I would say stick with the YAM for what you would like to do... (I stick with my 640 because I got one and would not swap for a 690 at all for my travelling habits)

Had a riding buddy with a 690R and guess who had problems with the electric... yeah it was the 690R not my 640-Hybrid.... further more... the frequent stop or better hunt for a fuel station... not to top up my 640 with it's 30Lt. ADV-tank, but the 690R twice the day. And the missing carriage capability is another point that would put me off... otherwise it's a nice beast to play with.
(part of the wrong colours.... well the 690 only comes in bright orange and not in black)

You are saying that you are not so much in to the offroad play... well I guess the YAM would be more your piece of cake than... would be way easier and cheaper to find the additional parts you would need to build an overlanding bike on the YAM-base, and in case of a bush repair, parts would be more likely wildly around to source locally if needed.

And by the way... you don't want to race around the globe, do you, so this "underpowered" issue with the YAM is not true.. may only if compared with the 690 for competitions, otherwise you would have plenty power anyway.

**dash** · #4 6 Dec 2012

Tenere owner here, so read into that what you will in terms of bias, but for me the only reason you'd consider the 690 as a "solo, trans-continental travel bike" is if you already had one, or you really wanted one for other reasons (which is, of course, fine

).

The Tenere will do everything you want out of the box. It won't excel at any one thing, but it will do it all without fuss.

50% more horsepower, 20% less weight, and better suspension make the stock 690 a much better bike for off-road racing than a stock Tenere (although most of the people that race them seem to end up upgrading the suspension anyway). Outside racing, 46bhp is plenty, and you'll have lost the weight benefits by the time you've fitted big tanks, fairing, and luggage capacity.

I've been rallying my Tenere this year. I've spent quite a lot of money on the suspension, and I'd probably still be faster on a stock 690. But a 690 wouldn't be as good for *anything* else I do, and I don't want to have money tied up in a dedicated race bike at the moment.

You can put a WP48 front end and a Nitron race shock into a Tenere for about the same money you'd spend putting a fairing, tanks, and racks on a 690. But again, outside racing use, the stock stuff (possibly with uprated springs) is fine.

**alan hopkins** · #5 6 Dec 2012

Thanks guys. Not the partisan bullsh1t you get on BMW sites. Good honest stuff x

**Magnon** · #6 6 Dec 2012

I've had my KTM 690 Enduro from new (2009) and I use it mainly for trail riding. It would take quite a lot (of money) to get the KTM up to scratch for long distance travel and there is nothing wrong with the Tenere's off road ability although it is a bit heavy.

The KTM is reliable, good service intervals but quality components is argueable although probably better names than on the Yamaha. Yamaha would need an LC4 rear hubb.

Personally I'd go for the Tenere for all the very valid reasons you've mentioned in the first post.

**alan hopkins** · #7 6 Dec 2012

Cheers. I was being swayed towards the new kid on the block but I'm guessing most roads will still be "roads" not cross country so the Yam is slowly winning through. Good to go out of the crate too