KTM 690 ENDURO R UPDATED
t must be tough being the KTM
690 Enduro R. Not only does it link
the dirty EXC enduro machines and
road-going Adventure sides of the KTM
powerhouse, the firm’s road-legal big
enduro also has to fight for riders trying to
decide between a nimble enduro machine
or a big adventure bike.
While the love may get lost in the fight
with its siblings, KTM has finally thrown the
690 Enduro R a bone and given it a new
lease on life for 2019.
The latest generation LC4 single-cylinder
engine is nestled within the lightweight
trellis frame, while KTM has also gifted the
Enduro R with top specification chassis
components and the very latest electronic
rider aids to give a riding experience only
riders of tangerine machines know well.
76 KIWI RIDER
The latest incarnation of the LC4 single-
cylinder sees the inclusion of not just new
hardware, but a big injection of electronic
magic to bring the big thumper kicking and
screaming into 2019. Two balancer shafts
aligned to a dual-spark cylinder head
drastically reduces the engine vibrations
commonly found in big thumpers, while
the power output of the 690 now sits at a
very healthy 74hp and 73.5Nm of torque.
While the engine is smoother than
ever, the gearbox now boasts KTM’s
Quickshifter+ system to help ensure silky
smooth, and lightning-quick gearchanges.
On top of that, the 690 R now lets rip via
a ride-by-wire throttle and features lean
angle sensitive ABS and traction control
systems to get the most from the big
Enduro in all situations.