Putting the KTM 690 Enduro R though its paces with a cross country adventure

Putting the KTM 690 Enduro R though its paces with a cross country adventure | MCN Eps 3

Рет қаралды 90,919

Жыл бұрын

#KTM #690 #enduro
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Пікірлер: 133

@alanhopkins3675 Жыл бұрын

A simple ‘like’ doesn’t quite cut it here. That was a truly inspirational.

@motorcyclenewsdotcom Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

@jaysonfaulkner1331 Жыл бұрын

I have almost exactly same set up and mods incl Rade Garage extended pegs, brilliant and perfect size. Havent added the crash bars but that is about it. I went with the Enduristan luggage system..super light, bomber and like it was custom made for the 690r. VERY Highly recommended. Even have the earlier version of that tent! LOL. Plus I have the fuel filler cap and aux tank from Radegarage which is needed for British Columbia big back road jaunts. Only other adds to do...perhaps a steering damper for high speed desert/sand etc. perhaps low fender kit for less windage at speed on the hwy...given that the bike will cruise at 140kph all day long. Heated grips soon now that winter is here. Great project video, thanks for doing it. Unicorn it is.

@marscruz Жыл бұрын

With this series you are giving us a look into your love of off-road exploration and joy for discovering what is over the horizon. Your opening talk with the sun going down over the wind swept rolling hills of Wales (?) captures perfectly the sort of moments that those of us who have this same sort of need can fully appreciate and probably envy. You are doing *EXACTLY* what you want to do and you are contented that you have found a temporary nirvana. Thanks for giving us a little taste of your adventure.

@gnarrrrrrrrrrrr Жыл бұрын

the industry has been sleeping on these 690 enduros for years now. with an aftermarket intake, remap, revalve and pipe they are imo the funnest and most versatile bikes in motosport

@craighoffman6876 Жыл бұрын

Agree. The updated dual balancer single has plenty of low end and a truly strong and smooth top end, feeling like a twin as the revs rise. This engine, especially with the easy mods you mentioned, is truly one of the great internal combustion creations ever sold to the public for it's intended use. The direct right hand to rear tire feeling of a high performance large capacity 4 stroke single is just fantastic.

@martyn_g Жыл бұрын

Everyone craps on about looking for the unicorn bike. It’s the 690/701/ES700. It’s been there all the time…

@craighoffman6876 Жыл бұрын

@@martyn_g I am lucky enough to live in Colorado, my 701 sees hardpack graded mountain dirt roads, paved canyons and true sometimes single track and semi gnarly and rocky off road all in one cool loop right out of my garage. The bike is a blast to ride in each environment. I can't think of another machine with such broad capabilities. Plus it sounds totally badass with a can on it, deep and smooth - best thumper sound ever. Other bikes are more street and dirt biased, but in my case I wanted a high performance truly 50/50 dual sport bike and this platform is it - I have no interest in turning my 701 into an "ADV bike" as that would bias it towards the street. My 701 rides don't involve taking much with me, just a small tool roll. No tent or camping, just 150 to 250 mile explorations to all the coolest high country places in CO that I can find. I also have a big ADV for taking the kitchen sink with me, but that bike never sees more than pavement and graded dirt roads. My 701 sees stuff while off road that less experienced riders on pure dirt bikes would find challenging and yet in tight paved canyon roads it is an absolute weapon. I put a small Puig screen on my bike and a tail rack, but no rally towers, no bags, nothing else extra - I wanna keep it light.

@Krith220 Жыл бұрын

Seems good in theory, what about reliability issues? Or is that just a meme at this point?

@craighoffman6876 Жыл бұрын

@@Krith220 The basic 690 engine has been out now for quite awhile. I trust it, especially after doing a few mods including a lower temp fan switch to keep it running cooler. Like very KTM 4 stroke I've owned, the valves bed in and tighten up early on, so doing that initial service is critical. After that they hold their adjustment as well as any if the air filter is maintained. My 701 was true to form, at the 600 mile service the exhausts just inside the tight end of the spec and the intakes right at it. I did the work myself, swapped shims and bumped the clearance to the looser end of the spec and anticipate I won't have to worry about them again for a long time. I also don't worry about the fuel injection system, I have older KTM dirt bikes that have been reliable. I suppose the ABS, traction control or quick shifter could present potential issues, to be honest I would happily buy a lower cost version of the bike without those features, but alas they don't come that way. Anyway, so far so fun with my 701! 😎

@CoachSteve4u Жыл бұрын

I agree 100%. The 690 is my next bike, but right now, I have the DRZ400s and I'm having so much fun exploring around Vegas where I live.

@bsmukler Жыл бұрын

The filming and editing in this video are wonderful. The light and composition in the opening scene are just incredible (not to take away from the actual content, which is great too).

@brucekendall52 Жыл бұрын

Still the best all purpose adventure bike out there.Miss mine.

@mathias6423 3 ай бұрын

I live in Sweden so we did not have the same lousy, overloaded restrictions as you guys had in the UK, but I was not allowed to travel anywhere outside of Sweden even with my bike that I usually do every year. So i bought a 2020 KTM 690 Enduro to play around on off-road in Sweden under the pandemic, made the whole thing much more easy to go trough. I love the bike to death, even though KTM's reliability is not the best. The 690 Enduro is kind of the best "adventure" bike, low on fuel and I have gotten mine below 150 kg fully fueled. So it is actually like 60 kg's lighter than the 890 Adventure R which is one of the best off-road adventure bikes. I think KTM could add 3 liters of fuel in the tank to make the 690 Enduro even better, that would not make the bike feel heavier but it would add a lot more sustainability out in the fields. They should also add a little bigger display with fuel gauge and a gear indicator and do all of this on a KTM 690 Enduro Adventure version that already comes with this "dakkar tower" in the front with a windshield. They should offer a model like that :)

@nickfox6196 Жыл бұрын

I am fortunate to have had a lot of bikes and after 44 years of riding I find just exploring the lanes and byways more fun than riding the main roads especially as the traffic today is far too much to really enjoy what many motorcycles can deliver. This year after testing all the bikes Michael tested I went for a KTM 390 Adventure, I have kitted it out with the Raid Garage screen, 2 phones (sat nav + Ordinance) plus exhaust, bash plate, Rekluse, etc. it’s brilliant, it goes like stink, it handles superbly, it’s light and a low seat height. It will do most of what the 690 will do without the height issue. I had a 690 and it was a fantastic bike but for me the little 390 is superb and it’s almost half the cost of the 690.

@ktmtravels3727 Жыл бұрын

Great footage, great philosophy👍. I love my 690 for it'versatility, it's lack of weight is perfect for solo off-road exploring. Once back on tarmac the lack of weight and great torque means great pick-up out of corners, firing you to the next one where you can break later than heavier bikes. My kids can sell it when I'm gone😅

@RikkyTang Жыл бұрын

Right! Operation Sweet Lamb '23 is GO! Cheers Michael (and Joseph)

@wil.linssen Жыл бұрын

It turns out we've made almost identical choices for bike, farkles, and gear. This can only mean that they are objectively the correct choices. I'm glad we can finally put the 'which bike' argument to rest. It's the 690/701/700 ;) 🦄

@silverdale3207 Жыл бұрын

I thought this was filmed in NZ until I saw the motorways, is a lot like our rolling hill country.

@markymark272 Жыл бұрын

Best bike I ever had.

@MianCowell Жыл бұрын

Just like to applaud the camera op on this shoot, some of that stuff was great!

@SupermotoCentral Жыл бұрын

As a 701 rally owner, I would invest in a foam airfilter and ecu tune. The bike runs lean in stock form and runs loads better(and cooler) with some added air and fuel.

@verbalwidget7267 9 ай бұрын

Beautifully done video with a great message, just get on your bike and go ride, finishing my coffee and going just that myself. Thank you.

@callummalseed7908 Жыл бұрын

This is the exact bike setup I've been thinking about doing for the past 3 months, it's so great to see you building it up, getting out there on it and giving a real worl review of it, thanks so much! I hope to have one one day!

@TomsTinkeringandAdventures Жыл бұрын

I just put a Kaoko throttle lock and a set of heated grips on my 690, it should be more enjoyable on the highway now. I may have to ride 300 or more miles to get to the places I want to explore.

@roryothen7005 Жыл бұрын

Love it Michael, been riding adventures and loads of trails on my 125 for the past 2years with the tent on the back it’s opened up this community full of brilliant people especially the epic guys and girls at sweet lamb. Epic video series so far 🎉 🏍

@nickmassey9104 Жыл бұрын

Great video .the fact it's your bike and your doing things on it you enjoy shows .Well done ✔

@user-oy2pn7fj1f 2 ай бұрын

Great video on the whole build series. I have watched this video before and I will watch it again when I need some inspiration or just a pick me up so thank you Michael ( MCN ) 👍👍❤️🏍️🏍️

@jamesred911 Жыл бұрын

You need to move to Australia, we have so much to explore

@JustTheHighlights Жыл бұрын

Okay that scenery is ridiculous 😍😍😍

@richardwaring9197 Жыл бұрын

Wales..

@tsh7090 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely enjoyed your enthusiasm, and the points you made in this video. Your setup looks epic. Happy Trails Amigo! 👍

@toreugelstad909 Жыл бұрын

Truly enjoyed this, cheers from Norway!

@stevek8829 Жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the vid, thanks. That's a proper size bike for a combo. If you're stuck in the woods it can be hard freeing your bike. Good luck with a 1200 (and luggage). If you're riding highway, a 250 is small. Be careful on those trails at night, branches move. A branch that was out of the way earlier may have sagged since.

@jasoncee666 Жыл бұрын

Perfect build, very envious 😋

@edxr250r Жыл бұрын

An excellent video, I agree on all points - looking forward to seeing more videos from you on the subject and on this bike. We'll done😉👍👍

@HelloMrTaylor Жыл бұрын

This series inspired my first dual sport purchase-- Honda CRF250L. Thank you for sharing!

@1969Escobar Жыл бұрын

Beautiful inspirational video, love that bike, perfect for the job, cheers

@AusMoto Жыл бұрын

This series is leaning me towards picking up the 690 for my next bike 🤔

@markymark272 Жыл бұрын

You will not regret it!

@Bow-to-the-absurd Жыл бұрын

@@markymark272 just be sure to upgrade the clutch slave cylinder before first ride

@jamesfairmind2247 Жыл бұрын

@@Bow-to-the-absurd Only if pre 2021.

@robertscarisbrick7245 Жыл бұрын

Hi !! Love the message your giving !! Any form of motorcycling is an uplifting experience but I think your right about the adventure side of it !! Exploring even if it’s gentle mountain roads with a bit of grass in the middle of the road is great !! North Wales or the Dales are great places to start a mini adventure!! Enjoyed your bike build video to and agree with the direction you’ve taken the 690 !! Love it 👍 Unfortunately like many things in this world at the moment the 690/701 enduro is a much sort after machine and difficult to buy new !! Maybe ktm will realise how popular these machines are and think about raising production to a higher level !! Keep spreading the adventure message 👍😊💪

@motorcyclenewsdotcom Жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you like it!

@ericstephenson3607 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic footage Michael love your enthusiasm, I can see why you chose the 690r, could be tempted myself.

@lucacarena9908 5 ай бұрын

Wow, what a great video. Everything about it!!

@212driller Жыл бұрын

I think the bike like that for me will be the crf450l rally if it ever poofs into existence. The 690s are great bikes.

@M.M-84 Жыл бұрын

Living the dream!! You sir are an inspiration

@Brian-xplor278 7 ай бұрын

Bravo! Glad you were able to make it happen, total dream bike. That wonderful feeling we can see in your expressions makes it all worhwhile :)

@simonwaldron1700 11 ай бұрын

I enjoyed all 3 videos. I have the same bike with mostly the same modifications I installed the long range tank instead as I want to circumnavigate Spain and Portugal. Looking forward to the next video. 👍

@MrAdambinnie Жыл бұрын

Great video and an epic series! More Michael Guy Builds, please.

@Ed00032 Жыл бұрын

WOW, our bikes could be twins except for the brand of pipe, loving it just like you are. Wouldn’t sell it for anything

@sebastianescudero8712 11 ай бұрын

This ktm and the husky are the true adventure bikes. 😊

@ifthereisaroad Жыл бұрын

We need more videos like this!

@maxflight777 Ай бұрын

Nice tent .. that’s all you need !

@breeno59 8 ай бұрын

Awesome video. This mirrors my path right down to the bike similarly setup (sans tower). The 690 really is my unicorn bike.

@paulvanhout9695 Жыл бұрын

Nice setup on your 690. My 2019 is setup for lightweight adventure as well. No rally tower, just the Power Parts small screen and need to replace the stock exhaust thermonuclear device! Just added camping to my adventure travel and it is a cathartic experience to be out in the open air.

@shassabo Жыл бұрын

Amazing video. Love the bike and what you did to it - and most importantly where you take it!

@Cycle9568 Ай бұрын

It is too bad that KTM will not build a 690 Adventure. I have a 2019 690 with pretty much the same mods. The rally tower is the such a game changer. Wind protection, a place to put your GPS etc… what a bike.

@anthonyhodson Жыл бұрын

Great series, thanks for putting it together! Now you’ve got the bike, you’ve got the skills, perhaps you’ve got the time. What’s on the bucket list for places/events? Is the Vince on there?

@richardsimpson3792 Жыл бұрын

rode a GasGAs ES700 (same bike with body in red) the other day...amazing...respect your choice.

@Rust_valleyracing Жыл бұрын

I'd like a 690 or a 701 but it's the reliability with them and the weight, if they were as bullett proof as my yam tt600r or my honda xr600r or my honda xr650r I'd buy one in a heart beat but they not , I've been offroad riding since I was a kid been adv/enduro riding for 30 years and for me I want a bike I can fix on side of a mountain with basic tools, be reliable as a old diesel Cummins engine and something that can do motorway speeds all day long and weigh under 350 lbs loaded with all my camping kit and supplies for a 7 day off road holiday , the 690/701 ticks one of them boxes which is a shame as they nice looking bikes and got some good suspension on them good bhp and torque and they handle well once set up,it's a shame they so heavy for a enduro bike

@colmhaughey7001 Жыл бұрын

Great inspirational video I live in Laos terrain & mountains tracks are an adventure motorcyclist dream the only difficulty is purchasing decent motorcycles dealers mainly supply scooters due to Lao legislation import restrictions & a legal limit of 250cc dealers won’t import the desirable machines there’s ways around it but it’s a challenge.! I managed to find a used 2016 KTM250 EXC-F Six Day & Honda CRF450X both in excellent condition recently I managed to import a brand new CRF300L which I’ve pulled down rebuilding it to meet my riding needs so I think I’ll do the same to my KTM250EXC-F as my next project…!!! I think your KTM690R is a perfect choice but as you said it doesn’t what motorcycle you own just get out & ride it Cheers 😊

@markjones5235 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely terrific!

@therealturbofanisme Жыл бұрын

Man this was an outstanding video.

@adaptableadventurerider Жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant series of videos thanks for posting :) it's nice to see a focus on some lighter lower tech bikes. For me it wouldn't be a ktm after a personal dreadful experience dad and I had with a brace off them probably gonna gonna do similar with a 300 rally for dad and stick with my Himalayan for now life's all about getting out there n having fun

@biscuitsalive Жыл бұрын

Enjoying my Husqvarna 701. Got “day of the TET” tomorrow, so a long day of riding. :) :)

@jibinraj6058 Жыл бұрын

Nice 👍🙂. What is the wet weight of the bike build.

@ememcleaning4543 11 ай бұрын

What a great video and views. This video made me want to buy a KTM 690 and now iam looking. 😅😅

@mechcavandy986 Ай бұрын

Your carbon fiber tower looks like mine. I forgot who makes it. 👍🏻👍🏻

@ravdeepsandhu24 Жыл бұрын

Hi Sir, we all could relate with you on this like minded journey. Couple concerns, the gas tank capacity and the frequency of valve adjustments. KTM’s a little notorious baby’s when comes down to maintenance, anywhere remote.

@conscious4895 Жыл бұрын

Well played, sire

@easy4steve Жыл бұрын

hello im looking down the road buying a 690 can i ask what screen did you fit to it and what seat did you find which is more comfortable ? cheers Steve/Australia

@bergshult Жыл бұрын

Exactly the same idea with my 690😁👌

@jamescurtis1168 Жыл бұрын

The area looks stunning... where is it? You mention it on the video but I can't find it on the Google. Maybe I heard wrong or spelling incorrectly. Look forward to the next one.

@Coldgecko Жыл бұрын

I have rode my R1200GSA from top of Columbia to bottom of Argentina - Ushuaia on off-road and paved for 4 months. I have rode my F850GSA from Miami to Thailand -- 5 months 50-50 on and off road. I have road countless miles on those bikes. I think BMW's are absolutely the best quality -- but they are heavy and I dread that. I also plan on taking a bike from Florida to South Africa -- 50-50. I have been seeking options to cut weight badly. Been looking at 890 for a while -- that shaves 100 lbs from my F850GSA. But I would love to shave more weight and looking at options -- for a simple bike with no headaches (like I said, nobody does better than BMW for confidence away from civilization). I have watched your 690 Euro... I wish they made a 690 Adventure to get it to where you got yours... But I may look into your solution. Can you share the end-weight of the bike after your mods? Are you using tube or tubeless tires? What else would you like if you could make it 100% perfect now that you have 5 months of riding done? I do worry about 20,000 miles of highway or B and C roads on the 690 for comfort?

@HyperSpaz Жыл бұрын

That back drop scenery looks like heaven! Don’t tell me it’s a green screen 😮

@michaelguy593 Жыл бұрын

No green screen. Just a wonderful Welsh sunset 👍🏻

@billbligh4547 Жыл бұрын

Great review. Good to see you’ve been able to address the screen. How about the seat is there anything aftermarket?

@ktmtravels3727 Жыл бұрын

Seat Concepts is the usual upgrade👍

@seanfrench1029 Жыл бұрын

Hey Michael, what make of crash bars have you got on your bike and where to source? It's minimalistic yet functional. Saw something similar on the 690 that Ian from Brig Rock Moto had for a while.

@I_am_Thursday Жыл бұрын

Is there any reason to pick the 690 over the 701? I can't see anything else on the market is swap my Crf for but I do want something more powerful but definitely not over 200kg.

@arranshutt Жыл бұрын

What route is that through the hills at the start

@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel 11 ай бұрын

Good video :)

@angry_genius Жыл бұрын

Nice

@Alan_Anderson 7 ай бұрын

Are we going to get an update to this series? Any further updates to the bike, any more adventures, and any lessons learnt? Thank you!

@davidgermain 2 ай бұрын

i would like to see a cost comparison . final price of this bike with extras with OTR. we are close to Africa twin and ducati desertx. yes the weight, but they are probably better getting to the trail and for 80% of all the other riding. great bike though. would love one!

@katramana6469 Жыл бұрын

That strap flapping around the rear wheel was a bit heart in the mouth moment.

@TheJmebe Жыл бұрын

Great vid. What screen?

@gregplayer372 Жыл бұрын

it would be interesting to see how easy it would be to swap it to a SM format i go on camping trips once or twice a year with a mate and would like to do some more off road stuff but then the rest of the year im road riding with buddys on road bikes

@jarpen 6 ай бұрын

Hello Michael, if you were to go on a 2-month trip, would it still be your choice? Would you just fit bigger panniers or chose bigger bike?

@maxflight777 Ай бұрын

Trying to collec5 my Husqvarna 701 tomorrow.

@TheLimey1664 Жыл бұрын

What's the location for the off-road?

@paulharris3082 Жыл бұрын

Great video.Where are you riding ?

@JoeyCarb Жыл бұрын

The start of the pandemic (helped by a recent divorce) got me back into motorcycling after a decade long hiatus. I'm on my 4th bike since then and I seriously credit my two wheeled adventures with helping me stay sane during the hardest parts of that time. I'm so glad I rekindled that love when I did, and I can't imagine moving away from it ever again.

@smelmore Жыл бұрын

i hear ya brother

@pimsiebers7333 4 ай бұрын

Any updates on the experiences with this bike?

@mikeisland7382 Жыл бұрын

It's baffling to me that the 690 sits alone in this category. The 450L is close but a different beast. Great job building your unicorn 👍

@MrEtnorb Жыл бұрын

Doing it yourself is the only way you will get a lightweight trail machine. The makers clearly have NO intention of producing a single cylinder bike ever again and in a few years KTM will stop this model, leaving it to micro firms like AJP. The current offerings of 200 kg converted road bikes leaves masses of riders world wide completely unenthused.

@mikeisland7382 Жыл бұрын

@@MrEtnorb Agreed on building it yourself. Hopefully Yamaha makes a production dual sport based off Fantic's XEF Rally. If none of the major manufacturers step up they leave the door open for bikes like the Kove Rally to step in and take sales.

@StanForAdventure 11 ай бұрын

WTG....very enjoyable content......S.F.A.

@Sqidhntr73 Жыл бұрын

So jealous, looks unreal.

@jonasbaine3538 Жыл бұрын

Ktm should have expanded 690 platform instead of messing with 490cc attempt

@dsm02c Жыл бұрын

He gets it.

@yeltesoete Жыл бұрын

I’m really debating between the 690/701 platform vs the tenere 700. Some things I’m worried about on the 690. Is it cramped as taller (1m90) rider? And how is the space between your boots/legs and baggage? It sometimes looks really tight compared to same style of luggage on the 700 tene

@ferkuzuel Жыл бұрын

I have the same bike and am also 1m90cm, I had a few adventure bikes and a few dual sport, but the sitting position of the 690 has been one of the best in relation to sitting ergonomic, the distance between the seat and the foot pegs is very generous, if you were to carry 70 liter's of luggage or less it should be fine

@CinntSaile Жыл бұрын

Great video. My biking has been mainly off-road (trials and enduro) but with some long distance touring on an 1150gs. I want the so called "unicorn" bike. Off road the 690 is superb but would you be happy to take it to Nordkapp or the South of Italy (I ride at a leisurely pace!) ?

@ktmtravels3727 Жыл бұрын

Nordkapp would be great! Upgrade the seat and do as much TET as possible each way👍

@CinntSaile Жыл бұрын

@@ktmtravels3727 would it struggle on long road stretches? I'm trying to imagine it with a 14.5stone rider and kit...

@ktmtravels3727 Жыл бұрын

I'm 12.5 stone and I've done 500 road miles in a day with luggage. It's great fun but I try to avoid motorways etc. whenever possible.

@CinntSaile Жыл бұрын

@@ktmtravels3727 cheers for that. I prefer A roads, so a purchase could be on the cards very soon.😊

@ktmtravels3727 Жыл бұрын

The T7 gets good reviews, and is probably better road-wise, but the weight is the issue for me. I'm really happy with my 690, and I can pick it up with luggage mounted. Enjoy your bike👍

@n03m9 Жыл бұрын

Do you know the total weight of your bike? And moreover, how tall are you?

@rodneyhull9764 Жыл бұрын

One word 'Mad or Nomad' well nearly

@geoffreymonk2843 Жыл бұрын

What is your fuel range, do you plan to upgrade?

@kuhndj67 Жыл бұрын

Fuel range depends on speed… On tarmac at 70mph range with Luggage is in the 150mile region give or take 10. On dirt roads at lower speed (45’ish mph ave) range can hit 200 miles). I carry an extra gallon of fuel when touring.

@michaelguy593 Жыл бұрын

Haven’t calculated it exactly yet but I would expect in excess of 150 miles. Not planning to upgrade as never far from a fuel station in the UK! I’ve added the under seat storage instead and carry a litre of petrol for my stove and emergencies!

@maxflight777 Ай бұрын

Better than Neevsy ! (Who doesn’t seem to enjoy off road riding ! 😂)