Well I think you can definetly compare the 2,one's budget the other is the other end of the market,one is bullet proof and the other is fragile,I know plenty of folks who come a cropper with KTM's!!!.

With the few mods my XT has come on quite a way and it's going well,but can't help wondering about a 690,I'm cold blooded when it comes to buying bikes,there's no logic to buying a bike with a high probability of going bang is there!!!,but less weight and more HP is always going to make you ask the question.