You failed to mention the KTM 640 Adventure -- built from the mid-90's to 2007 when it was replaced by the 690. The 640 has many features: e-start and kick-start back-up, side and center stand to facilitate puncture repairs, excellent WP suspension from the factory, 50 hp, 5 speed tranny, 7.5 gallon fuel tank with fuel carried low in the frame, Brembo brakes, weighs 350 pounds dry.
@osimnod I will have to make a video about it next time, I have some KTM friends, and I can let them talk about them experience . when it comes to performance , they are some of the best motorcycles in the market .
@@ADVDad-hw9ls It's a tall bike so that dissuades some from it (I'm 5-9, 175 pounds with a 30 inch inseam and 66 years old) but can be lowered through a linkage. It is not a smooth-running bike like a Japanese rig but it's a thumper so you ought to not expect a sewing machine smoothness and off-road you don't notice it anyway. For extended on-off road adventures on typical BDR-type tracks, it's a pretty well-sorted machine capable of carrying your gear.
I’ve many miles on my friends 640 Adventure. Big downside compared to the DR is vibration. Like mondo hand numbing vibes. No way I’d go touring on one. But for an afternoon, off road blast, the 640 is pretty nice. I could have bought a nice 640, but opted for the DR because I like to do multi day rides. No regrets…so far.
@@GreggBennett-j3p I fully understand which is why I stated the caveat about vibration. As for multi-day rides, Lyndon Poskitt rode his modified 690 around the world (see Races2Places series), so apparently the vibration was tolerable for him. Glad you are satisfied with your DR.
I researched for 1.5 years while owing a Honda XR150L as my daily commuter and kept coming back to the DR650. I feel i made the best choice for my application (daily commuting, lite weekend trails) and it can handle much more. So much down low torque and you can actually enjoy it at lower rpms and speeds. I have also been interested in the Tenere 600, and another bike thats rare is the KLX650. They only made it for a few years in the 90s, check it out.
@TheMotorcycleMessenger thanks for sharing your experience. I have a question? How is your DR650 in the cold weather? Here in the winter, the temperature goes down to 25 F° and 32 F° , and I keep commuting with my Super Tenere, it always start and the traction control keeps me safe when there's black ice. I just don't know how a bike without ABS and TC is safe to keep commuting all the year around.
@@ADVDad-hw9ls I have a stock setup and it has done well so far, this will be my first winter having it. I plan to go up one size on the main jet, change the needle position, and turn up the idle some. You should have no issues if you do that, or already have that set up from the previous owner. I can't remember if he said in the video but if he put an aftermarket exhaust and he most likely already went up on the jet size. I hear most people have the best results from changing the position on the needle. I will say that I had a close call one time and had the back wheel lock up so most definitely be very careful.
@TheMotorcycleMessenger good to know. It would be a great addition to the garage for sure. They look great, and I have seen so many positive reviews about this amazing machine. Thanks again
@@ADVDad-hw9ls arguably the most well rounded dual sport machine out there. Huge aftermarket, many directions to go whether you setup for commuting, adventuring, supermoto, trail, Enduro, etc. simple, reliable, easy to work on. Tried and true, getting up to 100k with minimal maintenance and repairs from proof from other rider reviews. Prob. The best RTW base for a build. Take care, and ride safe.
@@ADVDad-hw9ls I took my DR to the brass monkey rally in NZ once, that night it was so cold the lake froze over, I believe it was at least -6C when I woke up in the morning, the DR started up on the second attempt, and ran fine with no choke after a few minutes, that was with a lithium battery too.
I have had those old bikes and I have a new KTM 890R. There is a reason we moved forward, into the future. My new bike is vastly superior to the older bikes. To tell you the truth, when I owned the XR 650R, the XT600Z, The TT600, and others, I thought that they were to heavy and lacked the power to weight ratio that would make the size and weight worth it. So in some ways things have changed a lot and other ways not so much. But the modern bikes are much better bikes, there is really no comparison. Itchy Boots is a small rider so I can see why she opted to look outside of the newer bikes, due to lack of choices for her size. I know so many people that always look to the past as it was so much better, I just don't remember it that way after having lived it and rode those bikes. Sure, some things bring me fond memories but we move forward for a reason. Those older bikes were not perfect either, that is why they don't make them anymore. Older bikes relied on the experience of the rider, new bikes actually make up for some of the riders deficiencies and mistakes which is of great benefit. No one is perfect, so a bike that can make up for the mistake and save your life or keep you from crashing is fine by me.
@tigerking2179 thanks for sharing your experience. I ride all the year around with Yamaha super tenere, i just can't do it with old dualsport , the riding modes, and the Abs and traction control makes it easy. I know few friends got the crf rally when itchy boots got Alaska, and most them got rid of them . And some they are talking about the xt600z 😆. Not every time itchy boots will get a new bike means we have to start looking for the one she got. The market is full of different options and choices that suit everyone .
Depends on what you're using them for, sometimes I do more technical off road riding, and there's no way I would want to be riding a 210kg bike, my DR650 is about 175kg with 25 liters of fuel, and I wouldn't want to go any heavier than that, its also a basic easy to work on bike.
The DR650 has about 3hp less, 3nm more torque 1000rpm lower in the rev range, has more suspension travel and ground clearance, and most importantly is about 18kg lighter, the DR650 gets my vote.
@tribalbc I got the info from a European page. The US has more stringent emission standards than many European countries, forcing manufacturers to make adjustments to engines to reduce pollutants, which can result in lower horsepower.
@hegantetamboktyanak6368 i seen it in this video. ruclips.net/video/zRpuA-eJH0c/видео.htmlsi=iqL2_FFg0Z68BoL6 But I still feel like the dr it's the one to go for
@@ADVDad-hw9ls mate I watched about 10 seconds of that and looked at the channel. , looks like a AI generated load of garbage , they are definitely 43 HP and pre 1995 they were 46 ish HP
Look I have been riding fast bikes since the 1970s, road, enduro and touring around the world owning and hiring. Yes I've crossed the Himmalayas on a Royal Enfield. I love an Enduro, my Suzuki PE175 was a sex toy, Kawasaki 300R a Babe. However, to go touring onroad offroad two up honestly you need a bit more. A Honda Transalp does the job superbly but does not set you afire. Buy one, it will look after you. What will? I went touring yet again in Turkey superb on road off-road. Hired a Yamaha 660. OK it is the single cylinder 5 Valve watercooled single. Absolutely brilliant. To be honest it is a road bike, like my VFR Hondas, silky smooth and the wife on the back approved. BUT it could be a BAAAD boy on a rough road.
@peterturnham5134 Thank you so much for sharing your experience. My wife she doesn't even approve the Yamaha super tenere 1200 😆 She wants me to get the honda goldwing 😆 My experience with big adv bikes, they are super smooth in high speeds. The power feels amazing, specifically in the interstate here in the US. You can be fully loaded and have a passenger and still pass at 130 or 140 km/h. On gravel and soft dirt are okay, but they are not very fun of technical off-road.
xt600 have been expensive here in England forever, they can't possibly go up in price any more 🤣 same with dr650, can buy new in usa for about 6k GBP but a 2nd hand bike in uk from about 2004 costs the same, well, not really but close enough to be stupid - factually it is cheaper to goto usa, buy new dr650, ride usa west to east and ship home via atlantic
@ogasi1798 😆 that funny. Here, you can get a used dr650 for $4k the one from 2006 they are like $3k. I truly love the new bikes more, but I don't mind having something like that as backup
These are always gonna be the most reliable bikes to own...
Dr650
Xr650L
XT660Z Tenere
Xrv750 Africa Twin
XL650 Transalp
@@eddiewilds1750 some of the best bikes out there. And the klr 650 too
@ADVDad-hw9ls oh 100%
The DR. Still in production, huge aftermarket, huge online community.
@JagLite makes more sense to me
You failed to mention the KTM 640 Adventure -- built from the mid-90's to 2007 when it was replaced by the 690. The 640 has many features: e-start and kick-start back-up, side and center stand to facilitate puncture repairs, excellent WP suspension from the factory, 50 hp, 5 speed tranny, 7.5 gallon fuel tank with fuel carried low in the frame, Brembo brakes, weighs 350 pounds dry.
@osimnod I will have to make a video about it next time, I have some KTM friends, and I can let them talk about them experience .
when it comes to performance , they are some of the best motorcycles in the market .
@@ADVDad-hw9ls It's a tall bike so that dissuades some from it (I'm 5-9, 175 pounds with a 30 inch inseam and 66 years old) but can be lowered through a linkage. It is not a smooth-running bike like a Japanese rig but it's a thumper so you ought to not expect a sewing machine smoothness and off-road you don't notice it anyway. For extended on-off road adventures on typical BDR-type tracks, it's a pretty well-sorted machine capable of carrying your gear.
@osimnod It sounds like a good bike. I need to do my research about it, and it would be great to test ride it someday .
I’ve many miles on my friends 640 Adventure. Big downside compared to the DR is vibration. Like mondo hand numbing vibes. No way I’d go touring on one. But for an afternoon, off road blast, the 640 is pretty nice. I could have bought a nice 640, but opted for the DR because I like to do multi day rides. No regrets…so far.
@@GreggBennett-j3p I fully understand which is why I stated the caveat about vibration. As for multi-day rides, Lyndon Poskitt rode his modified 690 around the world (see Races2Places series), so apparently the vibration was tolerable for him. Glad you are satisfied with your DR.
I researched for 1.5 years while owing a Honda XR150L as my daily commuter and kept coming back to the DR650. I feel i made the best choice for my application (daily commuting, lite weekend trails) and it can handle much more. So much down low torque and you can actually enjoy it at lower rpms and speeds. I have also been interested in the Tenere 600, and another bike thats rare is the KLX650. They only made it for a few years in the 90s, check it out.
@TheMotorcycleMessenger
thanks for sharing your experience. I have a question?
How is your DR650 in the cold weather? Here in the winter, the temperature goes down to 25 F° and 32 F° , and I keep commuting with my Super Tenere, it always start and the traction control keeps me safe when there's black ice. I just don't know how a bike without ABS and TC is safe to keep commuting all the year around.
@@ADVDad-hw9ls I have a stock setup and it has done well so far, this will be my first winter having it. I plan to go up one size on the main jet, change the needle position, and turn up the idle some. You should have no issues if you do that, or already have that set up from the previous owner. I can't remember if he said in the video but if he put an aftermarket exhaust and he most likely already went up on the jet size. I hear most people have the best results from changing the position on the needle. I will say that I had a close call one time and had the back wheel lock up so most definitely be very careful.
@TheMotorcycleMessenger good to know. It would be a great addition to the garage for sure. They look great, and I have seen so many positive reviews about this amazing machine. Thanks again
@@ADVDad-hw9ls arguably the most well rounded dual sport machine out there. Huge aftermarket, many directions to go whether you setup for commuting, adventuring, supermoto, trail, Enduro, etc. simple, reliable, easy to work on. Tried and true, getting up to 100k with minimal maintenance and repairs from proof from other rider reviews. Prob. The best RTW base for a build. Take care, and ride safe.
@@ADVDad-hw9ls I took my DR to the brass monkey rally in NZ once, that night it was so cold the lake froze over, I believe it was at least -6C when I woke up in the morning, the DR started up on the second attempt, and ran fine with no choke after a few minutes, that was with a lithium battery too.
I have had those old bikes and I have a new KTM 890R. There is a reason we moved forward, into the future. My new bike is vastly superior to the older bikes. To tell you the truth, when I owned the XR 650R, the XT600Z, The TT600, and others, I thought that they were to heavy and lacked the power to weight ratio that would make the size and weight worth it. So in some ways things have changed a lot and other ways not so much. But the modern bikes are much better bikes, there is really no comparison. Itchy Boots is a small rider so I can see why she opted to look outside of the newer bikes, due to lack of choices for her size. I know so many people that always look to the past as it was so much better, I just don't remember it that way after having lived it and rode those bikes. Sure, some things bring me fond memories but we move forward for a reason. Those older bikes were not perfect either, that is why they don't make them anymore. Older bikes relied on the experience of the rider, new bikes actually make up for some of the riders deficiencies and mistakes which is of great benefit. No one is perfect, so a bike that can make up for the mistake and save your life or keep you from crashing is fine by me.
@tigerking2179 thanks for sharing your experience. I ride all the year around with Yamaha super tenere, i just can't do it with old dualsport , the riding modes, and the Abs and traction control makes it easy.
I know few friends got the crf rally when itchy boots got Alaska, and most them got rid of them . And some they are talking about the xt600z 😆. Not every time itchy boots will get a new bike means we have to start looking for the one she got. The market is full of different options and choices that suit everyone .
Depends on what you're using them for, sometimes I do more technical off road riding, and there's no way I would want to be riding a 210kg bike, my DR650 is about 175kg with 25 liters of fuel, and I wouldn't want to go any heavier than that, its also a basic easy to work on bike.
spot on - i grew up riding those old bikes too, i much prefer my 2019 ktm 500 to my old 500 when i was in the 80s, not even close as a comparison
The DR650 has about 3hp less, 3nm more torque 1000rpm lower in the rev range, has more suspension travel and ground clearance, and most importantly is about 18kg lighter, the DR650 gets my vote.
The 78 thru 80 Yamaha XT500 Kickstarter only is the real thing that will last forever everything else is confort and aesthetic design
@@citizenX117 do you own one?
Love my DR but it's certainly not 50 hp.
Stock is supposed to be 43 at the crank and around 35 at the wheel.
@tribalbc I got the info from a European page.
The US has more stringent emission standards than many European countries, forcing manufacturers to make adjustments to engines to reduce pollutants, which can result in lower horsepower.
And rear wheel has 17” not 18” unfortunately
I would let a thumbs up, but lately I became a thumbs up snob.
Oh, go on, then.
@@RamadanBatata thank you so much
@@ADVDad-hw9ls :-)
Thanks
@@piusbayo7278 you are welcome
Your HP figure is wrong the dr650 is 43 hp
@hegantetamboktyanak6368 i seen it in this video.
ruclips.net/video/zRpuA-eJH0c/видео.htmlsi=iqL2_FFg0Z68BoL6
But I still feel like the dr it's the one to go for
@@ADVDad-hw9ls mate I watched about 10 seconds of that and looked at the channel. , looks like a AI generated load of garbage , they are definitely 43 HP and pre 1995 they were 46 ish HP
@hegantetamboktyanak6368 what bike would you pick for a multiday trip for some on and off road? A dr or the xt600z in 2024?
@@ADVDad-hw9ls I'd go with the xt600 any day , even better a tt600 but if it was tight single track I'd rather be on a xr600 Honda
@hegantetamboktyanak6368 I would like to have one to collect. It looks amazing
Look I have been riding fast bikes since the 1970s, road, enduro and touring around the world owning and hiring. Yes I've crossed the Himmalayas on a Royal Enfield. I love an Enduro, my Suzuki PE175 was a sex toy, Kawasaki 300R a Babe. However, to go touring onroad offroad two up honestly you need a bit more. A Honda Transalp does the job superbly but does not set you afire. Buy one, it will look after you. What will? I went touring yet again in Turkey superb on road off-road. Hired a Yamaha 660. OK it is the single cylinder 5 Valve watercooled single. Absolutely brilliant. To be honest it is a road bike, like my VFR Hondas, silky smooth and the wife on the back approved. BUT it could be a BAAAD boy on a rough road.
@peterturnham5134 Thank you so much for sharing your experience. My wife she doesn't even approve the Yamaha super tenere 1200 😆
She wants me to get the honda goldwing 😆
My experience with big adv bikes, they are super smooth in high speeds. The power feels amazing, specifically in the interstate here in the US. You can be fully loaded and have a passenger and still pass at 130 or 140 km/h. On gravel and soft dirt are okay, but they are not very fun of technical off-road.
Dr650 is 43hp and 53Newtons torque
@@moisesarellano878 it's was a mistake. I should look better at the specs.
xt600 have been expensive here in England forever, they can't possibly go up in price any more 🤣 same with dr650, can buy new in usa for about 6k GBP but a 2nd hand bike in uk from about 2004 costs the same, well, not really but close enough to be stupid - factually it is cheaper to goto usa, buy new dr650, ride usa west to east and ship home via atlantic
@ogasi1798 😆 that funny. Here, you can get a used dr650 for $4k the one from 2006 they are like $3k. I truly love the new bikes more, but I don't mind having something like that as backup