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• Creme 21: 690 Enduro
• On and off road
• Data KTM 690 Enduro
• Offshoot of the 690 Enduro: KTM 690 SMC – The appeal of the small wheels

Jahn

Driving report KTM

Creme 21: 690 Enduro

The year is 1987. With the LC4, the Austrians are introducing an uncompromising four-stroke competition enduro with an in-house single-cylinder. Despite the rough engine, the concept is not only celebrated in the sports scene, but also enthusiastically received by recreational enduro riders and quickly forms the basis for street enduros or supermoto bikes from the very beginning. The hard enduro concept was born.

21 years later, the descendant of the original LC4, which was completely redesigned for the first time, continues this story ?? the KTM 690 Enduro. The single cylinder is already known from the 690 Supermoto presented last year. Petrol injection, six-speed gearbox, anti-hopping clutch and compact design, the 654 cm single heralded a new era in the high-displacement single-cylinder segment at the beginning of 2007, which continues with the enduro chassis.

Jahn

Wrinkle cream and lifting were no longer enough. After 21 years the toughest of all hard enduro bikes received a radical anti-aging treatment.

In contrast to the Supermoto version, whose tank and air filter box are designed conventionally, the air filter housing in the Enduro resides above the cylinder between the flanks of the tubular space frame, while the tank forms the self-supporting plastic element of the rear frame. The reasons: Firstly, the majority of the twelve-liter gasoline supply is to be deposited deeper and close to the center of gravity, and secondly, the overall width in the front area should be kept as narrow as possible. A solution that BMW also uses in the single-cylinder G models.

Enough of the technology. Press on the button. The single pounds off immediately. Carburetor and choke lever ?? nobody will ever miss you. Departure. Below 3000 rpm, the engine still jerks roughly, just to rehabilitate itself as quickly as possible. In a flash he revs up, rejects the image of the sluggish four-stroke single-cylinder once and for all, loosely slams into the rev limiter at 8600 rpm.

On and off road

Jahn

More than just the 690 Enduro with small wheels: 690 SMC

Vibrations? Quite acceptable, no comparison with the Rappelkasten of the past two decades. Not even in terms of power. 63 PS (for comparison: BMW G 650 Xchallenge and Husqvarna TE 610 each 53 PS, Yamaha XT 660 R 48 PS) are one word that push the KTM up to a top speed of 175 km / h. And that without any significant commuting. Impressive. It is only remembered as an enduro as you wind your way through the bends, and although it remains extremely handy, it nods well into the fork’s 250 millimeter travel when braking. You don’t know anything about enduro bikes.

A dirt road beckons. Dust dry, luckily. With the Enduro 3 tires from Metzeler, there would be no state of the art in damp conditions. The ergonomics are also excellent when standing. The noise level remains pleasantly low and does not allow the entire allotment garden colony to participate acoustically on the off-road excursion. The KTM feels in its element in fluid terrain. The smoothly starting motor is child’s play to dose, and the drift angle can be adjusted using the throttle grip. The origin of the engine-chassis combination from rallying can be clearly felt? Even when jumping, the Austrian stays completely neutral in the air even with a full tank.

Only in trial-like passages do the 149 kg (BMW G 650 Xchallenge 159 kg, Husqvarna TE 610 149 kg, Yamaha XT 660 R 189 kg) come into play in combination with the engine, which is timid in the lower speed range. The clutch is often required to lift the front wheel at heels. If you are not careful, you will choke off the single, which is equipped with little inertia, in such situations. The so-called soft mapping, which can be selected using a rotary control under the bench, does not change anything. Especially since the controller that Single tames excessively in normal operation.

No question about it, technically the LC4 has definitely made it possible for KTM to make the leap into modern times. Above all, the new 690 Enduro shines with a sophistication that has always been lacking in the previous LC4 models, despite all the facelift, and has even clearly gained in its universality. Because one thing is certain: the combination of skills both on and off-road cannot be copied by any other enduro.

Data KTM 690 Enduro

Engine: water-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, a balancer shaft, an overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves, roller rocker arm, dry sump lubrication, injection, ø 46 mm, regulated catalytic converter, alternator 224 W, battery 12 V / 9 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, Six-speed gearbox, chain.
Bore x stroke 102.0 x 80.0 mm
Cubic capacity 654 cc
Compression ratio 11.8: 1
Rated output 46.3 kW (63 hp) at 7500 rpm
Max. Torque 64 Nm at 6000 rpm

Chassis: tubular steel frame, load-bearing motor, upside-down fork, ø 48 mm, adjustable rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, front disc brake, ø 300 mm, double piston Floating caliper, rear disc brake, ø 240 mm, single-piston floating caliper.
Spoked wheels with aluminum rims 1.85 x 21; 2.50 x 18
Tire90 / 90-21; 140 / 80-18

Dimensions and weights: wheelbase 1498 mm, steering head angle 63.0 degrees, caster 115 mm, spring travel f / h 250/250 mm, seat height 910 mm, dry weight 139 kg, tank capacity / reserve 12.0 / 2.5 liters.
Two year guarantee
Color orange
Price 8395 euros
Additional costs around 200 euros

Offshoot of the 690 Enduro: KTM 690 SMC – The appeal of the small wheels

The new LC4 engine, which debuted in the 690 SM last year, will equip two product lines with a total of four models from the 2008 season. The new Duke is based on the chassis of the 690 SM (MOTORRAD 4/2008).
The 690 SMC, however, is based on the framework concept of the Enduro. In other words: the air filter sits in the front of the frame (see sketch), the rear frame is designed as a self-supporting molded plastic part. In general, the 690 SMC is the most sporty when it comes to the Supermoto theme compared to the Duke and the 690 SM, with the longest suspension travel and puristic styling it is the racer.
Differences 690 SMC ?? 690 Enduro

?? 17-inch wheels, longer secondary gear ratio. Top speed 185 km / h (Enduro: 175 km / h)
?? Brake disc diameter 320 mm (Enduro: 300 mm)
?? Brake caliper with four pistons (Enduro: two)
?? Suspension travel front / rear 275/260 mm (Enduro: 250/250 mm)
?? Empty weight 139.5 kg (Enduro: 138.5 kg)
?? Seat height 900 mm (Enduro: 910 mm)
?? Base price 8795 euros (Enduro: 8395 euros)

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