He picked up a KTM Enduro 690 R. Not much more weight than the klx, but damn will it scare the crap out of you. Has more power than you need plus more. Then I got back on the KLX and cried my way back home.

 

Well What did you think was going to happen...almost 3 times the bike...
I have a big Harley..But love the little KLX too...KTMs are really nice..that new 1190 one would be fun...

 

My first dirt ride on the KLX was with a KTM 450 rider...we swapped bikes for a while. Big mistake! That thing will run circles around the KLX, wheelie with just the throttle, and roll over rocks like they aren't even there.
Can't even imagine riding the 690, they are sexy machines. Must have been sweet.
I dream of owning/riding a KTM 125 2 stroke with a plate. Love the bumblebee sound and the low weight. KTM surely has the off-road machine wired.
But my real dream bike is a Christini AWD GasGas 300. It would kill in the winter with studs!
Something to shoot for I guess!
I do like keeping up with the orange crowd on the lowly KLX though. They are always surprised to see me right behind them, or passing them. It ain't the ride, it's the rider.

 

Yeah. KTM sure got their **** together. I had no problem keeping up. He actually had a hard time keeping up with me. But he still needs to dial in the suspension and lower the tire pressure some. Was running the 26 psi the dealer set it at. Ride was pretty jarring, but damn will it move.

 

OK...it's Saturday night...I guess everyone's drinking...LOL!

 

The gentleman I sold my KLX to also has a Harley; he says the KLX is faster.

 

When it comes to KTM you better be ready for more maintenance. The KLXs are as close to maintenance free as possible. The KTM isn't. A friend went from a DRz400 to a KTM450 figuring it would be better off road. It was, but it was harder to live with. He now has another DRz400... Ride it park it ignore it ride it park it ignore it ride it... ad infinitum.

Just sayin' there will be trade offs. A friend has an Aprilia SVX550 supermoto that will kick my KLX678 (big bore) in the pants. He's has a lot of maintenance and even a tear down. Mine has 30,000 trouble free miles with a few maintenance adjustments. None in the past 10,000 or more miles. Not sure if the KTMs are doing that yet. There is a price for horsepower and light weight.

 

The 690 lc4 motor in that KTM has very little maintenance. Its not a race engine. Built for the street. Not saying its going to be as simple as the KLX, but It wont be that extreme maintenance.

 

If I had 10K extra money to burn for fun, I'd buy a KTM690. It's been my lust bike for some time. But it is 10K...not play money.

 

Yeah after all said and done It was close to $11,500. All the extra charges thrown in at the end. I beat the crap out of my KLX and it likes to sleep on the ground more than once everytime I ride. Just couldn't see doing that to the KTM.