First I would like to thank Jonpaul1st who I PM'd a lot, with questions about the 690....thank you!
Thought I would write this just in case anyone else is interested……
So....after selling the G450X I thought long and hard about my next bike. My original plan was to get a big trail bike (like a 990) for road trips and then a 250 or 400 EXC for green lanes.
However one thing since becoming a dad is the lack of time, any spare time I have I want to be riding. 2 bikes means more spannering and more paper work (Tax, MOT, Insurance).
So I wanted one bike with long service intervals, which if required could do some road work.
Unfortunately that doesn't leave a massive list.
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690 Enduro
TE 610/630
DRZ400
WR250R
KLX250
In the end the 690 was my choice......maybe if the WR was a 350 and not a 250 I would have considered it....that said would it be up to a beating off road?
I think my main concern with the 690 was weight, the bike clocks in at 138 KG without fuel.
There are 2 versions, the Enduro (as per mine) and the Enduro R, which has higher ground clearance and a orange frame. So since picking the bike up I’ve been doing a few jobs (such as oil change and filter) and taken it for a couple of test runs. Here is my report so far.
First thing you notice, or don’t notice, is the weight, it seems to carry it very low on the bike and so far I cannot really feel it’s 30kg heavier than the G450X.
I have removed the rear foot pegs and some of the road gear, that saves 2.5kg. Apparently changing to a LI battery and fitting an after market end pipe can save another 10+ kg........might do that when I have the cash.
Sitting on the bike I’m amazed how much it feels like an EXC......guess that’s the KTM homogenised design. It feels very familiar and easy to ride. However you can feel the bike is fatter lower down than an EXC due to the larger engine and it’s lower as well, which actually is not a bad thing.
I did about 80miles yesterday with a mixture of Cambs/Essex lanes and twisty B roads. The bike is an absolute hoot on both road and trail. The power down low is quite mellow, but give it some throttle and the mid range packs a real punch.
Can you guess the location?
Tyres are Metz Karoo on the front and D908 on the rear. Don’t seem to bad even in the wet slop I found in places. Also so far seems to grip quite well on tarmac.
On the way back took in the view of the new wind farm which is between Lark Hill and Balsham.
So far so good. I’m really pleased with the bike. If however I could find a few negative points:
It was quite difficult to find a used one, there are not many about.
The turning circle is not great.
The forks feel over sprung and maybe a little under damped. (But to be fair I need to play a bit more)
The exhaust is really hot and looks like a boat anchor!
More to follow as I progress with the bike…