Thanks Tremens - i will definitely try if i am getting close to buying.

I discounted the 500 exc as i don't want a race bike with short service intervals.

I love my xt660z too, proper off roading aside. But i am in the fortunate position of having an xt1200z too which i use as my pure road touring bike (european stuff) so the 660 is caught a bit in no mans land for me as i am not sure it would be right for me on the TET and TAT. As my Freeride is not either that would mean a 4th bike, which might prove a little hard to justify.....

I think if you are really into your events you will be better off a dedicated event bike.
As I get older a light bike becomes more important.

The 701 I rode was the first model; prob 2015. Unbearable at 100kph.
Yes, tank size was dead handy; amazingly economical for the power.

Nicely put ;-) I detest that look and connotation and associate it (rightly or otherwise) with young punks doing wheelies and jumps on wasteland and not adhering diligently to service and maintenance schedules. As pictured below, in fact ;-).

Too slow on the KLX – sold.



There was a good 500EXC in Hackney on ebay which had been tastefully oranged down. Looked great. Should have bought it and stored it but really need to ride one of these things first.

Look up the rolling hobo. Hardcore off road travel/long event? rider who switched from 690 to 500 and has done a meticulous conversion.

I wonder if these short oil intervals are partly dependent on how hard you ride it?
I think Hobo came up with a good strategy on that front.
Unless you're a pro, I can't see there being space/places in the UK to ride a 500 properly which again, makes me assume these sort of big enduros end up being neglected toys which get through lots of owners in a short mileage.

Don't know of anything dirtworthy on the twin front.
Isn't there talk of a KTM 500 twin - or is is 7-800?

DRZ 400? Hard to find one with few owners and not covered in Monster stickers.
A modern efi DRZ4 would be great.

__________________
Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Loncin reveals 650cc adventure bike | Visordown
The Chinese are here! Just one of several ADV style twins coming along from China. NO IDEA how they actually are to ride ... but Loncin had a long standing relationship with BMW. Not sure if that's a positive or negative!
Hopefully reliable long term.

But design wise looks promising, IMO.

Yes, I think it's a 700 or 800 parallel twin? But where is it? We've seen mock ups and Spy Shots of this bike over 2 years now. Speculators claim it will be TOO HEAVY and TOO Expensive. I believe it. IMO, KTM are pushing their luck, may be headed off a cliff.

Is the KLX450 you speak of a "new" model? UK only? Road legal? I have not heard of this one and it's for sure not in USA. Would be a great addition to the KLX dual sport line. Here we only get the KX450/KX250 Motocross race bikes. Also the long suffering KLX250S, KLR650 ... all long in the tooth, overdue for revision.

The Husky would not be my choice as a "Do It All" bike.
On the subject of vibration. I've been following the KTM 690 Duke. In 2016 KTM revised the engine in a major way. I can only assume this new Engine has migrated in part or whole over to the Husky?

Reviews rave about how SMOOTH the new 2016 690 Duke engine is. 100% of UTubes and mag reviews agree just how much nicer this new smoother engine is ... plus, gets a couple more HP. Way nicer than earlier iterations ... so reviews say, I've not ridden a 690 Duke since 2010. Lots of vibes on that one.

Well spotted with the Loncin, not my cup of tea but here they come.
Wonder what their 500 twin is like.

I'm sure you know the KLX450R - been making them for years and still do here, but in the US discontinued after 2010. Like a WR450F and all that sort of thing.

Fyi, next year the US KLX250S comes back as efi (as we've had here for years). I still don't get why that bike never caught on the way the CRF-L has.
It can only be better marketing. Suspension is way better and the rest is the same. Its 10kg lighter too.
Ran a carb one last year in the US - as good as my CRF all round.

Maybe I'l get a chance to try a newer 701. Some bloke was setting off RTW on one; can't be the same motor I tried.

You will probably see more Chinese bikes in the UK/EU than we will in USA. Whole moto industry is very slow now, so existing dealers may not want to take on new random, unknown bikes. Dunno.

Many have taken on Taiwanese Kymco scooters and done just "OK". (which are excellent!) .... not sure on new bikes from China. Could be a tough sell. We DO have quite a few China scooters here but very few of the latest ADV style motos.

Ah yes, I do know this bike. I somehow thought it was a new road going version. Guess not.

Marketing! You got it! Kawi USA has not spent a dime promoting this bike.
It's funny ... Kawi could dominate the 250 dual sport niche with a few simple upgrades to their current bike:
1. Make it 300cc single, hot it up a bit, more compression et al.
2. Firm up suspension just a bit ... USA riders are fatties.
3. Do a ADV Dakar/Baja version similar to what Honda's done with their Rally.
4. Keep it LIGHT.
5. Hire a few guys like you ... and PAY THEM to ride the bikes around Africa
and get it well covered in print and internet.

Could be a winner if they promote it the way Honda have done with their Rally.
They've crushed Kawi in this segment. But both Husky and KTM are way ahead
(not sales wise) with their 350 bikes. ($10,000 USD before fees/taxes)

If you run across a link for his Ride Report, I'd like to have a look.

Funny thing about Kawa and overlanding.
In Europe long unknown and unused; saw one in Syria once but never in the Sahara. Yamaha and Honda have long 'dominated' there, I presume helped by Dakar wins.
The KLX650 is of course the 'Tenere' of North America in terms of RTW reputation, but you get the feeling Kawa are sort of embarrassed/annoyed/indifferent to that. Suzuki the same with DRs.
Maybe ZXRs and GSXRs etc make them more money.

RTW 701s
Ride Must Go On – Globetrotting since 2014
The start of a 5 year adventure • MotoMorgana
Lately in Colombia and Cape Town

Being lent one again next week it seems; they've run out of XRs ;-(

__________________
Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Fab - fingers crossed its a 2017 one.

Hopefully its a good experience for you; assuming you report back (please) it'll definitely be an insightful one for me :-)


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Yes, no doubt!
But Honda and Yamaha haven't been dominate in Dakar in years ... not since Peterhansel's 9 wins on Yamaha going back 20 years or more. In last 10 years in S.America it's been a KTM show, but at least Yam and Honda are competing.

I think you mean KLR650, not KLX650. The KLX was only in production 2 years or so mid 1990's. True disaster for Kawi due to batch of bad engines. The KLR hasn't really changed much since 1985!!! ('84 KLR600, then KLR650, minor upgrade in 2008 ... that's IT! )

Kawi have awakened from 20 year slumber, now using KLR's RTW reputation to market it a bit ... A bit. The amazing thing is that the KLR still passes USA emissions testing ... as does the DR650 and Honda XR650L.
All super Dinosaurs with carbs!

Suzuki are no longer embarassed by their DR650! At a press intro I was told the DR is one of their top 10 best selling bikes! DR650 had a nice sales spike in 2007 up to about 2012. Leveled off now, very quiet with only Husky and KTM showing strong sales.

when not racing intervals are not that bad, around 2k km.
xt1200z is IMO way too heavy. On xt660z I can do mostly
all kinda off-road I do on exc but at much slower tempo.
Plus on road small tenere give me over 500 km on tank, it's
great DS bike but for physically fit riders