I have owned it all, the last 15 years 1200GS , F800, ktm 790 Husky 701 SM, Triumph Tiger 900, Aprilia Tuareg… And I’m very, very happy with my brand new 690R, loving it! Possibly the best of them all… and this stress level when difficult Offroad went down by half! And that is the sweetest part of it all !! 😊
I started 690s with a 2011. Now I own a 2011, 2013 and a 2017 701. My sons ride the 690s. Yes, it would be nice if KTM would make a 690 with a WR gearbox. They're now on the 4th version of the 690 (I'm counting the 701 as a version) and it's still the same gearbox so it doesn't seem like they're going to do it. With a 14T CS sprocket it lowers 1st gear enough IMHO. You still have a top speed of over 100 mph at 8000 rpm. As to vibration, it helps to soften up the tires but the single biggest improvement I found was balancing the tires. With the 3 bikes we have accumulated over 50K miles and have yet to experience a fuel pump or clutch slave problem. Thanks, Ian for a fine review channel with a lot of real world value.
The seating position! Something all reviewers miss on this bike is that it allows you to sit, really far forward, like you are on a dirt bike. That is a world changing feature for me. I can use much more acceleration if I am seated. On my 1290 I used to stand almost all the time, now I only stand if it gets really technical. Sitting up front on fast gravel roads let's you go so, so fast, and you can powerslide to your heart's content. I am keeping mine!
Agreed. I like to get up on the "tank" like I would on a motocross bike. Getting your weight up on the front end completely dials in the turning. This machine is narrow enough to do so.
Good to hear from a 1290 owner. I have a 1290 SAR and the more I look at this 690 the more Im leaning towards it. As a lone rider, the SAR is a heavy problem to me.
@@BigRockMoto clutch slave cylinder water pump and reliability it is my only concern, after what you said this bike sounds perfect on my point of view.
@@northislander4evasir107 Even my 890R, Im always aware its big on dirt. Despite those who say its a trailbike. Its very close to 500lbs with everything needed for a long day ride. If it went down in an awkward way its a true bitch to pick up solo.
I have 2021 model 690 and set it up as a light ADV bike. Totally love it. It’s just so versatile. I commute to work Mon to Fri then explore my region on weekends. When you explore new areas, you don’t want a big heavy ADV bike that is a handful when things get rough. This bike is light enough to handle some challenges. When my mates turn around on bigger ADV bikes, I can keep going. If you only need to go on the highway 1 to 2 hours to get to the dirt this is the ultimate exploration machine. Cheers
How's the seat comfort for rides of more than an hour or two? If I got one of these, I would definitely set it up as an ADV so touring comfort is pretty high up on my want list...
@@alozborne Stock seat is good for a few hours but too hard for me. I ended up getting Seat Concepts Seat. Now I can ride 12 hours no problem. It was $600 Australian dollars. Cheers
@@glossblack1098 $600, ouch! Totally worth it though for avoiding a numb bum :-) Thanks for the feedback, once I'm looking for a change from my 2022 Honda CB500X, this bike will definitely be high on my list.
I consider Big Rock Moto one of the premier RUclips channels on adv/dual sport motorcycle related reviews. Why? Because you are honest and thorough. In this day and age, authenticity is king. You, Chronicles of Solid and FortNine are my go to for this type of motorcycle info. You’re in great company. Keep it up!
Your review of your own almost got me to quit looking at 690/701’s when I saw it, but there was nothing else on the market at the time that spoke to me. Ended up with a 701, and have gone the light adv route and adore the bike. As you say, it does nothing exceptionally well, but it does most things good enough, and it’s a lot cheaper than a fleet of motorcycles to do it all and divorce paperwork. 😂
@0:55 to validate what you’re saying here. I’ve had 500 exc’s for 10 years and never paid much attention to the 690 until I switched bikes with a friends this year. On helmet coms, in less then a mile the 1st thing I said was how “amazingly smooth the v-twins are”. And I didn’t really believe him when he told me it was a single. I had to look for myself after. It is truly impressive how smooth they are.
I bought a used 2017 701 from a friend. he added a scotts steering damper, upgraded suspension, and a few other mods. I added the RADE rally tower and extra gas tank, WINGS exhaust and a few other things. I love this bike. I use it for everything now.
I have 6 years of fun on my 690. Setup as an Enduro, -1 tooth on the CS fixes the tall 1st gear, Scotts damper with rubber handlebar isolators fixes the "unbearable" vibrations, custom revalve on front and rear suspension, not lowered... Hands down the best 50/50 bike available. I have flipped it off steep single track and drug it back up onto the trail alone at age 60. Then ran down sport bike in the twisties on the way home. Amazing bike. Just stay off the steep trails when it's muddy.. 😀 BTW I have a 250 2-stoke as stated the 690 is not a replacement for a real dirt bike. Riding a 690 on a group ride with 500cc bikes sucks.
I’ve recently got a 2021 690 Enduro, it is such a refreshing bike to ride after years of BMWs. Light, comfortable, decent fuel range. I got blinkered into 1200cc and ‘big’ bikes but ride one of these and you will see the light. Really cannot fault the bike for my riding, perhaps not a motorway bike but doable with an aftermarket screen. It is ridiculous fun and makes you want to just ride!
Would you take it for a week long adventure tour (about 2500 km) with 60L luggage and with 70% winding roads/ back country roads and only 30 % gravel roads/mountain dirt roads (not technical enduro level) ? I’m coming from a 1250 GSA and year after year we do more and more off-road but it is so heavy t pick up. I don’t mind a bit less confort on the road but I am afraid it would be so tiring for my back and bottom just after a 4-hour ride on the road that I would regret my choice. And can you still ride with the wife behind you on the weekend?
I have a 2019 KTM 690 set up for light weight ADV. For reference I also have a 2010 BMW 1200 GS and a 2015 KTM 500 EXC. I have used all three bikes on BDR trips. The 690 is my favorite bike for BDR trips. It will cruise down the highway at 60 mph (I try to avoid the interstates on all of my trips) and with a 48 tooth sprocket it rocks off road. At 64 years old, even with luggage filled with gear for a week of camping, I can still pick it up. I prefer the 500 for single track and the GS for pavement, but for BDR style dirt travel, the 690 just may be the perfect bike. It has plenty of smash to be exciting, but no so heavy that you get worried when things get gnarly.
@@boomcity4942 Im 66 also! Ive put 19,000 miles on my 890R and while its a great bike, as soon as its off road you know its near 500lbs. I just picked up a 2021 690R and as soon as I got it on dirt, it was wheelies and slides for days no problem. The 690 is a blast. Its easy to ride, the powerband couldnt be any smoother. But if you pin it, it goes! At 80mph it is pulling hard. Its mellow, but gets going very quick if you want. I will be way more confident on any sort of offroad on 690, its less likely to fall over, and easy to pick up if it should take a nap.
I’m on a 2100 mile Baja solo dual sport ride! In Catavina watching this video! 2021 model, set up pretty well. I agree with almost everything you stated! It’s definitely tall! I started my ride with side bags and a tail bag. Mounting and dismounting was a challenge even at 5’11”! I lost the rear bag and shifted my gear around, and that was a game changer! I really appreciate what the bike does, that a smaller dual sport won’t do, pass traffic with light speed acceleration! Dirt prowess! Twisties are a complete blast even running dirt tires! Mileage was 50 plus dirt, 45-48 street. Runs fine on 87 octane. I have the $100 KTM windscreen and it does a pretty good job of deflecting wind to your chest, and not into your face! I think a added deflection clamp on would be an excellent addition, and way cheaper than the Rade Tower! Tight technical is very good because it’s very hard to stall the big motor with some good clutch work! I rode a trail and told myself several times to turn around, but I ignored myself because the bike just did it! Ditch those mirrors and get the Rottweiler’s Also this bike is a wheelie monster 😂
I drive a 2017 DR650. I chose this over the DRZ400 because of highway riding. I have not regretted my decision. A year ago nova racing released a wide ratio transmission (for the DR) that solves the almost 25 year-old problem of the DR and DRZ lack of a sixth gear. I just learned, today in fact, that there is and has been a Wide-ratio transmission available for the DRZ for 10 years lol and it's cheaper than the DR's. Turns out...if you're still reading...there is also one available for the KTM 690. I always considered the KTM 690 my perfect unicorn and I still plan on getting it because wide ratio or not, that extra power and sixth gear still let it cruise comfortably at 75. No one seems to talk about these wide ratio transmissions from Nova and ACT but they are options out there folks. Have a good 2023!
Pretty sure the NOVA gearset is 4000.00 for the 690, + cost of splitting cases. And the bike will cruise 75 easy as it comes. Some do put a 16T CS sprocket on and say its a good thing. I put 51,000 miles on my DR650, and mine ran smoother at 80+ mph than it did at 70 mph, I ran it for hours like that. Never hurt it a bit. The DRZ 400 for sure needs a top gear, and some way to make it stable out on the road. I had one and it just didnt do it for me.
I have a similarly modded Husky 701. I have had two 1290 ADV-R's, 3 GS's. There is no comparison, this is without a doubt IMHO the best adventure touring bike with one caveat. You have to add the Coober piggyback chip. That turned my 701 into a completely different machine. It cruises effortlessly on the freeway now and feels like I added 25HP. The others are great if you spend the majority of your miles on the road but the rest of us are not Chris Birch so the big heavy bikes are just pigs off-road. I can keep up with much smaller dirt bikes on my 701 off-road. I also added the Rade Garage extra fuel tank which makes for about 230 miles per tank.
Great review. I own a 2015 w/ the Safari 3.7 gal tank, 1 1/2" lowered/revalved suspension, BRP vibration bar mounts w/ riser, Ktm windscreen, & afternarket footpegs (larger, moved down & back). I'm 5'10" & the changes have made it a dream for stand up riding on dicey dual & single travk. Love the bike, but am planning on selling both this & my 2017 1090 Adv R for a new 690. Truly feel the 2023 will keep my 73 year young body totally inspired to do more easy single track. Keep up w/ the very informative reviews.
I used to have a husqvarna 701, and what I think is that this bike is neither a enduro or an adventure bike, that is just a fact. Difficult to compare because it’s not on a segment on its own. But, I think what everyone must agree is how fun it is! The fun factor should be on top of everything. And this bike put a smile on your face every single time
I have a 2020 690enduro r, all the same mods minus the windscreen. I added 30mm risers which helped my riding position (I’m 6”02), Currently running Motoz Tractionator tires but am switching back to a 70/30 or 60/40 tire. Also have Riggs bags which totally help with gear, Vanasche Motorsports skid plate, clutch slave, fuel filler, Wings exhaust and Dual5 headlight. The bike is phenomenal and that’s not an exaggeration.
Definitely! If not, I should have stopped watching at the video... We're in 2023 and the metric system is the base of International System since a lot of decades ago.😅
Context. I had a KLR. I'm 62 with a worn out back, knees, hips, and shoulders from 20 years as a paratrooper. I was looking for a BDR/TAT/Dalton Hwy bike that I could pick up and not put my back out. I had a $10K budget. I can only afford one bike. I found a used 2016 690 Enduro WITH the Rally Raid stronger fuel tank bolts, the Rally Raid twin fuel tanks, upgraded skid plate, Baja Design Squadron Pros as additional lighting, Seat Concepts seat, Enduro Engineering hand guards, KTM heated grips for $8,500! I couldn't be happier. I don't ever plan to do single track but I need a bike that is good where I am not that can also take me on these "bucket list" trips. This bike without the 2022 bells and whistles, still ticks all my boxes. As a KLR owner, I'm not afraid to work on a bike so a used KTM was not an issue. As a former KLR owner, vibration? What vibration? lol Dream bike? A consumer grade and consumer priced KTM Dakar-designed 450 (fuel under the seat and in low slung tanks on either side of the front of the engine); lighter weight, fantastic performance, solid fuel range. Love the channel, Ian. Thanks for putting this information out there!
I got a 2019 690 R since last year, with all mods of the video except the Rally faring. I installed the adventure spec mini faring, but it does not offer much protection. If I’d bought it new I would have installed it for sure. In any case I did 10,000 km with it and only 2000 with my GS last year, which tells me something… I considered trading both bikes for a 890, but I feel so great off road with the 690 that I will keep it for a while, and continue developing my off road skills with it. My feeling is that it is a bike that can help you becoming a better rider ! Reliability is not mentioned in the video, but I never got any problem with it last year and it is now 32,000 Kms! I’m looking forward doing 10,000 kms more next year!
I came from the XR650R world and went to and Africa twin and was not ready for the heavy weight class . I got the 690R and it felt like a Fuel injected, 6 speed ,electric start XR5650R . I have ridden the 690R down the Baja peninsula with all my camping gear, Pre ran the Baja 1000 race course , on the way home I camped at the Glamis Sand dunes aired down and busted 3rd gear wheelies past dune bikes with paddles with my saddle bags on it up competition hill and then rode to work the next day all on the same bike. I am super happy with mine. I like to call this class of bike the "ADV Lite" and this specific model the "Swiss Army Knife" of bikes. great review by the way
Buy it Ian, you'll love it - you have the skill to extract the maximum out of it. As a bike to ride pretty hard on your own, it has no equal. i have a BMW GS Rallye which I love for longer, gravel touring, but my 690 (modified exactly like this example) has become my go-to bike for when I need to blow the cobwebs out, riding on my own. 28000km, not a single problem a smile on my face every time I ride it, and often a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. But it constantly reminds you it's powerful, so treat it with respect (mines called "Ahmed I keelyou!")
I had the 701 and liked it but living on the east coast with less open land lessoned my off road riding options. To get anywhere with unlimited off-road use I had to travel 3 or more hours to get there. I'd like to say I'm an off-road rider but reality is 75% of the time I am on road trying to find new places to ride off road. Bottom line is, I sold it and bought an 890. Yes it's heavier but you have to be real with yourself and decide how much time you're actually going to be off the road. Thank you for the nice review.
100% correct. I’m on the east coast too and finding legal places to ride is a joke. Unless you go to the same club trails over and over. Being real with yourself and getting the bike that makes sense for your area is key.
This is actually why I'm considering buying a 690. I have a Yamaha mt09 and a ktm 450 in my shed, neither of which get enough use to justify having both. If I can sell both and buy a 690 I'm thinking it should be good enough for the occasional commute, but I can also hit the beaches and tracks in here Western Australia without too much compromised offroad performance. Surely the 690 is the bike I'm looking for right?
The way he drops the bike amazes me, you can literally see how light the bike is. Also, talking about vibrations, my brother has a Tenere 660 (2015). That bikes shakes like crazy, and still weights 215kg, with ALL THE WEIGHT at top. It is an incredible bike, and this sounds very comparable to this one, but waaaaaaaaaaaay lighter. Thanks for the review, amazing content as always!
I've seen personally what both the Husky 701 and KTM 690 enduro is capable of, and it does everything most people will encounter on an dirt road/track adventure trip...unless you are a true adventure extremist, trying to cross muddy swamps, going up steep hills covered with loose boulders etc. Personally I'm not a fan of that type of adventure riding..I want to ride my bike, not fall over 200 times, and hoisting it out of mud pits. So if I only could have one bike, the 690 or 701 would be my top choice. I also like the simplicity of single cylinder adv bikes.
I really liked this review. I own a 2021 690 with the Rade options and also own a 2019 R1250 GS . I sold the GS after owning both for 12 months because as good as it was I would always find myself taking the 690 when I had a choice. I have factory low suspension on both bikes which helped a lot with my 5 foot 8 inch height, but you can’t get around the 249kg GS vs the 146 kg 690.
In my heart, I think I'm still 180lbs dirtbike teenager, so I always want a DS, but now I'm 38yo and 280lbs and reality says I'm more a lightweight ADV rider. And I live 90 minutes away from any offroad trails, in a big city, so realistically, I think the 690 is better for me than a 500excf, but I already have a Triumph 1200 Scrambler XE, so I think I'm set...for once, no desire or need for any other bike! LOL
i have two 690: a 2014 690e converted to supermoto and a 2021 690e with 300mm suspension. there's nothing like the 690 -especially the 2019+ 690. it is the reigning unicorn. totally badass
@@Insaiyanrider get 17" wheels. i have warp9 wheels. you'll have to cut the fork guards, turn the left fork around so your brake lines run to the outside. on the rear, take the chain off, unscrew the screw for the top chain guard on the inside of the swing arm. this will make it a lot easier to get that 5" in and out. the rest just look at your manual for what to unbolt and bolt. put the new chain on, adjust speedo, and you're off.
I have an 890 ADV “R” (started as an S and added Xplor 240mm and the rest) and just picked up a ‘23 690 Enduro R … after a few rides on it, I’m absolutely in love with this bike. My use case is 2 lane country roads (I avoid interstate at ALL costs - that’s a waste of a knobby to me, even on the 890) enroute to national forest & logging areas for camping and exploring. For this, I think the 690 will absolutely be in its element (we’ll see though, I haven’t take it on a trip yet!). I have 2 adventure bikes (well, 3, I have a 390 ADV as well, but will be selling that) primarily to keep a loaner for friends that want to come along and for some longer trips I can see taking the 890 instead of the 690 due to its comfort and fuel range. But I think the key difference for the 690 is for exploring unknown areas: the weight means I’ll most likely *never* 2nd guess and turn around compared to a larger bike. Yes, it’s tall - but I grew up tall dirt bikes and never really was able to touch the ground (I have a 30” inseam) and this feels a bit like a dirt bike in that way. If it becomes a hassle I’ll lower it but I’m going to try to avoid that as I love the ground clearance as-is and would rather ride it stock. I will say if I bought the 690 before I bought the 890 ADV, I’m not sure I would have ever wanted for another bike - again, primarily because while I do include pavement in my explorations I focus on 2 lane country roads with minimal traffic - interstate is a massive anti-goal for me (and where I live this isn’t hard to avoid.) I think this is a fair review and that the 690 has a narrow appeal for all the reasons you mentioned. But I’m sure glad KTM builds it and continues to evolve the platform! I’m looking forward to getting out more on this thing and exploring with it. Keep up the great work, Ian - enjoy your reviews!
Great review of a nicely modded 690! As a mechanic, some findings regarding those rear mounted KTM tank fillers are that they are exposed to a lot more dust and other foreign matter ingress than forward mounted tank fillers. The latest Chinese made KTM fuel pumps are WEAK and battle with the introduction of even a little bit of dust. A good upgrade is to get a good inline fuel filter and possibly even an after market fuel pump. We see a LOT of failures of the fuel pumps on these models and mostly on bikes with dirt around the fuel inlet/tank fillers.
Light weight is king , in all aspects of adventure. Being fast, light and nibble is always more cost effective than taking extra gear you may need but never use. Camping , biking, running, fishing, backpacking, the rule is all the same. It's best to know how to use 1 tool hundred different ways than to take hundred tools you may only use once. For adventure I think 690 is the ultimate bike, because you want the off road , it opens up so many opportunities, for short cuts, and even better handling in unfavorable conditions. Unfavorable conditions are the most dangerous and what Is comes down to for having the best skill to survive.
Another honest review in the "searching for the Unicorn" segment. I heard about the vibration issues with the LC4 and was intimidated by it ... until I got one (or two) and found it not as obtrusive as advertised. As with all adventure bikes you need to define what you intend to do then get what fits that bill. Weight was my biggest hurdle and keeping the bike under well under 400 pounds fueled up was my criteria. I'm not as aggressive a rider as most, more aggressive than some. Taking the road less traveled, but not never traveled, is where many of us want to be. As an aside, Lyndon Poskitt rode a modified 690 around the world.
I keep going back to LC4. I started with a 1999 640. In between a 520, 200, 250, 300, 450, 525, 950, 990, I've kept going back to 625, 640, and now a 690. I love the 690, it is the perfect enduro for me, especially with a set of 21/18 AND 17's.
For context, I only buy used bikes that are about 8 years old or more, but I've owned nearly 200 motorcycles over the years and I have a 690 in my garage.
@@connor3288 35 years. 200 bikes is about how many I've owned personally that were runners. Yes, lots of fixing to flip, but I always take them out for a few rides before selling.
Scotts steering damper really helps with the speed wobbles when the knobbie tyres pull that front wheel off line on the road. Essential piece of kit for big miles on the 690
Yep, crank up the low speed knob some while on the highway, ease it off for technical trails. Have been using the same Scotts on my dirt bikes since the early 90s, I just keep transferring it when the bikes change.
Agreed, I put one on mine after some mega sketchy highway moments and it’s a literal life saver. I say that as someone who normally doesn’t like them. There’s something about the 690 geometry that really benefits from a damper.
I have a 2016 701. I kept it light and enduro'esque for the first 5 years, but this year did the Rade Garage fairing, Seat Concepts seat, suspension lowering, etc etc (€,$,£!). I've gone through quite a few bikes over the years, but this one keeps my interest and is just so darn fun. It goes well, it stops well, the controls all feel nice in your hands, it makes a great noise on the pipe (Wings exhaust), is light and flickable and looks ace now it has the fairing. Granted, I live in Europe and almost never have to ride any interstate, but I like it as a road bike and as a dual-sport. It gives me the confidence to tackle off road that I would not be confident about on a larger bike (I did the GSA1200 thing too), and I can loft the front end, slide it around and have fun with it. Then you can tootle about sedately exploring small roads and villages, or get stuck in and ride like a hooligan up an alpine col. The riding experience is a bit raw, but I like it for that, and you feel connected to what is going on. The thing I like least about the bike is the bag-of-spanners noise the engine makes at tick over and low rpm, but it seems to be a KTM thing. But the mid to top end is just a ridiculous riot of noise and action :-). I keep musing other bikes (T7, Taureg 660, 890 etc) but I when a bike is this much fun and doing what I want it to do so well, I soon put those thoughts aside. I also accept there is no perfect bike, so if it has a few vibes, or takes a bit more TLC to look after, that's OK as long as I still love riding it. Too often I made the mistake of getting out of a bike I still enjoy to try something else, and then regretted it. So, this is staying until the day I firmly and decisively stop enjoying it, or stop using it for what it is good at. Long live the 690, in all its guises. Delivering fun seems to be what it does best.
How do you like the Rade fairing? I just ordered one and I’m hoping it helps reduce the amount of wind on my body. I’d love to be able to ride 60-70mph and not feel like I was getting beat up by the wind.
Living in the middle of Oklahoma I find a bike like this wildly attractive! Needing to sped anywhere from 45min to 2.5 hrs of tarmac to get to most anything and needing a license plate + longer maint intervals I’m so intrigued by this bike. I have a 007 Tiger 900 as well and find it not as fun when off road is the primary target. This would allow me some tarmac, fun dual sport as well as still be able to have fun at the OHV parks as well! It’s pricey but I would lean more towards making it into a sick lightweight ADV bike….thanks for the review!!
I recently sold my Super Tenere and picked up a 2017 690 Enduro. I loved the Tenere for crossing states, but once off road it was just too heavy. I decided that I enjoy riding the dirt sections way more and was willing to sacrifice a bit of road comfort.
Great video, I own a 2020 690 Enduro and I absolutely love it. For me it goes everywhere and does everything I need it to do. The gear ratios are not that big of an issue for me as it has so much power and it pulls very well. I do have a 1250 GS to ride when I am traveling longer distances on the road. Keep up the good work on your reviews!
Everything starts with knowing you personal requirements. Then, you choose the compromise to achieve your requirements. Most people are touring only and the unpaved road in between can be done with a panigale, too. I'm focusing on offroad performance and light weight for my long solo travels on unpaved roads.
sounds like you need to buy it and gather a couple buddies for a long weekend trip. let one of them ride your 890, another on the beta and you on the 690 and dig a little deeper into this bike side by side. at the moment i am conflicted with this bike , a 450rl and an 890/t7 / desertx. thanks ian keep up the great work!!
To me, this bike is for people who grew up on dirt bikes and want to do more adventure riding. I’ve been on the fence about which bike to choose because I’m just not that comfortable on large adventure bikes… even though I’m pushing 6’3”. I’m WAY more comfortable on something like this. And I really appreciated the comparison to the old model bc I’m looking for a used one… once I convince the Mrs. that is lol
nailed it! For someone that grew up on dirt bikes, this is just a perfect bike to get into “exploring” with on longer trips on a wide range of surfaces.
I have a 2020 model. I bought supermoto rims/tires for street days. I have the light weight MX setup and a full adventure mode with tusk racks. I added usb chargers and a small add on windshield. I rode it 12 hours back from Yosemite valley. It ran perfectly at 74mph(zero vibration). I have extra fuel bottles(fuel friends, German Amazon). The bike fits like a glove. I am 6'1" so no problem with height.
So I have a '17 690, which has been set up as an Adv/BDR bike. This is where the 690 excels, it's a great street bike with hooligan power and kicks serious ass on a dual track type trail. It does ok on the interstate, but obviously isn't as good as a larger twin cylinder bike. However I don't care to pick those up when I'm on the Alpine Loop. My friends T7 weighs over 100lbs more than my bike. I haven't found the vibrations of my 17 to bother me that much, nor the seat height even tho I'm the same height as you. However I came off a 640 Adv, which vibrates way more and is even taller. IMO, if you can only have one bike (like me) a 690 setup as an Adv bike is the best way to go
I had a very early 690 Adventure R and rode it for a trip down in northern Baja. Perfect for that. Things I did not like were the under seat fuel tank. I added the Rally Raid front tanks but that was fairly involved. Since the 690 I have gone: 500 EXC, 1290 Adventure R, 790 Adventure R, Husky FE501s, and now KTM 890 Adventure R. So kind of tried them all, but as you said in your video the 890r is the best fit for me. I am 66 and well past the need for speed in the dirt phase that the 690 excels at. I am perfectly happy to go slower on the 890r and just not do stuff too challenging. IF I had a new 690 I would probably do a taller screen and a rear rack with a rotopax mount and maybe some light weight panniers to have an adventure light type build but not spend too much money. Just like the Kawi KLR, you can pour a ton of money into a 690 but not change its basic nature. So no matter what you do it is still not going to be a comfy highway bike and not going to be a 500 EXC off road. I guess with the 890r I valued the all day comfort on road and the decent off road capability.
I used my 2020 - 690 over two years for everything without any issues. Rallys, travel, commute, and with supermoto wheels for road fun. The instability comes from lowering the forks and not only from the knobbies. The setup on this bike with Rade Garage kit makes it nearly perfect for me. My solution for the gearing problems was different sprockets. I use off-road 14/45 and on road 16/45. Everyone who wants only one for all, this is the solution.
A very nicely set up 690. There are so few bikes produced in this category and I find that a shame because IMO for REAL adventure riding this is the correct type of bike. As cool as a bike like this is, I think I will be sticking with my similarly heavily modded DR650 but I think you should probably buy that bike.
To me, this is the unicorn bike and I'd set it up as a lightweight adventure bike. My background is only motocross. I have a new DRZ right now but this 690 outperforms the DRZ in every way possible. This will probably be my next bike.
Ian, Nice review. The tower mod is overkill when a Puig screen will do. Two small gas containers will save weight, complication and cost while adding .5 gallon of gas. SC seat is good. Suspension to suit. I have an '18 701 and it rocks. Coober ecu brings the bottom and midrange to life. If you think the motor is good now, just wait! I've ridden/owned 2 950's, 1290 adv r, 1290 adv s, drz's and an ATK. The 690 is the best "compromise". Not working so hard in the dirt. Not suffering on the road. Then there are SM wheels, criminal lol. I like Motoz tires but not that model. Use the RallZ and never look back.
@rlovell383 the coober fills in the torque the 690/701 is missing from euro 4. From the factory the motor is soft down low and is a runner up high. With the coober it complete and strong from bottom to top. I didn't notice a significant change in mpg. I get on average about 52 mpg. Any compromise in mpg is offset in significant gains of power and usability through a larger range.
This review is in the top 2 reviews for this bike I’ve ever seen, the other one being the Rocky Mtns ATV review a few years ago. However, Ian’s review is the best. As for that $64 question at the end, this is the only bike that can do it all reasonably well. Forget comparing it to the 500, nothing will ever better it for tough dirt work (I own a highly modified one) and don’t compare it to one of the adv twins. For me, anything with more than one cylinder is too heavy and a bit too biased to road work, as they are all modified road bikes in the end. I’m getting on in years and the sort of trail Ian rode is the limit in toughness for me. I’d suggest that many twin owners never get near that degree of roughness and they would be a lot better off on a 690/701 even with that gearing. Re the negatives, all adv/dirt bikes have lousy wind protection and uncomfortable seats, most have poor lighting and you would never ride 2 up on them. A steering stabiliser would help the front end handling on the freeway. This motor will be the last ever big single adv bike, mark my words. KTM will wring every last sale it can as we move to stiffer emissions standards. Here in Australia, the 690 is within $200 of a T7 and I don’t understand why people go for the T7 when it has no TC or quick shifter plus you need to spend $1000+ on the suspension and you have the same power. Oh, that’s right, it’s an unreliable KTM 690. Yes, the motor from around 2010 did have valve rocker problems and that is what hurt their reputation. Ian emphasised the massive improvements with this motor. And let’s not forget the strongest most durable modern single, the 500. Riders going 50/100,000 kms around the world with no problems. With a choice between the 890 Rally and the 690, I’d go for the adaptability and relative light weight of a 690 every time and not bother with a 500.
Love your comment man! I am on a RTW down in Colombia from SoCal with the 1290 SAR and can't wait to get a lightweight bike I can get really offroad with.
I've got the 701, so basically the same whip, and I've come to realize that it's a completely unique bike alone in its category. Oversized dirtbike,describes it pretty well I think. At times it almost feels like a platform that you can build upon, people modify them so much. I love the dirtbikeness of it, the aesthetics and the feel. You can ride on the highway to the enduro spot, I've also taken it to 5000km ADV ride. I'm not a big KTM fan, I'd rather ride a Japanese bike, but there is nothing like this from other manufacturers.
Hi , excellent review of the potentials of 690/701 bikes. Here is my experience. I used to have an Africa Twin1000dct + a 250wrf. When my Africa Twin crashed ( after 4 years and 42.000km on road and easy off-road), I decided to sell my 250 and bought a 701E. I equipped my 701 with Rade Garage tower ( excellent), crash bars, lower foot pegs, comfort seat and rode 17.000km of Trans Euro Trail. After 1 serious drop, being 1,78m tall, I fitted the genuine WP lowering kit, reducing seat height by 40mm down to 880mm instead of 920: it was way easier to handle and still very good suspension inspite of reduced travel suspension down to 200mm. ... but, as you found it, I found it too light for long on road trip ( no vibration at all; enough power; but for any reason, felt unsecure due to lightness) ... and I had to battle with the weight on very few but challenging single tracks. On a 3 weeks trip on TransEuroTrail Greece with a friend riding a 250WRR, he was fresher than me every day end. ... So that I recently sold my 701E ( bought €12000+€2000mods; sold €9000) , to buy a used '21 500EXCF (€9000 with 18hours only; now adventurized), and a brand new '21 890AdvR ( bargain at €12000 + WP lowering kit). Lost a lot of money, but so much mote pleased with these 2 fantastic bikes. And I never had a single reliability issue with my KTMs (so far , haha). My final thougt : the 690/701 is an excellent do it all bike for a young very well fitted guy on a budget. An older guy like me (65; still well fitted) would be easier with a 500 + 890.
That seems to be a normal 690/701 experience. The internet has a lot of these bikes all low miles for sale. That should tell us the story is the same for most ( a lot?) of owners.
@@mxbadboy263 a friend of mine, younger than me by 30years, rode his 701E through Europe to Kirgistan , and back, with camping gear loaded, on a 2 monthes trip. We rode together in the Alps for a week, me on my 500: he on his 701 had no difficulty following me. He is not riding any enduro, and likes his 701 on roads as well. I really hesitated to sell my 701, but as I intend to ride more on road, the opportunity of a 890R for a good price made me deciding to sell the 701.
@@mxbadboy263 I guess it depends on where you are. They are hard to find used where I am, and usually go quickly for decent dollars. But the bikes suits it here perfectly.
This really taps into that existential question; who am I? This is a great review of a flexible bike. Am I tall enough? Am I an experienced off road rider? Am I riding 2 up and or with a lot of gear? etc. YOU have all the answers to plug in. I'm glad KTM and the mods are making the decision hard for you as it solidifies that question for you. This would be an outstanding second bike for me. Unfortunately I haven't got the money for it. Again it's up to me if I want it that badly. Really enjoyed watching you ride that trail and throw it around. Do you laugh that much when riding your 890 on the same trail?
Great video! I think you will buy it! The 5.5 litre hidden front tank from Rade Garage which will give you 250-280 total miles of range. I use the Mitas EO7 tires that come standard on our UK bikes and I have to say I have scrubbed all the hairy hero knobs off both front and rear on tarmac (at least in the the dry) and with them on, the bike is extremely stable at 100 MPH plus speeds. I was going to change the tires out but found them really very good in the dirt even in deep mud due to the traction control so as a 50/50 bike, so I am keeping them on. The 'Fastest-Cap-Swapper-in-the-West', the Mototrek guy rates them as the best all round adventure tire made. Far better off-road than they look like they should be. Speaking from experienceI having done the extended 7,350 mile TAT on a 2015 690 model, with the traction control the 21 model now has, (along with off-road ABS as standard no dongle) rather than fit the normal D606 rear MT21 front combo, I would happily use those E07 tires if I were doing it again, but only on this bike, which says something about how good it is on and off-road. Is it the perfect Unicorn? Definitely not but honestly, I look at every choice out there but not one other bike can give sports bikes a hard time on the twisties and yet still go everywhere a EXC500 can go. It is a real performer. Of course every single bike built is a compromise, but as yet, nothing can genuinely deliver so much performance in both the on-road and off-road worlds as a 690/701.
I had this same set-up with the auxiliary fuel tank and I sold it after 4000 miles. A lot of little reasons that added up to a lot: constant fan running, loud airbox with auxiliary tank (even with ear plugs), reliability/trust issues, poor gearing, cost, slow steering response, etc. But, it does do everything . . .
i have everything on mine that you have on yours.. i have the bike with a full open pipe. my bike steers on a dime, bike is a full on tank. 40k miles no issues on stock motor. the fan coming on alot? change thermostat temp and yeah the fan runs still but its not really that loud. stock gearing is odd in the woods, but drop a tooth and your gold. i have yet to find these trust issues when my bike has been bullet proof and i beat the piss out of mine. stock height as well.
I have the 2019 with all these upgrades - except the rade Rally fairing system. This video has convinced me I need to get it. I Came from a 1090 and love how lite the 690 is. Each time I want to get an 890 i think about the extra weight - which I don't want. Overall it's a great tweener bike - and the 690 package checks so many boxes that I continue to convince myself that for now this is the unicorn.
Out the factory its not the ultimate lightweight adventure bike. But there is everything available to make it one . Its just going to cost you! And if you want to ride alone, I cant think of another bike with that all round ability and horsepower which you can pick up on your own and not break your leg when it falls on top of you (and I have seen that happen). Also when these bikes are on a twisty road they are way more fun than they have any right to be. Pretty good commuter as well.
Buy it, you will not regret it at all 😉 With the Rade fuel tank kit you will get a new airbox that combined with a Ecu remap gives you A LOT more torque down in the rev range. I love the 690/701, such capable bikes 😎
For me, only 2 bikes will serve my full needs. A lighter enduro style bike and a bigger adventure bike. Currently, I only have one of these - a Surron Storm Bee - which is fantastic for my off-road mountain location. My rides start outside my door and end there. I sold my Transalp because I wasn't riding enough and I made a tidy profit on it. I might want to get another adventure bike so I can take luggage and my wife as a passenger. I'd probably get a Tenere 700 because the price is decent.
I had a 2017 Husky 701 and loved it, but ultimately I sold it. A 690/701 really shines if you can get to dirt within 45 mins from your garage. It was a good "medium range" bike for that reason, but ultimately when I was in the dirt I wished I was on a 500, and when I was on the road riding to the dirt I wished I was on an 890. This is the curse of compromise bikes; they end up highlighting where they lack more than where they shine. In a perfect world I would own a 501, a 701 (with NOVA WR transmission) and a 901 Expedition.... but even then I would still want a 2 stroker :) It never ends! Ultimately most rides require more than a couple of hours to get to good dirt, so I grab the ADV keys most. Mind you I have never tried the Rade Garage Rally tower so maybe this is the game changer this bike deserves......
Great review Ian, I had a 2021 KTM 690 and sold it back in August. It was a fantastic bike and a great dual sport. I sold it do to I just felt it was too uncomfortable for longer rides. Ended up purchasing a 2023 BMW 1250 GS Trophy. Very happy with the GS. I feel the 690 would be perfect for someone who travels a short distance to the trails/mountains. Once you ride it over the 150 mile mark it just starts to get very fatiguing. I agree with everything you said in the video. Thanks for posting it.
As an owner of both a 2017 690 Enduro R and a 2015 500 EXC I can say this... The 690 is heavier, has close ratio gearbox which is a liability with tall 1st gear on slower trails, harder to control throttle response in the technical sections. No one likes the stock exhaust on 690 due to how hot it gets and burns through soft luggage. The 500 EXC on the other hand has the true wide ratio gearbox, lighter and better suspension by a long shot. Both bikes are equally reliable and equally NOT fun on the freeway speeds plus both need a steering stabilizer to be safe on freeway. The 500 checks more options than the 690 imo... Plus its easier to upgrade the fuel range on the 500 than the 690 :). I would never recommend the 690 to anyone for light adv when they can get an older 500 EXC with a backup kickstart :)
I don’t know, the 690 and 500 are more apples and oranges. Yes they can both do a lot of the same things, and great to own both (as well as a 990), but if I had to own just one bike it would be the 690. No it’s not as capable as the 500 in very technical off road, but it runs circles around it on the highway and mountain roads, more powerful and faster, can do hours at a time, and much longer maintenance schedules.
500EXC is very lucky to run near 20,000 miles to rebuild, it is a skinny tall dirtbike that vibrates and hard. Its not at all good on road. The new version of the 690 really gets up and goes, doesnt vibrate, 6000 miles to oil change. A very different bike than a 500, which is really just a plated dirtbike.
@@bradsanders6954 All I can say is watching the beginning of this video during the highway segment the mirrors were solid and didn’t indicate any vibration. The 500 might be a better dedicated machine and the 690 appears to be more all purpose. Depends on what your goals are
Love my 2017 690 and I do 3 things with it. Adventure rides two over 3500 miles each on it, dual sport riding single track just put real dirt tires on it, then I have a set of super moto wheels for playing in the twisty's and some highway 1 stuff out here in California. Would trade it for anything except a new 690.
I have the Husqy version in a 2021 701 Enduro. I LOVE IT!! I rode 5200 miles with the stock suspension before getting it lowered and heavier springs installed by a local suspension shop (FastLap Suspension). I am 5’ 8” with a 28” inseam, so you see why I lowered it. I’d love to have the tower, but $$ are spent better on other things for me right now. Thanks for the review Ian! After each of your videos, I consider my time well spent!!
Once again the advantage of being able to own more than one bike. As a slightly below average off road rider I have a KLX300 for trail riding and shorter adventures that can be accomplished without interstate highways and a KTM890S for everything else. If I really had to have only one bike, and wanted to continue off-road/adventure riding, a lowered 690 would be at the top of my list. It's the old choice of carrying a Swiss army knife or a good knife and some tools. If you have the room take the tools, if you don't you'll probably be just as happy with the Swiss army knife.
I have a 2021 690 mods include Scotts steering damper, 300mm forks, ecu upgrade, Rade fuel tank and airbox, cruise control, remus muffler, handle bar risers, front fairing, absolutley love it perfect for the riding that i do, will never ever sell it taken me 45 years of riding to finally get all that i have ever wanted in a motorcycle full stop, closest i have ridden to a unicorn. :)
I have a 2019. I sold a larger bike because I found myself riding too fast. The 690's niche is narrow. It is a safer (slower and lighter) alternative to a larger adventure bike, and will take you the same places but at a slower pace. Manageable if you drop it. That's very important to me because I ride solo a lot. In comparison to a smaller dual sport, it's everything that you want your 450/500 to be on the highway (smoother, more stable, longer range), and everything that you don't want it to be on a tight trail (heavy and slow turning). It's in the same class as the Jap. 650's. Too heavy for trails and too slow for interstate hwy but perfect for cruising backroads at legal speeds.
Professionally keep the question going… the light weight adventure bike that does every thing will be the holy grail for many years to come so there is plenty of content for you to put out and plenty of interest and debate for the rest of us! As for personally, I stopped waiting for it to come along and bought the 890 and ride a bit slower… Keep up the good work
I have a 701, I agree with most of the points in this review. Its kind of the perfect BDR bike if you aren't riding thousands of miles to and from route. Some quality issues, gearing is meh at times, only really an issue in the super technical slow stuff but a good rider can mitigate some of it. Wish there was a similar option from Japan, XR650R with EFI and Estart is closest bike I could think of to rival it if that was a thing.
Agree with you Honda XR650R with electric start confortable seat + good fuel range would be my first choice too. That bike was sometimes so difficult to start but with electric start.. I never understand why Honda don't use it for a light adventure bike.
I’ve been riding nearly my entire life, moved from 2 strokes to 500 dual sports. I am surrounded by millions of acres of national forests and can be on dirt in 5 mins so it was just a part of life. I bought a 701 enduro earlier this year and it may be my favorite bike ever, I am an absolute menace on this machine. I’m moving away from single track as I’ve gotten older and more in to full day expeditions, so this bike fit the bill. I wasn’t expecting to be so amazing on the road (far, far superior to a 500 class exc etc) but really didn’t expect it to be such a snarling monster on two track and fire roads, I think it might be the ultimate bike for those situations.
This is a great review, and especially that you reviewed it with the popular mods. Many people (myself included) are interested in a light ADV/big dirt bike, and seeing a fair review of one that's been set up that way is great. I hope to see similar reviews of other bikes (maybe including the ancient japanese 650s too--after the "necessary mods") in the future. Thanks!
Honestly, that bike is best served as a supermoto. Supermotos are crazy fun and it's a segment that I would love to see people show more interest in. For the enduro though, like you're saying, it's barely cutting the mustard at everything it should be doing on, or off road otherwise. My final thought is this the bike you'd want if that's all you have room and money for - like, for whatever reason - you can only have one bike. Then sure, this motorcycle is going to capable enough.
Great review, as always! For some vibration perspective, I’ve had three LC4’s prior to my current 2016 Husky 701 which is pre-twin counterbalanced which began in 2017. Those older bikes (1995-2003) bikes were extremely challenging to ride for any length of time on the highway, although the 2003 640 was a big improvement, but still pretty terrible. I have 12,000 miles on my adventurized 701 (with Nomad fairing similar to the Rade, Rade aux fuel tank and soft luggage) and I can do 200 highway miles at 65-70 mph relatively comfortable, and I’m no iron butt. So, to you riders who can’t or don’t want to spend the required $$$$$ for a 2019 or newer 690/701, I say find an older model and give it a test ride. You may be surprised.
Interesting. My budget says that I should buy a model before 2019, like 2012 to 2016. Do you think they are so vibey? I am driving a XT660Z now and its a bit vibey but ok for me.
I have a 2020 KTM 690. I live in Michigan's upper peninsula. We have an abundance of truck trails, single tracks and very remote camping spots. I use my bike for all of that. If you are going to use a bike for all of that too AND don't want to trailer it to the trail head AND (big AND) you only want one bike, a KTM 690 (or Husq 701) is your absolute best bet.
Its the unicorn dualsport. It's really the only DS you can get on and ride a long distance. Most complaints I see are because folks are looking for the unicorn adventure bike. But it really can be your only bike better than any other. If you want to ride 300 miles, motocamp and run single track and ride home afterwards, this is the bike. If you want to commute on the highway, but still spend weeksn on singe track, it's the bike. Sure it's expensive, but it's a lot less to buy and maintain on 690 than an ADV bike and a dirtbike or dualsport (And let's not pretend we would farkle both of those bikes!) . - Frank
If you can afford 2 bikes and you love off road then 500 & 890 R (bring the right tool for the job/ride) If you can only afford one bike then 690 R with a few mods is killer. To this day it is the unicorn and what a DR or an XR were meant to be. 👍
Two bikes is definitely the go, but everyone will choose differently. I own 2022 Husky TE300i for singles and technical enduro. Also a 2021 690 for commuting and multi-day ADV rides. I find the twins too heavy for the area I ride in, but I will probably get an 890 one day when skills improve. Cheers
Nice review, i used mine with the original Mitas and performed excellet in any terrain, for me it's the perfect adventure bike because of the weight. Minor issues with the riding confort by changing the seat. The suspension are fantastic
Nice work Ian! I have an 07 640ADV. Unicorn for sure, except for the viibration and no fuel injection. I have ridden this bike all over the west and Alaska, it has never let me down. I ride for a living, and have had the good fortune to ride many bikes, thousands of miles internationally. I am getting a new 690 thanks to your review. Cheers!
Great video. I currently own a 2020 701 with a rally tower, raid auxiliary tank, and too many other extras to mention. I'm an old dude and ride alone, so I wanted the largest ADV bike I could pick up and manhandle by myself. I changed the sprockets, which helped offset the tall gearing. If you load the bike up, it's best to change the springs and put a remote preload adjuster on the rear. I had the Rottweiler tail tidy but if you ride in the mud at all, expect your plate, brake light, turn signals, and back to get covered in mud. I wouldn't say I liked that, so I removed it.
That's one of the problems with those tail tidy's. Here's an issue that no one thinks about. Those tail tidy's (at least all of them I've seen) are not DOT approved tail/brake lights. If if someone rear ends you while your braking the lawyers are going to put it all on you. Same thing goes for non DOT tires. Don't do it for the same reason. Your own insurance company could/will use that against you. Just saying!
I have a 2017 690 enduro r. Being an old dude myself, it’s perfect for what I do, which mostly cruising around country roads. With the raid auxiliary tank, do you have to take off the seat to fuel it up?
I loved my 690, did some stupid stuff on it and never really had problems. Did full highway days all the way to full single track loaded with luggage. But I never trusted it if that makes sense. I always worried about fuel pump, slave cylinder, etc. It's a good lightweight ADV. I wouldn't suggest it as a travel bike.
I sold a very farkled 2019 Enduro R for a CRF 450 L. It's been well fiddled with too! For people doing more off road than on, the 690 is heavy and not that great-the suspension was surprisingly good ( nothing to Showa or KYB though). It is fantastic on road ( as it should be given it's road origins-Duke). I hated the gearbox- all of the 4 LC4's I've had felt like it was a bucket of bolts and agree about the ratios. I found it had too much power in the dirt. I'm not convinced by the electronics and prefer simpler. All of these decisions are completely subjective- the bottom line is there are no bad bikes, just some might be bad for the intended use. Chris Birch can ride a 1290 where I couldn't ride a 450, so it can be done, but I find bigger heavier bikes a chore. I chose the 690 over a 790/890 as they were just too big. YMMV
I recently did a 9,000km trip on my 701, and it was the perfect bike. I could cruise at 140km/h and still hit the sand and dirt without issue. Not to mention, having to pick it up multiple times a day in 40C heat, I would not want a bike a single pound heavier. I did many of the same upgrades as this bike has. The seat is the first thing if you plan on sitting on it.
She goes! but its too big of a bike for my wants off-road and same experience on road as any other dualsport. Its a pack mule off-road, its designed to carry weight off-road. KTM uses the 690 frame for their Dakar race bikes to carry over 30L of fuel. Excellent review Ian!
@@adventuremulemoto Theyre both great bikes, it just depends on what your trying to do. I think a used 450L or RL is the best bang for the buck, you can get 20-21s for less than $8k
This is definitely gonna be one of my dream bikes!! I planned to buy a 990 adventure last year. But, as I know more about adventure bikes, I find only a few people who purchase them go off-road. And If I want to enjoy the fun of playing dirt, 990 will make me feel so limited due to its weight. As you mentioned, everything is a trade-off. I plan to go 20% off-road and 80% highway, and I reckon I don't need a hard-core dirt bike. The 690 enduro seems really suitable for me as it is so well-rounded.
Ian, don’t forget they reduced the rake and trail by playing with the stock geometry that made the bike twitchier but still plenty stable with those knobbies… Amazing design by KTM!
This guy does by far the best reviews in the dual sport segment on RUclips. He has said that he only does reviews of bikes that are street legal out of the box but I would really love it if he also did some of the nearly street legal bikes with dual sport conversions (WR450f for example). Also, you can't deny that he sounds like Kip from Napolean Dynamite, lol.
@@robmullins1427 I’ve got a 690 now and am interested in the T7. Just can’t find one. My Yamaha deal can’t get it ne in my area of America. The 690 is a good but, as many have mentioned, the reliability haunts me. I was stranded on the TAR when the fuel pump failed. I’m on my 2nd factory speedometer replacement too. Just hard to get out of my head, even though I’ve ridden it for about 20,000 mikes.
I bought a 2010 690 in 2021(20k on it)Third owner,the first learned on it(had to replace the clutch). I ride hard enduro on a 19 300xcw tpi. Wrote off a heavily modded wr250r(not my fault). I never in a million yrs expected to love this 690 this much. Of course it can’t do the stuff the 300 does but it can do anything the wr would do and so much more fun on the road. I’ve put 10k on the 690 and debating weather to get a new one instead of a T7. Or get the T7 and keep the old 690. I LOVE THE 690!! Love your channel,you’re my go to on everything!! Thank you,Trevor from Maple Ridge,BC,Canada.
Once again, awesome video of an awesome bike, especially specced out like this 690. I had a really tough time debating what bike to buy when I had the choice of a T7 and a 701 about a year ago. Your T7 videos likely steered me towards choosing the Yamaha, but I'm very happy with it. It looks great, but I was mostly sold by the exhaust note and the reliability. The 690/701 checks all the boxes for me aside from reliability and maintenance. 6k miles to change oil is perfectly fine, but I don't like the idea of a valve adjustment interval sneaking up on me. At minimum that will pause my season, whereas the Tenere gets a valve check at 24k. Other concerns were the slave cylinder, fuel pump, and the polymer fuel tank being the structural subframe. I really want to love the 701/690 enough to buy one, especially for the low weight, but the Tenere and a WR250 is personally the answer for me until KTM/Husky can become less finicky.
You have great reviews. This one is no exception to that rule. 1. If your definition of good equals fast, no bike is good at everything 2. I think there is no true 50/50 rider 3. You should include and rate ability to lift the bike when hurt a little bit. Not just performance (I have ktm1190r adv and my only problem is to lift it) 4. Combined score as you where running few videos back would go a long way. I really liked that one
I have the 2020 with the Aurora Rally kit with the side rally tanks. Total weight (dry) about 162kg, fuel capacity 28L and I love it. It's not a pure Enduro or dual sport anymore but I call it my 690 Adventure R. I can do 800 km highway and then take a left turn in to the bush :) I agree on the gear ratio. Nova racing has a wide ration gear box wit a shorter 1st and taller 6th and the rest spaced sensibly in between but it's expensive. Maybe when I ever have to take the engine apart...
@@GeoffreyKTM It is ok with a normal helmet but I got a peak and that vibrates quite a bit. For that have one of these add on spoilers on top of the screen that I can tilt so it works optimal. Up to 100kph its fine But for long highway trips where I go over 100kph for extended periods I still remove the peak. I did that too on my CRF1000 AT. Peaks are crap on the highway.
@@jeffwall2906 yeah, would conidder it if it were $1000 less. Now only if I wreck the OEM gear box. If I have to replace OEM box, price is probably only a bit higher...
Ian, I think this is the future of combination riding. The big ADV bikes don’t interest me, too heavy. If your going to cruise across America then they are fine. To go off-road this size bike is perfect. The 300 CRF Honda sized bikes don’t have enough power. I personally have the Gen II 2014 1/2 KLR, I like it for it’s size engine. It’s too heavy for me for off road. I primarily use it on gravel roads and pavement here in Missouri. I’ve added a Madstadt windscreen and it will cruise at 70 easily, and head up to 80 just fine for passing. I did put street oriented tires on it. The Shinko 705’s. I can get 6k out of the rear tire. The tank is big, I can go 200 miles before hitting reserve, which has another 30 miles. This older KLR has no fuel pump to fail. Simplicity at its best.
Great video, I’d love to see you doing a back to back against the T7, that would be interesting. Spend a whole day/weekend back and forth and then see which one you start gravitating towards and why? Does the extra weight on the T7 help enough on pavement? How different are they on the trail?
Your comparing apples to oranges…. The prospective buyer must determine what their “mission” is. T7 is primarily for street, the 690 primarily for off road…
@@BERZERKERSV4 and what do those have in common? That you eat both! Both of these bikes try to straddle the middle of a Venn Diagram that's trying to chase the offroad bike that can tour. Even though you might not enjoy the video, i think it's still a great comparison for the morbidly curious as well as some of those chasing the unicorn "1 bike" stable. And if not for nothing, it makes for good content.
The Tuareg is much better than the T7 in all categories and would be the better choice of all three. But that’s just my opinion. Everyone finds characteristics they either like or hate about any/every bike. They are not one size fits all and that’s a good thing because that brings a wide variety to market, each with its own unique nuances. Your own height, weight, age, fitness, skill and intended purpose will determine what bike is right for you.
I agree with gearbox ratios and have changed up 3 teeth on the rear sprocket. I am using a screen and not a rally tower, also I have the front 18 litre Safari tank made locally I Australia at a cost only a little more than the 5.5L Rade Garages. I do have an R1200GS and a DRZ400 for other riding, but the 2019 690 is great in the Ausi outback for long trips with an airhawk seat pad. The safari tank holds the fuel low so not to affect the handling much. When I don't need the longer range and am carrying luggage I can just top up the front tanks leaving taibags alone.
I have a 690 with most of these mods plus the Rade auxiliary tank and airbox . this is an awesome BDR bike with these mods. I've done Washington ,Idaho bdr's back to back , Arizona BDR and Red Rocks to mountain tops adventure ride. not super comfy on the highway but it gets it done and simply fast and awesome on these rugged two tracks plus I carry a week's worth of cloths in pannier bags while doing it ! instead of trying a different bike next year I may go for the Nova wide ratio transmission ,you just can't have too many farkles!
@@Matt.Bogosian I do have it. it helps with the wind blast.but it doesn't take the wind Blast Off the head. the helmet is up in the wind but it is clean air. The fairing gets very dusty off road and when climbing can be hard to see through if sitting . if your youngster and can stand a lot I guess that's not a problem .
Kudos for always bringing the metric values! We Euros do not know anything but. So, much appreciated. Finest bike channel on the Tube. Just in front of RyanF9.
First off, great review. I think you nailed it. Too heavy for single track & better options for travel in ADV segment exist. Trans makes it a poor choice for single track. Its a Double Track or FSR ripper. Unfortunately the 890R is close enough off road to the 690 and waaay better ADV machine that the 690 & 701's are victims of KTM's success with the 890R. But its still a wicked bike! Dead sexy way its set up 2.
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I have owned it all, the last 15 years
1200GS , F800, ktm 790
Husky 701 SM, Triumph Tiger 900, Aprilia Tuareg…
And I’m very, very happy with my brand new 690R, loving it! Possibly the best of them all… and this stress level when difficult Offroad went down by half! And that is the sweetest part of it all !! 😊
There really is something to that - making the most critical riding you plan to do, easy! Good show.
I currently have a Tuareg and would love something even lighter, but capable on the highway and off road. Could you compare the Tuareg to the 690/701.
I started 690s with a 2011. Now I own a 2011, 2013 and a 2017 701. My sons ride the 690s.
Yes, it would be nice if KTM would make a 690 with a WR gearbox. They're now on the 4th version of the 690 (I'm counting the 701 as a version) and it's still the same gearbox so it doesn't seem like they're going to do it. With a 14T CS sprocket it lowers 1st gear enough IMHO. You still have a top speed of over 100 mph at 8000 rpm. As to vibration, it helps to soften up the tires but the single biggest improvement I found was balancing the tires. With the 3 bikes we have accumulated over 50K miles and have yet to experience a fuel pump or clutch slave problem. Thanks, Ian for a fine review channel with a lot of real world value.
The seating position! Something all reviewers miss on this bike is that it allows you to sit, really far forward, like you are on a dirt bike. That is a world changing feature for me. I can use much more acceleration if I am seated. On my 1290 I used to stand almost all the time, now I only stand if it gets really technical. Sitting up front on fast gravel roads let's you go so, so fast, and you can powerslide to your heart's content. I am keeping mine!
Great point
Agreed. I like to get up on the "tank" like I would on a motocross bike. Getting your weight up on the front end completely dials in the turning. This machine is narrow enough to do so.
Good to hear from a 1290 owner. I have a 1290 SAR and the more I look at this 690 the more Im leaning towards it. As a lone rider, the SAR is a heavy problem to me.
@@BigRockMoto clutch slave cylinder water pump and reliability it is my only concern, after what you said this bike sounds perfect on my point of view.
@@northislander4evasir107 Even my 890R, Im always aware its big on dirt.
Despite those who say its a trailbike. Its very close to 500lbs with everything needed for a long day ride. If it went down in an awkward way its a true bitch to pick up solo.
I have 2021 model 690 and set it up as a light ADV bike. Totally love it. It’s just so versatile. I commute to work Mon to Fri then explore my region on weekends. When you explore new areas, you don’t want a big heavy ADV bike that is a handful when things get rough. This bike is light enough to handle some challenges. When my mates turn around on bigger ADV bikes, I can keep going. If you only need to go on the highway 1 to 2 hours to get to the dirt this is the ultimate exploration machine. Cheers
Sounds like you enjoy it "as is" from the factory.
Agreed
How's the seat comfort for rides of more than an hour or two? If I got one of these, I would definitely set it up as an ADV so touring comfort is pretty high up on my want list...
@@alozborne Stock seat is good for a few hours but too hard for me. I ended up getting Seat Concepts Seat. Now I can ride 12 hours no problem. It was $600 Australian dollars. Cheers
@@glossblack1098 $600, ouch! Totally worth it though for avoiding a numb bum :-) Thanks for the feedback, once I'm looking for a change from my 2022 Honda CB500X, this bike will definitely be high on my list.
I consider Big Rock Moto one of the premier RUclips channels on adv/dual sport motorcycle related reviews. Why? Because you are honest and thorough. In this day and age, authenticity is king. You, Chronicles of Solid and FortNine are my go to for this type of motorcycle info. You’re in great company. Keep it up!
Agreed
Second that brother
Same.
Truth
Oh, f*uck off! He has just jumped on the 'review' bandwagon pulling the wool over your eyes telling you he's an expert in front of the camera 🤣
Your review of your own almost got me to quit looking at 690/701’s when I saw it, but there was nothing else on the market at the time that spoke to me. Ended up with a 701, and have gone the light adv route and adore the bike.
As you say, it does nothing exceptionally well, but it does most things good enough, and it’s a lot cheaper than a fleet of motorcycles to do it all and divorce paperwork. 😂
@0:55 to validate what you’re saying here. I’ve had 500 exc’s for 10 years and never paid much attention to the 690 until I switched bikes with a friends this year. On helmet coms, in less then a mile the 1st thing I said was how “amazingly smooth the v-twins are”. And I didn’t really believe him when he told me it was a single. I had to look for myself after. It is truly impressive how smooth they are.
I bought a used 2017 701 from a friend. he added a scotts steering damper, upgraded suspension, and a few other mods. I added the RADE rally tower and extra gas tank, WINGS exhaust and a few other things. I love this bike. I use it for everything now.
I have 6 years of fun on my 690. Setup as an Enduro, -1 tooth on the CS fixes the tall 1st gear, Scotts damper with rubber handlebar isolators fixes the "unbearable" vibrations, custom revalve on front and rear suspension, not lowered... Hands down the best 50/50 bike available. I have flipped it off steep single track and drug it back up onto the trail alone at age 60. Then ran down sport bike in the twisties on the way home. Amazing bike. Just stay off the steep trails when it's muddy.. 😀 BTW I have a 250 2-stoke as stated the 690 is not a replacement for a real dirt bike. Riding a 690 on a group ride with 500cc bikes sucks.
Thanks for the info on Scotts damper and isolators!
does it power wheelie?
just get that plastic fuel line adapter out, pump and watch those rocker arms.... still a beast a lot of fun to ride.
@@MattPerry seriously? Over 70hp and 330 pounds wet weight it will power wheelie in 1st-3rd!
I’ve recently got a 2021 690 Enduro, it is such a refreshing bike to ride after years of BMWs. Light, comfortable, decent fuel range. I got blinkered into 1200cc and ‘big’ bikes but ride one of these and you will see the light. Really cannot fault the bike for my riding, perhaps not a motorway bike but doable with an aftermarket screen. It is ridiculous fun and makes you want to just ride!
Would you take it for a week long adventure tour (about 2500 km) with 60L luggage and with 70% winding roads/ back country roads and only 30 % gravel roads/mountain dirt roads (not technical enduro level) ? I’m coming from a 1250 GSA and year after year we do more and more off-road but it is so heavy t pick up. I don’t mind a bit less confort on the road but I am afraid it would be so tiring for my back and bottom just after a 4-hour ride on the road that I would regret my choice. And can you still ride with the wife behind you on the weekend?
I have a 2019 KTM 690 set up for light weight ADV. For reference I also have a 2010 BMW 1200 GS and a 2015 KTM 500 EXC. I have used all three bikes on BDR trips. The 690 is my favorite bike for BDR trips. It will cruise down the highway at 60 mph (I try to avoid the interstates on all of my trips) and with a 48 tooth sprocket it rocks off road. At 64 years old, even with luggage filled with gear for a week of camping, I can still pick it up. I prefer the 500 for single track and the GS for pavement, but for BDR style dirt travel, the 690 just may be the perfect bike. It has plenty of smash to be exciting, but no so heavy that you get worried when things get gnarly.
I appreciate your comment. i have a KTM 500 and a BMW 1250 Adventure R. I am considering the 690 at 66 years old I am considering a 690.
@@boomcity4942 Im 66 also! Ive put 19,000 miles on my 890R and while its a great bike, as soon as its off road you know its near 500lbs. I just picked up a 2021 690R and as soon as I got it on dirt, it was wheelies and slides for days no problem. The 690 is a blast. Its easy to ride, the powerband couldnt be any smoother.
But if you pin it, it goes! At 80mph it is pulling hard. Its mellow, but gets going very quick if you want.
I will be way more confident on any sort of offroad on 690, its less likely to fall over, and easy to pick up if it should take a nap.
I’m on a 2100 mile Baja solo dual sport ride! In Catavina watching this video! 2021 model, set up pretty well.
I agree with almost everything you stated! It’s definitely tall! I started my ride with side bags and a tail bag. Mounting and dismounting was a challenge even at 5’11”! I lost the rear bag and shifted my gear around, and that was a game changer! I really appreciate what the bike does, that a smaller dual sport won’t do, pass traffic with light speed acceleration! Dirt prowess! Twisties are a complete blast even running dirt tires! Mileage was 50 plus dirt, 45-48 street. Runs fine on 87 octane. I have the $100 KTM windscreen and it does a pretty good job of deflecting wind to your chest, and not into your face! I think a added deflection clamp on would be an excellent addition, and way cheaper than the Rade Tower!
Tight technical is very good because it’s very hard to stall the big motor with some good clutch work! I rode a trail and told myself several times to turn around, but I ignored myself because the bike just did it!
Ditch those mirrors and get the Rottweiler’s
Also this bike is a wheelie monster 😂
I drive a 2017 DR650. I chose this over the DRZ400 because of highway riding. I have not regretted my decision. A year ago nova racing released a wide ratio transmission (for the DR) that solves the almost 25 year-old problem of the DR and DRZ lack of a sixth gear. I just learned, today in fact, that there is and has been a Wide-ratio transmission available for the DRZ for 10 years lol and it's cheaper than the DR's. Turns out...if you're still reading...there is also one available for the KTM 690. I always considered the KTM 690 my perfect unicorn and I still plan on getting it because wide ratio or not, that extra power and sixth gear still let it cruise comfortably at 75. No one seems to talk about these wide ratio transmissions from Nova and ACT but they are options out there folks. Have a good 2023!
Pretty sure the NOVA gearset is 4000.00 for the 690, + cost of splitting cases.
And the bike will cruise 75 easy as it comes.
Some do put a 16T CS sprocket on and say its a good thing.
I put 51,000 miles on my DR650, and mine ran smoother at 80+ mph than it did at 70 mph, I ran it for hours like that.
Never hurt it a bit. The DRZ 400 for sure needs a top gear, and some way to make it stable out on the road.
I had one and it just didnt do it for me.
I love that you put in all the metric units, this should be done more often!
I have a similarly modded Husky 701. I have had two 1290 ADV-R's, 3 GS's. There is no comparison, this is without a doubt IMHO the best adventure touring bike with one caveat. You have to add the Coober piggyback chip. That turned my 701 into a completely different machine. It cruises effortlessly on the freeway now and feels like I added 25HP. The others are great if you spend the majority of your miles on the road but the rest of us are not Chris Birch so the big heavy bikes are just pigs off-road. I can keep up with much smaller dirt bikes on my 701 off-road. I also added the Rade Garage extra fuel tank which makes for about 230 miles per tank.
Great review. I own a 2015 w/ the Safari 3.7 gal tank, 1 1/2" lowered/revalved suspension, BRP vibration bar mounts w/ riser, Ktm windscreen, & afternarket footpegs (larger, moved down & back). I'm 5'10" & the changes have made it a dream for stand up riding on dicey dual & single travk. Love the bike, but am planning on selling both this & my 2017 1090 Adv R for a new 690. Truly feel the 2023 will keep my 73 year young body totally inspired to do more easy single track. Keep up w/ the very informative reviews.
I used to have a husqvarna 701, and what I think is that this bike is neither a enduro or an adventure bike, that is just a fact. Difficult to compare because it’s not on a segment on its own. But, I think what everyone must agree is how fun it is! The fun factor should be on top of everything. And this bike put a smile on your face every single time
Sure it is in known segment, it's a Dual Sport, like all other dual sports, neither Adv or Enduro
@@falcn12 Some people mean dual sport when they say enduro, it's always been a word that is used both ways..
I have a 2020 690enduro r, all the same mods minus the windscreen. I added 30mm risers which helped my riding position (I’m 6”02), Currently running Motoz Tractionator tires but am switching back to a 70/30 or 60/40 tire. Also have Riggs bags which totally help with gear, Vanasche Motorsports skid plate, clutch slave, fuel filler, Wings exhaust and Dual5 headlight. The bike is phenomenal and that’s not an exaggeration.
Im sold.
Thank you for adding metric data 👍🙏😃
I hope they dont use mm for wheelbase. . Its too small to measure long lengths 😏
Definitely! If not, I should have stopped watching at the video... We're in 2023 and the metric system is the base of International System since a lot of decades ago.😅
Context. I had a KLR. I'm 62 with a worn out back, knees, hips, and shoulders from 20 years as a paratrooper. I was looking for a BDR/TAT/Dalton Hwy bike that I could pick up and not put my back out. I had a $10K budget. I can only afford one bike. I found a used 2016 690 Enduro WITH the Rally Raid stronger fuel tank bolts, the Rally Raid twin fuel tanks, upgraded skid plate, Baja Design Squadron Pros as additional lighting, Seat Concepts seat, Enduro Engineering hand guards, KTM heated grips for $8,500! I couldn't be happier. I don't ever plan to do single track but I need a bike that is good where I am not that can also take me on these "bucket list" trips. This bike without the 2022 bells and whistles, still ticks all my boxes. As a KLR owner, I'm not afraid to work on a bike so a used KTM was not an issue. As a former KLR owner, vibration? What vibration? lol Dream bike? A consumer grade and consumer priced KTM Dakar-designed 450 (fuel under the seat and in low slung tanks on either side of the front of the engine); lighter weight, fantastic performance, solid fuel range. Love the channel, Ian. Thanks for putting this information out there!
I got a 2019 690 R since last year, with all mods of the video except the Rally faring. I installed the adventure spec mini faring, but it does not offer much protection. If I’d bought it new I would have installed it for sure. In any case I did 10,000 km with it and only 2000 with my GS last year, which tells me something… I considered trading both bikes for a 890, but I feel so great off road with the 690 that I will keep it for a while, and continue developing my off road skills with it. My feeling is that it is a bike that can help you becoming a better rider ! Reliability is not mentioned in the video, but I never got any problem with it last year and it is now 32,000 Kms! I’m looking forward doing 10,000 kms more next year!
I came from the XR650R world and went to and Africa twin and was not ready for the heavy weight class . I got the 690R and it felt like a Fuel injected, 6 speed ,electric start XR5650R . I have ridden the 690R down the Baja peninsula with all my camping gear, Pre ran the Baja 1000 race course , on the way home I camped at the Glamis Sand dunes aired down and busted 3rd gear wheelies past dune bikes with paddles with my saddle bags on it up competition hill and then rode to work the next day all on the same bike. I am super happy with mine. I like to call this class of bike the "ADV Lite" and this specific model the "Swiss Army Knife" of bikes. great review by the way
Buy it Ian, you'll love it - you have the skill to extract the maximum out of it. As a bike to ride pretty hard on your own, it has no equal. i have a BMW GS Rallye which I love for longer, gravel touring, but my 690 (modified exactly like this example) has become my go-to bike for when I need to blow the cobwebs out, riding on my own. 28000km, not a single problem a smile on my face every time I ride it, and often a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. But it constantly reminds you it's powerful, so treat it with respect (mines called "Ahmed I keelyou!")
I had the 701 and liked it but living on the east coast with less open land lessoned my off road riding options. To get anywhere with unlimited off-road use I had to travel 3 or more hours to get there. I'd like to say I'm an off-road rider but reality is 75% of the time I am on road trying to find new places to ride off road. Bottom line is, I sold it and bought an 890. Yes it's heavier but you have to be real with yourself and decide how much time you're actually going to be off the road. Thank you for the nice review.
100% correct. I’m on the east coast too and finding legal places to ride is a joke. Unless you go to the same club trails over and over. Being real with yourself and getting the bike that makes sense for your area is key.
This is actually why I'm considering buying a 690. I have a Yamaha mt09 and a ktm 450 in my shed, neither of which get enough use to justify having both. If I can sell both and buy a 690 I'm thinking it should be good enough for the occasional commute, but I can also hit the beaches and tracks in here Western Australia without too much compromised offroad performance. Surely the 690 is the bike I'm looking for right?
The way he drops the bike amazes me, you can literally see how light the bike is.
Also, talking about vibrations, my brother has a Tenere 660 (2015). That bikes shakes like crazy, and still weights 215kg, with ALL THE WEIGHT at top.
It is an incredible bike, and this sounds very comparable to this one, but waaaaaaaaaaaay lighter.
Thanks for the review, amazing content as always!
I've seen personally what both the Husky 701 and KTM 690 enduro is capable of, and it does everything most people will encounter on an dirt road/track adventure trip...unless you are a true adventure extremist, trying to cross muddy swamps, going up steep hills covered with loose boulders etc. Personally I'm not a fan of that type of adventure riding..I want to ride my bike, not fall over 200 times, and hoisting it out of mud pits.
So if I only could have one bike, the 690 or 701 would be my top choice. I also like the simplicity of single cylinder adv bikes.
I really liked this review. I own a 2021 690 with the Rade options and also own a 2019 R1250 GS . I sold the GS after owning both for 12 months because as good as it was I would always find myself taking the 690 when I had a choice.
I have factory low suspension on both bikes which helped a lot with my 5 foot 8 inch height, but you can’t get around the 249kg GS vs the 146 kg 690.
Thats it. Im ditching my 1290 SAR for one of these and mod it. Im done with the weight. Cheers for the comment
In my heart, I think I'm still 180lbs dirtbike teenager, so I always want a DS, but now I'm 38yo and 280lbs and reality says I'm more a lightweight ADV rider. And I live 90 minutes away from any offroad trails, in a big city, so realistically, I think the 690 is better for me than a 500excf, but I already have a Triumph 1200 Scrambler XE, so I think I'm set...for once, no desire or need for any other bike! LOL
i have two 690: a 2014 690e converted to supermoto and a 2021 690e with 300mm suspension. there's nothing like the 690 -especially the 2019+ 690. it is the reigning unicorn. totally badass
How it do converted to supermoto ?
@@Insaiyanrider get 17" wheels. i have warp9 wheels. you'll have to cut the fork guards, turn the left fork around so your brake lines run to the outside. on the rear, take the chain off, unscrew the screw for the top chain guard on the inside of the swing arm. this will make it a lot easier to get that 5" in and out. the rest just look at your manual for what to unbolt and bolt. put the new chain on, adjust speedo, and you're off.
@@damytzeushow much difference in vibration is there between the 2014 and the 2021? I’m looking at buying a used one
@@miatika 2021 has much less vibration. i would only get a 2019+ 690.
I have an 890 ADV “R” (started as an S and added Xplor 240mm and the rest) and just picked up a ‘23 690 Enduro R … after a few rides on it, I’m absolutely in love with this bike. My use case is 2 lane country roads (I avoid interstate at ALL costs - that’s a waste of a knobby to me, even on the 890) enroute to national forest & logging areas for camping and exploring. For this, I think the 690 will absolutely be in its element (we’ll see though, I haven’t take it on a trip yet!). I have 2 adventure bikes (well, 3, I have a 390 ADV as well, but will be selling that) primarily to keep a loaner for friends that want to come along and for some longer trips I can see taking the 890 instead of the 690 due to its comfort and fuel range.
But I think the key difference for the 690 is for exploring unknown areas: the weight means I’ll most likely *never* 2nd guess and turn around compared to a larger bike. Yes, it’s tall - but I grew up tall dirt bikes and never really was able to touch the ground (I have a 30” inseam) and this feels a bit like a dirt bike in that way. If it becomes a hassle I’ll lower it but I’m going to try to avoid that as I love the ground clearance as-is and would rather ride it stock.
I will say if I bought the 690 before I bought the 890 ADV, I’m not sure I would have ever wanted for another bike - again, primarily because while I do include pavement in my explorations I focus on 2 lane country roads with minimal traffic - interstate is a massive anti-goal for me (and where I live this isn’t hard to avoid.)
I think this is a fair review and that the 690 has a narrow appeal for all the reasons you mentioned. But I’m sure glad KTM builds it and continues to evolve the platform! I’m looking forward to getting out more on this thing and exploring with it. Keep up the great work, Ian - enjoy your reviews!
Great review of a nicely modded 690! As a mechanic, some findings regarding those rear mounted KTM tank fillers are that they are exposed to a lot more dust and other foreign matter ingress than forward mounted tank fillers. The latest Chinese made KTM fuel pumps are WEAK and battle with the introduction of even a little bit of dust. A good upgrade is to get a good inline fuel filter and possibly even an after market fuel pump. We see a LOT of failures of the fuel pumps on these models and mostly on bikes with dirt around the fuel inlet/tank fillers.
Any recall from Ktm/Husky/GasGas?
Nope, just middle finger…
I was reading either engine parts or the engine itself on the KTM 300 2 stroke is made in China. Is that true?
With bikes this expensive, it's hard to stomach made in China fuel pumps and anything else made in China on the bike.
@Graeme: Thanks for posting from the perspective of a mechanic.
Light weight is king , in all aspects of adventure.
Being fast, light and nibble is always more cost effective than taking extra gear you may need but never use.
Camping , biking, running, fishing, backpacking, the rule is all the same.
It's best to know how to use 1 tool hundred different ways than to take hundred tools you may only use once.
For adventure I think 690 is the ultimate bike, because you want the off road , it opens up so many opportunities, for short cuts, and even better handling in unfavorable conditions.
Unfavorable conditions are the most dangerous and what Is comes down to for having the best skill to survive.
Another honest review in the "searching for the Unicorn" segment. I heard about the vibration issues with the LC4 and was intimidated by it ... until I got one (or two) and found it not as obtrusive as advertised. As with all adventure bikes you need to define what you intend to do then get what fits that bill. Weight was my biggest hurdle and keeping the bike under well under 400 pounds fueled up was my criteria. I'm not as aggressive a rider as most, more aggressive than some. Taking the road less traveled, but not never traveled, is where many of us want to be. As an aside, Lyndon Poskitt rode a modified 690 around the world.
I keep going back to LC4. I started with a 1999 640. In between a 520, 200, 250, 300, 450, 525, 950, 990, I've kept going back to 625, 640, and now a 690. I love the 690, it is the perfect enduro for me, especially with a set of 21/18 AND 17's.
For context, I only buy used bikes that are about 8 years old or more, but I've owned nearly 200 motorcycles over the years and I have a 690 in my garage.
@@Zt3v3200 bikes! In how many years? Flip them for fun or just get bored and want another? Thats awesome
@@connor3288 35 years. 200 bikes is about how many I've owned personally that were runners. Yes, lots of fixing to flip, but I always take them out for a few rides before selling.
Scotts steering damper really helps with the speed wobbles when the knobbie tyres pull that front wheel off line on the road. Essential piece of kit for big miles on the 690
That’s what I was thinking too watching the handlebars wobble around on the freeway
Yep, crank up the low speed knob some while on the highway, ease it off for technical trails. Have been using the same Scotts on my dirt bikes since the early 90s, I just keep transferring it when the bikes change.
Agreed, I put one on mine after some mega sketchy highway moments and it’s a literal life saver. I say that as someone who normally doesn’t like them. There’s something about the 690 geometry that really benefits from a damper.
1.Balance the wheels 2.Install Scotts or MSC Moto Ralle Moto steering damper.3.If needed install Ape racing flex bars
Agreed
I have a 2016 701. I kept it light and enduro'esque for the first 5 years, but this year did the Rade Garage fairing, Seat Concepts seat, suspension lowering, etc etc (€,$,£!). I've gone through quite a few bikes over the years, but this one keeps my interest and is just so darn fun. It goes well, it stops well, the controls all feel nice in your hands, it makes a great noise on the pipe (Wings exhaust), is light and flickable and looks ace now it has the fairing. Granted, I live in Europe and almost never have to ride any interstate, but I like it as a road bike and as a dual-sport. It gives me the confidence to tackle off road that I would not be confident about on a larger bike (I did the GSA1200 thing too), and I can loft the front end, slide it around and have fun with it. Then you can tootle about sedately exploring small roads and villages, or get stuck in and ride like a hooligan up an alpine col. The riding experience is a bit raw, but I like it for that, and you feel connected to what is going on. The thing I like least about the bike is the bag-of-spanners noise the engine makes at tick over and low rpm, but it seems to be a KTM thing. But the mid to top end is just a ridiculous riot of noise and action :-). I keep musing other bikes (T7, Taureg 660, 890 etc) but I when a bike is this much fun and doing what I want it to do so well, I soon put those thoughts aside. I also accept there is no perfect bike, so if it has a few vibes, or takes a bit more TLC to look after, that's OK as long as I still love riding it. Too often I made the mistake of getting out of a bike I still enjoy to try something else, and then regretted it. So, this is staying until the day I firmly and decisively stop enjoying it, or stop using it for what it is good at. Long live the 690, in all its guises. Delivering fun seems to be what it does best.
How do you like the Rade fairing? I just ordered one and I’m hoping it helps reduce the amount of wind on my body. I’d love to be able to ride 60-70mph and not feel like I was getting beat up by the wind.
@@Matt.Bogosian I does that just fine.
Living in the middle of Oklahoma I find a bike like this wildly attractive! Needing to sped anywhere from 45min to 2.5 hrs of tarmac to get to most anything and needing a license plate + longer maint intervals I’m so intrigued by this bike. I have a 007 Tiger 900 as well and find it not as fun when off road is the primary target. This would allow me some tarmac, fun dual sport as well as still be able to have fun at the OHV parks as well! It’s pricey but I would lean more towards making it into a sick lightweight ADV bike….thanks for the review!!
I recently sold my Super Tenere and picked up a 2017 690 Enduro. I loved the Tenere for crossing states, but once off road it was just too heavy. I decided that I enjoy riding the dirt sections way more and was willing to sacrifice a bit of road comfort.
Great video, I own a 2020 690 Enduro and I absolutely love it. For me it goes everywhere and does everything I need it to do. The gear ratios are not that big of an issue for me as it has so much power and it pulls very well. I do have a 1250 GS to ride when I am traveling longer distances on the road. Keep up the good work on your reviews!
Everything starts with knowing you personal requirements. Then, you choose the compromise to achieve your requirements. Most people are touring only and the unpaved road in between can be done with a panigale, too. I'm focusing on offroad performance and light weight for my long solo travels on unpaved roads.
sounds like you need to buy it and gather a couple buddies for a long weekend trip. let one of them ride your 890, another on the beta and you on the 690 and dig a little deeper into this bike side by side. at the moment i am conflicted with this bike , a 450rl and an 890/t7 / desertx. thanks ian keep up the great work!!
To me, this bike is for people who grew up on dirt bikes and want to do more adventure riding. I’ve been on the fence about which bike to choose because I’m just not that comfortable on large adventure bikes… even though I’m pushing 6’3”. I’m WAY more comfortable on something like this. And I really appreciated the comparison to the old model bc I’m looking for a used one… once I convince the Mrs. that is lol
nailed it! For someone that grew up on dirt bikes, this is just a perfect bike to get into “exploring” with on longer trips on a wide range of surfaces.
I have a 2020 model. I bought supermoto rims/tires for street days. I have the light weight MX setup and a full adventure mode with tusk racks. I added usb chargers and a small add on windshield. I rode it 12 hours back from Yosemite valley. It ran perfectly at 74mph(zero vibration). I have extra fuel bottles(fuel friends, German Amazon). The bike fits like a glove. I am 6'1" so no problem with height.
2 bikes in one, plus you could add a Timbersled kit for winter fun! 👍🏻🍻🇺🇸
So I have a '17 690, which has been set up as an Adv/BDR bike. This is where the 690 excels, it's a great street bike with hooligan power and kicks serious ass on a dual track type trail. It does ok on the interstate, but obviously isn't as good as a larger twin cylinder bike. However I don't care to pick those up when I'm on the Alpine Loop. My friends T7 weighs over 100lbs more than my bike. I haven't found the vibrations of my 17 to bother me that much, nor the seat height even tho I'm the same height as you. However I came off a 640 Adv, which vibrates way more and is even taller. IMO, if you can only have one bike (like me) a 690 setup as an Adv bike is the best way to go
I had a very early 690 Adventure R and rode it for a trip down in northern Baja. Perfect for that. Things I did not like were the under seat fuel tank. I added the Rally Raid front tanks but that was fairly involved. Since the 690 I have gone: 500 EXC, 1290 Adventure R, 790 Adventure R, Husky FE501s, and now KTM 890 Adventure R. So kind of tried them all, but as you said in your video the 890r is the best fit for me. I am 66 and well past the need for speed in the dirt phase that the 690 excels at. I am perfectly happy to go slower on the 890r and just not do stuff too challenging. IF I had a new 690 I would probably do a taller screen and a rear rack with a rotopax mount and maybe some light weight panniers to have an adventure light type build but not spend too much money. Just like the Kawi KLR, you can pour a ton of money into a 690 but not change its basic nature. So no matter what you do it is still not going to be a comfy highway bike and not going to be a 500 EXC off road. I guess with the 890r I valued the all day comfort on road and the decent off road capability.
I have the 1290 SAR and need a lightweight bike I can get really offroad with.
Agreed; until you drop it riding solo. 7/890 a bit of a boat anchor
I used my 2020 - 690 over two years for everything without any issues. Rallys, travel, commute, and with supermoto wheels for road fun. The instability comes from lowering the forks and not only from the knobbies. The setup on this bike with Rade Garage kit makes it nearly perfect for me. My solution for the gearing problems was different sprockets. I use off-road 14/45 and on road 16/45. Everyone who wants only one for all, this is the solution.
How’s it do on the canyons with the supermoto ?
@@Insaiyanridervery well. It's really fun with 17" wheels.
A very nicely set up 690. There are so few bikes produced in this category and I find that a shame because IMO for REAL adventure riding this is the correct type of bike. As cool as a bike like this is, I think I will be sticking with my similarly heavily modded DR650 but I think you should probably buy that bike.
To me, this is the unicorn bike and I'd set it up as a lightweight adventure bike. My background is only motocross. I have a new DRZ right now but this 690 outperforms the DRZ in every way possible. This will probably be my next bike.
Ian,
Nice review. The tower mod is overkill when a Puig screen will do.
Two small gas containers will save weight, complication and cost while adding .5 gallon of gas. SC seat is good. Suspension to suit.
I have an '18 701 and it rocks. Coober ecu brings the bottom and midrange to life. If you think the motor is good now, just wait!
I've ridden/owned 2 950's, 1290 adv r, 1290 adv s, drz's and an ATK.
The 690 is the best "compromise".
Not working so hard in the dirt. Not suffering on the road.
Then there are SM wheels, criminal lol.
I like Motoz tires but not that model.
Use the RallZ and never look back.
Did the Coober reduce fuel efficiency? What made you decide to buy one? I have a 2017 701 and love the way it runs. Cant imagine it being much better!
@rlovell383 the coober fills in the torque the 690/701 is missing from euro 4. From the factory the motor is soft down low and is a runner up high. With the coober it complete and strong from bottom to top. I didn't notice a significant change in mpg. I get on average about 52 mpg.
Any compromise in mpg is offset in significant gains of power and usability through a larger range.
@@99SSC Thanks for the reply. I cant seem to find much info about the Coober for the 690/701. You have me curious about them
The 690 SMC-R is my dream bike cost no object. This engine and chassis is such a gem.
This review is in the top 2 reviews for this bike I’ve ever seen, the other one being the Rocky Mtns ATV review a few years ago. However, Ian’s review is the best. As for that $64 question at the end, this is the only bike that can do it all reasonably well. Forget comparing it to the 500, nothing will ever better it for tough dirt work (I own a highly modified one) and don’t compare it to one of the adv twins. For me, anything with more than one cylinder is too heavy and a bit too biased to road work, as they are all modified road bikes in the end.
I’m getting on in years and the sort of trail Ian rode is the limit in toughness for me. I’d suggest that many twin owners never get near that degree of roughness and they would be a lot better off on a 690/701 even with that gearing. Re the negatives, all adv/dirt bikes have lousy wind protection and uncomfortable seats, most have poor lighting and you would never ride 2 up on them. A steering stabiliser would help the front end handling on the freeway.
This motor will be the last ever big single adv bike, mark my words. KTM will wring every last sale it can as we move to stiffer emissions standards. Here in Australia, the 690 is within $200 of a T7 and I don’t understand why people go for the T7 when it has no TC or quick shifter plus you need to spend $1000+ on the suspension and you have the same power. Oh, that’s right, it’s an unreliable KTM 690. Yes, the motor from around 2010 did have valve rocker problems and that is what hurt their reputation. Ian emphasised the massive improvements with this motor.
And let’s not forget the strongest most durable modern single, the 500. Riders going 50/100,000 kms around the world with no problems. With a choice between the 890 Rally and the 690, I’d go for the adaptability and relative light weight of a 690 every time and not bother with a 500.
Love your comment man! I am on a RTW down in Colombia from SoCal with the 1290 SAR and can't wait to get a lightweight bike I can get really offroad with.
I've got the 701, so basically the same whip, and I've come to realize that it's a completely unique bike alone in its category. Oversized dirtbike,describes it pretty well I think. At times it almost feels like a platform that you can build upon, people modify them so much. I love the dirtbikeness of it, the aesthetics and the feel. You can ride on the highway to the enduro spot, I've also taken it to 5000km ADV ride. I'm not a big KTM fan, I'd rather ride a Japanese bike, but there is nothing like this from other manufacturers.
Hi , excellent review of the potentials of 690/701 bikes. Here is my experience. I used to have an Africa Twin1000dct + a 250wrf. When my Africa Twin crashed ( after 4 years and 42.000km on road and easy off-road), I decided to sell my 250 and bought a 701E. I equipped my 701 with Rade Garage tower ( excellent), crash bars, lower foot pegs, comfort seat and rode 17.000km of Trans Euro Trail. After 1 serious drop, being 1,78m tall, I fitted the genuine WP lowering kit, reducing seat height by 40mm down to 880mm instead of 920: it was way easier to handle and still very good suspension inspite of reduced travel suspension down to 200mm. ... but, as you found it, I found it too light for long on road trip ( no vibration at all; enough power; but for any reason, felt unsecure due to lightness) ... and I had to battle with the weight on very few but challenging single tracks. On a 3 weeks trip on TransEuroTrail Greece with a friend riding a 250WRR, he was fresher than me every day end. ... So that I recently sold my 701E ( bought €12000+€2000mods; sold €9000) , to buy a used '21 500EXCF (€9000 with 18hours only; now adventurized), and a brand new '21 890AdvR ( bargain at €12000 + WP lowering kit). Lost a lot of money, but so much mote pleased with these 2 fantastic bikes. And I never had a single reliability issue with my KTMs (so far , haha). My final thougt : the 690/701 is an excellent do it all bike for a young very well fitted guy on a budget. An older guy like me (65; still well fitted) would be easier with a 500 + 890.
That seems to be a normal 690/701 experience. The internet has a lot of these bikes all low miles for sale. That should tell us the story is the same for most ( a lot?) of owners.
I also settled on a mid weight adv and a 350exc, great combo
@@mxbadboy263 a friend of mine, younger than me by 30years, rode his 701E through Europe to Kirgistan , and back, with camping gear loaded, on a 2 monthes trip. We rode together in the Alps for a week, me on my 500: he on his 701 had no difficulty following me. He is not riding any enduro, and likes his 701 on roads as well. I really hesitated to sell my 701, but as I intend to ride more on road, the opportunity of a 890R for a good price made me deciding to sell the 701.
@@mxbadboy263 I guess it depends on where you are. They are hard to find used where I am, and usually go quickly for decent dollars. But the bikes suits it here perfectly.
This really taps into that existential question; who am I? This is a great review of a flexible bike. Am I tall enough? Am I an experienced off road rider? Am I riding 2 up and or with a lot of gear? etc. YOU have all the answers to plug in. I'm glad KTM and the mods are making the decision hard for you as it solidifies that question for you. This would be an outstanding second bike for me. Unfortunately I haven't got the money for it. Again it's up to me if I want it that badly.
Really enjoyed watching you ride that trail and throw it around. Do you laugh that much when riding your 890 on the same trail?
"I'm Jean Valjean!"😁
Great video! I think you will buy it! The 5.5 litre hidden front tank from Rade Garage which will give you 250-280 total miles of range. I use the Mitas EO7 tires that come standard on our UK bikes and I have to say I have scrubbed all the hairy hero knobs off both front and rear on tarmac (at least in the the dry) and with them on, the bike is extremely stable at 100 MPH plus speeds. I was going to change the tires out but found them really very good in the dirt even in deep mud due to the traction control so as a 50/50 bike, so I am keeping them on. The 'Fastest-Cap-Swapper-in-the-West', the Mototrek guy rates them as the best all round adventure tire made. Far better off-road than they look like they should be. Speaking from experienceI having done the extended 7,350 mile TAT on a 2015 690 model, with the traction control the 21 model now has, (along with off-road ABS as standard no dongle) rather than fit the normal D606 rear MT21 front combo, I would happily use those E07 tires if I were doing it again, but only on this bike, which says something about how good it is on and off-road.
Is it the perfect Unicorn? Definitely not but honestly, I look at every choice out there but not one other bike can give sports bikes a hard time on the twisties and yet still go everywhere a EXC500 can go. It is a real performer. Of course every single bike built is a compromise, but as yet, nothing can genuinely deliver so much performance in both the on-road and off-road worlds as a 690/701.
love your vids! I hope one day you can try a 690bwith the NOVA WR gearbox. I think that gearbox is the final piece needed to make this the unicorn.
I had this same set-up with the auxiliary fuel tank and I sold it after 4000 miles. A lot of little reasons that added up to a lot: constant fan running, loud airbox with auxiliary tank (even with ear plugs), reliability/trust issues, poor gearing, cost, slow steering response, etc. But, it does do everything . . .
Yep. I prefer a different bike for adv riding
i have everything on mine that you have on yours.. i have the bike with a full open pipe. my bike steers on a dime, bike is a full on tank. 40k miles no issues on stock motor. the fan coming on alot? change thermostat temp and yeah the fan runs still but its not really that loud. stock gearing is odd in the woods, but drop a tooth and your gold. i have yet to find these trust issues when my bike has been bullet proof and i beat the piss out of mine. stock height as well.
open intake on these sounds amazing and the bike overall can take an absolute beating. At least mine does
I have the 2019 with all these upgrades - except the rade Rally fairing system. This video has convinced me I need to get it. I Came from a 1090 and love how lite the 690 is. Each time I want to get an 890 i think about the extra weight - which I don't want. Overall it's a great tweener bike - and the 690 package checks so many boxes that I continue to convince myself that for now this is the unicorn.
It's a unicorn, yes, if you want a bike to do everything
Out the factory its not the ultimate lightweight adventure bike. But there is everything available to make it one . Its just going to cost you! And if you want to ride alone, I cant think of another bike with that all round ability and horsepower which you can pick up on your own and not break your leg when it falls on top of you (and I have seen that happen). Also when these bikes are on a twisty road they are way more fun than they have any right to be. Pretty good commuter as well.
Well said
Buy it, you will not regret it at all 😉
With the Rade fuel tank kit you will get a new airbox that combined with a Ecu remap gives you A LOT more torque down in the rev range. I love the 690/701, such capable bikes 😎
For me, only 2 bikes will serve my full needs. A lighter enduro style bike and a bigger adventure bike. Currently, I only have one of these - a Surron Storm Bee - which is fantastic for my off-road mountain location. My rides start outside my door and end there. I sold my Transalp because I wasn't riding enough and I made a tidy profit on it. I might want to get another adventure bike so I can take luggage and my wife as a passenger. I'd probably get a Tenere 700 because the price is decent.
I had a 2017 Husky 701 and loved it, but ultimately I sold it. A 690/701 really shines if you can get to dirt within 45 mins from your garage. It was a good "medium range" bike for that reason, but ultimately when I was in the dirt I wished I was on a 500, and when I was on the road riding to the dirt I wished I was on an 890. This is the curse of compromise bikes; they end up highlighting where they lack more than where they shine. In a perfect world I would own a 501, a 701 (with NOVA WR transmission) and a 901 Expedition.... but even then I would still want a 2 stroker :) It never ends! Ultimately most rides require more than a couple of hours to get to good dirt, so I grab the ADV keys most. Mind you I have never tried the Rade Garage Rally tower so maybe this is the game changer this bike deserves......
very well said and I agree, better to have an 890 and a 500 than just a 690
Great review Ian, I had a 2021 KTM 690 and sold it back in August. It was a fantastic bike and a great dual sport. I sold it do to I just felt it was too uncomfortable for longer rides. Ended up purchasing a 2023 BMW 1250 GS Trophy. Very happy with the GS. I feel the 690 would be perfect for someone who travels a short distance to the trails/mountains. Once you ride it over the 150 mile mark it just starts to get very fatiguing. I agree with everything you said in the video. Thanks for posting it.
As an owner of both a 2017 690 Enduro R and a 2015 500 EXC I can say this... The 690 is heavier, has close ratio gearbox which is a liability with tall 1st gear on slower trails, harder to control throttle response in the technical sections. No one likes the stock exhaust on 690 due to how hot it gets and burns through soft luggage. The 500 EXC on the other hand has the true wide ratio gearbox, lighter and better suspension by a long shot. Both bikes are equally reliable and equally NOT fun on the freeway speeds plus both need a steering stabilizer to be safe on freeway. The 500 checks more options than the 690 imo... Plus its easier to upgrade the fuel range on the 500 than the 690 :). I would never recommend the 690 to anyone for light adv when they can get an older 500 EXC with a backup kickstart :)
I don’t know, the 690 and 500 are more apples and oranges. Yes they can both do a lot of the same things, and great to own both (as well as a 990), but if I had to own just one bike it would be the 690. No it’s not as capable as the 500 in very technical off road, but it runs circles around it on the highway and mountain roads, more powerful and faster, can do hours at a time, and much longer maintenance schedules.
@@WetFeet4agree
500EXC is very lucky to run near 20,000 miles to rebuild, it is a skinny tall dirtbike that vibrates and hard.
Its not at all good on road. The new version of the 690 really gets up and goes, doesnt vibrate, 6000 miles to oil change.
A very different bike than a 500, which is really just a plated dirtbike.
@@bradsanders6954 facts 💯
@@bradsanders6954 All I can say is watching the beginning of this video during the highway segment the mirrors were solid and didn’t indicate any vibration. The 500 might be a better dedicated machine and the 690 appears to be more all purpose. Depends on what your goals are
Love my 2017 690 and I do 3 things with it. Adventure rides two over 3500 miles each on it, dual sport riding single track just put real dirt tires on it, then I have a set of super moto wheels for playing in the twisty's and some highway 1 stuff out here in California. Would trade it for anything except a new 690.
I have the Husqy version in a 2021 701 Enduro. I LOVE IT!! I rode 5200 miles with the stock suspension before getting it lowered and heavier springs installed by a local suspension shop (FastLap Suspension). I am 5’ 8” with a 28” inseam, so you see why I lowered it. I’d love to have the tower, but $$ are spent better on other things for me right now. Thanks for the review Ian! After each of your videos, I consider my time well spent!!
Once again the advantage of being able to own more than one bike. As a slightly below average off road rider I have a KLX300 for trail riding and shorter adventures that can be accomplished without interstate highways and a KTM890S for everything else. If I really had to have only one bike, and wanted to continue off-road/adventure riding, a lowered 690 would be at the top of my list. It's the old choice of carrying a Swiss army knife or a good knife and some tools. If you have the room take the tools, if you don't you'll probably be just as happy with the Swiss army knife.
I have a 2021 690 mods include Scotts steering damper, 300mm forks, ecu upgrade, Rade fuel tank and airbox, cruise control, remus muffler, handle bar risers, front fairing, absolutley love it perfect for the riding that i do, will never ever sell it taken me 45 years of riding to finally get all that i have ever wanted in a motorcycle full stop, closest i have ridden to a unicorn. :)
I have a 2019. I sold a larger bike because I found myself riding too fast.
The 690's niche is narrow. It is a safer (slower and lighter) alternative to a larger adventure bike, and will take you the same places but at a slower pace. Manageable if you drop it. That's very important to me because I ride solo a lot.
In comparison to a smaller dual sport, it's everything that you want your 450/500 to be on the highway (smoother, more stable, longer range), and everything that you don't want it to be on a tight trail (heavy and slow turning). It's in the same class as the Jap. 650's. Too heavy for trails and too slow for interstate hwy but perfect for cruising backroads at legal speeds.
Professionally keep the question going… the light weight adventure bike that does every thing will be the holy grail for many years to come so there is plenty of content for you to put out and plenty of interest and debate for the rest of us!
As for personally, I stopped waiting for it to come along and bought the 890 and ride a bit slower…
Keep up the good work
I have a 701, I agree with most of the points in this review. Its kind of the perfect BDR bike if you aren't riding thousands of miles to and from route. Some quality issues, gearing is meh at times, only really an issue in the super technical slow stuff but a good rider can mitigate some of it. Wish there was a similar option from Japan, XR650R with EFI and Estart is closest bike I could think of to rival it if that was a thing.
Agree with you Honda XR650R with electric start confortable seat + good fuel range would be my first choice too. That bike was sometimes so difficult to start but with electric start.. I never understand why Honda don't use it for a light adventure bike.
I’ve been riding nearly my entire life, moved from 2 strokes to 500 dual sports. I am surrounded by millions of acres of national forests and can be on dirt in 5 mins so it was just a part of life. I bought a 701 enduro earlier this year and it may be my favorite bike ever, I am an absolute menace on this machine. I’m moving away from single track as I’ve gotten older and more in to full day expeditions, so this bike fit the bill. I wasn’t expecting to be so amazing on the road (far, far superior to a 500 class exc etc) but really didn’t expect it to be such a snarling monster on two track and fire roads, I think it might be the ultimate bike for those situations.
This is a great review, and especially that you reviewed it with the popular mods. Many people (myself included) are interested in a light ADV/big dirt bike, and seeing a fair review of one that's been set up that way is great. I hope to see similar reviews of other bikes (maybe including the ancient japanese 650s too--after the "necessary mods") in the future. Thanks!
Honestly, that bike is best served as a supermoto. Supermotos are crazy fun and it's a segment that I would love to see people show more interest in. For the enduro though, like you're saying, it's barely cutting the mustard at everything it should be doing on, or off road otherwise. My final thought is this the bike you'd want if that's all you have room and money for - like, for whatever reason - you can only have one bike. Then sure, this motorcycle is going to capable enough.
Great review, as always! For some vibration perspective, I’ve had three LC4’s prior to my current 2016 Husky 701 which is pre-twin counterbalanced which began in 2017. Those older bikes (1995-2003) bikes were extremely challenging to ride for any length of time on the highway, although the 2003 640 was a big improvement, but still pretty terrible. I have 12,000 miles on my adventurized 701 (with Nomad fairing similar to the Rade, Rade aux fuel tank and soft luggage) and I can do 200 highway miles at 65-70 mph relatively comfortable, and I’m no iron butt. So, to you riders who can’t or don’t want to spend the required $$$$$ for a 2019 or newer 690/701, I say find an older model and give it a test ride. You may be surprised.
Interesting. My budget says that I should buy a model before 2019, like 2012 to 2016. Do you think they are so vibey? I am driving a XT660Z now and its a bit vibey but ok for me.
I have a 2020 KTM 690. I live in Michigan's upper peninsula. We have an abundance of truck trails, single tracks and very remote camping spots. I use my bike for all of that. If you are going to use a bike for all of that too AND don't want to trailer it to the trail head AND (big AND) you only want one bike, a KTM 690 (or Husq 701) is your absolute best bet.
so true
Its the unicorn dualsport. It's really the only DS you can get on and ride a long distance. Most complaints I see are because folks are looking for the unicorn adventure bike.
But it really can be your only bike better than any other. If you want to ride 300 miles, motocamp and run single track and ride home afterwards, this is the bike. If you want to commute on the highway, but still spend weeksn on singe track, it's the bike.
Sure it's expensive, but it's a lot less to buy and maintain on 690 than an ADV bike and a dirtbike or dualsport (And let's not pretend we would farkle both of those bikes!) . - Frank
So true. Thanks Frank.
If you can afford 2 bikes and you love off road then 500 & 890 R (bring the right tool for the job/ride)
If you can only afford one bike then 690 R with a few mods is killer. To this day it is the unicorn and what a DR or an XR were meant to be. 👍
THIS 100%
Two bikes is definitely the go, but everyone will choose differently. I own 2022 Husky TE300i for singles and technical enduro. Also a 2021 690 for commuting and multi-day ADV rides. I find the twins too heavy for the area I ride in, but I will probably get an 890 one day when skills improve. Cheers
How bout 3 bikes.
A 300XC for the narrr, 701 Husky for the moto camping, some narr.
And the AT for lurrrr adventures 🤙
Nice review, i used mine with the original Mitas and performed excellet in any terrain, for me it's the perfect adventure bike because of the weight.
Minor issues with the riding confort by changing the seat.
The suspension are fantastic
Nice work Ian! I have an 07 640ADV. Unicorn for sure, except for the viibration and no fuel injection. I have ridden this bike all over the west and Alaska, it has never let me down. I ride for a living, and have had the good fortune to ride many bikes, thousands of miles internationally. I am getting a new 690 thanks to your review. Cheers!
Great video. I currently own a 2020 701 with a rally tower, raid auxiliary tank, and too many other extras to mention. I'm an old dude and ride alone, so I wanted the largest ADV bike I could pick up and manhandle by myself. I changed the sprockets, which helped offset the tall gearing. If you load the bike up, it's best to change the springs and put a remote preload adjuster on the rear. I had the Rottweiler tail tidy but if you ride in the mud at all, expect your plate, brake light, turn signals, and back to get covered in mud. I wouldn't say I liked that, so I removed it.
That's one of the problems with those tail tidy's. Here's an issue that no one thinks about. Those tail tidy's (at least all of them I've seen) are not DOT approved tail/brake lights. If if someone rear ends you while your braking the lawyers are going to put it all on you. Same thing goes for non DOT tires. Don't do it for the same reason. Your own insurance company could/will use that against you. Just saying!
@@mxbadboy263 I completely agree. I almost got rear-ended because of that tail tidy. I'll never put one on a bike again.
Thanks for sharing
I have a 2017 690 enduro r. Being an old dude myself, it’s perfect for what I do, which mostly cruising around country roads. With the raid auxiliary tank, do you have to take off the seat to fuel it up?
@@loumanning9683 no, the fill is in between the seat and the ignition. Rade garage
I loved my 690, did some stupid stuff on it and never really had problems. Did full highway days all the way to full single track loaded with luggage. But I never trusted it if that makes sense. I always worried about fuel pump, slave cylinder, etc.
It's a good lightweight ADV. I wouldn't suggest it as a travel bike.
I sold a very farkled 2019 Enduro R for a CRF 450 L. It's been well fiddled with too! For people doing more off road than on, the 690 is heavy and not that great-the suspension was surprisingly good ( nothing to Showa or KYB though). It is fantastic on road ( as it should be given it's road origins-Duke). I hated the gearbox- all of the 4 LC4's I've had felt like it was a bucket of bolts and agree about the ratios. I found it had too much power in the dirt. I'm not convinced by the electronics and prefer simpler. All of these decisions are completely subjective- the bottom line is there are no bad bikes, just some might be bad for the intended use. Chris Birch can ride a 1290 where I couldn't ride a 450, so it can be done, but I find bigger heavier bikes a chore. I chose the 690 over a 790/890 as they were just too big. YMMV
I recently did a 9,000km trip on my 701, and it was the perfect bike. I could cruise at 140km/h and still hit the sand and dirt without issue. Not to mention, having to pick it up multiple times a day in 40C heat, I would not want a bike a single pound heavier. I did many of the same upgrades as this bike has. The seat is the first thing if you plan on sitting on it.
She goes! but its too big of a bike for my wants off-road and same experience on road as any other dualsport. Its a pack mule off-road, its designed to carry weight off-road. KTM uses the 690 frame for their Dakar race bikes to carry over 30L of fuel. Excellent review Ian!
I still can't decide on my lightweight Rodney....CRF450RL or this one. Ugh. Analysis paralysis.
@@adventuremulemoto Theyre both great bikes, it just depends on what your trying to do. I think a used 450L or RL is the best bang for the buck, you can get 20-21s for less than $8k
This is definitely gonna be one of my dream bikes!! I planned to buy a 990 adventure last year. But, as I know more about adventure bikes, I find only a few people who purchase them go off-road. And If I want to enjoy the fun of playing dirt, 990 will make me feel so limited due to its weight. As you mentioned, everything is a trade-off. I plan to go 20% off-road and 80% highway, and I reckon I don't need a hard-core dirt bike. The 690 enduro seems really suitable for me as it is so well-rounded.
Ian, don’t forget they reduced the rake and trail by playing with the stock geometry that made the bike twitchier but still plenty stable with those knobbies… Amazing design by KTM!
This guy does by far the best reviews in the dual sport segment on RUclips. He has said that he only does reviews of bikes that are street legal out of the box but I would really love it if he also did some of the nearly street legal bikes with dual sport conversions (WR450f for example). Also, you can't deny that he sounds like Kip from Napolean Dynamite, lol.
Beautiful, but I just can’t get the T7 Rally out of my head for my next bike. Simple, reliable, and by far the best looking imo.
Me to! Just the standard model will work for me.
I own a 2020 T7. Would love to upgrade to the World Rally. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll get it here in North America anytime soon, if at all.
@@robmullins1427 I’ve got a 690 now and am interested in the T7. Just can’t find one. My Yamaha deal can’t get it ne in my area of America.
The 690 is a good but, as many have mentioned, the reliability haunts me. I was stranded on the TAR when the fuel pump failed. I’m on my 2nd factory speedometer replacement too. Just hard to get out of my head, even though I’ve ridden it for about 20,000 mikes.
I bought a 2010 690 in 2021(20k on it)Third owner,the first learned on it(had to replace the clutch). I ride hard enduro on a 19 300xcw tpi. Wrote off a heavily modded wr250r(not my fault). I never in a million yrs expected to love this 690 this much. Of course it can’t do the stuff the 300 does but it can do anything the wr would do and so much more fun on the road. I’ve put 10k on the 690 and debating weather to get a new one instead of a T7. Or get the T7 and keep the old 690. I LOVE THE 690!!
Love your channel,you’re my go to on everything!! Thank you,Trevor from Maple Ridge,BC,Canada.
Once again, awesome video of an awesome bike, especially specced out like this 690. I had a really tough time debating what bike to buy when I had the choice of a T7 and a 701 about a year ago. Your T7 videos likely steered me towards choosing the Yamaha, but I'm very happy with it. It looks great, but I was mostly sold by the exhaust note and the reliability.
The 690/701 checks all the boxes for me aside from reliability and maintenance. 6k miles to change oil is perfectly fine, but I don't like the idea of a valve adjustment interval sneaking up on me. At minimum that will pause my season, whereas the Tenere gets a valve check at 24k. Other concerns were the slave cylinder, fuel pump, and the polymer fuel tank being the structural subframe. I really want to love the 701/690 enough to buy one, especially for the low weight, but the Tenere and a WR250 is personally the answer for me until KTM/Husky can become less finicky.
You have great reviews. This one is no exception to that rule.
1. If your definition of good equals fast, no bike is good at everything
2. I think there is no true 50/50 rider
3. You should include and rate ability to lift the bike when hurt a little bit. Not just performance (I have ktm1190r adv and my only problem is to lift it)
4. Combined score as you where running few videos back would go a long way. I really liked that one
I have the 2020 with the Aurora Rally kit with the side rally tanks. Total weight (dry) about 162kg, fuel capacity 28L and I love it. It's not a pure Enduro or dual sport anymore but I call it my 690 Adventure R. I can do 800 km highway and then take a left turn in to the bush :) I agree on the gear ratio. Nova racing has a wide ration gear box wit a shorter 1st and taller 6th and the rest spaced sensibly in between but it's expensive. Maybe when I ever have to take the engine apart...
How is the wind noise on highway with the Aurora kit ?
@@GeoffreyKTM It is ok with a normal helmet but I got a peak and that vibrates quite a bit. For that have one of these add on spoilers on top of the screen that I can tilt so it works optimal. Up to 100kph its fine But for long highway trips where
I go over 100kph for extended periods I still remove the peak. I did that too on my CRF1000 AT. Peaks are crap on the highway.
Nova Racing wide ratio gear box $2,800 USD. your correct "Expensive"
@@jeffwall2906 yeah, would conidder it if it were $1000 less. Now only if I wreck the OEM gear box. If I have to replace OEM box, price is probably only a bit higher...
Ian, I think this is the future of combination riding. The big ADV bikes don’t interest me, too heavy. If your going to cruise across America then they are fine. To go off-road this size bike is perfect. The 300 CRF Honda sized bikes don’t have enough power. I personally have the Gen II 2014 1/2 KLR, I like it for it’s size engine. It’s too heavy for me for off road. I primarily use it on gravel roads and pavement here in Missouri. I’ve added a Madstadt windscreen and it will cruise at 70 easily, and head up to 80 just fine for passing. I did put street oriented tires on it. The Shinko 705’s. I can get 6k out of the rear tire. The tank is big, I can go 200 miles before hitting reserve, which has another 30 miles. This older KLR has no fuel pump to fail. Simplicity at its best.
Great video, I’d love to see you doing a back to back against the T7, that would be interesting. Spend a whole day/weekend back and forth and then see which one you start gravitating towards and why? Does the extra weight on the T7 help enough on pavement? How different are they on the trail?
Your comparing apples to oranges…. The prospective buyer must determine what their “mission” is. T7 is primarily for street, the 690 primarily for off road…
Buy the T7. Ride it sensibly and not all hooligan and enjoy it. And yes, the extra weight is a big help on the road and the highway.
I would love this comparison as well!
@@BERZERKERSV4 and what do those have in common? That you eat both! Both of these bikes try to straddle the middle of a Venn Diagram that's trying to chase the offroad bike that can tour. Even though you might not enjoy the video, i think it's still a great comparison for the morbidly curious as well as some of those chasing the unicorn "1 bike" stable. And if not for nothing, it makes for good content.
The Tuareg is much better than the T7 in all categories and would be the better choice of all three. But that’s just my opinion. Everyone finds characteristics they either like or hate about any/every bike. They are not one size fits all and that’s a good thing because that brings a wide variety to market, each with its own unique nuances. Your own height, weight, age, fitness, skill and intended purpose will determine what bike is right for you.
I agree with gearbox ratios and have changed up 3 teeth on the rear sprocket. I am using a screen and not a rally tower, also I have the front 18 litre Safari tank made locally I Australia at a cost only a little more than the 5.5L Rade Garages. I do have an R1200GS and a DRZ400 for other riding, but the 2019 690 is great in the Ausi outback for long trips with an airhawk seat pad. The safari tank holds the fuel low so not to affect the handling much. When I don't need the longer range and am carrying luggage I can just top up the front tanks leaving taibags alone.
good info
I have a 690 with most of these mods plus the Rade auxiliary tank and airbox . this is an awesome BDR bike with these mods. I've done Washington ,Idaho bdr's back to back , Arizona BDR and Red Rocks to mountain tops adventure ride. not super comfy on the highway but it gets it done and simply fast and awesome on these rugged two tracks plus I carry a week's worth of cloths in pannier bags while doing it ! instead of trying a different bike next year I may go for the Nova wide ratio transmission ,you just can't have too many farkles!
awesome
Michael do you have the Rade Garage Fairing? How do you like it? I just ordered one and I really hope it reduces the wind on me.
@@Matt.Bogosian I do have it. it helps with the wind blast.but it doesn't take the wind Blast Off the head. the helmet is up in the wind but it is clean air. The fairing gets very dusty off road and when climbing can be hard to see through if sitting . if your youngster and can stand a lot I guess that's not a problem .
@@michaelshilts9132 makes sense. Appreciate the insight.
Kudos for always bringing the metric values!
We Euros do not know anything but. So, much appreciated. Finest bike channel on the Tube. Just in front of RyanF9.
First off, great review. I think you nailed it. Too heavy for single track & better options for travel in ADV segment exist. Trans makes it a poor choice for single track. Its a Double Track or FSR ripper. Unfortunately the 890R is close enough off road to the 690 and waaay better ADV machine that the 690 & 701's are victims of KTM's success with the 890R. But its still a wicked bike! Dead sexy way its set up 2.
so true