Help me choose a bike

I've been looking at dual sport motorcycles and I'm thinking about getting a Yamaha wr450f or a ktm 450 exc. I'm not sure which one I should get. Is one better than the other? More reliable? I'm new to the whole dual sport scene so any info is greatly appreciated. Also, I'll be using it mainly for riding around town.

 

1 vote for dr650. Best all around bike I have owned

 

Yamaha TW200. Watch some youtube vids. I had sooo much fun with mine.

 

Have you been on a dirtbike before? Do you need it plated or not? I have owned a wr440f, and am currently on a ktm 500exc.

 

I do ride dirt bikes and I would like to get a bike that is plated. How do you like your ktm?

 

Just going to put this here. Wish I never sold it

 

Be sure to check out the Honda CRF450L if you're in that range of engine size. I had a CRF250L at one point and own an Africa Twin now. Hondas are solid bikes, but the Yammies and KTMs have their appeal too.

 

The Yam will be easier and cheaper to fix.

The Suzuki is a damn good bike also. The DR just won’t die. A bit heavier but still gets it done.
It is even cheaper to fix.

As far as which is better....depends on what YOU want it do. ALL bikes are great, some just have better abilities than others in certain areas.

 

I’d suggest looking looking at the CRF450L too. Saw one at the Long Beach motorcycle show and I was quite impressed. Also watched a video on it and looked pretty good. Still not as legitimate of an offroad bike as a ktm. Have a 01 wR426 that is plated and totally dialed in and absolutely love it- e start would be nice though.

 

Not a big fan of the Honda myself,

Hard to buy parts as assemblies. Honda likes to nickel and dime you for parts.

Honda ain’t what they once were, they used to be the most reliable and longest lasting, seems like they have been going away from that slowly since right around 2000.

But, check em all out before you buy.

 

I definitely agree that they aren’t what they used to be but at the same time we have become a disposable society. A lot of car and motorcycle manufactures build things to match what the market wants. If it’s cheap and throw away they want cheap and throw away they get My point was they put a lot into making the bike really smooth, little vibration and really quiet. With that said I need any dual sport that I were to own to be a dirt bike first and foremost but with a plate. As far as factory plated bike go ktm would be a bike I’d buy if I were in the market. Seems like they have great aftermarket support to minimize to DOT crap with just keeping it legal- barely.

 

KTM is a good bike, the specs on the bike when rebuilding are like BMW’s exact measurements on things like oil seal instal, don’t do it like KTM dictates and the part or engine leaks or fails. The Japanese at least give a little wiggle room.

Don’t get me wrong, I used to love Honda, raced a 929 for a few yrs, then got the R1......now I want the new GSXR 1000.
(Suzuki are the easiest for diy folks)

 

Ok, few things to note: tue wr450f is NOT 50 state street legal. This may hinder gettong a plate depending on where you live. On KTM maintenance, parts are more expensive, but they are much easier to work on, and are arguably more reliable. A good friend and taco owner has 10,000 miles on his 350 exc with no issues.

 

Also, if you are used to real dirtbikes, DO NOT consoder a dr, drz, crf-l, or klr. All will disappoint you in performance and weight. Stick to a exc, a wr-f, a crf-x, etc.

 

I’d lean towards a street bike that is dirt capable as opposed to a dirt bike that is street legal, especially if the OP already has dirt bikes.

 

Have KTM wised up and gone Japanese with engines?

As a master motorsports wrench, I can tell you with 100% certainty KTM are some of the hardest to work on. You must be dead to rights perfect on installation or the vehicle comes back.

Suzuki are the easiest, they are engineered to be fast for service so they can retire to the track quick. Yamaha are a little more complex due to the electrical design, Kawasaki are easy to work on, but a pain to diag due to poor Qc, Honda are some of the more difficult due to corporate leanings to make things “safe”

Don’t even get me started on Ducati and the rest of the euro bikes.

The cheapest is Suzuki for parts.

 

Ktm for performance and Yamaha if you like it cheap. Any of the big jap 4 are gonna be more reliable and easy to maintain/repair. But also, figure out what color scheme you like best. Or get a husky, I'm not biased

 

I have no idea where ktm engines are assembled. But having had crfs, wrs, and exc down to the frame, the exc is the easiest to work on. I ensure all installations on all of my bikes are by the books, and i wrench only on my own bikes.

As to a street bike that is dort capable - they dont really exist. You can get a street bike that is fire road capable, or a street bike that is blue trail capable, but youre not taking a klr/dr/etc down a diamond with any joy.

My suggestion: figure out how youre actually going to ride it. My bike is 50/50 dirt/street, but never more than 40 miles from home, so i got a 500excf with 2 sets of wheels. Supermoto wheels for the street, and the stock wheels with actual dirt tires (tkcs are garbage) for when i want to truck it in to the forest.

 

Oh. I jist saw you are in OR. Tuere are a few grandfathered WRs and CRFs, but oregon is completely unfriendly to converting bikes for street use. You could register it at a WA address if available, its been very easy to convert my bikes up here.

 

KTMs are Austrian, same motors are in those pos things called spyders BRP loves the rotax