TRAVERSE 126
the 450 RALLY REPLICA, nor is it a large adventure twin designed primarily around carrying luggage and covering thousands of kilometres on sealed roads.
Instead, the 690 RALLY is aimed at the rider who wants substantial range without giving away the handling advantages of a single-cylinder off-road motorcycle.
The electronics package is similarly designed to bridge those two worlds. Street and Off-road ride modes are joined by an optional RALLY Mode, allowing the rider to adjust traction control and throttle response. Cornering Motorcycle Traction Control and cornering ABS use information from a six-dimensional sensor, while KTM ' s Dynamic Slip Adjust function in RALLY Mode allows additional rear-wheel slip when the system determines that more wheelspin is required.
For more traditional off-road riding, the ABS system can be configured to remove rear-wheel intervention while retaining front-wheel assistance, while a dedicated ABS-off button allows the system to be completely disabled. The intention is to give the rider the electronic assistance required on the road without taking away control when the surface becomes loose, steep or technical.
Braking is handled by Brembo hardware, with a 300mm front disc and 240mm rear disc. A Brembo twinpiston floating calliper operates at the front, with a single-piston floating calliper at the rear.
The chassis uses KTM ' s familiar chromiummolybdenum steel trellis frame, with a 1506mm wheelbase and 62.3-degree steering-head angle. KTM has also retained the self-supporting plastic rear fuel tank arrangement used by the platform.
Ergonomics have been developed with movement in mind. KTM says the rider triangle is designed to allow the rider to move freely between seated and standing positions, while the wide ' no-dirt ' footpegs are intended to prevent mud accumulation and maintain a consistent platform in difficult conditions. Optional rubber inserts can be fitted for greater comfort during road riding.
There is also a small but useful nod to the realities of travelling through remote country: a dedicated mounting position for the tool pouch sits behind the right-hand tank fairing and radiator. KTM says this allows access to the tools without removing the seat or bodywork while keeping them protected from branches and other obstacles.
The 690 RALLY therefore occupies an interesting space in KTM ' s adventure range. Above it sits the heavier multicylinder Adventure machinery, while at the extreme end of KTM ' s rally offering is the competition-focused 450 RALLY REPLICA. The 690 takes a different approach, retaining the simplicity and relatively low weight of a single while adding the equipment required for genuinely long-distance travel.
It is also a significant departure from the way many riders have traditionally created this type of motorcycle. The 690 ENDURO R has long been a popular starting point for rally conversions, with owners adding larger tanks, fairings, navigation towers and road-book equipment. The new RALLY effectively brings that concept into the factory catalogue.
KTM says production of the 2027 690 RALLY begins in Austria in September 2026, with the motorcycle scheduled to arrive at authorised KTM dealers from October 2026. Pricing is dependent on market, with some markets still awaiting final confirmation.
For riders who remember the big singles that helped establish the modern adventure-bike category, the arrival of the 690 RALLY will have a familiar feel. It has the tall stance, long-travel suspension and unmistakable rally silhouette, but underneath is a thoroughly modern LC4 with electronic rider aids, connectivity and considerably more sophistication than the old 640 ADVENTURE ever had.
The important difference is that KTM hasn ' t simply dressed the 690 ENDURO R in rally plastics. The additional fuel capacity, integrated tower, revised mounting points, long-distance cockpit and dedicated equipment have all been developed around the same fundamental idea: a relatively light, powerful singlecylinder motorcycle that can travel a long way before the road runs out.
And for riders whose idea of adventure begins where the bitumen ends, that could make the 690 RALLY one of the more interesting new adventure motorcycles to arrive for 2027. TRAVERSE
TRAVERSE 126