Andre v S
Pack Dog
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2014
- Messages
- 89
- Reaction score
- 13
- Location
- Southern Suburbs
- Bike
- KTM 1290 Adventure R
After a series of delays finally I had the pleasure to ride my new 2019 KTM 690 R. I also have a KTM 300 2T and a Husky 501 so I needed a bike to commute and for longish trips. I owned a 690 previously but became redundant as I also had a 1190 R at the time.
When you look at the 2019 690 the first thing you notice is that it’s actually a pretty bike. Previous models of 690 had lots of qualities but I never thought they were good looking bikes. If you own a later Husky 701 you’ll find that the two are basically identical. Only differences are the longer travel of the Husky’s suspensions (2.5cm) and the clearance which is 1 cm higher in the Swedish brand.
More good news is that LED indicators have replaced those horrible egg shaped monsters of the previous models. The other feature that is immediately noticeable is that the big rev counter is gone and the essential screen is now like the 701 and other plastic KTM’s.
When you sit on the bike you immediately realize that your posture on the new 690 is a totally different compared to older models. The seat is more comfortable and the position is straight forward. On the old 690’s your weight was more on the handlebars, now it’s pretty neutral.
Being slightly lower than both the 701 and previous 690’s you can put your feet flat down (I’m 188cm tall) which gives you an immediate sense of confidence.
As you start riding it, another feature becomes immediately apparent, the engine is super smooth. The power output is linear and predictable and you have the impression that you are not riding a single cylinder. However the real innovation for a small ADV bike is the introduction of the mighty quick shifter. I’m actually embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know that the bike was equipped with a standard quick shifter and as I was changing gears in the old-fashioned style the gear box wasn’t happy with my choice.
Eventually I had my epiphany and I started using it as it was meant to. Do I like it? F*** Yes! It’s supercool providing that you are in a strong acceleration and deceleration.
In low revs it gets a little confused (or I still have to get used to it?) and you may hit a false neutral every now and then. In the end I compromised and I used the clutch to shift down as it felt more under control and during slow riding. The acceleration combined with the quickshifter come useful at the robot when you want to humiliate a 1200 GS when the light turns green >
To test it properly on the tar I went to Franschhoek Pass escorted by the dogs SGT (1200 GS) and Flowers (701). As you start hitting the bends you immediately wonder how it would feel with SM wheels because even with the standard MITAS E-07 the bike is agile and precise.
Although I didn’t take the bike for serious off-road I wanted to have a taste of some Enduro trails and probably this was the most surprising feature. This is not a plastic bike and you cannot expect the same handling. Yet it offers an unexpected traction and agility in single tracks. Its immense torque allows you to negotiate technical parts with relative ease. I wasn’t wearing proper gear so I postponed more daring tests to another day.
I can’t comment much about its electronic features since I couldn’t really appreciate their function.
ABS: like the older models it can be deactivated on the rear and, just like the older models, if you turn off the engine (with the key) you need to reset it again.
Traction Control: it comes with 4 possible combination modes 1 (road) for normal tar riding; 1+TC (road + traction control) which I guess it should be used on wet tar; 2 (dirt) it allows to slide the rear; 2+TC which I guess should be used in muddy and generally slippery terrain. I cannot comment about these features yet. Furthermore, I know it has cornering ABS. I trust it is true but didn’t feel like crash testing it….
Before moving to the “bad things” I want to say that the bike exceeded my expectations so far. It’s fun to ride on tar and it’s remarkably capable on dirt and technical terrains and I feel super comfortable to recommend this bike to anyone who wants to enjoy both worlds with a single machine.
In my previous 690 (2016 model) I battled with the suspensions. I could never find the correct settings (I’m almost 100Kg). KTM sent them to Hilton Hayward and things improved substantially but I was never truly impressed.
First think I did with the 2019 is to adjust the suspension to standard. Yet they are rock hard and I’m busy making some other adjustments, hopefully it will improve.
Same with the pipe. I know that the EU requires very strict emissions etc etc… but the stock pipe is still a monster and the bike sounds like a Japanese scooter. I guess it weighs a ton too and I cannot wait to replace it.
I think that at present I’m the only one in the Western Cape riding this bike but I can’t wait for other people to enjoy this bike soon and exchange their opinions. I think you should order it immediately to avoid disappointments
When you look at the 2019 690 the first thing you notice is that it’s actually a pretty bike. Previous models of 690 had lots of qualities but I never thought they were good looking bikes. If you own a later Husky 701 you’ll find that the two are basically identical. Only differences are the longer travel of the Husky’s suspensions (2.5cm) and the clearance which is 1 cm higher in the Swedish brand.
More good news is that LED indicators have replaced those horrible egg shaped monsters of the previous models. The other feature that is immediately noticeable is that the big rev counter is gone and the essential screen is now like the 701 and other plastic KTM’s.
When you sit on the bike you immediately realize that your posture on the new 690 is a totally different compared to older models. The seat is more comfortable and the position is straight forward. On the old 690’s your weight was more on the handlebars, now it’s pretty neutral.
Being slightly lower than both the 701 and previous 690’s you can put your feet flat down (I’m 188cm tall) which gives you an immediate sense of confidence.
As you start riding it, another feature becomes immediately apparent, the engine is super smooth. The power output is linear and predictable and you have the impression that you are not riding a single cylinder. However the real innovation for a small ADV bike is the introduction of the mighty quick shifter. I’m actually embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know that the bike was equipped with a standard quick shifter and as I was changing gears in the old-fashioned style the gear box wasn’t happy with my choice.
Eventually I had my epiphany and I started using it as it was meant to. Do I like it? F*** Yes! It’s supercool providing that you are in a strong acceleration and deceleration.
In low revs it gets a little confused (or I still have to get used to it?) and you may hit a false neutral every now and then. In the end I compromised and I used the clutch to shift down as it felt more under control and during slow riding. The acceleration combined with the quickshifter come useful at the robot when you want to humiliate a 1200 GS when the light turns green >
To test it properly on the tar I went to Franschhoek Pass escorted by the dogs SGT (1200 GS) and Flowers (701). As you start hitting the bends you immediately wonder how it would feel with SM wheels because even with the standard MITAS E-07 the bike is agile and precise.
Although I didn’t take the bike for serious off-road I wanted to have a taste of some Enduro trails and probably this was the most surprising feature. This is not a plastic bike and you cannot expect the same handling. Yet it offers an unexpected traction and agility in single tracks. Its immense torque allows you to negotiate technical parts with relative ease. I wasn’t wearing proper gear so I postponed more daring tests to another day.
I can’t comment much about its electronic features since I couldn’t really appreciate their function.
ABS: like the older models it can be deactivated on the rear and, just like the older models, if you turn off the engine (with the key) you need to reset it again
.Traction Control: it comes with 4 possible combination modes 1 (road) for normal tar riding; 1+TC (road + traction control) which I guess it should be used on wet tar; 2 (dirt) it allows to slide the rear; 2+TC which I guess should be used in muddy and generally slippery terrain. I cannot comment about these features yet. Furthermore, I know it has cornering ABS. I trust it is true but didn’t feel like crash testing it….
Before moving to the “bad things” I want to say that the bike exceeded my expectations so far. It’s fun to ride on tar and it’s remarkably capable on dirt and technical terrains and I feel super comfortable to recommend this bike to anyone who wants to enjoy both worlds with a single machine.
In my previous 690 (2016 model) I battled with the suspensions. I could never find the correct settings (I’m almost 100Kg). KTM sent them to Hilton Hayward and things improved substantially but I was never truly impressed.
First think I did with the 2019 is to adjust the suspension to standard. Yet they are rock hard and I’m busy making some other adjustments, hopefully it will improve.
Same with the pipe. I know that the EU requires very strict emissions etc etc… but the stock pipe is still a monster and the bike sounds like a Japanese scooter. I guess it weighs a ton too and I cannot wait to replace it.
I think that at present I’m the only one in the Western Cape riding this bike but I can’t wait for other people to enjoy this bike soon and exchange their opinions. I think you should order it immediately to avoid disappointments
