Ridden them both, not even comparable bikes. Enjoy the DR for what it is, and don't even begin to try to compare it to a modern dirtbike. Good altermative to a KLR though.
KLR has it's strengths too!
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I'd would love to upgrade to a 701 but whenever I think seriously about a new one a little voice whispers to me, "I'll kill you if you spend five figures on a brand new enduro." sucks being cheap.
It's a better bike than the XR650L and DR650 on the highway, can be loaded like a suburban for camping, cheap to acquire, easy to maintain, and still get you down that forest road for the perfect spot to watch the sunset. 
arty Herman the German is a winner!
I'd would love to upgrade to a 701 but whenever I think seriously about a new one a little voice whispers to me, "I'll kill you if you spend five figures on a brand new enduro." sucks being cheap.
My 2017 701 ran about $7500. You don't need to go brand new.
Depends on your definition and expectations offroad, along with your skill level. Someone with many years of experience offroad and advanced skills can ride the 690 many places some one with less experience will struggle, get exhausted.
It's not just the weight, but the power of the bike that takes more energy and skill to ride, offroad. That is just as, if not more of a factor than the weight offroad.
I've ridden the 690 in the desert and black diamond single track here at home in NorCal. I thought it was just fine, hid its weight well, certainly no dirtbike... but doable. Others with less experience simply could not.... and I was riding their bike out.
If you don't have that experience, you are going to struggle to gain it on the 690 and could be miserable. If you have dreams of riding single track and gaining dirtbike skills, it's not the right bike. If you already have those skills, it might be a great choice.
Just my opinion and experience.
If I wasn't budget constrained, any number of the newer and much more espensive KTM's would ultimately perform better in some situations.... but Herman the German will get me down forest roads to join the rest of the gang on Adventure rides, and work pretty good as my one and only streetbike.... while also being acquired, repaired, and farkled with the limited funds available to me.
That's really the way to go IMO.
yes, for me the pre-gen KLR is more just because I'm a old Kawasaki guy, not because I think it's an inexpensive way to go.
if I added up the money I dump into them to try to ensure that they can maybe get me to Baja and back, or just trying to keep them from burning oil, I'd imagine that I could be riding a $7000 KTM, no problem.
congrats on Herman the German. the super sweet thing about the BMW GSs are what mile-eaters they are. you'll have a bike you can easily ride to see family in the mid-west, if you want, but also let you hang with your big KTM riding friends, too. looking forward to hearing about what needed to be done to get it back into service.
arty 
