KTM 530 EXC vs. KTM 690 Enduro R (yes... again)

[DirtFreakQ]

Hi guys,

I sold my XTZ Tenere because I was fed up with the weight of the damn thing and it's lack of offroad capabilities. I had a 250 EXC 2-stroke so you probably know what I mean when I say offroad.

Let's face it I am a knobbies man so let's return to t3h mothership, and get an orange bike

Big problem, I can't decide between the excellent but hardcore KTM 530 EXC or the not-so-hardcore but probably more slab oriented KTM 690 Enduro R.

My preference is going towards the 530 EXC, but I have doubts on its reliability when it comes to eating slab.

For what I will use the bike:

- Offroad riding, probably sand, fast stuff with sometimes some technical bits

- Singletrack riding with probably narrower stuff, but not very often

- Trips to work, about 20 km highway (freeway you call it or interstate or whatever it is), 40 km highway a day max

- Once a year maybe a holiday trip with probably 90% asphalt, slab, with probably distances of 1250 km single so 3000 km total...

If I have to be honest, the 530 EXC looks sexier, seems like a more fun machine and it has a carb (no lousy injection, I HATE INJECTION) so I really dig the bike...

But I'm also afraid of the maintenance... I read stories here of checking valves every 15 hours, changing oil every 1200 miles... This makes it a bit unrealistic I think since I have visions of doom seeing me doing nothing else then either riding or dragging half a toolbox with me on a trip since I need to check the valves half way (I already see it happening: **** I haven't got shim XXX with me...).

So, what's your opinions?

I like the Enduro R as well but I'm afraid it's too road oriented and still has too many troubles engine-wise (after all it is pretty new while the 530 is rock solid...)

Your input is welcome!

Cheers,

Dom

[kvanderende]

Well you don't have to worry about shims. The 530 does not use them. Just a wrench. If you are going to ride any length of time on the road get the 690. I have a 450 and at the end of the day it is a bad ass dirt bike with a plate. Same thing with the 530. You can ride it on the street, but I sure would not take it on a long road trip. That would be like riding a sport bike in an Enduro. Just my two cents.

[RandomDestruction]

Well you don't have to worry about shims. The 530 does not use them. Just a wrench.

Your 530 must be different from mine, because mine definitely uses valve shims.

The good news is that the valves hardly ever need any adjustment after the initial break-in. My bike has well over 100 hours on it and has yet to need a valve adjustment.

I still wouldn't want to take it on any really long street rides because it only holds a little over half a quart of oil, but I have done some pretty long dual sport rides (over 400 miles) with no problems.