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I decided that I need both the 500exc and the 690 enduro. I also have a tiger 800. I recently had a 790 adv but a truck hit me and totaled it. Motorcycles are like footwear. You need as many as the terrain you cover and the activities that you participate in. 5 bikes is probably the minimum.
I guess you don’t have a kids, or rest of the life besides work! Probably you don’t even work, you income is just coming. Don’t care about your case, I just saying what a statement, where is anything else in your life tucked in if you are just driving?
Great video probably the best comparison out there because it’s not just about the published specs but about the experience you’ve had with both. I’ve had two early model 690s, a 2017 701 with the updated engine and now a 2014 500 exc. I’ve travelled long distance with all of them with luggage, camping etc. I mean cross continents. That’s the use I’ve made of the bikes, absolutely not racing or hard enduro, but as dualsport dirt-inclined long distance riding. Both are amazing bikes and will put a big grin on your face. And both will get you across entire continents. If I could only have one bike it would be the 500 just because I always favour dirt and there is a substantial difference. Also the bike is easier to take apart than a 690, has less things that can go wrong. But for street and gravel roads the 690 excels. For long distance use I change the oil on the 500 at 1500 miles and check the valves as frequently as I can get my hands on feeler gauges and shims. But most reports are that they sometimes need adjusting early on and often stay put for long periods. The engine is actually very robust. The earlier models up to including 2016 are a little heavier but might be a marginally better choice as an adv bike (more oil capacity, Kickstarter, better gearing for long distance, sturdier sub frame...) For enduro or racing I’d go for the newer models which are lighter and even more performing. The opposite is true for the 690/701 where the later bikes are improved and apparently more reliable (the old engine had big issues with the rocker arms). The 500 has bushings within the clutch assembly which help it ease some of that jerkiness. Btw those wear out and then you get play in the transmission so you need to check them (and I suggest to upgrade them for heftier aftermarket ones). If I could have two bikes I’d have a 790 for mixed street and easy trail use (also can 2 up) and a 500. But a 690/701 is in a unique class of its own now and it is a superb bike for sure. As you mention people must bear in mind that any of the two standard bikes require similar level upgrades for long distance use. Thanks again for these great videos because without the actual experience it’s often difficult for us to get a better feeling to make a choice.
@@Insaiyanrider I would for my ratio of off road short distance riding vs longer hauls but it’s a personal choice. I think the ideal choice as stated above is a bigger twin cylinder bike for everyday / highway / 2 up and the exc for the dirt.
Just watched your comparison video between the two KTMS. Excellent work as usual. I read a few of the comments and another viewer mentioned the same info I’m going to add. The biggest reason the 500 has significantly more frequent oil change intervals is due to the piston ring package design. The OEM piston uses a 2 ring design that is borrowed from racing engine applications. Most 4 strokes use a 3 ring design. The state of the art 3 ring piston design seals the combustion process noticeably better than the 2 ring system by keeping harmful combustion by-products out of the oil. Those microscopic pieces of carbon are small enough to get by current oil filter materials and will cause engine wear if used longer than the recommended 15 hour intervals. Since you’ve owned both bikes you’ve likely witnessed how quickly the oil becomes dirty in the 500. An aftermarket (JE, CP, Wiseco replacement piston with a current 3 ting package would provide much longer oil change intervals. There would be a slight performance loss but likely not enough to scare away prospective buyers. In fact, that single change alone may increase buyers. Not that KTM is having ANY difficulty selling every 500 EXC-F that they make! Eagle Mike is a good friend of mine as well. I admired your recent doo hicky video and called Mike to say well done. Cheers!
Agreed! Like you, I’ve had a 690 that I put 12,000 miles on over 3 months in Africa, Europe, the UK and North America servicing every 2000 miles. Aside from riding on the Autobahns, I was kicking myself for not using my 500exc for the trip, especially in Africa. The 500 by far is the better bike overall. I’ve taken it on 2000 mile rides, Motocross, single track and Harescrambles. I have Supermoto wheels for it that I can change out in 15 minutes and studs for winter riding. I have 9000 miles on it now without a single issue. I change the oil depending on how I ride it. The longest interval was 2200 miles that I did over 4 days.
@@axellness The valve checks are super simple with basic tools as long as you have a feeler gauge and carry some shims with you (you only need to carry a few and they weigh nothing)
I recently did a 9,000km trip on my 701 LR. I know for that ride, even though it was more than 50% dirt/sand, the 701 was better than a 500/501. I was cruising at 120km/h - 170km/h on a fully loaded bike, which would be tough on a 500, and the 701LR has 550km range, which even with larger tanks, a 500 can't beat. The extra weight helped it track in the deeper sand, and the subframe made me not worry when the rough became tough. I came from a dirt background, and yes, the 690/701 takes some time to get used to, but I really don't see the extra weight as much of a hinderance. Once you know you can pick it up 15-20 times a day, in 40C heat, you're sweet. I will also say, the bike was faultless the entire trip. I can't say the same about my riding.
The MAIN REASON for the short oil changes on the 500/350/250 is NOT in fact the racing aspect v ordinary dual sport use although that is part of it. Nor is oil capacity, because even at 1.3 litres the 500 has MORE oil capacity (0.026 per cc) than the 1.7 litres 690 (0.024 per cc). Plus it is NOT the power to cc ratio either, they are almost identical in reality in terms of power to cc and power claims for the 500 vary and are open to 'interpretation'. No the REAL reason is the like most enduro 4 stroke engines the EXC range only have 2 piston rings. This is because a third (oil scraper or control ring) is considered unnecessary in a racing engine which will have an oil change after every race. Actually the 500 can go for 1500-2000 miles between changes if used as a dual sport/adventure bike anyway, but if you want to extend its oil change intervals just replace the piston with a high grade 3 ring piston which is obtainable from many after market piston manufacturers. Just make sure it it top quality as even the best are not that expensive when you consider the implications. Without that 3rd ring the carbon passes into the oil much more quickly and degrades the oil much faster. A simple fix which almost nobody ever does because people do not think out of the box.
Great review and comparison. It really does come down to what you are doing with the bike, how aggressive you ride, with who you’re riding etc.... I grew up riding 250 2 strokes in the Oregon mountains, I decided I needed a street legal dirt bike so I naturally bought the best one the KTM 500, then I rode single track with friends (some technical terrain) and I instantly missed my lighter, less stalling two stroke. I wasn’t financially able to have two bikes at that time. I sold the 500 about 3 years later and bought a 2017 KTM 300XC 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻, Absolutely night and day different! The 300 crushes the 500 in every way for what I like to ride. I decided I needed another dual sport bike so I bought a used (400 miles) 2017 Husqvarna 701. I bought it to moto camp with a friend that has a KLR650. The 701 is much better on the road than the 500, and of course not as capable off road, but it does what I want for a moto camping bike. All I need now is a 1290 for a touring bike, lol. Then I will have the “perfect” set 🤙. I am doing a 1700 mile moto camping trip around Oregon in a few weeks (middle of June) this will be my first long ride on the 701. We shall see how it goes 🤘🏻
Sounds pretty awesome. My boyfriend and I are looking to do some moto camping too but we have small bikes (250 EXCF and WR250R) and we are looking toward the 690 from KTM and the 701 from Husqvarna. Would you mind giving me an update on your trip and how you like the 701? Thanks!
@@JohannesDalenMC Sorry for the late response to my trip around Oregon on my 701. It’s was a phenomenal trip. The bike performed as well as I could have hoped. We did about half of the 1700 miles off road. I am 6’3” tall so the bike not having a “windscreen” didn’t bother me. We had some rain days so good gear was greatly appreciated!!! I just did the entire Washington BDR last June. We rode from south (Columbia River/Bridge of the Gods) to north (Canada border). I went with two other guys. One (the guy I rode with around Oregon) KLR650 and another great friend who had a brand new Yamaha T7. This was an incredible ride (highly highly recommend). There is every kind of terrain (including some rocky technical terrain) I was again impressed with the 701 performance. I could “wick it up” anytime I was feeling spicy and had a blast doing it. I have no doubt the T7 would have been great, but DEFINITELY not as fun as the 701. I helped pick up that T7 multiple times, it’s heavier than it looks when it’s on its side. I have also rode a KTM 890. I would still prefer my 701 over that bike. Again I think it’s hard to beat the performance of the 701 in the gnarly stuff. And it’s still fine for pounding miles on the road. I hope this helps. If you want more info let me know 🤙
I chose to live in a place where the desert is 8 minutes away from my garage, and the mild, moderate, and technical trails are 10 minutes away, so my 2015 KTM 500 EXC 6 Days does everything I have ever wanted; with a Rekluse clutch, cush drive, tubliss wheels, and many other mods like rally pegs and others that make the bike more beautiful and safer for the technical trails. And after many years of dual sport riding, I no longer have any desire to ever drive on an Interstate again...so ecstasy has been reached...forever! Great video Big Rock ADV!!!
This is the best quick and detailed summary of the merits of these bikes I have seen. I went for the 500 for all the same reasons. A couple of points though. Re motor longevity, I have now read plenty of testimonials of the durability of the 500. 300/500 + hours with minimal maintenance is now common. Look up the story of Kiwi Aaron Steinman’s round the world trip on his 16 500 on ADVrider. First head work at 60,000 km, first motor pull down at 100,000km. 1,600+ hours and 130,000+ kms with no problems. A couple of issues mentioned. Rebuild your seat yourself, I did it. Make a pannier and rack yourself, he showed the Globetrotting rack. Put on a Haan Cush drive hub. Put on an aftermarket screen such as a Parabrisas screen. Change the gearing, the bike can easily handle 15:42 provided you don’t do tough single track. I am confident in running 1500-2000 km oil changes but I increased the oil capacity with a bigger clutch cover. Overall an excellent summary.
@@BigRockMoto Yes, I have the 18 model and would prefer a kickstart. I carry a jump starter battery just in case. I also would prefer the 19 litre Acerbis tank but it only fitted the models up to 16. Looking forward to more reports.
Big Rock ADV one other important modification is to have the ECU retuned to counteract the lean settings set by the factory. I had mine altered for stronger low and mid range running. Also I am sold on the traction control. Wouldn’t want a bike without it now.
I have a 2018 500excf and I absolutely love that bike. I ride EVERY day (it’s my daily driver). I don’t change my oil as much as they say because, again, I’m issuing it as a daily, not ripping it hard every time it’s out. I did the Supermoto conversion with the Cush hub and it’s soooo much better. Have it desmogged, Ecu, exhaust and it’s basically a monster now. Hands down my favorite bike.
Hi Cody, I just bought myself an 18' as well, with 39 hours on it. I plan on riding it on the street quite often and thought I'd see which supermoto conversion kit you ended up going with. Also, since you primarily have been on the street with yours I was curious what kind of intervals you been changing your oil?
@@nickneisler1062 so i still ride it but my daily usage has slowed down, currently almost 3k miles on it. I change oil every 2 weeks on the weekend, however if i were to daily it again, id probably drop it down to weekly, i have found a good bit of metal shavings in the oil, which is the reason for the slow down. i’ve already done my valves twice now and i’m probably due for a top end here soon. With all that being said, aside from a bad fuel pump, i still love this bike and wouldn’t hesitate to get another.
@@CRG727 Hey I appreciate the information my friend. I know the manufacturer suggests every 15 hours but I've read quite of few guys that push it out to 20 to 30 depending on how hard they been riding it- like using it on the street to mob around nice and easy. That being said I've been hoping that it'd be easier on it if ridden more on road than off. Every time I ride it I fall more in love with it, yet I hate having that feeling that every time I ride it I'm sucking the life out of it lol!
@@nickneisler1062 If I buy an exc 500 I would buy this: Billet Nomad Rhino clutch cover with increased oil capacity. It should extend the oil changes. (well, thats what they claim)
Great review and fair comparison. I went back and forth between the 690 & 790, and bought the 790. A year later, I sold that and bought the 690. Now I go back and forth wondering whether I should sell that and get a 500... Most of my riding is off-road, and that's what I love to do, but I'm in a place in my life where I can only have one bike. For as many days as I've been wishing I've had a smaller bike, I've probably had as many where I wouldn't have been as happy on the smaller bike. Ultimately, the maintenance issue is what has me staying with the 690. I love my 690 because it is a Jack of All Trades, and I accept it is master of none. Now if only they'd make something between the 500 and 690... Maybe a 600 exc or a 590 enduro r? Hmmm....
All of your videos are excellent. I like your format. For example, how you start off with the introduction, then you do a tour of the bike, then you ride it on road, then off-road, then you have a summary at the end. Lots of good information. Your videos helped me decide what bike to get next. I sold my Yamaha WR 250 R and I am going to get a new 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R. Picking it up at the dealership tomorrow.
So tricky to nail it either way. In the real world no matter how much we love the single track and hardcore stuff there are always bits in-between the 690 is so much nicer on. Although the 500 is certainly much easier to ride single tracks, deep sand and rocks the 690 is amazingly capable in the hands of a good off-roader . I run adventure tours in Southern Africa and have been up to recently using 690's as my rentals. Of late we have been replacing them with 500's and discovered my clients (often average dirt riders) are way happier in sand and technical stuff on the 500's and accept the gravel and road bits are a bit unpleasant. For myself I accept the 690 will be a tad cumbersome in tough enduro stuff but surprisingly still incredibly capable for such a big lump. And you can only love the motor once you've derestricted it a bit.
Great breakdown. I have/had 690 and 350EXC. 690 gets 1,000 mile oils changes. That’s usually that’s the limit for me. I either ride the crap out of it, or tow with it. The oil is roached in 1,000. It get’s thinned out. It doe’s have two big filters. 500 only has one if I recall. My 350EXC the oil lasted 15 hours. My first 10 oil changes were 5-10 hours, but about the second time I saw $20 quart oil coming out looking good I decided to pace myself. I rode the crap out of it on the rev-limiter or really slow scorching hot conditions. I’d love to have a 500 (almost bought one) but the 690 is my sweetheart because I have other dirtbikes in the stable. She’s a master of ONE, and that’s the road. The 350 got sold a couple weeks ago. You didn’t mention the gearing that I noticed. The 690 internal gearing is much taller than the 500/350. Single tracking you use a lot of clutch in the slow stuff. I considered getting a Rekluse for my exploratory adventures on the 690, but once I started towing I took that off the plate. I do wish the 690 rev- limiter was 10,500 vs 8,500 that it is. I love ringing the tits off it and hearing that airbox suck gale force air 🤣
I'll have to look into the rings on the piston of the 500 but usually when you see low hour oil change intervals its because it has 1 sealing ring which reduces resistance between the piston and cylinder but produces more horsepower. This adversely allows a little more combustion gas to escape past the rings reaching the oil which degrades oil faster.
Super informative breakdown of these two bikes. Pulling the trigger on a new 500 exc-f this week. Ian's laying out ktm's recommended service vs real world necessity helps me a lot as well (I'll do my own valve checks *after warranty expires). Thanks as always Ian. You are without doubt the best most unbiased TH-cam motorcycle reviewer out there.
Comparing and contrasting these vs a Japan dual sport. Yes these are double the price of a drz 400s but the upgrades needed are about 3k to get it really good. Also Japanese bikes were designed when I was in High School. I have a 390 adv and the technology is fantastic for the price but I need “ something more” for off-road. It’s a fun problem to have. The ktm technology is awesome. The maintenance is a game changer though, I’m not sure what I’ll buy.
Excellent vid. You captured all aspects of the debate, very comprehensive. I want to love the 690-701 class of bikes, however, my 500 is as big as I want to go on the trail. And when I find the gnar, I am glad I have the 500 not a 701!
Best video ever produced on this comparison. Congratulations! I did the extended 7,500 mile TAT in 2015 on a 690 . Did it do it OK? Sure, but every day I dreamed of doing it on the 80lb lighter 500, especially as I met many of your countrymen who were riding 500's and doing 1000 to 1500 mile oil changes with no issues. The sensible person recognises that 90 per cent of engine wear occurs when warming up so if you treat a 500 with consideration for the first 10 mins or so you can massively extend oil changes and valve checks. Hey, 80lbs is 80lbs, that is a very serious difference. I am going to produce my own steel sub frame (easier to repair on the trail) with integral pannier racks so it will only add maybe a 10lb difference to overall weight but make a practical adventure bike. I am surprised nobody has thought to do it commercially. BTW, I found the rear fuel filler on the 690 a total pain in the ass too with luggage onboard.
Hi there! I was curious as to whether or not you ended up designing a sub frame for the EXCF 500. If so how did it turn out?! I'd love to pick your brains, as I'm on the hunt for one myself!
After owning two 690's and now riding a 500 exc-f, I can totally agree that this comparison is spot-on. In addition, you could also said how easier it is to service the exc : filters, troubleshooting, parts price etc... also a better platform to mods IMO. My 690 was a really sick bike in SM trim, no doubt, but the possibilities on a 500 are endless and nothing can make up for the weight difference. Since I dont ride a tons, my 500 is my only bike. Currently installing a bigger tank and a Rade garage fairing on mine for a more broad riding style. I'm pretty sure a well setup 500 is closer to the unicorn than the 690 is... oh and we havent talk about how better the gearing is on the 500 too..
Thanks for this note! Good points. I meant to bring up the gearing too. 690 ratios are too closely spaced. It should cruise the highway but it doesn't which is disappointing.
@@BigRockMoto yep, and the first gear is too long for anything technical. In fact they kept the same gearbox from the duke. The aftermarket can solve that, but we are talking massive $.. (Nova racing gears)
The close gearing sounds like a really disappointing mistake om KTMs part. Of course the 701 with the bigger and more torque motor, And heavier weight should have a wider ratio transmission. At the very least they should have put a tall 6th gear in it For highway cruising. The very definition of a dual sport means that it should be able to do long highway miles without beating itself and the rider to death on the highway
This video convinced me to get a 690/ 701. You made some very good points, and I do already have something for single track/ enduro... I've been getting back into dirt/ dual sport bikes after a long time away, and after coming off a bit of a street bike kick. I've tried, bought, and sold a few dirt & dual sport bikes over the last few years, just figuring out what I want/ need,l. I recently bought an '04 KTM 450exc just to see if I'd like it more than the '04 DRZ 400 I had about 2 seasons ago, and yeah it's MUCH better imo (both on and off road). So, now it's between keeping the 450 and doing the dual sport lighting/ signal kit, OR, selling it to upgrade to a 500 or 690. I mostly just wanted a bit more power/ street ridability, but now I think the 690 is just a better bet. I do have a great dual sport to fill that "dirt bike" roll- a plated 300XCW and that bike is just oh so, soo, good as a dirt bike (I personally think it's perfect) and the trails I want to be able to ride to are generally flat and not very difficult (NJ pine barrens). So yeah, I guess I'll be selling the 450 to make room for a 690!
And the fuel map switch can be fitted at least to the AU and EU versions as my 500 has. The traction control uses the EMS to control the traction control the same way as MX bikes and does not require ABS to function.
I believe same with crf450rl has cush drive only in clutch but got misreported by some early reviews as rear hub cush....good thing is one can buy aftermarket rear wheel that includes cush drive....and then sell the stocker for big bucksto SM crowd that want a set of dual sport hoops too
Excellent review! I’ve owned both as well. I have a 2017 KTM 1290 SA-R to help widen the gap and I loved my 2017 690 ER but now I have a Husky FE501 and love it. It is an all out dirt bike and does have compromises as far as comfort goes but damn is it a killer bike. And after a few rides you forget about how comfortable the 690 was. I am wrenching on the 501 A LOT but I ride it all the time too. Thanks for the review.
Would the service intervals be much worse then the 690? I have a 350 excf and engine rebuilds they say at 105 hours which is silly I think. Thinking if I should sell it and upgrade to 500excf. Just not sure if the added weight and power will be too much for single track and trails. I know better for road and city rides.
@@TheZakkmylde The 500 is not a road bike at all. If I were to only have one dirt bike (I have a TX300i as well), it would be my 501. I can build it out to be a cross country machine, like I just did the Tour of Idaho on it, or I can slim it down for single track. I can ride everything on my 501 that I can on my 300. The nice thing about the 500's is the off idle torque/pull. I think the 350 would be an excellent balance and maybe even better for something like the Tour of Idaho. 20lbs is quite a bit but I haven't ridden one. I wouldn't sell it for a 500. Also, on the 105 rebuild... BS. I have 265 hours on mine, 50000 plus miles and it runs very strong. For just riding like a trail bike, I wouldn't worry about it one bit unless you start seeing signs of an issue. I ride mine hard but I don't wrap it out and bounce it of the rev limiter, there is no need. I change my oil often but usually just because I'm in the habit of doing so.
Excellent review as always. I’m cross shopping these two right now so this is helpful. You mentioned the jack of all trades near the end. This is no knock against what you said, but most people don’t know the full quote. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”.
I'm totally with you at every single point! I've owned them both as well and came up with the exact same conclusion. For my personally purpose, aiming for single tracks, the 500 EXC is my choice (or the 450 but that's another story). And that's regardless however the 500 is my only bike or not. Great explanation =)
Great video! Agree with your assessment. If you want any regular type of dirt riding, the 500 is the choice. I regularly change mine between a motocross bike, enduro single track racing, and 1-3 day camping with soft luggage.
Per usual....a trove of detailed information delivered by one with boots-on-the-pegs experience. Very useful! Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Ty, jd
Great video as always. After pondering about 890 vs 1290, I really thought about my intended use and decided to get a 500 EXC. The plan is to get a big adv bike later, but for now I want a bike just for trails. I’ll start there and then see where it takes me.
I have Toyota Tacoma long bed truck and it is perfect to transport my 500 or emtb. I put any of the two diagonal , use two quick straps and shut the gate. PS. I actually bought 2022 Super Adventure S in February and sold it a few weeks ago. I put 7000 miles on it and it wasn’t my cup of tea. Currently I am happy with Gen 3 SuperDuke and my 500
Wow, one of your very best video guides! You probably just saved me from picking the wrong bike for my purposes! Exceptional video and very informative. Loved the charts showing usage and decision points for each bike. Im definitely going with the Gas Gas 700 / KTM 690. Thanks 👍🙏
I really liked the comparison. I have been doing allot of thinking on the subject lately. I have raced offroad for over 40 years and have recently decided to call it quits and now focus more on recreational rides. I currently have a '18 Husky TX300, '16 KTM 690 Enduro, '13 Yamaha Super Tenere. Before the 300 I had a '15 KTM 500 XC-W, so I am a bit familiar with that category. Like you mentioned, having a big adventure style bike works well for me for touring or when I want to pack heavier. The Super T fits that very well. The TX 300 is absolutely a blast of a bike which could cross over a bit into light dual sport, although I have not done so yet. I was originally setting the 690 bike up leaning towards adventure with the metal racks and aluminum panniers. I have done a couple multi-day camping rides but quickly learned that the bike becomes nothing more than transportation when loaded this way and it is no longer much fun offroad. So like you say, it really depends on what you want you use a 690 for. I decided that multi-day rides are more enjoyable on the Super T so that brings me to how I would want to use the 690. The million dollar question. Leave the 690 lean for day rides with a mix of road and dirt, or consider a 500 again, which is more fun to ride offroad? This is also is very much based on whether or not I keep the 300 as the single track dual sport or not. Obviously, if I did not have that, the choice is clearly the 500. My options for what we ride in Minnesota and occasionally out west are either Bike 1: TX300, Bike 2: 690 R (lean), Bike 3: Super T; or; Bike 1: 500 EXC/FE 501, Bike 2: Super T.
Change your 690 for a 790 and use that for long dual sport rides, or ADV rides when your super ten is too heavy. Keep the 300 and the super ten. My two cents... I have a 790 now.
Big Rock Moto The 790 look nice. I have not tried one yet. I really don’t have big plans of doing long haul dual sport rides though. Camping off of the bike isn’t as appealing to me anymore where long day rides are. Coming from a racing background, I get the most kick out of slightly aggressive riding, yet enjoying the view. I also like touring with my wife which is mostly backcountry gravel and blacktop. The Super T or maybe a future something works nice for 2 up riding or longer rides on my own. Just not sure how the in between bike fits in yet. Thanks for your 2 cents though.
Best comparison !!! Here’s the thing...you really have to know what YOU need. I also have the BMW 1200 GS and I love it. BUT not when it falls over. I’m 65 and I love riding gravel and exploring, that said I, always worried about exploring by myself and take the chances of tipping over on a rough trail somewhere and not be able to right my bike. I’m seriously looking into the Husky 701LR for all my shorter adventures. That’s me.
I just put a deposit on a 2022 690, hope it will be a good decision. I am looking to ride some of the BDR routes. I have a 1250GSA but this bike is too heavy for me for off road. I don’t have much off road experience this will be a first for me, if I really like it I can always add a 500 to the stable as well. 😉
very good summary but it might have been useful to point out the 690 has 2x oil filters and 2x mesh filters which is why the oil serice intervals are also greater.
Nice review. Ideally you would need 3 bikes. I would not use a 500 for single track, but everyone has their opinion what single track A 250 or 300 is king on single track. I had a 500 and 690 and 250 and I with there is just 1 do it all bike. I find you need at least 300lbs for a bike to not really blow you around on the freeway. The 690 is as close as it gets for power and weight. I would not use it for touring but its still comfortable on a 100 mile day freeway trip, and is excellent on fast flowing double and fireroads.
Good vid comparo. That 500 weight was certainly a huge weighup when I considered what bike to get in 2017, but for me, ABS is a safety must for dual sport action. Agree on the oil differential, its disappointing at 1.7 litres on the 690. I do 5000 km max changes , then every second change filters and also check the valve shim clearances, which still remain nicely in spec. I have 40000 km up now and it has been faultless. Done a bunch of outback and desert riding and with a Safari Fuel tank, IMHO the 690 is still the best performance dual sport adventure bike going.
Motorcycles are like footwear, you need many different types. It's not really a question of which bike, it's which bike first. Then you have to figure out which 300 2stroke and which adv bike.
This is the kind of comparison/review that adds real value. And you only really gain this insight from real world experience. Good video and earned a new subscriber. (BTW the most dirt oriented road capable machine I’ve ridden out of the box is the AJP PR7)
I've got a 2016 701. My bike is used for dirt and gravel. I changed oil at 3000 miles and it was battered. The 701 does pretty well on the Trans Euro Trail, aimed at dual sports but having done Strata Florida in Wales on my FE350 I can really see why an enduro works. For me, if I could only have one bike, it'd be the 701. My 350 is brilliant fun, but for big tours it is, in my view, too fragile.
Passed couple of weeks I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about whether I should go with the 690 or the 500, I mainly want a super Moto, I don’t want an adventure bike. I’ve had 3 drz400sm’ s over the years 1 with just with the basic exhaust, 3x3 air box, and jet kit, the 2nd one I had was fully built with a big bore and stroke kit. That drz went from the most reliable bike in the world even with the 3 minor mods I did, it went to one of the most unreliable bikes. With a 330cca lithium ion batteyr, if it didn’t start with 3 or 4 cranks the battery was completely dead then I had to use the kick starter, which I’m glad it had. Like this drz had absolutely everything you could do to it, but then my 3rd and last drz had the same mods as the 1st, the MRD exhaust, 3x3 air box and the jet kit but after that 3rd drz I decided the never buy another carbed super Moto again so hence why I’m looking into KTM for the 500 so after watching this video, I think I’ve decided it’s going to be the 500 exc for me
I'd have bought the 500exc in a second... if it had at least a 5000 mile service interval. I ended up getting the 701 Enduro instead (I just need the bike to have some ability to churn miles without needing an oil change every day). It's fantastic on dirt compared to my heavyweight ADV bikes (Tiger and Multistrada)... but I know the 500 would have been even better (just riding it and feeling how LIGHT it felt made me want it).
Thanks for a very clear understandable comparison. I owned a 250wrf and an Africa Twin1000dct, both satisfying me. As I do not go serious dirt anymore, I sold my 250wrf. And as I intend to go more on 2 tracks trails I bought a 701 because the Africa Twin is way too heavy for longer trail trips as I experienced it. The Africa Twin is perfect on very long trips with majority of pavement, like 5000km over 10days, including duo riding ( like a GS )
Your camera shot here is really good Ian! You look comfortable! Both of these are out of my price range but 500 exc is probably best for how I ride… dirt roads 30-50 miles to trails
Ian! You know ADV bikes better than anyone I know. I bought your WR250R. Good bike. Sold it. Had the opportunity to buy it back but instead I passed and it went to another home. I'd buy it today if it was still around the corner and for sale, but, it isn't. And, as you know, low on power. Then I bought a used 690 Enduro R. We talked about it. Good bike, but a bit too big for my intended purposes. I wound up having a pretty hard getoff and broke some bones. Kinda ruined it for me. So, now I'm between the EXC-F 500 (and the FE 501 S to a lesser extent; I like orange), and the CRF450L! Which one? I don't see any 450L reviews on your channel. I'm leaning KTM, but the lack of a subframe is a drawback (I want to load up a Giant Loop or some such thing). But the decreased weight is a big plus. What do you think?
Honda will be a bit more refined. The price you pay is weight. I voted with money, bought the 2020 500. For you, maybe consider a 350exc or fe350s. You don't really need the extra power in the dirt. The Honda is a great bike but I have had amazing luck with the 3 exc ktms I've owned
If money is not an object you can ride a 500. But put 300-400 hours on it and you will have to rebuild the engine to get it sold and it will be wort nothing anyway. Put 300-400 hours on a 690 and it's one oil change and it will hold most it's value.
Awesome video. I fully understand your reasoning, having found myself in the same place. GSA in the shed and numerous attempts to find the unicorn. Ten years ago my happy place was ktm990 and xlr250. Now it’s GSA1250 and exc530.
Great video. I have a 15 500 xcw as a lite adv bike for short ds day rides and a 19 690 for longer day/BDR’s and a 18 300 Xc with smart carb for pure single track. Like having different tools in the tool box. Just can’t have one.
One last comment here....From what I have seen the REAL answer to the "unicorn"bike" is to work your ass off into becoming a better rider and then get the bigger bike that is great even on the highway (caveat with STELLER suspension and tires) And then use your talent to overcome all that extra bike in the gnary stuff...I actually SEE guys doing exactly this and there are a number of youtube sites showing exactly this kinda thing....for example a crazy austraian that does single track on an AFRICA TWIN and makes it look like he is riding a woods bike...I have seen guys locally on 700s and 890s that defy my understanding of what these motorcyces are capable of....I am now too old to aspire to this but sure looks rewarding!
This was an excellent comparison full of details. About the oil change interval , This year I went and looked at a new 701 at the dealer. They said it has a 2 year warranty that covers everything, And I forgot the miles but I think it was 20000 miles. Did any of you know about this? I did not ask if they reduced the oil change intervals intervals for that warranty, But if it's still 6000, that means they must have incredible confidence in the durability of that motor. Now if they would just put a wide ratio transmission to match The intended purpose of the bike......
I have both bikes. The 690 is a 2020. I don't get very excited riding the 690. It has a fantastic, powerful engine but it is slow-turning on the road and handles poorly offroad (on tight trails). I knew this before I bought it but got it anyway because I wanted a streetbike that was safer than my sportbike, something that was more fun to ride slower and less tempting. It will work fine for that. The 500 is in everyway more fun to ride, both on the street and definitely offroad.
I use my 22 500 to commute and I use 15 front and 44 rear sprocket. i have a windshield on it. and a comfortable seat, it's a great bike. with the sprocket sizes, I have the rpms are pretty low to prevent stressing the engine
Great review coming at a good time! I'm shopping for a 2023 and had settled on the 690 R but with the added fuel capacity (Acerbis) and maybe some wind protection I would much rather the lighter bike. As for power, I had no issue on a 21hp 250cc 2 stroke Bultaco back in the day, my only concern is being able to maintain motorway speeds (no more than 70mph/120kph here) for short stints. The power to weight ratio of these two bikes is almost identical (4.3x hp per lb) due to the large discrepancy in weight.. I may go down to a 350, I don't need more than that, just nee to know it can handle a bit of road work.
I love the power of big bore bikes, i used to own a husaberg fe570 and it was awesome best bike i have owned actually, but the only drawback for me living in Australia it would overheat very quickly on the tight stuff even with fans and exhaust heat wrap it was a problem, ive toyed with the idea of buying another one but have held back because of this.
@@7x779 hey mate, highway it was excellent, dual sport id say yes it has a light mx bike feel and a very comfortable soft riding position for extremely long rides, no kush hubs, i change the oil in all my bikes at 10hours i don't do km's
Interesting compare, I''m considering getting rid of the 500 and Multistrada and get a Beta 390RR race for offroad and a 690 enduro. But maybe the BMW 850 would be better than the 690 for better highway manners and hauling passenger.
This is by far the best comparison video out there and i now have a better feel and understanding for hours vs mileage or hours converted to mileage dependent on use. I currently own the smc690r super moto so i love the bike and im keeping it how ever here in the uk we have green lanes that i would like to hit up but it requires road riding inbetween to get to each green lane so that suggests i should have the 690 enduro how ever i also wouldn't mind attending some full off road enduro events that take place so now i feel like i need to buy the enduro 690 and also buy a dedicated dirt enduro bike😂 im no closer to a decision but i am grateful for the insightful info in this video. 🇬🇧
Both are great. The Enduro R is better in my opinion if you're at least 60/40. 60% off-road, 40% on-road. Primarily because of it's weight (70lbs heavier than the 500), and the fact that it is a wheelie monster. It's borderline hard to keep the front wheel on the ground, which can be a serious problem off-road going up a steep hill. Also, the Enduro R holds 1 gallon more fuel, which you will burn more of at on-road speeds. Plus, that extra horsepower is better for speeds on the roadway. The 500 is better if you're more like 40/60. 40% road, 60% off-road. Why? It's lighter and it doesn't try to flip itself over. The 500 makes more than enough power for the road, but at higher speeds you begin to feel it's limitations more than on the Enduro R.
Funny thing about weight. I've had multiple 250's (2017 XC-W, 2016 XC-F, 2013 XCF-W and 2017 EXC-F) and I've weighed each of them on two scales. I've ridden the XCF-W (four stroke) and XC-W (2 stroke) back to back and even though they weigh less than 10 lbs different the 2 stroke feels MUCH lighter! The 2 smokers mass is down lower and no valves, etc. Same thing with my 790, the weight is carried so much lower that it feels much lighter than the actual witch difference that my 990 ever was.
I have also owned both and the last few mins of this vid sums it up, 690 jack of all master of none. Its a great bike but if you want dirt go 500 or 350 excf. Nice vid.
Great video comparison- this is my first video of yours I have seen. It will not be the last. You may think about showing weight to power ratios. I did t do the math but I bet the 500 is closer than it appear in actual power to weight due to the lighter bike
That's crap - don't listen to crap. At 25hrs the oil is burdened and performance reduced. Race ready requires more maintenance and neglected maintenance is premature failure.
I find the EXC 500 even easier to reach the ground as the bike is much narrower and much much lighter. Difference is definitely not as bad as it seems on paper.
Thanks for the explanation of the two bikes, im currently looking at the ktm 390 and 690, i want both bikes...they seems quite reasonably priced if you get a fairly used one.
Love your videos, but all I can ever think about it is what you must've done to make your moneys - that house, that stable. All incredibly envy-able! Keep up the good work.
Very helpfull video!! Many thanks. I am tired of dragging my 200kg 790adv R so I sold It and i just purchase a 450exc. I also have a sport bike for street use, hopefylly i am not mistaken with the 450 ✌🏼
As a kid they'd convert road bikes into dirt bikes, then by the mid 80's the motorcycle manufacturers must of realised changes would be incremental after that. The mid 80's KX500 would still be stiff competition for a lot of the newer bikes, so for what you pay and what you get, moto's are too costly. Maybe the new small capacity adventure bikes will be the ones to keep an eye on.
I don't own an off-road motorcycle (HD Road King owner) but I've been researching Dirt, Dual, & Adventure bikes. With my intended focus being gravel roads and singletrack (I'm an avid mtn biker) and not minding the 40 mile ride to the trails, it seems like the EXC-F would be the bike for me between these two. Awesome vid with great clarification! Thanx for posting!
nice video. You seem much more at ease on this one than some others. Like the setup, and can see some of the production improvements too. (next time don't start with the laptop screen vertical, ir was better when it was titled back later in the video, not blocking your torso as much). Good content/presentation!
Oooh man thank you so much for your information and the comparison you did was so awesome it really helps a lot .. and i even love what you said at the end of the video as your own opinion of these two beautiful bikes.. and i say as my own option i dont own any of them .. and im now saving to have one . and im sure my money will give me first the 500 i will have it for a while then ill save more and sale it and add money to buy the 690 and will see after that if i wanna keep the 690 or just go back to the 500 .. again thank you so much
Thank you for this vid. I was stuck between the two and after some research and especially this video i will most likely go for the 500. Unless of course i keep my 450 ;p
There is a lot of space between the 500 and those monster touring BMW things . So the 690/701 are really necessary for people with Goggles. Little more convenient and longer distance. I could never desire heavier . So it works . Husky fe350 and the 701 with big tank . Dream team .
I own a Husaberg Fe 501 -14 and a Husqvarna 701 -19 but if I had to choose it would be the Husaberg which is better in everything but needs more frequent maintenance.
I'm planning to sell my lovely Yamaha R6, because here where I live there's no much I can do with it, to have a 250 4T, dual-sport for commuting in the island, everyday use, and the KTM 500 as a real dirtbike, when its time to have fun.
the difference between the 350 and 500 isn't just the bore (piston size) its also the stroke. The shorter stroke on the 350 allows it to rev higher and generate higher horsepower wheras the 500 generates more torque. So the 500 revs less on the highway
So perhaps off subject, but I am looking at upgrading from my 2004 XR400R. I believe the best cross to a KTM might be the 350EXC F, but there are literally none available, and the torque is a little below par on the 350. I am just a little hesitant to jump to the power of a 500EXC F. Should I be concerned? I road a 690 this weekend and while it has twice the power of my XR400R, I had no issues with it. Not sure if that's a fair comparison since different engines deliver their power differently. I guess what I don't want is a snappy race type bike for my two track and occasional single track riding. Any input is really appreciated!
Well a brand new Honda 300 Enduro Rally with ABS is 337 pounds curb weight. So, comparitively, the KTM 690 seems about the same weight which is incredible. What am i missing here?
Honda is wet weight ( ready to ride) , KTM is dry weight which is different for each manufacturer. Some don’t include any fluids. If KTM could gain 30 lbs in fuel and oil.
Right now I started with the normal settings but moved 2 clicks towards firm, clockwise, from that point. So I am 13 clicks out on everything. I set preload to achieve the sag mentioned in the manual. I will tweak from here.
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you just keep saying all the time street riding or freeway riding "it is not a street bike" hope you now its a sumo
I decided that I need both the 500exc and the 690 enduro. I also have a tiger 800. I recently had a 790 adv but a truck hit me and totaled it. Motorcycles are like footwear. You need as many as the terrain you cover and the activities that you participate in. 5 bikes is probably the minimum.
Man I wish my budget allowed minimum of 5 bikes.
Ride the bike you have, regardless of what people say it can and can't do. The bike will manage, whether YOU will or not is the real question...
I guess you don’t have a kids, or rest of the life besides work! Probably you don’t even work, you income is just coming. Don’t care about your case, I just saying what a statement, where is anything else in your life tucked in if you are just driving?
@@ojc8203 oh, I just hate myself. What shall I do?
Yeah im not a huge fan of the 690 and 500 combo..id go 690 and 300.
Your back ground forest is awesome
Great video probably the best comparison out there because it’s not just about the published specs but about the experience you’ve had with both. I’ve had two early model 690s, a 2017 701 with the updated engine and now a 2014 500 exc. I’ve travelled long distance with all of them with luggage, camping etc. I mean cross continents. That’s the use I’ve made of the bikes, absolutely not racing or hard enduro, but as dualsport dirt-inclined long distance riding. Both are amazing bikes and will put a big grin on your face. And both will get you across entire continents. If I could only have one bike it would be the 500 just because I always favour dirt and there is a substantial difference. Also the bike is easier to take apart than a 690, has less things that can go wrong. But for street and gravel roads the 690 excels. For long distance use I change the oil on the 500 at 1500 miles and check the valves as frequently as I can get my hands on feeler gauges and shims. But most reports are that they sometimes need adjusting early on and often stay put for long periods. The engine is actually very robust. The earlier models up to including 2016 are a little heavier but might be a marginally better choice as an adv bike (more oil capacity, Kickstarter, better gearing for long distance, sturdier sub frame...) For enduro or racing I’d go for the newer models which are lighter and even more performing. The opposite is true for the 690/701 where the later bikes are improved and apparently more reliable (the old engine had big issues with the rocker arms). The 500 has bushings within the clutch assembly which help it ease some of that jerkiness. Btw those wear out and then you get play in the transmission so you need to check them (and I suggest to upgrade them for heftier aftermarket ones). If I could have two bikes I’d have a 790 for mixed street and easy trail use (also can 2 up) and a 500. But a 690/701 is in a unique class of its own now and it is a superb bike for sure. As you mention people must bear in mind that any of the two standard bikes require similar level upgrades for long distance use. Thanks again for these great videos because without the actual experience it’s often difficult for us to get a better feeling to make a choice.
What are the oil change and maintenance timesfor 500 EXC ?
the best option would be a 350/500 and a 790R , which Is what I currently have,
@@ispep_loca Every 15hrs but that’s for racing apparently. Could go 30hrs if easy riding.
Would you still stick to the decision of the 500 over the 690? I want to go light adventures and be able to hit the canyons/highway also
@@Insaiyanrider I would for my ratio of off road short distance riding vs longer hauls but it’s a personal choice. I think the ideal choice as stated above is a bigger twin cylinder bike for everyday / highway / 2 up and the exc for the dirt.
Just watched your comparison video between the two KTMS. Excellent work as usual. I read a few of the comments and another viewer mentioned the same info I’m going to add. The biggest reason the 500 has significantly more frequent oil change intervals is due to the piston ring package design. The OEM piston uses a 2 ring design that is borrowed from racing engine applications. Most 4 strokes use a 3 ring design. The state of the art 3 ring piston design seals the combustion process noticeably better than the 2 ring system by keeping harmful combustion by-products out of the oil. Those microscopic pieces of carbon are small enough to get by current oil filter materials and will cause engine wear if used longer than the recommended 15 hour intervals. Since you’ve owned both bikes you’ve likely witnessed how quickly the oil becomes dirty in the 500. An aftermarket (JE, CP, Wiseco replacement piston with a current 3 ting package would provide much longer oil change intervals. There would be a slight performance loss but likely not enough to scare away prospective buyers. In fact, that single change alone may increase buyers. Not that KTM is having ANY difficulty selling every 500 EXC-F that they make!
Eagle Mike is a good friend of mine as well. I admired your recent doo hicky video and called Mike to say well done.
Cheers!
Great point and not mentioned by most people.
Agreed! Like you, I’ve had a 690 that I put 12,000 miles on over 3 months in Africa, Europe, the UK and North America servicing every 2000 miles. Aside from riding on the Autobahns, I was kicking myself for not using my 500exc for the trip, especially in Africa. The 500 by far is the better bike overall. I’ve taken it on 2000 mile rides, Motocross, single track and Harescrambles. I have Supermoto wheels for it that I can change out in 15 minutes and studs for winter riding. I have 9000 miles on it now without a single issue. I change the oil depending on how I ride it. The longest interval was 2200 miles that I did over 4 days.
What scares me from the 500 is the valve checks. How do you do that while touring across countries ? How often are they anyway ?
I’ve had the valve check done twice since new. No problems noticed!
Thanks for this info!
Wow..nice adventure 👍👍
@@axellness The valve checks are super simple with basic tools as long as you have a feeler gauge and carry some shims with you (you only need to carry a few and they weigh nothing)
I recently did a 9,000km trip on my 701 LR. I know for that ride, even though it was more than 50% dirt/sand, the 701 was better than a 500/501. I was cruising at 120km/h - 170km/h on a fully loaded bike, which would be tough on a 500, and the 701LR has 550km range, which even with larger tanks, a 500 can't beat. The extra weight helped it track in the deeper sand, and the subframe made me not worry when the rough became tough. I came from a dirt background, and yes, the 690/701 takes some time to get used to, but I really don't see the extra weight as much of a hinderance. Once you know you can pick it up 15-20 times a day, in 40C heat, you're sweet. I will also say, the bike was faultless the entire trip. I can't say the same about my riding.
what I would like to know is mechanics on the 690, is it a reliable bike?
The MAIN REASON for the short oil changes on the 500/350/250 is NOT in fact the racing aspect v ordinary dual sport use although that is part of it. Nor is oil capacity, because even at 1.3 litres the 500 has MORE oil capacity (0.026 per cc) than the 1.7 litres 690 (0.024 per cc). Plus it is NOT the power to cc ratio either, they are almost identical in reality in terms of power to cc and power claims for the 500 vary and are open to 'interpretation'. No the REAL reason is the like most enduro 4 stroke engines the EXC range only have 2 piston rings. This is because a third (oil scraper or control ring) is considered unnecessary in a racing engine which will have an oil change after every race. Actually the 500 can go for 1500-2000 miles between changes if used as a dual sport/adventure bike anyway, but if you want to extend its oil change intervals just replace the piston with a high grade 3 ring piston which is obtainable from many after market piston manufacturers. Just make sure it it top quality as even the best are not that expensive when you consider the implications. Without that 3rd ring the carbon passes into the oil much more quickly and degrades the oil much faster. A simple fix which almost nobody ever does because people do not think out of the box.
What company makes a piston with the 3rd ring for a KTM 500EXC?
Great review and comparison. It really does come down to what you are doing with the bike, how aggressive you ride, with who you’re riding etc.... I grew up riding 250 2 strokes in the Oregon mountains, I decided I needed a street legal dirt bike so I naturally bought the best one the KTM 500, then I rode single track with friends (some technical terrain) and I instantly missed my lighter, less stalling two stroke. I wasn’t financially able to have two bikes at that time. I sold the 500 about 3 years later and bought a 2017 KTM 300XC 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻, Absolutely night and day different! The 300 crushes the 500 in every way for what I like to ride. I decided I needed another dual sport bike so I bought a used (400 miles) 2017 Husqvarna 701. I bought it to moto camp with a friend that has a KLR650. The 701 is much better on the road than the 500, and of course not as capable off road, but it does what I want for a moto camping bike. All I need now is a 1290 for a touring bike, lol. Then I will have the “perfect” set 🤙. I am doing a 1700 mile moto camping trip around Oregon in a few weeks (middle of June) this will be my first long ride on the 701. We shall see how it goes 🤘🏻
Sounds awesome.
Sounds pretty awesome. My boyfriend and I are looking to do some moto camping too but we have small bikes (250 EXCF and WR250R) and we are looking toward the 690 from KTM and the 701 from Husqvarna. Would you mind giving me an update on your trip and how you like the 701? Thanks!
How did your 1700 mile trip go?
701 update please!
@@JohannesDalenMC
Sorry for the late response to my trip around Oregon on my 701. It’s was a phenomenal trip. The bike performed as well as I could have hoped. We did about half of the 1700 miles off road.
I am 6’3” tall so the bike not having a “windscreen” didn’t bother me. We had some rain days so good gear was greatly appreciated!!!
I just did the entire Washington BDR last June. We rode from south (Columbia River/Bridge of the Gods) to north (Canada border). I went with two other guys. One (the guy I rode with around Oregon) KLR650 and another great friend who had a brand new Yamaha T7. This was an incredible ride (highly highly recommend). There is every kind of terrain (including some rocky technical terrain) I was again impressed with the 701 performance. I could “wick it up” anytime I was feeling spicy and had a blast doing it. I have no doubt the T7 would have been great, but DEFINITELY not as fun as the 701. I helped pick up that T7 multiple times, it’s heavier than it looks when it’s on its side. I have also rode a KTM 890. I would still prefer my 701 over that bike. Again I think it’s hard to beat the performance of the 701 in the gnarly stuff. And it’s still fine for pounding miles on the road.
I hope this helps. If you want more info let me know 🤙
I chose to live in a place where the desert is 8 minutes away from my garage, and the mild, moderate, and technical trails are 10 minutes away, so my 2015 KTM 500 EXC 6 Days does everything I have ever wanted; with a Rekluse clutch, cush drive, tubliss wheels, and many other mods like rally pegs and others that make the bike more beautiful and safer for the technical trails. And after many years of dual sport riding, I no longer have any desire to ever drive on an Interstate again...so ecstasy has been reached...forever! Great video Big Rock ADV!!!
Sounds awesome. I have never had a recluse. May need to try that.
This is the best quick and detailed summary of the merits of these bikes I have seen. I went for the 500 for all the same reasons. A couple of points though. Re motor longevity, I have now read plenty of testimonials of the durability of the 500. 300/500 + hours with minimal maintenance is now common. Look up the story of Kiwi Aaron Steinman’s round the world trip on his 16 500 on ADVrider. First head work at 60,000 km, first motor pull down at 100,000km. 1,600+ hours and 130,000+ kms with no problems.
A couple of issues mentioned. Rebuild your seat yourself, I did it. Make a pannier and rack yourself, he showed the Globetrotting rack. Put on a Haan Cush drive hub. Put on an aftermarket screen such as a Parabrisas screen. Change the gearing, the bike can easily handle 15:42 provided you don’t do tough single track. I am confident in running 1500-2000 km oil changes but I increased the oil capacity with a bigger clutch cover. Overall an excellent summary.
Thank you! I hope the 2020 motor is as reliable as the earlier ones. I have a new 2020 but owned a 2014 before. I do miss the kick start.
@@BigRockMoto Yes, I have the 18 model and would prefer a kickstart. I carry a jump starter battery just in case. I also would prefer the 19 litre Acerbis tank but it only fitted the models up to 16. Looking forward to more reports.
Big Rock ADV one other important modification is to have the ECU retuned to counteract the lean settings set by the factory. I had mine altered for stronger low and mid range running. Also I am sold on the traction control. Wouldn’t want a bike without it now.
I have a 2018 500excf and I absolutely love that bike. I ride EVERY day (it’s my daily driver). I don’t change my oil as much as they say because, again, I’m issuing it as a daily, not ripping it hard every time it’s out. I did the Supermoto conversion with the Cush hub and it’s soooo much better. Have it desmogged, Ecu, exhaust and it’s basically a monster now. Hands down my favorite bike.
Hi Cody, I just bought myself an 18' as well, with 39 hours on it. I plan on riding it on the street quite often and thought I'd see which supermoto conversion kit you ended up going with. Also, since you primarily have been on the street with yours I was curious what kind of intervals you been changing your oil?
@@nickneisler1062 so i still ride it but my daily usage has slowed down, currently almost 3k miles on it. I change oil every 2 weeks on the weekend, however if i were to daily it again, id probably drop it down to weekly, i have found a good bit of metal shavings in the oil, which is the reason for the slow down. i’ve already done my valves twice now and i’m probably due for a top end here soon. With all that being said, aside from a bad fuel pump, i still love this bike and wouldn’t hesitate to get another.
@@CRG727 Hey I appreciate the information my friend. I know the manufacturer suggests every 15 hours but I've read quite of few guys that push it out to 20 to 30 depending on how hard they been riding it- like using it on the street to mob around nice and easy. That being said I've been hoping that it'd be easier on it if ridden more on road than off. Every time I ride it I fall more in love with it, yet I hate having that feeling that every time I ride it I'm sucking the life out of it lol!
@@nickneisler1062 If I buy an exc 500 I would buy this: Billet Nomad Rhino clutch cover with increased oil capacity.
It should extend the oil changes. (well, thats what they claim)
Great review and fair comparison. I went back and forth between the 690 & 790, and bought the 790. A year later, I sold that and bought the 690. Now I go back and forth wondering whether I should sell that and get a 500... Most of my riding is off-road, and that's what I love to do, but I'm in a place in my life where I can only have one bike. For as many days as I've been wishing I've had a smaller bike, I've probably had as many where I wouldn't have been as happy on the smaller bike. Ultimately, the maintenance issue is what has me staying with the 690. I love my 690 because it is a Jack of All Trades, and I accept it is master of none. Now if only they'd make something between the 500 and 690... Maybe a 600 exc or a 590 enduro r? Hmmm....
Hi there DL, I think the 'Codger Biker' TH-cam channel would be really interested to share opinions on this very subject. It's UK based. Salut SV !
Dont see what you'd gain from a 600, it would be practically the same weight as a 690 and not really any smaller. Kinda like the old 640 I guess
All of your videos are excellent. I like your format. For example, how you start off with the introduction, then you do a tour of the bike, then you ride it on road, then off-road, then you have a summary at the end. Lots of good information. Your videos helped me decide what bike to get next. I sold my Yamaha WR 250 R and I am going to get a new 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R. Picking it up at the dealership tomorrow.
congrats! great choice!
So tricky to nail it either way. In the real world no matter how much we love the single track and hardcore stuff there are always bits in-between the 690 is so much nicer on. Although the 500 is certainly much easier to ride single tracks, deep sand and rocks the 690 is amazingly capable in the hands of a good off-roader . I run adventure tours in Southern Africa and have been up to recently using 690's as my rentals. Of late we have been replacing them with 500's and discovered my clients (often average dirt riders) are way happier in sand and technical stuff on the 500's and accept the gravel and road bits are a bit unpleasant.
For myself I accept the 690 will be a tad cumbersome in tough enduro stuff but surprisingly still incredibly capable for such a big lump. And you can only love the motor once you've derestricted it a bit.
Sold my 790 Adventure R and replaced it with a 701. I love the 701. A few mods and it’s the ultimate BDR bike.
Awesome
Great breakdown. I have/had 690 and 350EXC. 690 gets 1,000 mile oils changes. That’s usually that’s the limit for me. I either ride the crap out of it, or tow with it. The oil is roached in 1,000. It get’s thinned out. It doe’s have two big filters. 500 only has one if I recall.
My 350EXC the oil lasted 15 hours. My first 10 oil changes were 5-10 hours, but about the second time I saw $20 quart oil coming out looking good I decided to pace myself. I rode the crap out of it on the rev-limiter or really slow scorching hot conditions.
I’d love to have a 500 (almost bought one) but the 690 is my sweetheart because I have other dirtbikes in the stable. She’s a master of ONE, and that’s the road. The 350 got sold a couple weeks ago.
You didn’t mention the gearing that I noticed. The 690 internal gearing is much taller than the 500/350. Single tracking you use a lot of clutch in the slow stuff. I considered getting a Rekluse for my exploratory adventures on the 690, but once I started towing I took that off the plate.
I do wish the 690 rev- limiter was 10,500 vs 8,500 that it is. I love ringing the tits off it and hearing that airbox suck gale force air 🤣
I'll have to look into the rings on the piston of the 500 but usually when you see low hour oil change intervals its because it has 1 sealing ring which reduces resistance between the piston and cylinder but produces more horsepower. This adversely allows a little more combustion gas to escape past the rings reaching the oil which degrades oil faster.
Excellent point. Overlooked by most.
Super informative breakdown of these two bikes. Pulling the trigger on a new 500 exc-f this week. Ian's laying out ktm's recommended service vs real world necessity helps me a lot as well (I'll do my own valve checks *after warranty expires). Thanks as always Ian. You are without doubt the best most unbiased TH-cam motorcycle reviewer out there.
Comparing and contrasting these vs a Japan dual sport. Yes these are double the price of a drz 400s but the upgrades needed are about 3k to get it really good. Also Japanese bikes were designed when I was in High School. I have a 390 adv and the technology is fantastic for the price but I need “ something more” for off-road. It’s a fun problem to have. The ktm technology is awesome. The maintenance is a game changer though, I’m not sure what I’ll buy.
Excellent vid. You captured all aspects of the debate, very comprehensive. I want to love the 690-701 class of bikes, however, my 500 is as big as I want to go on the trail. And when I find the gnar, I am glad I have the 500 not a 701!
Even tho the comparison was a 3 year old video, it provides the best eval of the 2 bikes. Thx! You have a goto channel!
Best video ever produced on this comparison. Congratulations! I did the extended 7,500 mile TAT in 2015 on a 690 . Did it do it OK? Sure, but every day I dreamed of doing it on the 80lb lighter 500, especially as I met many of your countrymen who were riding 500's and doing 1000 to 1500 mile oil changes with no issues. The sensible person recognises that 90 per cent of engine wear occurs when warming up so if you treat a 500 with consideration for the first 10 mins or so you can massively extend oil changes and valve checks. Hey, 80lbs is 80lbs, that is a very serious difference. I am going to produce my own steel sub frame (easier to repair on the trail) with integral pannier racks so it will only add maybe a 10lb difference to overall weight but make a practical adventure bike. I am surprised nobody has thought to do it commercially. BTW, I found the rear fuel filler on the 690 a total pain in the ass too with luggage onboard.
Hi there! I was curious as to whether or not you ended up designing a sub frame for the EXCF 500. If so how did it turn out?! I'd love to pick your brains, as I'm on the hunt for one myself!
Same question here
After owning two 690's and now riding a 500 exc-f, I can totally agree that this comparison is spot-on. In addition, you could also said how easier it is to service the exc : filters, troubleshooting, parts price etc... also a better platform to mods IMO. My 690 was a really sick bike in SM trim, no doubt, but the possibilities on a 500 are endless and nothing can make up for the weight difference. Since I dont ride a tons, my 500 is my only bike. Currently installing a bigger tank and a Rade garage fairing on mine for a more broad riding style. I'm pretty sure a well setup 500 is closer to the unicorn than the 690 is... oh and we havent talk about how better the gearing is on the 500 too..
Thanks for this note! Good points. I meant to bring up the gearing too. 690 ratios are too closely spaced. It should cruise the highway but it doesn't which is disappointing.
@@BigRockMoto yep, and the first gear is too long for anything technical. In fact they kept the same gearbox from the duke. The aftermarket can solve that, but we are talking massive $.. (Nova racing gears)
The close gearing sounds like a really disappointing mistake om KTMs part. Of course the 701 with the bigger and more torque motor, And heavier weight should have a wider ratio transmission.
At the very least they should have put a tall 6th gear in it For highway cruising. The very definition of a dual sport means that it should be able to do long highway miles without beating itself and the rider to death on the highway
@@7x779 That's why the Husqvarna TE630 is still the only true unicorn. That wide ratio gearbox with the 6th as overdrive is magical .
@@palpinter4204 I will have to look into that. What years did they make them?
This video convinced me to get a 690/ 701. You made some very good points, and I do already have something for single track/ enduro...
I've been getting back into dirt/ dual sport bikes after a long time away, and after coming off a bit of a street bike kick. I've tried, bought, and sold a few dirt & dual sport bikes over the last few years, just figuring out what I want/ need,l.
I recently bought an '04 KTM 450exc just to see if I'd like it more than the '04 DRZ 400 I had about 2 seasons ago, and yeah it's MUCH better imo (both on and off road). So, now it's between keeping the 450 and doing the dual sport lighting/ signal kit, OR, selling it to upgrade to a 500 or 690.
I mostly just wanted a bit more power/ street ridability, but now I think the 690 is just a better bet. I do have a great dual sport to fill that "dirt bike" roll- a plated 300XCW and that bike is just oh so, soo, good as a dirt bike (I personally think it's perfect) and the trails I want to be able to ride to are generally flat and not very difficult (NJ pine barrens).
So yeah, I guess I'll be selling the 450 to make room for a 690!
Note:
The 500 doesn't have a cush drive in the wheel, it DOES however have one in the clutch.
And the fuel map switch can be fitted at least to the AU and EU versions as my 500 has. The traction control uses the EMS to control the traction control the same way as MX bikes and does not require ABS to function.
I believe same with crf450rl has cush drive only in clutch but got misreported by some early reviews as rear hub cush....good thing is one can buy aftermarket rear wheel that includes cush drive....and then sell the stocker for big bucksto SM crowd that want a set of dual sport hoops too
Excellent review! I’ve owned both as well. I have a 2017 KTM 1290 SA-R to help widen the gap and I loved my 2017 690 ER but now I have a Husky FE501 and love it. It is an all out dirt bike and does have compromises as far as comfort goes but damn is it a killer bike. And after a few rides you forget about how comfortable the 690 was. I am wrenching on the 501 A LOT but I ride it all the time too.
Thanks for the review.
Yeah a 1200 and the 500 seems to be a good stable
Would the service intervals be much worse then the 690? I have a 350 excf and engine rebuilds they say at 105 hours which is silly I think. Thinking if I should sell it and upgrade to 500excf. Just not sure if the added weight and power will be too much for single track and trails. I know better for road and city rides.
@@TheZakkmylde The 500 is not a road bike at all. If I were to only have one dirt bike (I have a TX300i as well), it would be my 501. I can build it out to be a cross country machine, like I just did the Tour of Idaho on it, or I can slim it down for single track. I can ride everything on my 501 that I can on my 300. The nice thing about the 500's is the off idle torque/pull. I think the 350 would be an excellent balance and maybe even better for something like the Tour of Idaho. 20lbs is quite a bit but I haven't ridden one. I wouldn't sell it for a 500.
Also, on the 105 rebuild... BS. I have 265 hours on mine, 50000 plus miles and it runs very strong. For just riding like a trail bike, I wouldn't worry about it one bit unless you start seeing signs of an issue. I ride mine hard but I don't wrap it out and bounce it of the rev limiter, there is no need.
I change my oil often but usually just because I'm in the habit of doing so.
Excellent review as always. I’m cross shopping these two right now so this is helpful. You mentioned the jack of all trades near the end. This is no knock against what you said, but most people don’t know the full quote. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”.
I'm totally with you at every single point! I've owned them both as well and came up with the exact same conclusion. For my personally purpose, aiming for single tracks, the 500 EXC is my choice (or the 450 but that's another story). And that's regardless however the 500 is my only bike or not. Great explanation =)
Great video! Agree with your assessment. If you want any regular type of dirt riding, the 500 is the choice. I regularly change mine between a motocross bike, enduro single track racing, and 1-3 day camping with soft luggage.
Per usual....a trove of detailed information delivered by one with boots-on-the-pegs experience.
Very useful!
Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Ty, jd
Many thanks!
Great video as always. After pondering about 890 vs 1290, I really thought about my intended use and decided to get a 500 EXC. The plan is to get a big adv bike later, but for now I want a bike just for trails. I’ll start there and then see where it takes me.
Awesome thanks for sharing
Are you putting the 500 on a trailer to destination?
I have Toyota Tacoma long bed truck and it is perfect to transport my 500 or emtb. I put any of the two diagonal , use two quick straps and shut the gate. PS. I actually bought 2022 Super Adventure S in February and sold it a few weeks ago. I put 7000 miles on it and it wasn’t my cup of tea. Currently I am happy with Gen 3 SuperDuke and my 500
@@TheSuperpod Great! Exactly what I did!
Maybe the best comparison video I have watched. Great job!
Glad you liked it!
Excelente video.
Gracias por compartir tu experiencia.
Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷
Wow, one of your very best video guides! You probably just saved me from picking the wrong bike for my purposes! Exceptional video and very informative. Loved the charts showing usage and decision points for each bike. Im definitely going with the Gas Gas 700 / KTM 690. Thanks 👍🙏
I really liked the comparison. I have been doing allot of thinking on the subject lately. I have raced offroad for over 40 years and have recently decided to call it quits and now focus more on recreational rides. I currently have a '18 Husky TX300, '16 KTM 690 Enduro, '13 Yamaha Super Tenere. Before the 300 I had a '15 KTM 500 XC-W, so I am a bit familiar with that category. Like you mentioned, having a big adventure style bike works well for me for touring or when I want to pack heavier. The Super T fits that very well. The TX 300 is absolutely a blast of a bike which could cross over a bit into light dual sport, although I have not done so yet. I was originally setting the 690 bike up leaning towards adventure with the metal racks and aluminum panniers. I have done a couple multi-day camping rides but quickly learned that the bike becomes nothing more than transportation when loaded this way and it is no longer much fun offroad. So like you say, it really depends on what you want you use a 690 for. I decided that multi-day rides are more enjoyable on the Super T so that brings me to how I would want to use the 690. The million dollar question. Leave the 690 lean for day rides with a mix of road and dirt, or consider a 500 again, which is more fun to ride offroad? This is also is very much based on whether or not I keep the 300 as the single track dual sport or not. Obviously, if I did not have that, the choice is clearly the 500. My options for what we ride in Minnesota and occasionally out west are either Bike 1: TX300, Bike 2: 690 R (lean), Bike 3: Super T; or; Bike 1: 500 EXC/FE 501, Bike 2: Super T.
Change your 690 for a 790 and use that for long dual sport rides, or ADV rides when your super ten is too heavy. Keep the 300 and the super ten. My two cents... I have a 790 now.
Big Rock Moto The 790 look nice. I have not tried one yet. I really don’t have big plans of doing long haul dual sport rides though. Camping off of the bike isn’t as appealing to me anymore where long day rides are. Coming from a racing background, I get the most kick out of slightly aggressive riding, yet enjoying the view. I also like touring with my wife which is mostly backcountry gravel and blacktop. The Super T or maybe a future something works nice for 2 up riding or longer rides on my own. Just not sure how the in between bike fits in yet. Thanks for your 2 cents though.
Best comparison !!! Here’s the thing...you really have to know what YOU need. I also have the BMW 1200 GS and I love it. BUT not when it falls over. I’m 65 and I love riding gravel and exploring, that said I, always worried about exploring by myself and take the chances of tipping over on a rough trail somewhere and not be able to right my bike.
I’m seriously looking into the Husky 701LR for all my shorter adventures. That’s me.
I just put a deposit on a 2022 690, hope it will be a good decision. I am looking to ride some of the BDR routes. I have a 1250GSA but this bike is too heavy for me for off road. I don’t have much off road experience this will be a first for me, if I really like it I can always add a 500 to the stable as well. 😉
very good summary but it might have been useful to point out the 690 has 2x oil filters and 2x mesh filters which is why the oil serice intervals are also greater.
My '04 525 has 2 screens and 2 filters as well, not sure about later 500 models
Nice review. Ideally you would need 3 bikes. I would not use a 500 for single track, but everyone has their opinion what single track A 250 or 300 is king on single track. I had a 500 and 690 and 250 and I with there is just 1 do it all bike. I find you need at least 300lbs for a bike to not really blow you around on the freeway. The 690 is as close as it gets for power and weight. I would not use it for touring but its still comfortable on a 100 mile day freeway trip, and is excellent on fast flowing double and fireroads.
Good vid comparo. That 500 weight was certainly a huge weighup when I considered what bike to get in 2017, but for me, ABS is a safety must for dual sport action. Agree on the oil differential, its disappointing at 1.7 litres on the 690. I do 5000 km max changes , then every second change filters and also check the valve shim clearances, which still remain nicely in spec. I have 40000 km up now and it has been faultless. Done a bunch of outback and desert riding and with a Safari Fuel tank, IMHO the 690 is still the best performance dual sport adventure bike going.
Thanks for sharing
Motorcycles are like footwear, you need many different types. It's not really a question of which bike, it's which bike first. Then you have to figure out which 300 2stroke and which adv bike.
Yep
This is the kind of comparison/review that adds real value. And you only really gain this insight from real world experience.
Good video and earned a new subscriber.
(BTW the most dirt oriented road capable machine I’ve ridden out of the box is the AJP PR7)
I've got a 2016 701. My bike is used for dirt and gravel. I changed oil at 3000 miles and it was battered. The 701 does pretty well on the Trans Euro Trail, aimed at dual sports but having done Strata Florida in Wales on my FE350 I can really see why an enduro works. For me, if I could only have one bike, it'd be the 701. My 350 is brilliant fun, but for big tours it is, in my view, too fragile.
Passed couple of weeks I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about whether I should go with the 690 or the 500, I mainly want a super Moto, I don’t want an adventure bike. I’ve had 3 drz400sm’ s over the years 1 with just with the basic exhaust, 3x3 air box, and jet kit, the 2nd one I had was fully built with a big bore and stroke kit. That drz went from the most reliable bike in the world even with the 3 minor mods I did, it went to one of the most unreliable bikes. With a 330cca lithium ion batteyr, if it didn’t start with 3 or 4 cranks the battery was completely dead then I had to use the kick starter, which I’m glad it had. Like this drz had absolutely everything you could do to it, but then my 3rd and last drz had the same mods as the 1st, the MRD exhaust, 3x3 air box and the jet kit but after that 3rd drz I decided the never buy another carbed super Moto again so hence why I’m looking into KTM for the 500 so after watching this video, I think I’ve decided it’s going to be the 500 exc for me
I'd have bought the 500exc in a second... if it had at least a 5000 mile service interval. I ended up getting the 701 Enduro instead (I just need the bike to have some ability to churn miles without needing an oil change every day). It's fantastic on dirt compared to my heavyweight ADV bikes (Tiger and Multistrada)... but I know the 500 would have been even better (just riding it and feeling how LIGHT it felt made me want it).
Totally agree
Exactly my thoughts of those too.. I'm riding all year around on my 500. Got three sets of wheels and track&ski too😎
That is awesome!
Thanks for a very clear understandable comparison. I owned a 250wrf and an Africa Twin1000dct, both satisfying me. As I do not go serious dirt anymore, I sold my 250wrf. And as I intend to go more on 2 tracks trails I bought a 701 because the Africa Twin is way too heavy for longer trail trips as I experienced it. The Africa Twin is perfect on very long trips with majority of pavement, like 5000km over 10days, including duo riding ( like a GS )
Your camera shot here is really good Ian! You look comfortable!
Both of these are out of my price range but 500 exc is probably best for how I ride… dirt roads 30-50 miles to trails
Ian! You know ADV bikes better than anyone I know. I bought your WR250R. Good bike. Sold it. Had the opportunity to buy it back but instead I passed and it went to another home. I'd buy it today if it was still around the corner and for sale, but, it isn't. And, as you know, low on power.
Then I bought a used 690 Enduro R. We talked about it. Good bike, but a bit too big for my intended purposes. I wound up having a pretty hard getoff and broke some bones. Kinda ruined it for me.
So, now I'm between the EXC-F 500 (and the FE 501 S to a lesser extent; I like orange), and the CRF450L! Which one? I don't see any 450L reviews on your channel. I'm leaning KTM, but the lack of a subframe is a drawback (I want to load up a Giant Loop or some such thing). But the decreased weight is a big plus.
What do you think?
Honda will be a bit more refined. The price you pay is weight. I voted with money, bought the 2020 500. For you, maybe consider a 350exc or fe350s. You don't really need the extra power in the dirt. The Honda is a great bike but I have had amazing luck with the 3 exc ktms I've owned
If money is not an object you can ride a 500. But put 300-400 hours on it and you will have to rebuild the engine to get it sold and it will be wort nothing anyway. Put 300-400 hours on a 690 and it's one oil change and it will hold most it's value.
Awesome video. I fully understand your reasoning, having found myself in the same place. GSA in the shed and numerous attempts to find the unicorn. Ten years ago my happy place was ktm990 and xlr250. Now it’s GSA1250 and exc530.
Great video. I have a 15 500 xcw as a lite adv bike for short ds day rides and a 19 690 for longer day/BDR’s and a 18 300 Xc with smart carb for pure single track. Like having different tools in the tool box. Just can’t have one.
One last comment here....From what I have seen the REAL answer to the "unicorn"bike" is to work your ass off into becoming a better rider and then get the bigger bike that is great even on the highway (caveat with STELLER suspension and tires) And then use your talent to overcome all that extra bike in the gnary stuff...I actually SEE guys doing exactly this and there are a number of youtube sites showing exactly this kinda thing....for example a crazy austraian that does single track on an AFRICA TWIN and makes it look like he is riding a woods bike...I have seen guys locally on 700s and 890s that defy my understanding of what these motorcyces are capable of....I am now too old to aspire to this but sure looks rewarding!
This was an excellent comparison full of details. About the oil change interval , This year I went and looked at a new 701 at the dealer. They said it has a 2 year warranty that covers everything, And I forgot the miles but I think it was 20000 miles. Did any of you know about this?
I did not ask if they reduced the oil change intervals intervals for that warranty, But if it's still 6000, that means they must have incredible confidence in the durability of that motor.
Now if they would just put a wide ratio transmission to match The intended purpose of the bike......
The oil change intervals alone is enough to get the 690
Over the 500
I have both bikes. The 690 is a 2020. I don't get very excited riding the 690. It has a fantastic, powerful engine but it is slow-turning on the road and handles poorly offroad (on tight trails). I knew this before I bought it but got it anyway because I wanted a streetbike that was safer than my sportbike, something that was more fun to ride slower and less tempting. It will work fine for that. The 500 is in everyway more fun to ride, both on the street and definitely offroad.
A REALLY GREAT VIDEO. Addressed a lot of questions I had, especially about service intervals. 👍
I use my 22 500 to commute and I use 15 front and 44 rear sprocket. i have a windshield on it. and a comfortable seat, it's a great bike. with the sprocket sizes, I have the rpms are pretty low to prevent stressing the engine
This video is a fantastic comparison. Very much respect.
Both are awesome but for my needs & usage I bought a KTM 2020 690R ENDURO & what a amazing motorcycle, great video, everyone ride safe.
Thanks for sharing!
Great review coming at a good time! I'm shopping for a 2023 and had settled on the 690 R but with the added fuel capacity (Acerbis) and maybe some wind protection I would much rather the lighter bike. As for power, I had no issue on a 21hp 250cc 2 stroke Bultaco back in the day, my only concern is being able to maintain motorway speeds (no more than 70mph/120kph here) for short stints. The power to weight ratio of these two bikes is almost identical (4.3x hp per lb) due to the large discrepancy in weight.. I may go down to a 350, I don't need more than that, just nee to know it can handle a bit of road work.
I love the power of big bore bikes, i used to own a husaberg fe570 and it was awesome best bike i have owned actually, but the only drawback for me living in Australia it would overheat very quickly on the tight stuff even with fans and exhaust heat wrap it was a problem, ive toyed with the idea of buying another one but have held back because of this.
How was it as a dual sport and on the highway? What was the oil capacity and maintenance intervals? Did it have a Kush hub?
@@7x779 hey mate, highway it was excellent, dual sport id say yes it has a light mx bike feel and a very comfortable soft riding position for extremely long rides, no kush hubs, i change the oil in all my bikes at 10hours i don't do km's
Most comprehensive video I’ve found on this subject. Very much appreciated. Your thoughts at the end very helpful.
Interesting compare, I''m considering getting rid of the 500 and Multistrada and get a Beta 390RR race for offroad and a 690 enduro. But maybe the BMW 850 would be better than the 690 for better highway manners and hauling passenger.
This is by far the best comparison video out there and i now have a better feel and understanding for hours vs mileage or hours converted to mileage dependent on use. I currently own the smc690r super moto so i love the bike and im keeping it how ever here in the uk we have green lanes that i would like to hit up but it requires road riding inbetween to get to each green lane so that suggests i should have the 690 enduro how ever i also wouldn't mind attending some full off road enduro events that take place so now i feel like i need to buy the enduro 690 and also buy a dedicated dirt enduro bike😂 im no closer to a decision but i am grateful for the insightful info in this video. 🇬🇧
I don’t think this review could’ve been better. 👍
Both are great. The Enduro R is better in my opinion if you're at least 60/40. 60% off-road, 40% on-road. Primarily because of it's weight (70lbs heavier than the 500), and the fact that it is a wheelie monster. It's borderline hard to keep the front wheel on the ground, which can be a serious problem off-road going up a steep hill. Also, the Enduro R holds 1 gallon more fuel, which you will burn more of at on-road speeds. Plus, that extra horsepower is better for speeds on the roadway.
The 500 is better if you're more like 40/60. 40% road, 60% off-road. Why? It's lighter and it doesn't try to flip itself over. The 500 makes more than enough power for the road, but at higher speeds you begin to feel it's limitations more than on the Enduro R.
I still cant believe its just 20lbs heavier than my 300 xcw 2-stroke, amazing.
Funny thing about weight.
I've had multiple 250's (2017 XC-W, 2016 XC-F, 2013 XCF-W and 2017 EXC-F) and I've weighed each of them on two scales. I've ridden the XCF-W (four stroke) and XC-W (2 stroke) back to back and even though they weigh less than 10 lbs different the 2 stroke feels MUCH lighter! The 2 smokers mass is down lower and no valves, etc. Same thing with my 790, the weight is carried so much lower that it feels much lighter than the actual witch difference that my 990 ever was.
I have also owned both and the last few mins of this vid sums it up, 690 jack of all master of none. Its a great bike but if you want dirt go 500 or 350 excf. Nice vid.
Great video comparison- this is my first video of yours I have seen. It will not be the last.
You may think about showing weight to power ratios. I did t do the math but I bet the 500 is closer than it appear in actual power to weight due to the lighter bike
Correct!
I change oil every 80 hours on my 500 exc-f for heavy off-road stuff, not a problem at 350 hours now.
Do you lose any oil over that time? How often do you top it up?
Impressive.
Can only imagine how the clutch feels at 75 hours on the oil!
@@l3ulldozer Do these bikes still have the split oil system? Like on my 530, the clutch oil is separated from the engine oil...
That's crap - don't listen to crap.
At 25hrs the oil is burdened and performance reduced.
Race ready requires more maintenance and neglected maintenance is premature failure.
Can you do a new vs older 500 exc comparison? This was a very good comparison!!!!
Yes I plan to do an EXC buyers guide showing changes through the years. Thanks.
I find the EXC 500 even easier to reach the ground as the bike is much narrower and much much lighter. Difference is definitely not as bad as it seems on paper.
Plus the longer suspension sags more once you sit in it
Thanks for the explanation of the two bikes, im currently looking at the ktm 390 and 690, i want both bikes...they seems quite reasonably priced if you get a fairly used one.
Glad I could help
Thanks for the video! I've been on the fence between the two, and this video has helped immensely.
No problem!
Love your videos, but all I can ever think about it is what you must've done to make your moneys - that house, that stable. All incredibly envy-able! Keep up the good work.
Great video..thank.
1. Which one is faster to 60?
2. Which one is easier to wheelie?
3.can both handle 6 4 250 pounds?
Thank you
690 is faster. Both wheelie easily. Both can handle your weight.
Big Rock ADV thanks for quick reply 👍🙏
I have both. 690 is faster but harder to do wheelies in higher gear. Exc500 can wheelie in all gears bacause light weight and lower gearing.
Outstanding review. I have a 530xcw and love it. Rode a 690SMC for a little but the 690 enduro was an awesome bike too.
Very helpfull video!! Many thanks.
I am tired of dragging my 200kg 790adv R so I sold It and i just purchase a 450exc. I also have a sport bike for street use, hopefylly i am not mistaken with the 450 ✌🏼
As a kid they'd convert road bikes into dirt bikes, then by the mid 80's the motorcycle manufacturers must of realised changes would be incremental after that. The mid 80's KX500 would still be stiff competition for a lot of the newer bikes, so for what you pay and what you get, moto's are too costly. Maybe the new small capacity adventure bikes will be the ones to keep an eye on.
I don't own an off-road motorcycle (HD Road King owner) but I've been researching Dirt, Dual, & Adventure bikes.
With my intended focus being gravel roads and singletrack (I'm an avid mtn biker) and not minding the 40 mile ride to the trails, it seems like the EXC-F would be the bike for me between these two.
Awesome vid with great clarification! Thanx for posting!
Have the road king and 500
The rade garage kit (tank underneath the seat) is not that expensive. It's about the same as the acerbis larger tanks for the EXC range.
nice video. You seem much more at ease on this one than some others. Like the setup, and can see some of the production improvements too. (next time don't start with the laptop screen vertical, ir was better when it was titled back later in the video, not blocking your torso as much). Good content/presentation!
Thanks I have no training in this stuff but I am trying to get better
Great information. Thanks for the content. Glad I found your channel.
Oooh man thank you so much for your information and the comparison you did was so awesome it really helps a lot .. and i even love what you said at the end of the video as your own opinion of these two beautiful bikes.. and i say as my own option i dont own any of them .. and im now saving to have one . and im sure my money will give me first the 500 i will have it for a while then ill save more and sale it and add money to buy the 690 and will see after that if i wanna keep the 690 or just go back to the 500 .. again thank you so much
KTM 500 vs 690 = answer just get the AJP PR7!
Thank you for this vid. I was stuck between the two and after some research and especially this video i will most likely go for the 500. Unless of course i keep my 450 ;p
There is a lot of space between the 500 and those monster touring BMW things . So the 690/701 are really necessary for people with Goggles. Little more convenient and longer distance. I could never desire heavier . So it works . Husky fe350 and the 701 with big tank . Dream team .
Great video. Thanks. After the part with the maintenance i decided i go with the 690 :D
I can't make up my mind on these 2 so I think I should just go for the 890
I own a Husaberg Fe 501 -14 and a Husqvarna 701 -19 but if I had to choose it would be the Husaberg which is better in everything but needs more frequent maintenance.
i did 600 mile break in oil change on my SMCR and chose 2500 miles would be better then KTMs suggestion. or by time, 6 month old oil is no go
Well Said.. The 690 enduro r is what I need... Thanks
I'm planning to sell my lovely Yamaha R6, because here where I live there's no much I can do with it, to have a 250 4T, dual-sport for commuting in the island, everyday use, and the KTM 500 as a real dirtbike, when its time to have fun.
the difference between the 350 and 500 isn't just the bore (piston size) its also the stroke. The shorter stroke on the 350 allows it to rev higher and generate higher horsepower wheras the 500 generates more torque. So the 500 revs less on the highway
Very good job!
At the end of the day... I will get a 690 enduro cause I already own a 350 EXCF!
Thank you
So perhaps off subject, but I am looking at upgrading from my 2004 XR400R. I believe the best cross to a KTM might be the 350EXC F, but there are literally none available, and the torque is a little below par on the 350. I am just a little hesitant to jump to the power of a 500EXC F. Should I be concerned? I road a 690 this weekend and while it has twice the power of my XR400R, I had no issues with it. Not sure if that's a fair comparison since different engines deliver their power differently. I guess what I don't want is a snappy race type bike for my two track and occasional single track riding. Any input is really appreciated!
Well a brand new Honda 300 Enduro Rally with ABS is 337 pounds curb weight. So, comparitively, the KTM 690 seems about the same weight which is incredible. What am i missing here?
Honda is wet weight ( ready to ride) , KTM is dry weight which is different for each manufacturer. Some don’t include any fluids. If KTM could gain 30 lbs in fuel and oil.
Great video as always! Can you show us how you set up your suspention for off road riding - preload, rebound, comoression... Thank you
Right now I started with the normal settings but moved 2 clicks towards firm, clockwise, from that point. So I am 13 clicks out on everything. I set preload to achieve the sag mentioned in the manual. I will tweak from here.