Thinking of selling my 990

[chasbo]

OK, I currently own a KTM 990. I absolutely love the machine. Some of you have seen me fall off of it...

It is so DAMN fun to ride I can never get enough saddle time it seems. It has a couple of down sides though (besides being a perennial rear tire eater), it is expensive as hell to outfit and pretty DAMN heavy off road in the tighter stuff. Two seperate issues. I don't have an enormous salary and am still learning my offroad riding skills, so I have been lately thinking a move to a lighter bike might be smart. Because I am new at this, I am hoping for some wisdom from those that have been there before me and maybe dealt with some of these issues.

The cost thing. OK, so I can take a bunch of time and slowly upgrade the bike to the place I want it to be. It is sort of the brand label problem. All the upgrades carry a premium price. It is hard to figure out which ones are worth it and which ones are just bling, something I want to avoid. The weight thing. It is 500 pounds and when you screw up, it is hell to pick up or even just deal with at slower speeds. I dont see the weight thing going away.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about selling the big KTM and picking up a Honda XR650. From a cost perspective it seems like a home run. Solid reliability and reasonably priced upgrades. I can go nuts and totally outfit a Honda for what I can sell the 990 for stock. Plus, it is well over a hundred pounds lighter, so I am thinking it has to be easier to control offroad.

I haven't put the KTM up for sale yet though, because I really want to be sure before I sell a bike I love this much. I sacrificed a lot to be able to buy it three years ago. I feel as if I am in over my head and was hoping for some input.

What I want is a bike I can take and do the TAT on, go to Alaska, do weekend rides in the woods around here and still be able to ride to Baja if I get the chance. All that and still give me a shit eating grin like the 990 in the twisties. I do not like trailering to go places. I want a bike that can get there and still be fun to ride in the woods.

[bonehead]

I am biased, keep the 990. The xr650l isnt that much lighter or easier to ride off road, trust me.

[Bucho]

Im a big fan of smaller and lighter. I sold my big BMW GS and bought a DR650. For me that was a great decision. On backroads or anything off pavement a smaller lighter thumper wont be giving anything up to your big KaToom. Offroad it will be much easier, but if you refuse to trailer than good knobbies get tore up quick on pavement. A second wheelset can help to offset this, (wheelset w/ street rubber, and another with knobbies) The thumpers can do highway but it will be terrible compare to your big twin. In a minor family emergency I did a 600 mile highway blast on a stock seat DR. Its doable and aftermarket seats, larger tanks, small windscreens make this easier.
You have to be honest with yourself as to how much offroad will you be doing. Alot of roads and dirtroads with very little offroad then your big bike might be a better option.

How much highway to offroad will you be doing?

[Laoch]

Ditto with Bucho- you really have to analyze what type and how much riding you will do. IMHO the 990 is a street bike that can do gravel, like the GS. Sure, some guys can whip it around of road-are you that guy?

XR/DR/KLR all good options depending on your anticipated usage.

Sell that thing- pick up a thumper and a small trail bike.

[Rut Row]

keep it and buy a smaller bike for those off-road rides. I have a 950 and a 450 - couldn't live without both.

[chasbo]

You have to be honest with yourself as to how much offroad will you be doing. Alot of roads and dirtroads with very little offroad then your big bike might be a better option.

How much highway to offroad will you be doing?

I have already decided that I want to do more offroad than I am currently doing. On the road, the 990 is steller. Off road it becomes a handful. I don't have enough experience to ride it like Ned Suisse or others, so a lighter bike seems neccessary.

I was hoping to have a single bike that does it all, that was why I initially got the 990. Yet reading the things written here, it seems that some of you suggest the opposite. Splitting resources is difficult when they are few LOL.

[motojunky]

You have to be honest with yourself as to how much offroad will you be doing. Alot of roads and dirtroads with very little offroad then your big bike might be a better option.

How much highway to offroad will you be doing?

I have already decided that I want to do more offroad than I am currently doing. On the road, the 990 is steller. Off road it becomes a handful. I don't have enough experience to ride it like Ned Suisse or others, so a lighter bike seems neccessary.

I was hoping to have a single bike that does it all, that was why I initially got the 990. Yet reading the things written here, it seems that some of you suggest the opposite. Splitting resources is difficult when they are few LOL.

There are plenty of cheap small dual sports out there in the $1,500 range. Not glamorous or orange, but bikes that will provide tons of smiles. If I were you, I'd keep the 990 and pick up a small cheap dual sport to refine off-road skills but still avoid using a trailer. I'd look for a DR250/350, XR250L, KLR250, XT225, etc. Ultimately, none of those are great off-road bikes either, but they'll work a ton better than your 990 or one of the big thumpers. If a tag wasn't necessary, you could pick up a nice KDX200/220 for $1,500 or less and have a very good off-road bike.

Whatever you choose, have fun!

[mdubya]

I was hoping to have a single bike that does it all...

There is definitely no such thing.

Good suggestions here.

You can get a nice DRZ 400 S in the $2500 - $3000 range.

You will know after a while if you want to continue the lighter, more capable route, or if the big bike is really more your style.

An XR 650 is a great bike, but it is still going to be a pig when things get tight. If you stick to ORV and two track dirt roads, it, or a DR 650, or DRZ 400 will be great.

I hope you have a pick-up or a trailer because long distance to get to the fun stuff on a single is for younger riders than I, or for those that like to suffer.

If you make the commitment to a smaller bike, I will show you some mind blowing dual sport riding in wMD and WV.

I could write a book on the differences and the advantages and disadvantages between my (2) DRZ 400's, my Husky 510, and my KTM 520.

[bonehead]

Keep the 990, mount a hitch then trailer a 2smoker

[Bucho]

You have to be honest with yourself as to how much offroad will you be doing. Alot of roads and dirtroads with very little offroad then your big bike might be a better option.

How much highway to offroad will you be doing?

I have already decided that I want to do more offroad than I am currently doing. On the road, the 990 is steller. Off road it becomes a handful. I don't have enough experience to ride it like Ned Suisse or others, so a lighter bike seems neccessary.

I was hoping to have a single bike that does it all, that was why I initially got the 990. Yet reading the things written here, it seems that some of you suggest the opposite. Splitting resources is difficult when they are few LOL.

I was happy with a 650 thumper as my only bike. I had my suspension well set up and it would single track though it was a little big. However, its still way lighter then your big KTM.
Not that the KLR650 is a bad bike, but its a bit heavier. Get Hondas or Suzuki's 650, or a DRZ. A second wheelset can help the bike be an "everything bike". Having two or three front sprockets can also help. Front sprockets are easy to swap, even on the side of the road/trail. Taller sprocket for a highway/road ride. Smaller for a road/offroad ride.

Like the others said, no one bike does it all. (or at least not very well) But I like my DR650 to be a light weight adventure tourer and have my dualsported twostroke for hardcore offroad.