Extreme rally test: Factory Dakar KTM 690 Rally

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Extreme rally test: Factory Dakar KTM 690 Rally
Jahn

Extreme rally test: KTM

Factory Dakar KTM 690 Rally

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Flashes of inspiration often end up as a blown gun. In the case of the original KTM racing motorcycle from the 2010 Dakar Rally, things were different. PS got the world exclusive chance to not only move the factory KTM from Dakar winner Cyril Despres in a quarry, but also to take part in the Baya Saxonia for two days.

There are days in life that are just more exciting than others. Sometimes even so exciting that you can still be excited weeks later and get goose bumps when you think back on them. So it was on June 18th and 19th of this year. After more than ten years as a test editor for PS and several kilometers on MotoGP cars, factory superbikes and fine tuning motorcycles, I experienced the unexpected revelation in the saddle of a motorcycle – and thus the most intense experience of my life on a bike.

R.Driving allye is something for early risers, also at the Baja-Saxonia, which takes place near Weibenfels. On June 18th I will be at the pre-start at 5.54 am and have to undergo the first time control on time. From six o’clock every minute is finally started in a pack of three. The order was determined by the performance in the prologue the day before, which gave me a start at 6:04 am with my 14th overall place.

The starter counts down the last five seconds with his fingers. When only his fist can be seen, the two light sports enduros burn away next to me as if it were a sprint race. I comfortably shift into first gear, carefully release the clutch and push myself very emphatically from the factory engine that has been drilled out to 730 cubic meters. Cyril Depres ‘Werks-Renner and I didn’t have a long time to get used to it, the prologue was finished in 14.40 minutes. Therefore, full concentration on the route, let the bike run smoothly. Very important: Save energy wherever possible – my personal horror is having to pick up this desert ship, which weighs more than 180 kilograms, many times with a full tank. At seven kilometers I reached the two guys from my start wave again. Typical enduro riders who drive extremely fast but don’t navigate cleanly.

While they are brooding over the road book at a confusing bend and don’t know where to go, I turn left purposefully and let the KTM roar. Freed from the stupid restrictor, the rally tears up the ground with its 74 horses, draws a furrow like a ditch in the soft ground and lifts the front wheel. With every kilometer I feel more comfortable on this first floor, feel the euphoria and adrenaline in me, which slowly but surely drive reason out of my brain. At ten kilometers, still in Enduro-style terrain, the two guys overtake me again. As a thank you for navigating three kilometers through the thicket, they at least don’t throw dirt at me when overtaking. "I’ll see you again, boys!"


Jahn

Varied route: Here a slow passage with deep sand.

Hardly thought, the narrow path leads to the wide slopes of the open-cast brown coal mine. It’s showtime, baby! A look at the road book provides the information that it is now almost three kilometers on the main slope. No crossing, just shooting, follow the route. Open the cock, full chapel! The gravel flies from the rear tire to the moon. The Despres-KTM finally reaches the speed range that it knows from Cyril and the Dakar. Heels, furrows, edges – it doesn’t matter! The WP chassis irons everything smoothly, the Austrian follows the desired line smoothly and stably like a street bike. I add the fourth one, continue to open up fully.

A quick right turn is tighter than expected, so close the cock again, brake very lightly at the front, make the rear, start the load and open the flap again. Drifting over both wheels, with the feeling of absolute control, the KTM continues to burn. "I feel like God!" triumphs my soul, "You bum", reason calls me to order. "Drive safely and decently, then you will also reach the goal". Only the high-spirited fall on the first 15 of 218 classified kilometers! Suddenly there is a knock on the rear wheel, the buck gets stuck and only with a lot of luck I don’t get bogged down. A rock, the size of a skull, has cold-formed the rear rim. If there were a tube in the tire instead of the mousse insert, I would have a flat tire.

This warning shot lets me take things a little easier now. After the fast section in the open pit, it goes back into the narrow forest. Only this time there is also deep sand on the program. Once the momentum is lost with the 690 rally, the passage becomes a battle. I lose my balance four times that day. In contrast to my fitness, the KTM takes it calmly, but gets rid of its front fender in the event of a fall.

Conclusion of the first day: It took me just over four hours without a break for the 200-kilometer stage. Plus an hour’s penalty for missing a checkpoint. This ruined my day’s win in the class and placed me fourth in the class "Motorcycles over 180 kg" one. Michi Angerer, the mechanic posted by KTM for the factory bike, sees everything easily, changes the clutch and replaces the missing fender. His comment on my top speed: "151 km / h is not that bad, but it can do 180…" Thank you good night!


Jahn

With the factory Dakar we didn’t go through the quarry but for two days through any terrain.

Day two: It rained torrential throughout the night. The race management shortens the stage from 208 to around 150 kilometers, as parts of the route are impassable. I jet off at 7:03 a.m. and after three kilometers I already think that everything is actually impassable. Knee-deep mud alternates with ankle-deep mud. I fight like a lion, sweat like an ox and soon look like a pig. In the quick open-cast mining sections, I can recharge my batteries, suck on the camel bag and think about the pointlessness of what I am doing. But then it flashes through me like lightning: "You ride Despres ‘works bike! The best motorcycle in the world, even better than Rossi’s M1, because you can’t even buy a sandwich with it." I pull myself together, mobilize the last of my strength to move Cyril’s oven worthily. And the KTM thanks me because it only lets me go down once. And that just three kilometers before the end, when I had to avoid a BMW driver stuck on the cylinders in the mud.

In addition to the musty smell all over the body, the bottom line is the victory of the day. Unfortunately, because of the penalty hour on the first day, I’m stuck in fourth place in the overall standings. Anger rises through one’s own stupidity and the driving error – and infinite gratitude. Because I’ve never been able to torture a works motorcycle over two days in a competition like this. It doesn’t get any better, hand on it!

Technical specifications


Jahn

With road book, trip master and WP factory fork: The Dakar-KTM 690 Rally.

Drive:
Single-cylinder four-stroke engine, four valves / cylinder, approx. 54 kW (approx. 74 PS) at 6000 / min *, 77Nm at 7000 / min *, 730cm3, bore / stroke: 105.0 / 82.0 mm, compression ratio: 11.6 : 1, Keihin flat slide carburetor with 41 mm throttle, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, chain

Landing gear:
Steel tubular space frame, steering head angle: 62.5 degrees, caster: 120 mm, wheelbase: 1535 mm, upside-down fork, Ø fork inner tube: 52 mm, adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression. Central spring strut with deflection adjustable in spring base, rebound and compression level (high- & Low-speed), travel front / rear: 300 / 310mm

Wheels and brakes:
Spoked wheels 1.6 x 21"/2.50 x 18", Front tires: 90 / 90-21, rear: 140 / 80-18, test tires: Michelin Desert with Mousse, 300 mm single brake disc with two-piston floating caliper at the front, 240 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Weight (dry): 164 kg; v / h 48/52%

Consumption / tank capacity: Average consumption 10-16 liters of super / 36 liters

Base price: 30,000 euros

Michael Angerer


Jahn

The rally driver Michael Anger.

No manufacturer releases its works motorcycles without a supervisor – not even KTM; even if the hit wanders into a museum afterwards. In our case, Michael Angerer accompanied Cyril Despres’ Dakar motorcycle and kept it in exemplary technical and visual condition during use.

The 28-year-old has been in several Dakar rallies and other world championship races since 2004 "Spare Parts Manager" there and looked after both the works teams under the Gauloises and Repsol flags, as well as the private teams. Quasi on the side, he competed in some desert rallies himself.

In 2007 he started a KTM 690 Rally at the Optic 2000 in Tunisia and finished the race in fifth place overall. In the same year he managed a seventh place at the UAE Challenge in Dubai. So Michi not only knows how to dispose of spare parts, but also really accelerates himself.

Baja Saxonia 2010


Drawing: archive

The Baja Saxonia 2010.

The Baja Saxonia is a unique event in Germany, which for motorcyclists in certain aspects comes very close to a real desert rally. At the Baja, for example, a road book is used for navigation during the two stages of the evaluation, in which the route is described in detail and the kilometers are covered. This road book is the only information about the course of the route; only danger zones in the area are specially designated or marked.

How attractive this selective type of off-road driving is is confirmed by the strong growth in the number of motorcycles. In 2009 just over 80 started, in 2010 more than 150 – the trend for 2011 is increasing. More information about the event is available on the Internet at: www.baja-saxonia.de

Dakar 2011


Jahn

A restrictor of the intake tract for large-displacement machines. They are only allowed to compete in the 2011 Dakar with this extra.

The A.S.O., organizer of the Dakar, wants to make it easier for Japanese manufacturers to jump on the rally train. To do this, it reduced the displacement to a maximum of 450 cubic centimeters in 2010. KTM with the up to 730 cubic single cylinders had to use restrictors in the intake tract (see above) in order to be allowed to start at all.

In 2011 only amateurs are allowed to drive the big ships, from 2012 this will finally be over. The 42 "Elite pilots" the A.S.O. have to drive 450 cc as early as 2011, but may burn up to three engines. It is doubtful whether this decision is the right one. After all, changing engines doesn’t make a rally cheaper. The sufferers are once again the privateers and thus the sport.

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