Thursday, October 16, 2014

690 Enduro owner's comments


The Unofficial KTM 690 Survey (posted here) at www.advrider.com has died as it has been buried under hundreds of other threads. I will try to resurrect it before the year is over, but in the meanwhile I though it would be fun to post the user comments that never really got published.

HERE YOU GO

Bike has been wonderful since purchase, no other complaint except for the lean FI issue.  

Great bike  

Happy overall  

Nothing puts a smile on ya dial like riding a 690R..  

Great bike loved mine and would keep it but found a sweet deal on a 500. I had the motor apart last year and checked the rings and valves, all good very little wear.  

Bike has had been used for adventure/trail ridding and has had a lot of off road use. Has been regularly serviced by KTM mechanics and never given any major problems.  

Did have issues off and on with FI flameouts and hard starting, but cured all of that with the TuneECU. 

While the bike has had it's fair share of small issues, (the top end was expected as I rode the piss out of this thing) it's without a doubt the funniest bike I've ver owned.  

Reliable, so far, but I've really not got that many miles on it, yet.  

Great bike if only it was more reliable like every other KTM I have owned. Surprised there are so many things that need resolving given KTM are usually very good stock (EXC range)  

Awesome bike.....  

Awesome bike KTM, now give us one with 5 gallons, a beefy 00 watt stator, and real wind protection.  

Great bike, would definitely have another.  

A very noteworthy & stable platform. Like any mechanical device, they can have problems, but to date Ive had none & look forward to doing some hardcore adventure riding on it, CSR, Simpson desert etc  

Runs like a top!  

I dont trust the brand, until I get answers from the dealer or get fix the issues, very powerful bike, but don't trust to ride, always scary about the throttle body detachment. But many people says that I have to remap, waiting to get the bike to the dealer to fix the issues  

Only bad thing about this bike is the steering turn radius. Lock to lock even without the bolts is too narrow.  

Touchy on/off throttle action  

This bike has ran flawlessly especially after replacing the OEM fuel pump.  

KTM don't water down your brand, ie loosing and inch in suspension with the 2012+ models blows and is very noticeable when you ride the older model R vs the newer. Older longer travel suspension is more plush and handles better. Keep the FI computer unlocked so people can mess with the tunes so the FI issues and poor fuelling issues can be sorted out without going to the dealer, many of whom you need to check up on and make sure they know what the hell they are doing with your bikes. Hilarious when my buddy has to explain to the dealer that the bike doesn't need a top end rebuild after 60hrs. Not really.


I love this bike!!!  

The following mods have been done as preventative maintenance: http://ktm690.info/index.php/690_Hall_of_Wisdom#Radiator_Diffuser_Mount 
KTM Radiator Guards Installed
Flatlands Racing Skid Plate
Rally Raid Upper and Lower tank bolts
Evo-1 airbox lid and FI map - barely any throttle jerkiness. 

I use my 690 primarily as a dirtbike (replaced a crf450r) and it is BY FAR the least maintenance intensive DIRTBIKE I have ever had. I did not list the countless smaller items (suspension rebuilds, brakes, tires, chain sliders, sprockets, clutch plates, wheel bearings, etc) that I have had to replace as they are normal wear and tear for any offroad bike.  

Extremely high performance, very difficult bike to work on in my opinion, chappy fuel mapping.  

I also changed the upper tank bolts, although the stock ones hadn't broken yet. Also changed the fuel pump at 10k miles although the original was still working fine. I would consider the issues with my bike to be minor. Most fun motorcycle I've ever ridden.  

Have Safari tank, Carrier rack, (950 -T Tech cans), Sm wind screen, Scotts Stabilizer, Pivot pegs, rear bag, heated grips with engine modulator. Run between (15 & 14 X48) for dirt & Dunlop 908's. Great Bike!  

Trouble free.  

The bike has been perfect in the 6 months I've had it.  

Too Tall, Too stiff suspension,Terrible seat,no wind protection.The newer bikes are shorter and better gauges.Potential to be an awsome bike  

I didnt report this because I thought that it was my fault. but reading it seems to be an issue  

love this bike  

Most enjoyable bike I have ever owned  

Fun bike  

I recently replaced the fuel pump again for a CA Cycleworks pump at about 7300 miles. The filter I took out was already black and shaking the pump you could see black debris coming out. I replaced it as a precaution, bike was running fine.  

what a great bike..  

I sold the bike with 3200 miles on it. Flame outs (stalling) continually on technical trails is uncalled for.FMF Q pipe & RallyRaid air filter installed with second re map Speedo issue was never fixed completely Flame outs never cured  

I sold the bike to RTW Noah. I took this bike through Africa and Europe in 5 months. I do not recommend using the 690. Maybe I'm just unlucky.  

Great bike. Would buy again. Adapts well to riders style.  

Awesome Bike.  

shop has been cooperative, mechanic great..... bummer problems supposedly NOT widespread... bike unreal when it works...  

I would buy another one  

The 690 KTM is the most versatile bike on the market today but it has a few quirks.Bad wiring and bad fuel neck filler which invites crap to get in the tank and the fuel system. Bad design!  

Awesome bike. Just bought a set of new Marchesini Rims with Avon Distanzia tires.. Gonna swap back and forth.  

I love the bike  

Normally flog the guts out of my bike on the weekends in deep dry sand or tight single trail. No problems. The bike is a beast.  

Hope I can get the rings to seat, cuz I love the bike! Dealer said he/warranty would take care of it if not, so no worries yet.  

Great bike - poor stock seat, but the reznaco makes it way too tall. Stock turn signal melted from the akrapovic exhaust.
I have rode this bike pretty hard from tough singletrack to some freeway and still love it  

Did some of the much talked about preventative maintenance. No problems. Ridden hard. Quite a few 690s ridden by friends. One bad fuel pump on an '09. Otherwise minimal issues with 20k+ miles on some of them.  

The bike has been extremely reliable and is used mostly offroad  

No significant issues, other than consumables (tires, oil, bent bits, etc…). For the pounding this this takes - its remarkably robust !  

It's not a huge problem but my bike is cutting out when riding slowly and reserve light is on with +- 1.5liter of petrol left.  

Awesome.  

Monster!  

I can not do the survey as the bikes I talk about are not mine, but two cases. Ken Allen, Maryborough, 2008/9 model, 75000 kms, no fuel and original engine. 
Glen McGrath, Tara 2009 form memory, 95000 kms, totally untouched engine, Motorex 15w60 every 5000kms, only did first fuel filter 5000 kms ago. 12 months ago he stopped 40 ks form home, rode home, oil on boot, oilf filter bolt had fallen out, not enough oil left in it to cover bottom of drain tin. 12 months later, it is still going. True storey. 

recently sold the bike and replaced it with a 2012 model great bike. no technical issues. just maintenance and farkling

40,000 Kim's and still loving the bike, just did a 9,000 km trip down through Utah from B.C., can't pick a better bike for real adventure riding. I'm looking to get the 2014  

Wicked bike !  

Bike has Leo slip-on, RR air filter and has been re-mapped with numerous stages of adjustments to the mapping to correct ever present stalling issues. Still not right.  

love my 2008 enduro, but now purchasing a 2014 model...
Only "problem" is it eats tyres with too much road use:-)  

Used mostly on weekends,60% dirt 40% tar.  

We brought 3 new 2014 KTM 690R Enduro's and took them across the Simpson Desert. 2 had leaking radiators and 1 stopped dead with a broken roller rocker. When examined the roller rocker had broken an arm due to excessive heat from a failed needle roller bearing. It seems that the roller rocker problem and leaking radiators is a common problem with this model.  

The engine sounds like a bucket full of spanners. I have stock pipe, and it sounds like a stock dr...  

Great bike, ugly mirrors. Changed oil before i rode it, was motul oil in, replaced with correct motorex 10w60.  


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