Norman walker
Puppy
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2014
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Namibia, Sossusvlei
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
Hi Guys & Girls
I seem to be still looking for the perfect bike. I have 3 bikes a KLR650, XT660Z and a KTM990 .Im a Namibia and I Manage a Lodge so Im on the Lodge for 6 weeks then off for 2 weeks, 80% of my leave I spend doing motorbike trips. I load the bike with all my camping gear and equipment needed for the whole trip. I ride 90% gravel/off road and love doing trips up dry riverbeds and technical staff.
The KLR650 is by far the best off road bike in the group for me, everything feels so easy with it and it feels so much lighter than the other too. Its old school and easy to work on. Its just so under powered and a little boring to ride.
XT660Z is my workhorse and bought it new and it only has 50 000km on it. Its worked hard over the last 4 years due to me working in the Kalahari, then Mozambique and now in the south of Namibia so a lot of the KM have been in very sandy conditions. I think it has the most reliable engine out of the bunch and also very easy to work on but its such a hard motorbike to ride when its loaded up due to it being very top heavy.
The KTM990 i got in April but its stuck in my hometown Swakopmund and cant ride it because of lock down. I have only done about 2000km on the bike sense i bought it. When i was in the market for another bike i was looking for a KTM690 but i came across this KTM990 with only 11 000km on it and fought i had to have it but i think i have made a mistake.
Question 1: So Is the KTM690 a lot better offroad/ gravel roads than the above mentioned motorbikes?
Questions 2: if the right maintenance is done and bike is looked after would you say it will last as long as a xt660z or klr650? I know this is a very open question but for example i would climb on my xt660z with 50 000km and not stress that it will let me down. The guys with higher mileage KTM690 do you feel the same on your bikes?
Thanks everyone for any advice.
I seem to be still looking for the perfect bike. I have 3 bikes a KLR650, XT660Z and a KTM990 .Im a Namibia and I Manage a Lodge so Im on the Lodge for 6 weeks then off for 2 weeks, 80% of my leave I spend doing motorbike trips. I load the bike with all my camping gear and equipment needed for the whole trip. I ride 90% gravel/off road and love doing trips up dry riverbeds and technical staff.
The KLR650 is by far the best off road bike in the group for me, everything feels so easy with it and it feels so much lighter than the other too. Its old school and easy to work on. Its just so under powered and a little boring to ride.
XT660Z is my workhorse and bought it new and it only has 50 000km on it. Its worked hard over the last 4 years due to me working in the Kalahari, then Mozambique and now in the south of Namibia so a lot of the KM have been in very sandy conditions. I think it has the most reliable engine out of the bunch and also very easy to work on but its such a hard motorbike to ride when its loaded up due to it being very top heavy.
The KTM990 i got in April but its stuck in my hometown Swakopmund and cant ride it because of lock down. I have only done about 2000km on the bike sense i bought it. When i was in the market for another bike i was looking for a KTM690 but i came across this KTM990 with only 11 000km on it and fought i had to have it but i think i have made a mistake.
Question 1: So Is the KTM690 a lot better offroad/ gravel roads than the above mentioned motorbikes?
Questions 2: if the right maintenance is done and bike is looked after would you say it will last as long as a xt660z or klr650? I know this is a very open question but for example i would climb on my xt660z with 50 000km and not stress that it will let me down. The guys with higher mileage KTM690 do you feel the same on your bikes?
Thanks everyone for any advice.
