Fall Foliage Dual Sporting!

[oldschool]

What a perfect Fall day for a dual sport ride today! Jackpiner and myself had a really nice 115 mile ride today up in NW MA and southern VT. Dueling KTM's was the order of the day, a 500 for him and 400 for me. Foliage is getting pretty good but I think all the dry weather is muting it slightly.
We were both on Conti TKC80's which seem a good compromise between back roads and the dirt/gravel tracks. They will move around under you in the really dry lose stuff but do it fairly predictably.

[Rocketman]

Nice pics. Man I'm missing my 400. How is the 500 by comparison? Easier to ride harder, more tiring etc.

I'm assuming you've traded bikes. thanks in advance

[oldschool]

Rocketman wrote:

Nice pics. Man I'm missing my 400. How is the 500 by comparison? Easier to ride harder, more tiring etc.

I'm assuming you've traded bikes. thanks in advance

Yes, swapped bikes for a stretch. So getting off my 400 and on the 500 what I noticed most;
As expected the bike is gruntier down low and the FI is very precise. More power through the powerband but less linear than the 400. The suspension feels tighter yet still responsive.
As a whole it feels exactly like you might expect as basically the next generation of the 400. Definitely strongly related in overall feel. As we didn't ride anything that would be considered technical I can't prove it but a good rider could manage it on the single track just fine though I'm not sure racing in that environment would be its forte. Very capable and versitle moto for sure.

[Dan]

Just bought a 400 and made it street legal to do the same thing.

[MikeDi]

this is more my speed now a days.

[JackPiner]

MikeDi wrote:

this is more my speed now a days.

After enjoying a broken foot in the last scrambles, this is more my speed too at least for the remainder of the year.

Both bikes are sweet in their own special way.
That 400 makes you feel like you can do no wrong. Like riding a couch.
The 500 will remind you when you get too heavy on the throttle without enough traction to keep the wheels in line.
More aggressive tires would help but they would have been half cooked at the end of the ride.
The TKC80s had just broken the edge after 110 miles.
Need to figure out the intent of the ride beforehand.
The bikes are very versatile and can be adapted to any situation with a few tweaks like bigger tanks or tail racks/bags etc.
they’d be great for backcountry moto camping with some rackless luggage.

[check1]

Dan wrote:

Just bought a 400 and made it street legal to do the same thing.

What year?
I still have my 00 400 and was going to sell it, but I keep toying with the idea to hang onto it.

[Dan]

2003

[MikeDi]

I'm gearing up the 690 for moto camping or at least to carry enough stuff for two nights.
First on the list is the Flatlander route in NH.
It's about a 450-500 mile loop.

JackPiner wrote:

MikeDi wrote:

this is more my speed now a days.

After enjoying a broken foot in the last scrambles, this is more my speed too at least for the remainder of the year.

Both bikes are sweet in their own special way.
That 400 makes you feel like you can do no wrong. Like riding a couch.
The 500 will remind you when you get too heavy on the throttle without enough traction to keep the wheels in line.
More aggressive tires would help but they would have been half cooked at the end of the ride.
The TKC80s had just broken the edge after 110 miles.
Need to figure out the intent of the ride beforehand.
The bikes are very versatile and can be adapted to any situation with a few tweaks like bigger tanks or tail racks/bags etc.
they’d be great for backcountry moto camping with some rackless luggage.

[KDXKevin]

My Transalp is always ready to go places it shouldn't.