Thumpers and Dual Sports - Overview

Hello everybody,

I am so proud of my KTM 640 Adventure. Unfortunately it has
some serious engine noise that lets me fear for the worst.

I am somewhat disappointed with the KTM LC4 engine's
reliability and for the first time I might fancy a different
bike.





So, this is how I try to make up my mind, which bike might
be fitting. I don't give much about horsepower. Everything
over 44 PS is ok. What is most important: the engine has
to be reliable and the bike must not be too heavy, so that
I can set the bike up again if I should fall.

Hope you like my small posters,
best regards, Svenja

I've owned most all of them and my guess for simplicity and reliability is the DR650. 97/98 had a started clutch issue easuly fixed, other than that very solid.

Hello,
this one might be my next bike. It is simple, reliable, cheap
and widely sold. Yamaha XT660R,
regards, Svenja Svendura

The Honda Transalp 650 is a real great dual sports bike.
Unfortunately it doesn't match the strict exhaust laws
EURO3 and will get no first-time-registration from 2008 on.
It's a pitty, Honda doesn't provide a new engine.

Are you coming up with these graphics yourself. Impressive. I like the electronic yellow highlighting pen ;-)

The KTM priests might not like this answer, but the F650GS has stellar reliabilty and fuel economy. It might not be as nimble offroad, but a lot more autobahn-worthy. Since you live in Germany, you are more likely to drive autobahn than dirt track.

It's around 190kg but very easy to pick up IMHO. Parts - if you ever need them, since this is one of the most reliable BMWs - are easy to come by and the aftermarket is huge. It might be pricey, but there are hundreds of lightly used machines available.

I'm probably going to buy a new DS/adventure bike sometime in the next year. I've owned a TE450 for nearly two years and my experience with the Husky has been excellent. So good that I'm just going to buy a TE610 and keep it simple.
R

what is the engine sound?

Why cant we Americans get cool shit like that? :ddog

Alright another 610 brother. It is a great bike. The seat is the horrible but nothing renzco didn't solve. I highly recommend the 610 absolute joy to ride and quite a good dirt bike or street bike.

Svenja,

I have had two LC4s and lots of experience with them. The engines are among the most reliable singles ever produced. Your description of excessive engine noise is not specific or focused on some part of the engine. Since this bike vibrates it could be a loose motor mount which would make the engine flop around and make noise. I would diagnose the problem first and see if the fix is cheap (or free). Other problems could also occur such as the chain hitting a loose wearing block. Questions:
1) does the noise increase in frequency with engine speed?
2) is the noise constant regardless of engine speed?
3) is the noise there when moving, or when moving and stopped?
4) are there any fluid leaks and if so does the noise seem to come from that part of the engine?
5) can you tell what part of the engine or transmission the noise is coming from?
6) can you describe the noise (whistle, high pitched, low pitched, grinding, crunching, rattling, metallic clanking, etc.)

Stu

Svenja,

I should have added that I sold my 640 for the new '07 KTM 525 EXC which is much lighter, much quicker and far, far more fun off road than the LC4. It is also a capable bike on the street. That said, if I lived in Germany and did not want to work on my bike I think I would look seriously at the new BMW 650XC. It is lighter than the old G650 bikes, faster but just as solid a product. My 525 would just blow it away off road but then I do not think ripping around off road as fast as you can go is one of your criteria. Therefore get the BMW 650XC if you insist on getting rid of your LC4.

Stu

Lite weight. Good power. Cheap. Everything you're looking for.

I'm not finished yet with my short overview on bikes. I am
collecting fotos and information to melt them together with Photoshop
I would like to post more interesting bikes and looking forward for your
remarks on them.

The KLE500 is no longer available in Germany. In 2007 it has be replaced by
the brand new Kawasaki Versys (picture to come...), though there
is a remaining stock of bikes.

Triumph Scrambler
I really love this bike. Steve McQueen rode it in one of his movies,
but I don't know in which. (can anybody help?) You even get the
original number plates, like Steve McQueen had them on his bike.



@mars: "how does the engine sound?"
rather loud and a hard noise. Kind of show off sound.

@racer07: Dr650

discontinued for many years and not available. I had one some 15 years ago and it was a great bike.

@stu: BWM XC650
I love that bike, but it's got only 9.5 l fuel tank and is too much on
the offroad side of bikes.

I will try to describe the noise soon, as my english knowledge is not
good enough to express myself, but I'll give it a try.

regards, Svenja Svendura



​

Thanks a lot. Yes, I do it with PhotoShop. The text marker is a Photoshop brush.

Suzuki V-Strom 650

This one might be the best of bikes according to several german
motorbike magazines. It's won prices over and over. I like the bike
but it is a little too much on the road side of bikes. No offroader.

But please, have a look:

Cheers ! I've got one. Love it.

The accesories list from Yamaha.. is.. well... REALLY limited. From what i aquired for it, the handguards from Yamaha are quite allright (rebranded Acerbis Rally handguards) but the bash-plate is kinda flimsy.
There are plenty of aftermarket parts (centrestands, tougher bashplates, folding gear levers, 2in1 exhausts, shocks etc) if you are willing to invest a bit in it.
You can check out www.off-the-road.de for a rather complete list of farkles (no affiliation).

Noto

Yeahhh, great bike, Noto...! Congrats.

Those guys from Off-The-Road are real XT enthusiasts. They even
offer a complete Rally Raid XT660R that remembers much off the
KTM 640 Rally.

Steve McQueen in "The Great Escape" ?

Looks like a disguised Triumph 650 Scrambler(?)
Heads look same as one posted by Gybeman.

Its too bad you got the 640 if you did not get to enjoy it in the environment it was made for. (60+ % offroad)
All the other bikes you are now considering will be a nice ride for everything the KTM was not made for.
Forget the Triumph. Its only a showpiece with slightly better hardware than it had in the 60's. The 278 bike was Steve's race bike, not used in movies.