2
I have owned a KTM 350EXC-F, 701, 890 Rally. The 890 is the best all around motorcycle. If I only could own one bike it would be that 890. I can have a blast with it in the woods while respecting its limits. While I am no Graham Jarvis, I do ride the piss out of it in the woods. Steep and loose hills are its weakness. On the road it's like a supermoto or a relaxing commuter or loaded touring bike.
The 350 was more fun for enduro but i was always trying to make it lighter. Its a top heavy bike like all four strokes. Also walk into a dealer and lift the rear wheel of a 300 TPI by grabbing the rear fender support and lifting. Then find a 350/500 EXC-F and try the same thing. WTF those weights are not that close are they. Also you need to be taller than I am to have the range of motion to lift the 350/500 rear off the ground. These bikes are still too big to be the ideal tool off road and they SUCK on the street. Sure they move and can do the speeds. But they are the most uncomfortable bikes for any sustained ride on the street. Yes you can add a bigger seat but now you are cutting into the benefit of their off road narrow seat.
The 690/701 are the worst of both worlds. Heavy and uncomfortable.
Get a modern 2t and ride it once in the woods and it's a cheater compared to any 4t powered bike.
Get a 890 or T7 and you have a street bike that can do tons of miles and also get dirty and have fun in the woods. You can ride them just like a 690/701 and have the same thrills as a 350/500 on trails that are suited for them. Then purchase a 2 stroke for real enduro and plate it and go ride Netra events with it hauling it there with a truck or trailer.
The Honda 300L Rally I took for a ride recently is a great candidate for someone with no off road background. Lighter and lower to the ground making it the easiest to ride. It's not going to set the world on fire with its power but that tractor motor is great for a person not familiar with sliding the rear on corners. I think more advanced riders would ride an 890/T7 at the same pace as the Honda 300.