Should You Buy a KTM 690 Enduro R?

In this video we discuss whether or not the 690 Enduro R is right for you. Enjoy!

[mechcavandy]

I sold my Husqvarna Norden 901 and bought this 690. I think it’s a great move! I’m 70 years old and need this lightweight quick bike. 👍🏻👍🏻

[ADyess]

Been browsing videos for 2.5 months now and this is the most straightforward video I’ve seen.

[MrEtnorb]

This is the best quick summary of the 690 I’ve seen on YT. Even handed, sensible, no yelling/exaggerating. I own a 500 and 690 and agree with everything he said. Where the 690 runs rings around a 500 is city riding, where it’s almost impossible to find neutral on the 500. The 690 is less vibey and quieter too. Re seats, in my opinion all adv/dirt bike seats are terrible so with an improved seat a 690 is just as comfy as a T7/Tuareg and you can’t legally ride at more than 110kph/70 mph anyway.

[Navaho]

I have the 690, a YZ450FX dual sported, and KTM 500. The 690 is everything I want my 500 to be on the road - smoother, longer range, more stable at high speed. But it's barely an offroad bike. It doesn't handle well on gravel or trails. It's just too heavy and rigid. Front end is twitchy on gravel. It makes a great backroad adventure bike where the 200 mile range gives you less worries about making a wrong turn and having to backtrack. But if I could have only one bike, it would be the 500 because it's more fun when the pavement ends.

[szymonchalupka]

You nailed it! This is the best summary of 690 platform for anyone considering getting this bike. 701 enduro owner here. Cheers!

[henryyeomans]

Just got a 2023 almost done with the break in absolutely loving it

[bradk]

I had my 2009 SMC for 8 years and loved it. Rode the PCH, all over the Rockies, Tail of the Dragon, Jennings GP, etc. Had to sell for a long distance move but now I'm looking at getting another 690/701 Enduro and some SM wheels for it. So freaking fun on a twisty mountain road and now I also want to get up in the mountains on forest roads and do some camping this coming summer too. Never had a problem during my ownership aside from a stripped oil drain bolt so this time, I'll set my torque wrench a few pounds less than what the manual says. Hands down the most fun motorcycle I've owned since I started riding in 2004.

[stevenshelp]

I am so glad I just got one. I was skeptical because of people saying they're too heavy for offroad, get a 500 or 450 supermoto. Hell no. The 690 is awesome offroad. I had no issues and actually prefer it over the yz450 I've gone back and forth on riding the past weekend in some hilly areas, mud etc. But then again I'm 6'1 230, and have been used to road racing 420lb bikes for years so the 690 is tiny to me lol.

[TomsTinkeringandAdventures]

Like any dual sport, the 690 is a compromise. I have had many dual sport and adventure bikes over the years, the 690 works pretty good for what I plan to use it for. I think a lot of people have too big of an expectation for one bike to fit all their needs without considering the compromises that they will have to make. A 690 won't cruise 1000 miles as well as a GS1250 and it won't do single track as well as a 300 two stroke but could be a better choice if you had to do both of those things in a trip. Lots of choices out there, choose the one that works best for your use.

[georgeellison]

Great review! Very articulate guy, obviously bright. I already bought a 690 about 45 days ago so I wasn't expecting to get much out of the video, but it was good enough that I watched it 'til the end. Interested for the in-depth review.

[gzahnd]

This was the best context setting, no bullshit review/comparison I’ve seen for the 690. Great job. And seemingly one take (at least I didn’t notice any editing on the audio).

[craighoffman]

Nice video, very well presented.

By way of background, I have a 300 XC and a Super Tenere with a '23 Husky 701 parked between them, which is basically the same bike in white plastic. I live in Colorado and this platform is the ultimate Colorado dual sport. It can rip down a paved or unpaved canyon road and it can trail ride on actual single track.

In really technical situations this platform is a little much but still capable and nobody this side of Chris Birch would even think of taking a T7 or 790 type bike in the kind of Colorado mountain single track environment I am talking about. I recently rode my 701 on "difficult" mountain single track that I ride my 300 XC on, and not only didn't die, I actually had fun. Funny thing is, the next time I rode that same trail on my 300 I really hauled ass, as the bike felt so weightless. It seems the 701 is a good trainer for the "real" dirt bike - LOL

A few mods that I completed that really upped my 701s game:

1) The stock fork springs are .59. I went two steps stiffer to .65, this made a huge difference and the bike feels much better balanced to it's .72 stock rear shock spring. The valving on the '19 and later bike's XPLOR suspension is very good, the shock always worked well after setting the laden sag, and the forks work great now with heftier springs in them. I weigh 215 in gear and ride at a good clip, it was pogoing badly with the OEM fork springs in whoops. Ya, I actually charge through whoops on this thing. Insane right?

2) Rottweilerized the engine with their O2 sensor delete dongle and a PC6 with their map on it, exhaling through a Yosh slip on with spark arrestor. It is the same old story - these machines come set very lean at low RPM and part throttle for emissions reasons. Correct fueling beefed up the low and and midrange big time! The engine feels "unboggable" now, lug it down to idle or just above while off road, give it the gas and it will turn the tire and spool up, this at Colorado 7, 500 and up elevations. It must be nuts at sea level! Plus the big thumper sound out the Yosh is deep, smooth and meaty - braap city!

3) Lower temp 80/85C fan switch. The OEM switch doesn't turn on the fan until the water temp at the bottom of the radiator is around 210F. The fan will pretty much run all the time with the lower temp switch while off roading, but that is OK, the charging system has no issue keeping up. Between the fan running and the fueling mods the engine runs much cooler and it should last longer.

4) Puig smoked windscreen. This bolts to the stock headlight shell and makes a nice difference as it takes the wind off my torso and leaves the helmet in clean air. It only cost $90 and doesn't get in the way while riding off road. I spaced the screen out from the headlight shell a bit to give the front brake line a good routing.

The 690 platform, like the DR650 and XR650L, is a true 50/50 dual sport. Most people want a bike that is more dirt or more street oriented. Being a true 50/50 bike is the 690's greatest strength, or weakness, depending on how one looks at it. I like the versatility as it makes the bike simply fun to ride. The 690 may be a "master of none" but it can do it all, and the engine is just fantastic. If not on my 701, I would be on a Honda XR650L with a big tank and lotsa mods, but no amount of work can make a 690 out of the ancient Honda.

I am interested in replacing the headlight with a simple drop in LED, and would like to hear from anyone who has done this. Not looking to replace the entire assembly, just the bulb.

[MrRplo]

Great video. One of the most informative I have seen on the 690 Enduro R. Spot on regarding tire selection for this bike.  

I am on my second 890R and just sold my 500 EXC-F. Keep coming back to the 690 Enduro R and debating about building it up to be my travel ADV bike to replace the 890R. I listened to an old podcast with Walter Colebatch (Sibirsky Extreme) the other day and his line of thinking is that you get the ADV bike that can do the hardest parts/bits of your trip regardless if the other 95% is easy gravel/pavement....certainly has me heading back down the 690 Enduro R rabbit hole.

[ferkuzuel]

Great honest review, I had the dr650 before this bike, one thing I noticed is that with the 690 my off road skills got much better, it just provided the little help that I needed to gain confidence and keep going

[kobrapelle]

I have a 690 Enduro R from 2012, the last model free from electronic shit, I ride on gravel roads mostly and I love it, very well balanced and no problems at all in my opinion, bougt it new, 30 000 kilometers on the meter, all by me

[robertomesquita]

Very good and honest review. I want to do Southern Africa with my son for about two months and I your review just confirmed what I was hoping from this bike. Thanks. 👍🏼👌

[Alejandro]

awesome, finally good summary from someone who was in between T7 and this! Thank you so so much! and enjoy the unicorn!

[silverado]

You are one of very few, if any, on YT that has a clue about these bikes.

[jamesfairmind]

On the 2021 onwards 690s in the UK the "dongle" is not required as ABS automatically switches to front wheel only on mode 2. Strange that they did not do that for all markets. With the right screen you can ride a 690 all day on the road at 90 mph. Those expensive rally screens do not always work well on highway and cause buffeting, I use a home made set up based on the optional 2019 onwards Power parts screen but mounted on my own bracket 4 inches higher. Zero wind pressure and I am 6'2''and 190 lbs. A small well positioned screen can be far more effective than a large one in my extensive experience of testing/developing different screen set ups. Tires wise, the E07+ is a fantastic tire with far more off-road grip than you would imagine and you can corner it to the point of scrubbing all the hero knobs on the road. It is also smooth and quiet and lasts very well mileage wise. One of the best 50/50 tires made, more 80/80 really.

[rodneyjohnston]

I am really looking forward to content on the 690 with rade garage rally tower etc. I have your bike’s identical twin. Like you I’ve had almost every bike in every class. Unlike you I’m an old duffer that rode enduros hare scrambles woods rider for years. Now I’m in my 60 s trying to figure out my twilight years of riding. I currently own a 690 rally converted heavily modded, an almost stock 2023 890r for longer trips
A 300l rally Honda ( buddy bike) that I rode and modded the suspension bars tires pipe etc and I have a T7 because I like the way it looks and sounds. I have just taken the 690 on it’s maiden voyage and it is almost as much fun as my 500 excf was but a thousand times better on road. I’m short so every bike I own has seat concepts comfort low on it. I had to lower the 690 about an inch with koubalink and seat is shorter so it’s down about an inch and 1/2. I’m still on tip toes. Worth it for that suspension. The 690 is for planned BDR routes where I trailer bike. I traded an almost new Africa twin for the 890. Some say I was nuts but that 890 is incredible and almost as good offroad as the 690 ( at least on gravel roads the 690 still smokes it on single track)
Thanks for channel can’t wait.