That's the Japanese business model. Sell old, outdated tech at lower (but not low enough IMO) prices. With a few exceptions, Yamaha is the only jap company that competes in some area with the euro manufacturers. They're also the most expensive jap bikes, too.

 

> They are in a different league and shouldn't be compared. They are competion enduro bikes, not Dual Sport bikes, period.

I think Werloc nailed it. Good analysis. The fact that these competition enduro bikes have plates just confuses the issue.

I got to see a triad of them--KTM, Husky, and Beta--in trail action recently and it was like... whoa. Excellent riders sure but they could not do those trails on my KLX.

Different realm of the possible at that level of engineering and it comes at a price.

Of course there are lots of mountain bikes in the same price range so go figure. In that market spending anything over $3K gets you very little additional benefit, imho.

 

Where I ride, there are enduros held about 8 times a year, with many other club and group off road events/rides. There are a few clubs that also run in these state forests (NJ Pine Barrens) and 90% of the bikes I see riding on a weekly basis are the eruo made enduro bikes. Some of the popular parking spots where guys park and unload to ride at times could have as many as 200 plus bikes on a Saturday or Sunday when there aren't any events being held. It's mostly KTM's, then 50 or so Husky's, with a handful of Beta's, GasGas, and Husaberg's. Then a good amount of plated Jap MX bikes that had light kits added and plated through Vermont or Utah. All of these make up about 90% of the bikes. Then that other 10% are regular Dual Sport bikes. I gotta say, my bike and 2 others are the only KLX's I know of out of all the clubs and groups. I'm talking at least 600 to 800 bikes. Most popular "Dual Sport" (not plated enduro) around here are the WR250R, and DRZ400, then a good mix of DR's, CR250, and older Honda XR's and XL's. Yes, there are adventure groups I see here too that I'm not including. They are mostly BMW GS's with few KLR's and the big KTM690? I think.

I worked at and raced for a euro bike dealership starting back in the 1982. We specialized in dirt bikes, and sold most of euro brand bikes. Husqvarna, Can-Am, KTM, Maico, Bultaco, Montesa, Hodaka, CZ, Ossa, and Suzuki which was the main dealership. I gotta say, KTM has come a long way. Back then, they were much heavier than the jap bikes. Still had a little more power per cc. But now? Mind blowing. If you haven't seen a newer KTM, Bata, Husqvarna up close and personal, stop in a dealer the next time you drive by one. Sit on one, feel how easy the clutch is (pinky finger pull in), how easy the throttle twists, how feather weight the front end feels and the bike as a whole. Really look close at the bikes parts and componants. To me, they really are worth what they cost. But like I said, if your not racing, or need top notch performance, and just don't have the extra money to spend on it, and it's upkeep, then it's just not practical for fun trail bike. Yes, most that have them don't need them or use them to their full potental, but if ya have the money, hey, then why not? Hell, I would....

Also, the top and serious racer's and riders still run and prefer 2-strokes which are just plain awesome machines. Much lighter and much more powerful per cc. They are making a comeback in the enduro world. Yamaha now makes one 2016, but not for the US market. Enduro racing in Europe is more popular than MX is here, which is why those bikes are so advanced.

 

Bob, yall got good points. The KTM's etc are the benchmarks for dual sport only if you want a competition level offroad bike with turn signals. And it's really ashamed these benchmarks cost 10K. But most of my life, I've waited and wondered if I would ever be able to go to a dealership and buy a racer with turn signals. So my viewpoint is somewhat myopic toward such bikes.. It's important that younger fellas will never have to learn offroading by stripping down a 1972 Yamaha 90 like I did when I was 12.. It's important that younger fellas know that THIS is the golden age of high performance dual sport bikes in the show rooms - it's never happened before. Why is this important? Because being old and an offroader for 49 years, I know that you must have a bike that is always more capable than your current riding skill. Only then can riding be a personal challenge every time you go offroad.. After "out riding" so many bikes as a
kid, I jumped directly to open class racers in 1981 (CR450R) and never looked back..

10K is a lot - but you only have to do it once.. It'll be more capable (offroad) than its' rider forever.. Forever seems bold, but I assure you, if I still had my 1981 CR450R, It'd still likely be more capable than I am..

 

I currently own a 2010 Husqvarna TE250 dual sport and a 2011 KLX250S. The two bikes are built for two different purposes. The KLX is 'softer', easier to ride, and better on the street, and likely will still be running after I've had to rebuild the Husky a few times. The Husky is about 50Lbs lighter and much more powerful (35HP stock, but I have 'uncorked' it and have a JD tuner on it, so likely a little more).

Quite a different character for each - the KLX is happy to chug along at a slower pace, whereas the husky is on crack and wants to go fast all the time. The Husky has a pitiful bottom end compared to the KLX - on a steep hill, and I just give it a little gas, feather the clutch and usually without any wheelspin just chug up the mountain. The Husky will just stall unless it's revved up a lot, and the result is lots of wheelspin.

The Husky is definitely more thrilling, fun bike, though. Power wheelies are just a roll of the throttle away - I was never able to get the front end up in the air without a lot of effort on the KLX, but just twist the throttle in 1st or 2nd (possibly even 3rd) and the front lifts right up - even with me sitting in a normal position (not sitting back on the seat etc.)

So, different bikes. There are things I like about the KLX and things I like about the Husky. In the end, for the riding I do, I'll likely keep the Husky - I can't afford to keep both (in addition to the 2015 Ninja 650 and the Goldwing, and my project bike FZR1000), so I'll likely have to sell the KLX. I have become very attached to it, though.

I'd say if you're doing aggressive off-road riding, the Husky (or other Euro brands) are a better choice, but are (usually - I bought the Husky with 388KM on it for the same $ I paid for the KLX with 7,000KM on it) more money and more expensive to maintain. My friend has a WR250R that I've ridden a few times. It's a better bike than the KLX, but is more expensive, and the seat is a little too high for me for the riding that I do.

 

I have to point out that 1994 frame is the general basis for all the perimeter frames made since the first ones on the KX two strokes. Here is the frame on the $9600 2014 KTM 350 that everyone seems to think is light years ahead of the Japanese...



Does that look hi-tech and a modern design? It is steel to boot, lighter because it is thinner wall tubing. Question is how will the frame will hold up for the long term when a rider load it down as if it is a BMW GS? Will that thinner wall steel will take that? Is it worth the weight savings if it may break easier?

When considering high tech aluminum frames, nice part about steel compared to aluminum the fatigue life. Steel is near infinite, aluminum definitely finite and steel is easier to repair if necessary. One rider has welded up some gussets and supports on his subframe to deal with loading the bike. His comment when I mentioned drilling some holes for lightness - he didn't care about the extra weight as long as it carried the load.

The major benefits on the KTM - high dollar suspension components and brakes as well as use of lighter higher cost engine/chassis parts, which contribute to light weight and performance. Japanese can do it but not on the cheap. The WR has alloy frame, titanium valves, better suspension and costs about $1600 more than the last KLX. Some with KLXs have their suspension reworked for around $500 getting good results from what I've read. Others just don't need the trick suspension. This was the comparison to the KTM350 since there is no 250. If it had been a 250 it wouldn't have twice the power, although I have no doubt it would probably be more than the 250 Yamaha, but not by much. It has to be rideable.

Funny part - KTM riders have to get their suspension reworked to suit them too! We riders are not a homogenous group, we come in all sizes and weights as well as riding levels, so suspension usually will need rework if the adjustments don't quite fit needs.

The only thing that really needs updated on the KLX, which weighs about as much as the alloy framed WR is to get a good injection system to meet DOT standards. A lot of us would like to see a 300 or 350, but I'd bet the 250 displacement will stick to the world application. Still it would be nice.

I figure the suspension is set up to suit the largest number of riders and that would be the smaller riders of Asia, not the heavier riders of the U.S.

 

Also, a KTM 350 or 500 EXC can not take your favorite ex-wife with you on your KLX adventures. No buddy pegs - No buddy peg option..

 

I'd have a new ex wife if I tried to put her on the back of my klx....

 

Is the KLX still in Europe? If the FI version is still legal there with the new emission standards, it might come here with FI where it would definitely pass, if they spend the money to get it tested...and sell off the old stock, of which there seems to be plenty somewhere.
I'm about to hit 50,000 miles with this bike. It has such an unstressed motor that I can see getting to 100,000 without a rebuild.
It'd be a shame if such a good all around package died off. And yet the craptastic KLR will live forever.
I do agree if it stays, it stays a 250 because of license restrictions in other countries, as nice as a 350 from the factory would be.
And I do love my KTM200XC-W! IMO if you want a euro bike for off-road, go 2T and you won't end up in your motor as much. And you just can't beat the sound, the smell, and the wheelies! 215lbs of just the right amount of too much HP for my 140lb self!

 

Didn't this happen in 2008, then they came back in 09 with a changed bike?