KTM 500 EXC-F specifications
KTM · Dual-sport
Dirt Bike Magazine says the 500 EXC has for a long time set the bar for both performance and price in its segment.
KTM 500 EXC-F
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2027 |
| Displacement | 510.9cc |
| Bore x stroke | 3.74 in x 2.83 in (95 mm x 72 mm) |
| Compression ratio | 12.8:1 |
| Weight without fuel | 114.8 kg |
| Starting MSRP | $13,499 |
| Class | Dual-sport |
| Engine | 1-cylinder, 4-stroke engine |
| Fuel system | Keihin EMS |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Final drive | 520 X-Ring |
| Front suspension | WP XACT-USD, Ø 48 mm |
| Front suspension travel | 300 mm |
| Rear suspension | WP XPLOR shock absorber with PDS |
| Rear suspension travel | 310 mm |
| Front brake | Disc brake, 260 mm disc |
| Rear brake | Disc brake, 220 mm disc |
| Seat height | 963 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1489 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 2.17 gal |
| Ground clearance | 347 mm |
| Cooling | Liquid cooled |
| Steering head angle | 63.9 ° |
| Frame | Central double-cradle-type 25CrMo4 steel |
| Wheels | 1.6x21"; 2.15x18" |
| Silencer | aluminum |
| Destination charge | $690 |
The 500 EXC-F uses a 300 mm (11.81 in) WP XACT-USD fork and a 310 mm (12.2 in) XPLOR PDS shock, with a 963 mm seat and 347 mm of ground clearance. The claimed dry weight is 114.8 kg (253 lb), the heaviest of the KTM enduro bikes here, and the tank holds 2.17 gal.
Against the 450 XC-F
At $13,499 the 500 EXC-F costs $950 more than the KTM 450 XC-F and weighs 10 kg more. The extra displacement adds torque for a heavy rider or a big desert loop with long fast sections, while a 450 stays lighter and easier through tight sections.
What the reviews leave open
The two Total Motorcycle reviews are manufacturer-derived summaries. So they describe the equipment rather than test it, and Dirt Bike Magazine's dual-sport test is the only independent voice quoted here. It supports a price-and-performance position, not any reliability or fuel-range figure.
Anyone weighing the 500 against a 450 should look at how tall it is, since the 963 mm seat is 9 mm higher than the KTM 450 XC-F, and at how much of the extra displacement they will use on tight trails.
The 500 EXC-F suits a strong rider who wants the most engine KTM offers in a street-legal enduro chassis and who has the seat height to use it. A shorter rider will find the 963 mm seat and 347 mm clearance a stretch.
500 EXC-F against the 450 XC-F and 350 EXC-F
KTM's KTM 450 XC-F and 350 EXC-F are the two nearest four-stroke enduro alternatives.
KTM 500 EXC-F — specification referenceTotal Motorcycle lists the 2026 500 EXC-F with the 48 mm WP XACT closed-cartridge fork with new damping settings, new lighter and shorter springs and a reworked pressure reservoir. The 2025 review lists an ultra-lightweight 2 Ah lithium-ion starter battery, the wiring harness positioned under the seat, and an engine weight of 65 lb (29.5 kg).
2027 KTM 500 EXC-F recalls; The 1 NHTSA campaign also cover the 690 ENDURO R , whose page lists them.
2027 KTM 500 EXC-F questions
How much does the KTM 500 EXC-F engine weigh?
Total Motorcycle says the engine weighs a mere 65 lb (29.5 kg), which it calls remarkably lightweight for its power output.
What changed on the 2026 KTM 500 EXC-F suspension?
Total Motorcycle lists new damping settings and new lighter, shorter springs on the 48 mm WP XACT closed-cartridge fork, and a reworked pressure reservoir.
How tall is the KTM 500 EXC-F?
KTM lists a 963 mm (37.9 in) seat and 347 mm (13.7 in) of ground clearance, which is tall even by dual-sport standards.
The 500 EXC-F is KTM's half-liter enduro, and Total Motorcycle calls it the ultimate half-liter weapon in a dual-sport or enduro arsenal that is surprisingly usable. KTM asks $13,499 before destination. It is the largest four-stroke in KTM's EXC-F enduro line.
Total Motorcycle says the 500 EXC-F is a large-displacement powerhouse built around a lightweight frame with best-in-class suspension, and adds that "the only real question is whether riders can make the most of the engineering". For 2026 it lists the 48 mm WP XACT closed-cartridge fork with new damping settings, new lighter and shorter springs and a reworked pressure reservoir.
The 2025 review lists an ultra-lightweight 2 Ah lithium-ion starter battery, the wiring harness positioned under the seat, and an engine weighing a mere 65 lb (29.5 kg), remarkably light for its power.
Large-capacity enduro ownership
A 500 EXC-F buyer is choosing the 510.9cc engine in the enduro chassis rather than merely choosing a taller version of the 350. Both listed seat heights are 963 mm and both wheelbases 1489 mm. That makes a side-by-side fitting useful: the smaller badge does not solve a reach problem, and the larger engine does not establish how the motorcycle will feel to a particular rider at low speed.
The base-price difference to the 350 is $450 in the figures here. Before spending that difference, consider the terrain, the time spent at low speed and the maintenance expected for that use. A used-bike offer should identify hours, service work and modifications where records exist. Fresh bodywork or a new rear tire is not a substitute for evidence of engine and suspension maintenance.
Check the fitted final-drive gearing against the handbook, particularly on a bike used for both road transfers and technical riding. Gearing changes can alter the relationship between engine speed and road speed without changing displacement. Keep fuel planning separate too: the listed 2.17-gallon capacity does not give a dependable distance until real consumption and the intended reserve are known.