Both will give you a numb but in no time. Mod the seat boi

Sounds good! I'm thinking once you're out on the road for a while you'll tune in to your KTM, learn it's sounds and ways. Hopefully any changes would be noticed in time, do a repair, replace worn parts. The longer you go the better you'll be able to diagnose and analyze issues ... hopefully catching things before any serious problems arise.

Been reading with great interest.

Having toured on the XRL, I found it underpowered (my mate says the L is for 'lazy')and 'cramped' (I'm 6' 4").

The single biggest advantage of the XRL above any other bike (KTM and DRZ included) that will make me choose it again: easy maintenance and reliability.

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Squily

All good! keep oil cool, keep level to the top. XR's based on 600's of that generation burn oil running fast on highway or going full throttle through deep sand all day long. Watch the level.

Maintenance IS EASY! Very nice ... but if run hard (HOT), valves don't stay in spec too long. Don't let them close up. Poor oil means pitted cams and clacky engine.

Also, IMO, XR's demand good quality oil, (synthetic). Since there is NO oil cooler, synthetic makes a BIG difference. It's Honda's old school air cooling, not even close to the Air/Oil cooled DR650 Suzuki SACS system ... which never over heats! (55,000 miles on mine )

Even though I ditched my XR-L within a year of purchase new (1993), I rode and toured with buddies who kept XR-L's and put lots into them. In early 90's the XR-L was the top dual sport bike. But most All eventually gave up and sold them off. Out of about 7 Honda riding Baja buddies, only ONE still owns and XR-L today. Another buddy has an old XR600R. (better bike IMHO)


70 year old Bob, still wringing out his XR600R. Bob is 6'8". 2000 miles of stuff like this. Happy every day

I made only one Baja trip on my XR-L ... but later made several Baja rides with buddies riding XR-L's. Stuff happens in Baja. Baja eats bikes alive. I saw bent and broken sub frames, seized wheel bearings, broken battery boxes and over heated motors that when taken apart were ruined. (Yes, they ran, but made no power and smoked)

Not all the XR-L's did this ... but the maniacs who rode them like race bikes nearly all paid the price. A few were kitted with over bore kits. Big trouble.

The smart guys fit oil coolers, modified the battery box (Baja Design's used to have a kit), put on a quality aftermarket pipe and reinforced the sub frame ... and let Precision Concepts work on the suspension front and rear. (Team Honda)

The XR-L is TALL ... but the distance between seat and peg is short, so yes, it is a bit cramped for someone 6'4". At 5'6", fit me perfect ... but I could not touch the ground!!

Like every dual sport bike ... the XR-L seat was never made for hours riding. Corbin and others made seats for the XR-L. At one time the XR-L was the star bike in the Baja Designs catalogue. But faded fast when the "new" XR400 came along in about 1997 or '98. A very fun and capable bike ...
even has an oil cooler!

Chris Haines Baja tours still use the XR400 on their tours. Here's a few mixed in with a few CRF's back in '08. They preferred the XR400, cheaper to keep.

Agree, the XR-L is sluggish. I fiddled with my Carb for months ... could never get it to run right or have that snap. "Lazy" is quite accurate IMO!
But the basics are all Honda and mostly good. If the right mods are done and right equipment fitted, it's a good bike and IS reliable.

Baja is extreme torture ... I've seen lots of bikes go belly up there. Including several KTM 520, 525, old 640's. Also XR250 (mine), XL600's (mine and a buddies), KLR's, WR450, CRF450X. None of these bikes were race bikes but were ridden pretty hard by pretty good riders. Stuff happens.

Did you uncork it. Mine is jetting and modded and it pulls great. You can make it way more powerful for under 500 quid but as you say, it the low tuned under stressed engine that makes it dependable.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted i would get 88mph out of my total standard DRZ400S on motorways which was max speed, not comfy but i screwed it like that for hours sometimes, not sure why you struggled to get 65mph and you had mods

it is fact a standard DRZ is very very low maintenance, you should not tarnish its good name by putting it in brackets with a KTM when referring to maintenance issues

Whichever bike I go with, I will have XPC build me a touring seat. I don't go in for monkeybutt...

Oh that hurts Wesley, now I have to go tell my bike thatit's alright to be orange and high strung!

I am doing the TAT solo next year on the SXC and will get to see how it handles an extended trip like that. If it proves to be too high strung, I am leaning towards the DRZ.

oh how I wish I had the money to burn on a 690E!

Several guys in my group have (or had) DRZ400S, all would pull past 80, more like 85 mph ... at which point I'd slip by (barely) on my DR650 ... which could struggle up to about 95 mph. Maybe Ted had super low gearing? :confused1:

Although must say ... even my old "E" model DRZ would top out at 80 mph.
It was not pleasant at that speed however. The S is better on highway for sure.
Stock for stock I'd agree. I've ridden with buddies riding DRZ's ... going for days at 80 mph, then off road. Never seen a problem with one. KTM? Not so much.

But still, a good mechanic who really knows the KTM and keeps up on the shorter maintenance intervals ... can have a pretty reliable bike.

KTM is the better bike for sure but does need alot more maintenance and second hand parts like of ebay are not so available so you will be paying out your ass

Basic if my DRZ was to sh@t itself anywhere in the world with in a 10 minute search on ebay i could have the part brought sent to my family home and then fedex out in days.

KTM????

and as Ted said regarding the XRL

"I prefer the xr650l .. However, parts have to be imported from the USA if you're in Europe"

Availability to source parts fast was another reason on choosing the right bike

I did say that... Then I thought a little more.

The engine in the xr650l is the same as the nx650, fmx650, slr650.. There are parts globally. The forks and shock are compatible with the xr600 as is the exhaust, discs etc. Service items available everywhere too.

David silver spares can so get ANY Honda part from any bike if its still made.


The best thing about these bikes. Drz included, is that you can fit generic stuff very easily. Bodywork, lights, bars, controls etc.

I would never leave the civilised world on a KTM. Fantastic bikes for sure but they like going bang and falling apart and parts are not easy to source in the 3rd world.

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__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I'd say "better performance bike off road", but "better" can have a variety of interpretations ... as a traveler's bike, reliability and easy maintenance has to trump pure performance, no? (does for me anyway!) Also things like comfort, vibes, packing ability et al ... all must be factored in, yea?

But preaching to the choir here ... And cheap is important too ... and KTM parts can be expensive. True, lots DRZ & XR-L used parts cheap online. KTM? Not as much, but stuff is out there ... if you have the time and help.

I did not know that.
I thought Honda sold the XR-L in UK/EU, no? In any case, having parts shipped from USA would probably be CHEAPER than shipping from EU ... and parts prices themselves would be a lot cheaper too sourced from USA.

The trick is having someone at the receiving end to expedite parts through local customs. Not so easy. Checking in with your local embassy can sometimes present a solution.

This is a NX650 RDO8 Honda Dominator. Same engine as XR650L. The better ratio gearbox too.

Already gusseted subframe, proper battery box, rear luggage carrier and comes with an aluminium sump guard which is actually quite good. 17/21 wheels and you can completely overall for suspension for about £400.

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__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.