has anybody rode the HUSKY 510smr or the KTM 690?

thanks for staying positive and actually giving me useful info without freaking out on me im new to this sumo stuff and i like soaing my brain with knowledge thanks again and you ride safe also

I personally thought that the original post was very on topic and a perfectly reasonable question from a first time Motard owner.

I've owned the KTM640SM, KTM690SM, had a DRZ400SM as a company bike and gotten plenty of seat time on as many of the others that I could. I now have a pair of WR's , the R for the dirt and the X for the missus to ride to work and for me to play on the road on weekends.

The KTM's both have 6000km service intervals, not that far off the WR but the valve clearances need to be done more often. The 640 was a fairly vibey beast which was improved immensely with the 690. Both bikes had loads of torque everywhere and were capable of close to 190kph (120mph) once the exhaust was allowed to flow properly. The 690 had a lot of low down fueling issues which were eventually fixed with a new map uploaded to the stock ECU. Wheelie wise they were both capable of power wheelies in the first 4 gears in the right hands. My fine balance is affected slightly by me being blind in one eye so I was never much of a wheelie monster.
The only reason I sold the 690 was that it wasn't getting ridden that much due to lack of time and other toys, and the registration costs here for anything over 300cc is about 3x what it costs to rego under 300cc's. I often regret selling it though. Even though they are a fair bit heavier than the WR, they give you a punch out of the corners that can't be beat and they are a hell of a lot fun. All that torque on a twisty gravel road on full street tyres is something that has to be experienced at least once in your life.

I traded rides with a friend with a 690. I did not rave about it and did not go buy one. They are very expensive to buy and then, sorta like the WRR, you have to spend like 2-3 K more to get all the extras so that it's really set up for you. BMW just bought Husky so I expect that Husky will get a big boost technically and with lots of $$$ for advertising.

I had Huskys for decades... back in the "good ole days" of 2 strokes. They were some of the best motos in the world when made in Sweden. After that, it was Cagiva and probably some other companies. I lost all interest in them. Now, I wouldn't buy any of them bc they are so powerful, loud and expensive. I don't have the skills to handle the power anymore.

If you can handle it, go for it.

playwme wrote:

All that torque on a twisty gravel road on full street tyres is something that has to be experienced at least once in your life.

Goes along with my "Funnest first three gears ever put in a M/C". Not to mention that there is no real substitute for that feeling.

Can a mod please move this thread to the "Off Topic" area?

Honestly - this is like somebody asking about Shelby Cobra's in a Jeep forum.

It doesn't belong in the wrr/x general discussion area.

Last I looked, "Off Topic" is "Not Bike Related".

Are you suggesting we have a "Other bikes discussion" category ?

I mean: Heaven forbid we draw the potential for discussion of comparing different makes/models to WRs ! * Gasp *

Don't lose any sleep there X-racer ole buddy.
I won't be leaving this little forum in a huff just because my suggestion doesn't make sense to anyone.

I just think the virtues and other idiosyncrasies of the KTM, Aprilia, and Husky bikes should probably be discussed in a non-wr/x dedicated sub-forum.

If the mods don't wanna move it, that's cool too. It was just a suggestion.

I'll still be around to bless you with my magical thoughts and inspirational posts.

motokid wrote:

I'll still be around to bless you with my magical thoughts and inspirational posts.

Well let me know when you transition to your magical thoughts and inspirational posts . I don't want to miss your best work.

So just a question... If we were discussing other Yamahas (e.g. WRFs for example) WRT comparison to the WR/X I assume that would be okay ?

Just trying to get to where the sensitivity threshold lies.

I think the topic is fine. The title is clear. Click on it. If you like it...read it. If you don't... there are plenty of other threads available. Lots of WR owners have multiple bikes. There's not a bike out that will be perfect at everything to everyone. If a WR owner is looking for a second bike, asking other WR owners for an opinion is totally valid for comparison. As I said, if you don't the thread, just move to another. Ironically, what's really off topic is us discussing whether the original post was off topic or not. Well, gotta go and try to wrap my head around all of motokid's magical thoughts???????????????

Marioscario wrote:

I think the topic is fine. The title is clear. Click on it. If you like it...read it. If you don't... there are plenty of other threads available.

Egggzackree....

Marioscario wrote:

Lots of WR owners have multiple bikes. There's not a bike out that will be perfect at everything to everyone. If a WR owner is looking for a second bike, asking other WR owners for an opinion is totally valid for comparison.

Uh huh... Therein lies my opinion.

Marioscario wrote:

As I said, if you don't the thread, just move to another. Ironically, what's really off topic is us discussing whether the original post was off topic or not. Well, gotta go and try to wrap my head around all of motokid's magical thoughts ?

Well... That could be a challenge. Some can't resist temptation to respond on subjects where hey have no real experience for input.

So as long as your head has some elasticity you may be okay.

You believe in Unicorns right ?

motokid wrote:

Can a mod please move this thread to the "Off Topic" area?

No.

You seem to be the only one having a problem with the thread; that fact doesn't qualify it for being moved to Off Topic.

As has been pointed out previously in other topics: if somebody doesn't like a thread's contents, then they can exercise their freedom not to read - or post to - the thread that annoys them. We are not going to move threads, delete threads, censor threads, etc just because one individual is annoyed.

We try to be as open minded as possible here, so there isn't going to be a bunch of tight-assed rules about what people can and can't post here. Generally speaking, if it has something to do with motorcycles, close enough. If you want to talk politics or a discussion here gets a little heated - that's it can go to Off Topic.

Back to the discussion of the expensive exotic bikes.

Did a monster bush ride over the weekend that all 4 riders agreed was one of the most insane we've ever attempted. Bikes were: 2007 KTM 250SXF, 2010 TE 510, 2009 WRR and the medal-winner of the day....2008 KLR 650. The WR did really well...smooth and totally capable. ...a little lacking in traction at times with the stock rear tire, but still damn good. I swapped bikes with the Husky for a while. Again, the incredible balls-out power was stupefying. I would crank on it good for a while with that loud motor and pipe hollering out, feeling all the bumps with the tight suspension. I'd then look behind me to make sure I hadn't lost the group, as I was certain that I just raced off ahead, but they were all there not too far behind. The power, vibes and noise of the Husky make you feel like you're racing like Evel Kinevel. But not too far behind was the smooth WR, riding comfortably on the same terrain with the rider smiling. I must say that the Husky at times had the power to literally launch and climb over some hairy shit, whereas I had to had to duke it out a bit more on the WR. But the smaller dimensions of the WR are a real asset for maneuverability and handling.

Interesting and totally relevant to be comparing these bikes.

Sproat Sport wrote:

Did a monster bush ride over the weekend that all 4 riders agreed was one of the most insane we've ever attempted. Bikes were: 2007 KTM 250SXF, 2010 TE 510, 2009 WRR and the medal-winner of the day....2008 KLR 650.

Sacrilege. How did that pig end up being the medal winner of the day?

Probably not the best choice of words, and I end up riding two of my friends' KLRs fairly often (as they seem to often want to ride the WRR off the slab...) and think they're a pretty nice bike once you put aside becoming acclimated to the trim WRR . I can think of some rider profiles where the KLR would be a better overall choice than the WRR, and it is a bike whose record earns it respect.

But to be the medal winner of the day on a "monstor bush ride"????? Hmmmmm....

Interesting comment about many peoples' Head-O-Meters equating sensory input with more power and performance however. That's true with other things that have nothing to do with motorcycles. Noise and fury doesn't necessarily equal faster, smoother, stronger, etc.

Ha....

What I meant was that he won the medal for attempting to keep up with us on his HUGE PIG KLR. I used to have an 08 KLR, so I know what he was going through. I've never seen anybody take a KLR through this stuff we were doing. Yikes...no thanks.

It's interesting how the different kinds of bikes in the pack affect how the group rides. The guy with the KTM 250 was definitely pushing us all a bit.

dunno if this helps, but i just bought this














its freaking night and day difference compared to X.

little squirt wrote:

dunno if this helps, but i just bought this














its freaking night and day difference compared to X.

YOU BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!

For the life of me I can't figure out why Yamaha won't do something like that.

What's the recommended maintenance like on that sexy piece of machinery?

What happened to the KTM you had just a week ago or so?

I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!

ktm had title problems, dont want to get into that, my buddy bought it back.

oil changes are like 500-1,000 mile mark and valves checks approx every 1500 miles.

it is absolutely a powerhouse, bike makes 20hp more than my WRX and weighs 30 lbs less

I have owned a '08 DRZ 400 SM with full Yoshi, jet kit, 3x3 mod k&n filter in 2008, and also owned a 2005 KTM 625 SMC last summer that was uncorked, and last week I bought a '08 WR250X....IMO there all great bikes, the DRZ was a ton of fun, needed the mods though to make it feel right, still a bit heavy...he KTM was a powerhouse, tons of fun and could ride it all day with my sportbike friends, it was nothing to wheelie in first second or third. I just bought the WR and didn't know what to expect, but I knew it had a 6 speed and fuel injection which were now a must for me, I haven't rode it a lot yet, just in the dirt (Pirelli MT21's on it) and it's an absolute blast! I can't see me doing what I have done with it with the previous bikes, the drz would have been on its side atleast once or twice, and the KTM I would be out in the woods somewhere, and it also felt much heavier than the WR. I would rather ride a small bike fast than a fast bike slow. I just sold my '07 GSXR 750 to buy this bike, and I can tell you the smile factor tells me I have done the right thing...and then I looked in the owners manual and saw 42,000 valve check intervals and laughed...checked the valves 3 times last summer in the KTM. The WR is really all that is needed on the street and in the dirt, I love how nimble it feels, and the front end is always wanting to point to the sky.

damn squirt... sick bike, congrats!!! I almost bought me one before the X but too much maintainence for me on a DD. Good luck w/ the new bike. I'll be watching for updates and new parts. ;)