Looking for some motorcycle advice

[LiveToWork]

For a young guy in their early 20s should i buy a street legal dirt bike or a more comfortable adventure bike? Im probably wrong but i feel like the adventure bikes are for more mature riders/highway cruises.

to be more specific im looking at KTM 500exc-f or the KTM adventurer 890

right now i have a 2021 yz250f. So im not sure i should get ANOTHER dirt bike(but street legal) or if id be happier with an adventurer?
What would you go for?

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[kermitjewel]

ktm 890 ez

the last motorcycle I owned
99 in roulette, wunoff custom pipe, single but rear hub, quick chain adjust

i

 

[Bryce]

I've got a Kawasaki KLR650 and a Yamaha Super Tenere. Out of what you are looking at, I'd get the 890. But it really depends on what you want to do with it though. The bigger adventure bikes can do mild jeep trails and fire roads but you won't be jumping them or anything remotely motocross in nature. I use mine for loading up with camping gear and heading out on multi-day rides in more remote areas. My Super Tenere is way more at home on Highways then the KLR and the KLR is more at home on dirt than the Super Tenere.

 

[LiveToWork]

I've got a Kawasaki KLR650 and a Yamaha Super Tenere. Out of what you are looking at, I'd get the 890. But it really depends on what you want to do with it though. The bigger adventure bikes can do mild jeep trails and fire roads but you won't be jumping them or anything remotely motocross in nature. I use mine for loading up with camping gear and heading out on multi-day rides in more remote areas. My Super Tenere is way more at home on Highways then the KLR and the KLR is more at home on dirt than the Super Tenere.

Those are some nice bikes!

i dont plan on road tripping. The bike i buy will be for driving around town. If i go off the road, itll be to go up some slopes in the hills or through random back alleys. But mainly 95% in town driving.

how is the 650 for comfort in town? Do you suggest a lighter bike as such for city cruising?

 

[Gregj]

I commuted on a KLR650 for 30,000, surprisingly good highway cruiser with the proper tires and gearing change. I would not hesitate to point that bike any direction and expect to get where I’m going.
Gregj

 

[OllieChristopher]

I recommend a lightweight dual sport for anything that involves off road. I currently own a Super Tenere and Beta 498. The Beta 498 hands down will do anything and go anywhere. The Super Tenere is very limited in what it can do.

As Bryce has stated for peeling off highway miles in loaded down comfort, the Super Tenere all the way.

The KTM 890 is going to be a real handful on anything other than mellow two track. The KTM500EXC is arguably the best all around bike ever built.

FWIW my Beta has easily did an Iron Butt with no issues other than my dumb idea of overfilling it with trans oil and it going on the rear brake:

https://thumpertalk.com/forums/topic/1108972-doing-the-unthinkable-on-a-beta/

Here are mine:

And here is a guys bike I met on my way to Grand Canyon. It's a KTM500EXC he was riding from Canada to the tip of South America.

 

[OllieChristopher]

ktm 890 ez

the last motorcycle I owned
99 in roulette, wunoff custom pipe, single but rear hub, quick chain adjust

i

Ahhhh the Speed triple!!!

 

[LiveToWork]

The Super Tenere is very limited in what it can do.

The KTM 890 is going to be a real handful on anything other than mellow two track. The KTM500EXC is arguably the best all around bike ever built.

The last thing I need is something that is a handful when offroad. My local dirt track was just ruined by a combination of them using the tractor to till the soil, and not using any water to wet it(and I live in desert climate).

I just missed a week of work because I crashed trying to take a sloped corner in the several inches of soft soil on the track. Bike came down and crushed my leg pretty good. I still cant figure out why it happened which scares me about going back.

So to be safe maybe I should get the ktm 500 since my experience level isnt good enough to handle a much bigger 890 off road that you say isnt very suitable for. The professional riders jumping these things kind of make it seem as if its meant for riding off road lots. But then again theyre professionals. I just have 30 hours total ride time in my life lol.

 

[RoadiJeff]

When I was in my early 20s I was thinking of either a street legal off-road or an all road motorcycle. I decided on the off-road because I knew I would get the urge every now and then to explore some trails and things. I bought a Yamaha XT500, it got 65 mpg and I rode it from St. Louis to Key West, FL and back plus a lot of other places over the years. I was single, I had fun with it and eventually sold it for an all street bike.

 

[Kurlon]

I've got a 2016 KTM 500XC-W that I road race and supermoto, it's geared for 100+ and will happily do highway speeds without straining, and yet somehow is still just as happy at very low speeds crawling my slow ass through dirt? That said, I wouldn't WANT to do long highway drives on it, no wind protection at all, it's not a comfortable bike to tuck on for long periods, and it's not heavy enough to not get buffeted by everything around it.

You've got the 250F, I'd say use that for dirt, get the 890 for not dirt.

 

[OllieChristopher]

When I was in my early 20s I was thinking of either a street legal off-road or an all road motorcycle. I decided on the off-road because I knew I would get the urge every now and then to explore some trails and things. I bought a Yamaha XT500, it got 65 mpg and I rode it from St. Louis to Key West, FL and back plus a lot of other places over the years. I was single, I had fun with it and eventually sold it for an all street bike.

That was my first new motorcycle!! I was a poor 19 year old and my uncle co-signed for me to get it. I remember lining up that little dot in the window to find TDC. Thank you for the memory Jeff!!

 

[Covered in Dust]

Both

 

[OllieChristopher]

Both

Just as long as you eat you Wheaties before attempting this kind of stuff on your 890!! LOL In fact I have reached a point in my life that these kind of rides are just a memory. Thus why I'm on a Jeep forum looking to get into a cage in my retirement years for the rough rocky terrain.

 

[Aquasport]

I have a Ktm 500 exc it is an outstanding dual sport go ANYWHERE off road M/C.
Your choice comes down to this...
1. Do you want the street/ hwy legal access mainly just to connect dirt trails and ride in state parks?
or
2. Do You mainly ride a lot of slab and just a bit of mild dirt roads.

1= KTM or Beta 500
2= Kaw KLR 650

 

[Bryce]

Those are some nice bikes!

i dont plan on road tripping. The bike i buy will be for driving around town. If i go off the road, itll be to go up some slopes in the hills or through random back alleys. But mainly 95% in town driving.

how is the 650 for comfort in town? Do you suggest a lighter bike as such for city cruising?

I don't go into my office anymore (fully remote since last year) but I used to commute on it. It doesn't feel heavy to me, but I'm comparing it to my Tenere. It's an old school design and not powerful (35-40hp maybe). I like it but its not everyone's cup of tea. Kawasali has recently updated it, but its still basically the same bike.

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