KTM 640 Adv v XChallenge

[JohnnyBoxer]

I have an XChallenge and have owned it since new in 2007

I like it and it rides well

There are a few things I would still like to change, swap the airshock for Ohlins and add luggage - HB racks and Wolfman Explorer bags

However I have a hankering for a 640 Adv and think the supension/fuel capacity would be an advantage

Is the XChallenge chassis (not suspension) better and is the motor stronger than a 640Adv?

 

[FERRET]

Johnny having just done 2300 miles on my x challenge, riding to Portugal, doing 1200miles of trails and riding back the only things that i would have liked on the bike was extra fuel range and possibly HB rack to make life easier mounting soft luggage, the air suspension did all i asked of it and was not a problem, the bike as a whole was comfortable for the distances covered.
If you want a change, fair enough go for it, but i dont think the KTM would be much better, i agree suspension is superior out of the box but the x challenge is more than capable.

Just my 2p

 

[forry]

640 adv everytime unless its Timpo's

690's the bike for you Johnny spend some of the cash you saved from not buying a new helmet

 

[Timolgra]

There's only one answer buy a washing machine with your head and a motorcycle with your heart.

 

[Losttheplot]

I rode Earthmovers 640Adv against my XC at the cambrian a few years back.

The Ktm 640 vibrates like a bastard compared to the XC, and feels a much bigger bike, though the 640's suspension feels much plusher.

If your going orange try a 690- as smooth as an XC, but stacks more go on the top end though looses out on bottom end grunt, and about 20kg's lighter.

hth

nathan

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Tom's got a 690 maybe for sale

The love affair was short-lived perhaps....................it must be the seat

Just been doing some stuff in the garage..................the XChallenge is not too shabby a bike

 

[rossi]

I had a 640e a few years ago.

Engine vibrated like a pneumatic drill and was in bits more than once.
Frame parts used to shake themselves loose on a regular basis.

Suspension was good but the bike felt much heavier than the Xch despite showing exactly the same on the mot testers scales. The Xch carries it's weight lower down which makes the handling easier despite the cheaper suspension. That was with the 12L tank. I don't want to think how heavy the Adv feels with the big tank on the front.

Unless you really enjoy wielding spanners and getting your hands dirty, stick with the Xch. You could always do a fork swap (if you haven't already). 43mm WP from a KTM work well, fit on easily and can be found relatively cheaply.

 

[Timolgra]

So there you have it Johnny, KTMs are vibrating heaps of shite.

I'll be keeping mine though, with it's big pumper carb etc etc. vibration was never an issue for me on a Moroccan trip nor for Rick riding the same bike offroad to southern Portugal and on road back up to N Spain.

Chris and I will see what we think after riding 3,500 miles offroad each across the States in a couple of months. Both he and I get excited at the prospect of riding our 640 ADVs, do you get that same feeling riding an XChallenge or is it a ride to Snoozeville.

Having said that, Timpo's XChallenge is probably THE best Adventure bike I've seen

Why is it that in these, still affluent days, the bike many choose has to be the most comfortable instead of the most exciting?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

So there you have it Johnny, KTMs are vibrating heaps of shite.

I'll be keeping mine though, with it's big pumper carb etc etc. vibration was never an issue for me on a Moroccan trip nor for Rick riding the same bike offroad to southern Portugal and on road back up to N Spain.

Chris and I will see what we think after riding 3,500 miles offroad each across the States in a couple of months. Both he and I get excited at the prospect of riding our 640 ADVs, do you get that same feeling riding an XChallenge or is it a ride to Snoozeville.

Having said that, Timpo's XChallenge is probably THE best Adventure bike I've seen

Why is it that in these, still affluent days, the bike many choose has to be the most comfortable instead of the most exciting?

Can't really say, Tim..............love the look of the 640Adv, but never ridden one

I rode your 640e for 10 mins, 2 years ago and it felt ok and I rode an early LC4 620e about 10 years for 2 hours and it vibrated like a bastard

Still get plenty of kicks from the XChallenge and it would cope with the TAT/Morocco/Portugal..............no probs

What makes it for me, is that it's very good on the road and equally competent on the trails (maybe not extreme singletrack) - a good dualsport allrounder

Sure it has it's shortcomings.......................but which bike doesn't

 

[Mav]

Chris and I will see what we think after riding 3,500 miles offroad each across the States in a couple of months. Both he and I get excited at the prospect of riding our 640 ADVs, do you get that same feeling riding an XChallenge or is it a ride to Snoozeville.

Having said that, Timpo's XChallenge is probably THE best Adventure bike I've seen

Why is it that in these, still affluent days, the bike many choose has to be the most comfortable instead of the most exciting?

I know - I mean why would someone buy an 1100 in this day and age?

In all seriousness, I agree with you - I love my HP2 and I look forward to riding it every time I get on it. Sure, other people will point out it's short comings - but for me, it turns me on and that's what matters.

Bikes are so good these days that it seems pretty difficult to make a bad decision - so JB, go ride one, if you love it, get it!

 

[Richeyroo]

Surely a 640 Adventure and an X challenge are so close in terms of ability, it would need some serously extreme riding to highlight the sort of significant flaws that would inhibit an ability to complete an adventure ride

I reckon using a 15 year old Yamaha RXS 100 on bald road tyres, pissing out oil over a rusty frame on buckled wheels to ride over the Moroccan Atlas mountains makes it a better adventure bike than a KTM 690 Rallye bike being ridden to the shops in Blighty.

Anyway all a big single cylinder 4 stroke needs to improve it completely is a ferkin loud exhaust. I've just bought an XR650L, with huge bore, wide open straight through Yoshimura headers and an open Yoshi pipe .

Yeehaa, it's beats the stealth fart of a fuel injected, catalytic converted, asthmatic EU regulated bike

 

[earthmover]

I rode Earthmovers 640Adv against my XC at the cambrian a few years back.

The Ktm 640 vibrates like a bastard compared to the XC, and feels a much bigger bike, though the 640's suspension feels much plusher.

nathan

I rode Nathan's XC at the same time (funny that. ) Yes, the XC has a smoother motor, but the back end scared me from pushing as hard as I can on the KTM.

I had a 640e a few years ago.

Engine vibrated like a pneumatic drill and was in bits more than once.
Frame parts used to shake themselves loose on a regular basis.

Suspension was good but the bike felt much heavier than the Xch despite showing exactly the same on the mot testers scales. The Xch carries it's weight lower down which makes the handling easier despite the cheaper suspension. That was with the 12L tank. I don't want to think how heavy the Adv feels with the big tank on the front.

Yes, mine vibrates a lot, but nothing I can't cope with. The handling was transformed by converting it to a single disc at the front.

So there you have it Johnny, KTMs are vibrating heaps of shite.

:

And not that many of them around either.
Mark

 

[john_aero]

stock ktm has more for it

but put few quid into xch and will be better bike and last heck lot longer

the rotax engine is on hell of a proven motor, the old lc4 cant say that as after 30k lot of them look for engine work. not all mind you

i would stick with bike, upgraqde syspension, add tank and fairing. you then have great solo adv bike, take bits off and good enduro bike

i still like get hands on xch as be great dual sport and enduro bike

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

stock ktm has more for it

but put few quid into xch and will be better bike and last heck lot longer

the rotax engine is on hell of a proven motor, the old lc4 cant say that as after 30k lot of them look for engine work. not all mind you

i would stick with bike, upgraqde syspension, add tank and fairing. you then have great solo adv bike, take bits off and good enduro bike

i still like get hands on xch as be great dual sport and enduro bike

Makes sense

 

[john_aero]

or sell me yours and buy ktm

 

[john_aero]

do like i did with the dakar

fit yamaha front enduro/mx forks. great setup and very cheap as the forks are so common.

 

[Timpo]

If your going orange try a 690- as smooth as an XC, but stacks more go on the top end though looses out on bottom end grunt, and about 20kg's lighter.

This is not correct.
KTM market there bike's weight as dry, without stating it and most other manufacturers market their bike's weight as wet, ie, with 80% or over fuel capacity and with engine oil and coolant in.
The difference in weight between a 690 and XC approx 5 kilo...... google it if you don't believe me......

JB, let us look at some sums.....

New 690 is £7300
Your XC is worth what £3300
So £4000 needs finding.
A 640 ADV is very difficult to find, and clean ones near impossible now. The cleanest one i saw lately was £3300 and it was a 2004!
I've just done a rebuild on my XC and brought it to what I wanted, say Timpo specific..... the cost was approx under £2500 to complete the mod.
So add the £2500 to your £3300 and you have what I think you're lookin g for at £5800, and seems you already have your bike paid for it's just the £2500 you need to find/spend.
And another thing..... you know the history of your XC, every inch of where it has been, buying old trail bikes I am shying away from now, there is too much scrap being sold as good, with poorly maintained, drowned and ragged machines everywhere.
Sure, if had had to purchase a bike tomorrow, it would be a brand new 690Enduro R.

Timpo.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

This is not correct.
The difference in weight between a 690 and XC approx 5 kilo...... google it if you don't believe me...... He's right

JB, let us look at some sums.....

New 690 is £7300
Your XC is worth what £3300
So £4000 needs finding.
A 640 ADV is very difficult to find, and clean ones near impossible now. The cleanest one i saw lately was £3300 and it was a 2004!
I've just done a rebuild on my XC and brought it to what I wanted, say Timpo specific..... the cost was approx under £2500 to complete the mod.
So add the £2500 to your £3300 and you have what I think you're lookin g for at £5800, and seems you already have your bike paid for it's just the £2500 you need to find/spend.
And another thing..... you know the history of your XC, every inch of where it has been, buying old trail bikes I am shying away from now, there is too much scrap being sold as good, with poorly maintained, drowned and ragged machines everywhere. Very true

Timpo.

You sir, are correct

Mine has 5000 miles now and is sweet as a peach

Ohlins shock and some luggage, would make it nigh on perfect for me

Plus if I need a bigger rad, there's a solution from Timpo

Plus I'm sure I could find someone to fit me up with better forks, should the need arise

Set of Talon wheels and we're away

 

[Timpo]

You sir, are correct

Mine has 5000 miles now and is sweet as a peach

Ohlins shock and some luggage, would make it nigh on perfect for me

Plus if I need a bigger rad, there's a solution from Timpo

Plus I'm sure I could find someone to fit me up with better forks, should the need arise

Set of Talon wheels and we're away

Now your thinking straight...... remember, you have all the history of your bike, you know how good of a base vehicle it is, so invest and make it better, ie, to suit the need you have in mind.

 

[Timpo]

It's been down more roads than a wandering Jew

On it's wheels or barends?