We test a lot of KTM motorcycles here at Rider, along with those from nearly 20 other manufacturers, and we realize it’s a privilege to get seat time on the latest and greatest bikes. Test rides at dealers are a rarity, so the KTM Ride Orange Demo Tour is a great opportunity to ride KTM’s street-legal range, everything from the 200 Duke up to the 1290 Super Duke R Evo, ADVs ranging from the 390 Adventure to the 1290 Adventure R, the 690 SMC R supermoto, and the 690 Enduro R and 500 EXC-F dual-sports.
There are currently 15 stops scheduled for the demo tour between March and October, with more to be added. Check out the details in KTM’s official announcement below.
MURRIETA,Calif. – The KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour is back for 2023, providing the unique opportunity for U.S. consumers to sample the latest models in the KTM Street range. This year’s tour will commence during Daytona Bike Week in Florida on March 9-11, and will once again be taking place alongside a wide selection of the nation’s premier motorcycle events.
Organized by KTM North America, Inc. in association with participating dealers, this will be your chance to get up close and explore the 2023 lineup together with knowledgeable KTM experts on location before taking to some of the most enjoyable roads in the country. Each ride will take place on pre-planned routes that will be sure to deliver an exceptional experience at this year’s KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour.
Participants at the KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour will also receive a Ride Orange VIP Card voucher (valued up to $500 MSRP), redeemable on KTM PowerParts, KTM PowerWear and/or KTM SpareParts at an authorized KTM dealer with the purchase of a new KTM Street model.
Registrations for each stop of the 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour open at 9 a.m. on the morning of that event, with riding taking place between 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Demos are first come, first served.
In order to participate, you must be 25 years or older for 690cc and up, and 21 years old or above for 500cc and under. Participants 21-24 years old can Only ride motorcycles 500cc and under. Experienced riders only (no beginners). No passengers are allowed at any time, and KTM staff can revoke riding privileges at any time for any reason deemed necessary.
All riders must show a government issued photo ID with motorcycle endorsement and will be required to complete a signed waiver prior to any demo rides. Proper riding apparel is essential, including but not limited to a DOT-approved helmet, eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, pants, and sturdy footwear.
For a complete list of 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour locations and to connect with your local participating dealer, please visit KTM’s website or email [email protected]. Follow KTM USA on all social media platforms for the most up-to-date information on events.
Taking a break at Hurrah Pass during our warm-up ride on Chicken Corners Trail.
White Rim Trail – or White Rim Road in national park parlance – is a 100-mile unpaved route that loops around the Island in the Sky mesa in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. It’s on the bucket list of many dual-sport and adventure riders, and rightfully so. The scenery is spectacular, and the trail is ridable by anyone with a modicum of off-road experience.
White Rim Trail, named after the layer of White Rim Sandstone that it runs on top of, was built in the 1950s by the Atomic Energy Commission to access uranium deposits. The mines didn’t produce much ore and were abandoned, and the road became part of Canyonlands after it was established in 1964.
Although White Rim Trail is a rough and rugged route, only street-legal (plated) motorcycles and high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles are permitted. Off-road-only dirtbikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides that are common on many trails around Moab are prohibited, which helps keep noise and traffic down. There’s also a daily limit of 50 day-use permits.
Since the trail is within Canyonlands, a national parks pass or entrance fee ($25 per motorcycle, good for seven days) is required. Day-use permits are free at visitor centers, but a $6 fee is required for permits purchased online at Recreation.gov. There are several campgrounds along the trail that require overnight permits for an additional fee. In the spring and fall, reservations are strongly encouraged.
White Rim Trail runs atop a layer of White Rim Sandstone below the Island in the Sky mesa.
The plan was for four of us – Bruce Gillies, Vic Anderson, Kevin Rose, and me – to ride the entire White Rim Trail in one day. We would be traveling light, with all of us riding KTM 690 Enduro Rs. As enjoyable as camping would be in such a beautiful place, it requires gear that would’ve weighed us down, and whatever was in our saddlebags or panniers would be subjected to paint-shaker conditions for hours on end. Instead, we rented a house in Moab that served as our base for two days of riding.
As a warm-up for the White Rim, we spent our first day riding Chicken Corners Trail, a 42-mile out-and-back route on Bureau of Land Management land that passes through Kane Springs Canyon, goes over Hurrah Pass, and runs along a high sandstone bench on the southern edge of the Colorado River. We got hammered by rain early on, but then the clouds parted, and we enjoyed a fun, scenic ride. The trail ends 400 feet above the river across from Dead Horse Point Overlook, the filming location for the final scene in Thelma and Louise when they drive off the cliff.
Hidden from view near the patch of green is the Colorado River, which joins with the Green River below the southern tip of White Rim Trail.
Having obtained our day-use permits online, the next day we left the house around sunrise and rode north on U.S. Route 191 past Arches National Park and then turned west on State Route 313. There’s no gas in Canyonlands, and the nearest gas station is about 30 miles away in Moab, so completing the loop requires at least 160 miles of range. We were equipped with auxiliary fuel canisters just in case.
White Rim Trail is a two-way road, so it can be ridden in either direction. Our plan was to ride it counterclockwise, saving the famous Shafer Trail for the very end. We turned west on Mineral Canyon Road (BLM 129) before entering Canyonlands and followed the long, flat, well-graded dirt road for about 12 miles.
When ridden counterclockwise, White Rim Trail passes through Bureau of Land Management land before entering Canyonlands National Park.
The road into Canyonlands climbs up onto the Island in the Sky mesa, which is where the visitor center and many RV-clogged overlooks are located. Since the White Rim is below the mesa, riding it in either direction requires going down a series of steep switchbacks to get to the trail.
Getting to White Rim Trail from atop the Island in the Sky mesa requires a steep, switchbacked descent to the rim and then a similar ascent at the end.
On a crisp morning in late May, we peered down into the red sandstone canyon carved by the Green River and descended to Horsethief Bottom. After passing the Canyonlands National Park boundary sign, we cruised along the flat trail and took in the full spectrum of colorful scenery: green vegetation along the river; layers of red, pink, yellow, white, and gray rock; and blue skies sprayed with tufts of white cirrocumulus clouds. Off in the distance was Canyonlands’ Maze district.
Riding along the Green River, with Canyonlands’ Maze district off in the distance.
Our first challenge was crossing a sand wash where Upheaval Canyon dumps into the Green River. If the Green is running high, the wash can be flooded and make the trail impassable. We blasted through on the gas and soon found ourselves at one of the two most technical sections on the trail: Hardscrabble Bottom. Since we rode the loop counterclockwise, this section was downhill, and we picked our way along without incident.
Even though it was a Saturday, we rarely saw others on the trail. We waved to a group of Jeepers at a campground, and we passed a few 4x4s and mountain bikers followed by support trucks. Otherwise, it was just the four of us enjoying the sweeping views and a fun trail with minimal dust thanks to the previous day’s rains.
Box canyons, hoodoos, buttes, and spires are common sights in the eroded landscape of Canyonlands National Park.
The second technical challenge on White Rim Trail is climbing up and over Murphy’s Hogback. Our KTMs were perfectly suited for the terrain, and we again made it through without any problems. Bigger ADV bikes would be more of a handful here but certainly capable of getting through.
While some of White Rim Trail is red dirt and sand, miles of it are on bare sandstone, which makes for a bumpy ride. Long-travel suspension, good ground clearance, and a sturdy skid plate are essential.
Pausing to admire the view. Parts of White Rim Trail run right along the cliff’s edge, and there’s no fence or guardrail.
The sky had become progressively cloudier throughout the day, and by midafternoon, dark clouds blotted out the sun. At the junction with Potash Road, a ranger checked our permits before we began the final climb up the Shafer Trail switchbacks. This section of trail is accessible by anyone visiting Canyonlands, so we worked our way to the top around not only Jeeps and mountain bikes but Toyota Camrys full of Instagrammers too.
The switchbacks of Shafer Trail marked the end of our White Rim ride.
A few fat raindrops began to fall as we exited the trail. We made a hasty retreat back to the house to hoist celebratory beers and share stories about our adventure.
Both bikes still feature the liquid-cooled 693cc LC4 single-cylinder engine, which KTM says has “proven to be the ideal baseline for the KTM 690 range,” as well as a 6-speed gearbox with Quickshifter+, throttle-by-wire, a PASC slipper clutch, and dual balancer shafts.
The LC4 machines also still benefit from cornering ABS, Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), and two ride modes: Street and Offroad on the 690 Enduro R and Street and Sport on the 690 SMC R.
2023 KTM 690 Enduro R
On the 2023 KTM 690 SMC R, the optional Supermoto ABS mirrors this feature. When activated, ABS sensitivity is reduced on the front wheel and completely disabled on the rear, which KTM says allows for “big drifts into corners and tire-smoking powerslides out of the apex.”
2023 KTM 690 SMC R
An optional Offroad ABS (just add a dongle) on the 2023 KTM 690 Enduro R reduces ABS intervention on the front wheel and completely disables ABS on the rear, allowing riders to lock up the rear when they need to slide the rear into a tight turn or drag the brake down a technical descent.
The 2023 KTM 690 Enduro R has adjustable WP XPLOR suspension with separate damping circuits and 9.8 inches of travel. Stopping power is provided by Brembo brakes with wave discs, 300mm on the front and 240mm on the rear. The 2023 KTM 690 SMC R has adjustable WP APEX suspension with separate damping circuits, 9.8 inches of travel, and Brembo brakes with 320mm front and 240 rear discs.
From an aesthetics standpoint, the 2023 KTM 690 Enduro R takes its styling cues from the competition-Enduro range, and the KTM 690 SMC R brings an all-new blue and orange adornment to the fray.
2023 KTM 690 SMC R
KTM says the 2023 KTM 690 Enduro R and KTM 690 SMC R models will be available at authorized KTM dealers from November onward. Pricing is TBD.
For more information on KTM’s full model range, visit the KTM website.
KTM’s LC4 engine is now fully prepped for Euro5 emission standards, forming the heart of an updated and refocused 2021 KTM 690 Enduro R and 690 SMC R, with the models expected to arrive in Australian KTM dealers from March 2021 onwards.
2021 KTM 690 SMC R – Image by Sebas Romero
Joachim Sauer – KTM Product Manager
“The LC4 has been a powerful component of the KTM 690 ENDURO R and KTM 690 SMC R but we’ve still been able to harness that asset and continue to develop both motorcycles to be a special part of our KTM portfolio. We’ve found ways to give riders a more exciting and upgraded package for 2021 that keep the bikes as references in their segment. They are unique in their own special ways and we want to keep making them as essential as they are exhilarating.”
2021 KTM 690 Enduro R- Image by Sebas Romero
2021 KTM 690 Enduro R Updates
The 2021 KTM 690 Enduro R offers a slim and manoeuvrable machine, equipped with cornering ABS, off-road ABS, motorcycle traction control and a sensitive motor slip regulation ensures a customizable setting for any condition or landscape. WP XPLOR Suspension (adapted from the Enduro range especially for the KTM 690 Enduro R) ensures grip, supplies confidence and channels the motor’s output to the road surface. The 74 hp and 73.5 Nm of torque and output are ideal for long treks on smooth tarmac at speed.
2021 KTM 690 Enduro R
For 2021 KTM have retained many of the refined strengths of the motorcycle but have applied key updates that make the 690 Enduro R even more of an essential choice. KTM have added improved ride mode functionality through the handlebar switch: Street mode enables two channels of ABS both on the front and rear of the bike.
2021 KTM 690 Enduro R
The Off-road setting disengages rear wheel ABS for that important rear braking feel for low-traction terrain. The ABS itself benefits from a new modulator unit to better regulate the force and application of the braking power required, which also means it can be activated ‘on the fly’ and there is no longer a need for a ‘dongle’.
The new dashboard has an ABS ‘button’ to provide a rapid way to switch off the rider aid for the full flow offroad setting. The same display now shows indicators for rpm and gear selection.
2021 KTM 690 SMC R Updates
The KTM 690 SMC R 2021 takes the torque and pace of the LC4 into a pulse quickening supermoto form with a top-quality chrome-molybdenum steel tubing chassis, WP APEX suspension, purposeful supermoto ergonomics, and wide-ranging electronic ABS modes such as Cornering and Supermoto mode (rear wheel deactivation of lean angle input).
2021 KTM 690 SMC R
The 2021 690 SMC R also has the same new ABS modulator as the KTM 690 Enduro R, permitting adjustment ‘on the go’ as well as the handy new dash, alongside improved Brembo brakes for the new year. Latest generation Brembo M4.32 monoblock caliper lifts the grade of stopping performance even further on the 320 mm front disc (240 mm rear) thanks to optimised stiffness.
2021 KTM 690 SMC R
As with its LC4 cousin, the KTM 690 SMC R gets a cosmetic makeover that lift its styling and appeal.
2021 KTM 690 SMC R LC4 powerplant
Additionally, a new specification of the catalytic converter has been fitted to the muffler, which sees Euro5 status of emissions for both LC4-equipped machines.
The KTM 690 ENDURO R and the KTM 690 SMC R MY 2021 will be available at authorised KTM dealers in Australia and New Zealand from March 2021 onwards. For more info visit www.ktm.com.
The all-new for 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R is a study of how far a manufacturer can progress a model, via smart implementation of technology and high-end components, to successfully redefine the single-cylinder platform.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
I wasn’t much of a fan of the KTM 690 Enduro I rode almost a decade ago. In standard trim it was pretty breathless and felt, well, a little old hat. A lot of modifications were needed in order to get the old bike to perform, but even then I never found it really inspiring. In fact, I have found all the large capacity modern big-bore singles to be fairly insipid, leaving me distinctly unimpressed and thinking, ‘what if a manufacturer actually had a proper bloody go at applying some of the latest technology to build a big single lunger with smarts’. I have been somewhat frustrated by the lack of progress in this space.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
After sampling the all-new for 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R in Portugal this week I feel I really must congratulate KTM for pushing the boundaries. The Austrian manufacturer have thrown absolutely everything at this bike, leaving no stone unturned in the quest to build the ultimate big-bore single.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
This, as you would expect, comes at a price.Even if it redefines the genre, are people really going to pay $17,595 (Ride Away), for a big chook chaser? KTM certainly have their fingers crossed, but it is only a question that the fickle motorcycle buying public can answer.
That sort of money puts you in Africa Twin and F 750 GS BMW territory. Those machines have a lot more overall touring amenity and creature comforts for the long haul, including plenty of luggage options, but neither bring the level of outright off-road performance to the ride that the KTM boasts as standard. Not that you would really expect them to either, of course.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The KTM 690 Enduro R is a very well mannered motorcycle and, thanks to some brilliant ergonomics, it actually might be a real world touring option for many.
Despite the 910 mm tall seat resembling a plank, it did not eat into my somewhat generously sized thighs at any point during my 100km initiation, which suggests that it might prove comfortable enough to equip the machine with some semblance of real touring credentials.
It’s not all about the size of the tool, or is it…?
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R with accessory muffler
Due to the very slim dimensions of the machine throwing a leg over that tall seat is still an easier process than mounting some large adventure bikes, even those that have perches a couple of inches shorter than the 690 Enduro R. It is light and slim so getting on and off it is a breeze in comparison to many adventure bikes.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The 690 Enduro R is distinctly minimalist, but I would still say that for the long haul, it would likely prove a more comfortable option than the biggest selling big single in Australia, the venerated DR650. As for performance, well, the current DR650 model was fairly basic when it debuted over 20 years ago, compared to the new KTM today it feels downright archaic. But, the Suzuki is built down to a price, and that price is half that of the KTM….And before I get the hate mail from the DR650 devotees, I might remind you that I have ridden my own DR650 across Australia and have had my arse punished over more than 100,000 km astride a DR650, and was even silly enough to race one in Natural Terrain Motocross! I have also enjoyed the ownership of a KTM 990 Adventure R, that I still miss…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R with someone a bit more spectacular than me in the saddle
Anyway, back to the new KTM.
This new generation of the LC4 engine is un-fussed while cruising, even well above the 110 km/h highway speed limit. In fact, you can drop it back a couple of cogs and stand it on the rear wheel to amuse yourself from those speeds if you like, yes it really is that powerful. And thanks to an innovative dual counter-balancer system there is no big slug chug.
In fact, the engine is a masterpiece
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
74 horsepower and 74 Nm of torque from a 693cc single has always been possible. But to make those sort of numbers via a carbureted bike you would have a hand grenade that chain snatched like all buggery, only worked above 6000rpm, and would have been such a ferocious beast that it left you in a manic state sucking your thumb in the corner of the garage at the end of every ride. This latest generation 690 makes those big power numbers in an unstressed fashion, and requires no air-box cutting or modifications to unleash serious pull. It bangs hard right out of the box.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R Dyno
This is not some incremental gain on what we have seen before. No matter what the dyno charts show, the 690 Enduro R heralds a new realm of performance for big singles when it comes to the overall riding experience. The numbers and the power are impressive, but thanks to those twin balancers, a cutting edge engine management system and a ride-by-wire throttle, it is also buttery smooth and unthreatening. It packs some serious grunt while remaining fuel-efficient, easy to ride and clearly sets a new benchmark for big singles.Arnie level muscle dressed in a fine Armani suit.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Grip is easy to find. Even on TKC80 rubber the flawless pick-up from a closed throttle sees the engine management system smooth those big pulses of power out well enough to find traction. They are still Clydesdale sized horses hitting that 18-inch rear tyre, but these brumbies are wearing ballet shoes on their hoofs and somehow manage to tread lightly, while still slingshotting you towards the next corner at a prodigious rate of knots.
The standard gearing is very l-o-n-g, but the bike has no trouble pulling it. Negotiating city 50km/h zones will require a shift down to fourth in order to keep the bike happy, but above that it is simply pick a gear, any gear will do.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The bike is fitted with a high-end quick-shifter that works on both up and downshifts, and is programmed to also operate well at part throttle openings. Unlike the old tech systems that only really worked with the throttle tapped, it can be used even when dawdling about. I was busy running on auto-pilot most of the time and thus often forgot the bike had it, which probably was part of the reason that I missed a few shifts. More time on the bike would see me adapt further and most likely render the shifting a non-issue, like most KTM machines though, the shift action is never quite as rifle-bolt positive as I would like.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The clutch is beautiful. How can a clutch be beautiful you say? Those of you that have spent time negotiating tight terrain in the bush on a powerful Japanese dirt-squirter that has no hydraulic clutch will know exactly what I mean. The pleasure on your fingertips is palpable when working a nice clutch in the dirt. The 690 Enduro R not only has a slip-assist style clutch mechanism, but also a Magura hydraulic lever set-up. It’s clutch porn, my eyes glaze over a little Homer Simpson thinking about doughnuts style as I write about it… Yeah I’m a bit different, but I am okay with that…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The map change and traction control switchgear on the left bar was a little problematic during my time on the bike and only worked if pressed in a very specific part of the button. Annoying.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Unsurprisingly, KTM subsidiary WP provide the suspension. The WP XPLOR 48 kit is at the upper end of the WP range with 48mm inverted open cartridge forks and a beefy looking shock working through a Pro-Lever linkage. Both ends offer a generous 250mm of well damped travel and endow the bike with 270mm of ground clearance.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Riders in our bunch varied in size massively, I was at the upper end of the scale, while an impossibly slim older Italian tester would have struggled to see the suspension register any sag under what must have been a size zero KTM adventure suit. Yet, none of us were eager to start twiddling clickers, we were too busy riding as hard as we dared on the varied trails that dot the ranges behind the Algarve coast of southern Portugal to worry about that stuff.I was amongst a handy group of riders and we were all having a ball with little to complain about. No squeaks or bangs were to be heard and the whole show just felt, well, competent, and very much fit for purpose.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Clearly the smooth electronically controlled power delivery plays a big part in this equation, with no sudden hits of power to upset the springs.Suspension fettlers still have no end of options to tune themselves to a standstill with pre-load, along with both high/low speed compression and rebound damping all ready to be fettled.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Braking is another area where KTM have not skimped. Brembo hardware front and rear is backed up by an almost superbike spec’ lean angle sensitive ABS system that sports a very well tuned off-road mode. Decent feel is evident from both ends and the ABS system is unobtrusive enough to leave on at all times, with the rear deactivated for the dirt. At 300 mm the front disc and twin-piston caliper is also up to being pressed on the street. The 240 mm rear disc seems perhaps a little small, but worked flawlessly with great bite and control.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The only time I felt the brakes go away from me as the electronics intervened was when I had basically cocked it up and got in way too hot. You could feel the front run on ever so briefly before the electronics allowed the hydraulic pressure to again be applied smoothly and modulate the caliper pistons to slow the machine. No old school pulsing through the lever that made you shit your pants and feel as though you have no control. The intervention is applied and cycled so quickly that sometimes you can fail to register that any intervention has actually happened.The system releases the braking pressure instantly, and then reapplies it so smoothly that there might be one scenario in a hundred that you might be able to better it, if on your A game, but in a surprise emergency stop scenario you are not going to better it.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The KTM 690 Enduro R is a case study in just how good electronic systems now are, and the fact that they are now found on a single-cylinder dirtbike is simply astounding. Not only do we have a best of the best lean-angle sensitive ABS, but also a highly sophisticated traction control system.This is not some basic set-up that simply retards the ignition, as seen on the latest EXC range of KTM enduro bikes, but is instead a true sportsbike level of smarts.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
In the off-road modes the traction control system is extremely liberal and its intervention almost imperceptible as you slide from corner to corner, it is only when things get a bit too crazy that it reigns things in a little. And the way it then does intervene is sublime, it just pulls enough power, almost imperceptibly, that it never really interrupts drive, instead it just reduces power via the throttle butterflies in order to drive forward momentum, instead of sideways motion. Don’t for one minute think that means that in order to be drifting in and then sliding out with the front wheel pawing for the sky you need the traction control system turned off, you don’t. You are getting pretty loose before it starts to intervene. The lean angle component of the traction control system is not used in off-road mode, so you have full power to blast out of a berm when needed.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Of course, if you are fresh in the morning and want to go all out and attack your favourite trail, by all means turn the electronic smarts off and fly by the seat of your pants. But even then, when you are spent later in the day and just want to get to your digs for the night, there is some comfort in being able to reactivate the smarts and just cruise to your destination while conserving energy, and brain power.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The 13.5-litre fuel cell effectively does three jobs in one as it also forms a structural part of the sub-frame, and also serves as the inner rear mudguard. KTM engineers claim a potential range of 300 km, and while that figure will no doubt make many scoff, I actually believe that might be possible. It is a very modern engine with the latest electronic smarts and 4.5 litres per 100 km should be feasible when off-road touring. Certainly, I would expect to be able to bank on a safe range of over 250 km in most riding scenarios. Even the most manic of tyre frying runs would surely still see a range of well over 200 kilometres. Seriously, it is incredible just how economical the latest generation of EFI bikes are.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The fuel filler is accessed behind the seat at the rear of the bike, on top of the rear fender. This means that the optional 18-litre front bag accessory that fixes between the front of the seat and the headstock doesn’t need to be disturbed when refuelling. However, there are limited options for securing any luggage to the rear of the bike, with no handy tie-down points or structural members to fix any sort of luggage too.
I did see some of the KTM staff with a small, perhaps five, or ten-litre when expanded, soft luggage bag strapped on top of the rear fender. These had a strap wrapped around the seat, but the dearth of sturdy tie-down points for luggage is perhaps the most significant drawback of the motorcycle.KTM would say, well just buy the new 790 Adventure if you want luggage grids and the like for long-distance touring. In response I would say, the engine in this bike is so good why in the hell did you bother making a parallel twin adventure bike at all! Or at least make us a Rally/Adventure version of this 690 Enduro R for those that want the ultimate big single adventure bike!
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R accessory tank bag
The boundaries of our adventures at home here in Australia are limited in scope only by our imagination. Perhaps this is not impressed enough on the designers at Kiska back in Austria. If the 690 Enduro R was developed with the Australian market front of mind, with Aussie input, no doubt we would have got some viable tie-down points at the rear of the machine for luggage. Tie-down points might not look all that great when working on the crayons, but they do sure come in handy…
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
KTM has instead left it to the aftermarket to devise a quality set of soft throw-overs to satisfy the demands of those that want to go on longer and more epic hard-core adventures, but don’t want to do it on a 200 kilogram+ multi-cylinder behemoth that, if crashed, will likely cost thousands to fix. There would be no better serious hard-core adventure bike in the market today than the 690 Enduro R, if only you could simply strap a bit more luggage to it, so that camping out and true multi-day epics would be viable options. I am sure owners out there will improvise though and come up with some sturdy luggage solutions.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
Curiously, KTM have provided some handy amenities though, a convenient USB port up near the bars, and a brilliant standard toolkit hidden behind its smooth flanks.
The bodywork to reach said toolkit is removable without the need for tools. The air-box is also easily accessed and the air intake situated right up beneath the front part of the seat.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R – USB port can be seen just forward of the fork lef in this shot
My luggage complaints aside, as a big single day long-distance off-road blaster there is probably no better machine than the 690 Enduro R. Of course, it is not a 500 EXC-F in the tight stuff, but the 690 requires only 10,000km basic service intervals, rather than an oil and filter change every 15 hours, and full engine rebuild every 135 hours that the more enduro competition focussed 250/350/450/500 EXC-F singles advise under their recommended maintenance schedule.
The 690 Enduro R is 35kg heavier than those more race-bred options, but on open trails it still proves light enough, and the suspension responsive enough, to very rarely ever feel as though you are being held back by the weight of the machine. The slim flanks and excellent ergonomics of the 690 Enduro R also help hide that weight, it feels a like a proper dirtbike, ready to take on anything you point it at. The lump of human on top of it, as always, is the final deciding factor in the outright performance limitations.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
When the pricing of the 690 Enduro R is compared to that of the 500 EXC-F, I would suggest that the 690 Enduro R seems like better bang for the buck than its smaller and more hard-core siblings. A 500 EXC-F is $14,695, or $16,195 for the Six Days model, but by the time you register it and pay stamp duty etc. you are getting up towards the $17,595 Ride Away price of the 690 Enduro R.
When the comprehensive two-year unlimited kilometre warranty of the 690 Enduro R is factored into the equation, then you can really start to see the relative value of the 690. The more competition focussed EXC-F machines only come with a six-month parts and labour warranty.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
The fact that you also need a key to start the 690, the fuel cap can be locked, and that the steering can also be locked easily from the ignition, helps add a little peace of mind should you need to park the machine anywhere public. These are very welcome features out in the real world.
2019 KTM 690 Enduro R
For those that like spending lots of time on the trail, and often, the long service intervals and much longer fuel range of the 690 Enduro R, along with a relatively comfortable seat, and niceties such as the standard cooling fan (an optional extra on EXC-F), sees the 690 Enduro R certainly start to make a lot of sense. Especially if your adventures entail any lengthy tarmac sections, as the 690 Enduro R will eat up the kilometres much more easily, and comfortably, than the more enduro competition focused machines. Not quite as Ready To Race, but certainly more than Ready To Rumble.
It is a high-performance trail bike, a capable street bike for commuting, and a viable adventure motorcycle all rolled into one. Can less sometimes be more…?
Footnote:The current Husqvarna 701 model already has the twin counter-balanced engine, but we believe the 2019 KTM has an updated engine management system and more sophisticated electronic smarts (lean angle traction control and ABS), in comparison to the Husky. When questioned as to the actual specific differences, KTM personnel at the launch claimed to have little knowledge of the Husqvarna specifications, or the actual differences between the two. Thus it is hard for us to 100 per cent quantify what exactly the differences are, as we have not sampled the current 701.
