The 2020 KTM 690 Enduro R Review

Ok, it wasn’t the best of years. For many months we’ve got stuck in our due to the pandemic situation.

But slowly things are going back to normal. Not like it will be the same as earlier, but at least we’ve got to get out of the home.

Dreadful year for the most part, for motocross fans, however, 2020 seems to be special. So, many great bikes have come out this year. Now, add to the list is the KTM 690 Enduro R.

How good is the bike? To find out check out this KTM 690 Enduro R reviews.

KTM 690 Enduro R Size Chart:

  • Engine: 4-stroke, 1-cylinder.
  • Torque: 73.5Nm torque.
  • Cooling: liquid.
  • Displacement: 693 cm³.
  • Starter: Electric.
  • Transmission: 6-speed.
  • Clutch: PASC(TM) slipper, hydraulically actuated.
  • Fuel tank: 13.5L.
  • Brake (Front): 300mm disc, Brembo twin-piston floating caliper.
  • Brake (Rear): 240mm, single-piston floating caliper.
  • Suspension: Front and Rear.
  • Ground clearance: 270mm.
  • Frame: Chrome-moly tubular.

Key Features:

You’ve had a look at the KTM 690 Enduro R specifications. It looks awesome.

But you’ve got to dig deep. There isn’t a lack of bikes that look great on the paper but fail on the tracks. Let’s see if it falls into that category or not.

Available Colors:

For me,  how the bike looks is as important as the bike feels. At least, it looks to be appealing to get on it and ride.

Looking at the KTM 690 R Enduro, I’ve got to say, it is quite inviting. The orange glossy frame that gives it the structure over the engine creates a nice contrast with the matte black motor.

The frame has that nice mix of white and orange with black matte subframes. And at the front, you’ve got those glossy white mudguards and forks, that keep on that color play going on the bike.

To sum it up in one word: GORGEOUS!

Are they good in quality?

It’s time to get past what on the surface and delve into what’s inside. That’s right. It’s time to check out the key features to get an idea about the bike’s performance. Buckle up then, it’s time to ride.

Engine:

If you’re familiar with KTM rides, then finding an LC4 engine on the bike shouldn’t come as a surprise.

This iconic heart has been part of its many legendary motorbikes. The KTM 690 Enduro R reliability also comes from this latest LC4 engine.

What you’ve got here is a powerful machine that can accelerate even at low revs. The constant refinement of the engine by KTM leads them to this free-revving motor that uses less fuel to produce the power—economical indeed.

To improve engine response, they’ve got a forged piston that reduces the trading mass in it. With the addition of plain bearings in the conrod, it also helps the cause. That’s what gives the engine the liveliness that many love about it.

Plus, the electric fuel injection management of the engine serves you by giving better control. There is less fuel consumption and fewer emissions.

What not to love?

Frame:

On the bike, you’ll get a chrome-molybdenum steel tube frame. In comparison to regular steel, it is much lighter. But in terms of strength, it offers the same sturdiness the standard steel has to give.

Thanks to its lightweight trait, KTM manages to build a balanced frame that gives you a stable ride. They pieced together the engine inside this tubing in a precise manner to keep the bike balanced.

Plus, the chrome tubing takes on the impact to support the suspension system of the ride. Therefore, bikers feel less fatigued riding on off-roaders as it distributes the shocks around the frame to not let the ride feel it.

Besides that metal tubing, you will see how KTM devised the rear fuel tank as the subframe structure. This ingenious idea helped them to avoid complex design implements while preventing putting on some extra weights.

Got to admit, they hit a home run with the frame here.

Rider Aid:

This is something that you get with the latest KTM LC4 engine on the bike. You get electronic rider aids using features like the electronic fuel injection, EMS, and ride-by-wire to tackle various riding terrains and conditions.

There are 2-modes in the ride: Street and Offroad. When you want the sporty response from the throttle the first one is your go-to mode.

For better traction like in the trails and dirt tracks, the off-road mode is what you’ve got to use. Using the switch on the handlebar, you can switch between the modes and make changes to your engine response on the fly.

If you want to go crazy, disable traction control and get full control of the ride on your own. But if you’re not comfortable with it, MTC is always there to keep the bike from slipping. 

Warranty:

Ok, let’s come to the important query. How long the warranty period lasts? But first, you’ve got to know that the insurance you’re getting on the ride gets based on two criteria: Time and miles.

Now, the bike comes with 12000 miles or a 12-month guarantee period. Whichever runs out first, that’s the end of your coverage. So, if you ride the bike more than the miles mentioned, then even if you’ve got the months left, you won’t get free servicing coverage.

However, you can get extended miles or time. But that depends on the dealership from which you’re getting it.

How does the KTM 690 Enduro R work?

ktm 690 enduro r dirt bike reviews

There isn’t much to do. Get the key in and turn it in to get the power on. You will see the display got things to show when you do it. Now, to get the engine to up and running, press on the electric starter and it will liven up with a roar.

Don’t think from there you need any more explanation on how to get on with the ride.

Pros:

Impressive quality and colors on the bike. But that’s not the end of it, there are so many other features that you should know about. Listed a couple of them here for you to check out.

Gearbox:

Many of the KTM 690 Enduro R reviews seem to have noticed the improved gearbox on the bike.

Improved in the sense is that many of the KTM rides have an issue. The transmission seems smooth from moving up from 1st gear to 4th. But from them, there is an unexpected surge of pace that sometimes throws off the rider.

Especially when riding on off-roads that kind of irregular speed bumps can be of trouble.

With the 6-speed gearbox of the KTM 690 R, they’ve got to get it right. The quickshifter+ system here allows it to up and downshift right when you need it. And it is consistent—nothing out of the blue.

Suspension:

For the KTM 690 Enduro R price, some don’t expect to get great suspensions. KTM surprises them with an upside-down WP XPLOR 48 fork system.

The right and left long bars have their separate spring system that lets the left to compress and right to rebound to create the perfect harmony on rough terrains. Great damping functions.

For me, the best part is that you can adjust the dials on the fork tubes to suit the tracks’ needs. To complement the front system, the bike has a WP XPLOR shock absorber at the rear. This one gets connected with a linkage to the swingarm.

Just like the front one, you can adjust it to get the right amount of high/low-speed compression—rider’s choice.

Comprehensive protection:

Every single part of the bike works to keep the rider safe. Already, you’ve seen that with the frame, suspension system, and even the gearbox. But other key components are also playing a role in this.

Let’s take the wheels and tires for instance. The lightweight, CNC-machined 21″ and 18″ rims give a solid foundation. Add the MITAS E07 tires to the equation, you’ve got a long-lasting grippy tire for the off-roads.

The BREMBO wave brakes are on par with the best. It gives you on the spot stopping power. But it’s the consistency of it in all kinds of tracks and conditions is what you’ll enjoy the most.

The reason behind it is KTM’s ABS cornering system. Take into the lean angle of the ride into account, it gives you the better stopping on the fly. You can use this feature, or disable it depending on the track. That means more control over your ride.

Cons:

No doubt, the KTM 690 Enduro R reliability is off-the-charts. But is it a perfect machine?

What about the KTM 690 Enduro R problems? If it has any then let’s find out here.

Oil change:

When you’re riding long distances, an oil change is a must. That’s for all bikes. The KTM 690 is no different.

The issue is that the oil change kit that comes for the bike is a bit expensive. That wouldn’t have been that big of an issue, but changing it isn’t an easy task. Getting the filters aren’t easy to get out, that can be frustrating at times.

That’s a hurdle you’ve got to go through with it. Other than that, I won’t say there are any other major flaws to find in the KTM.

Additional Feature:

KTM 690 Enduro R reviews
KTM 690 Enduro R

With the KTM 690 Enduro R, there are so many great traits that are up for grabs. But there is more. STOP IT! I’m not kidding. See it for yourself.

Seat:

While riding through rough terrains, you’ve got to take a lot of hits. Yes, the suspension, tires, and chassis will absorb most of it, yet, you will feel some of it. And that can throw you off your position.

That’s where KTM 690 seat is exceptional from many of its competitors. It offers a grippy top that creates the traction to keep in you stable. Plus, the cushioning is just perfect—not too hard, not too soft.

You will the KTM 690 Enduro R seat height is just about right. It gives a nice ground clearance. But isn’t too high that you can’t get your feets touched to the earth to get the help during cornering at times.

Street use:

The bike wasn’t made for just for those Enduro tracks. You can take it out and use it on the street without any issue.

You’ve got the street mode on it to set the bike to meet the need for a smooth road surface. Great indeed.

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Conclusion:

After going through this KTM 690 Enduro R reviews, there is nothing to do but appreciate what KTM has managed to achieve here.

They came up with almost a flawless machine.

Saying it is flawless can sound wrong, as it will not meet every rider’s preference. But for most, the bike has everything they look for in it.

It moves fast, it brakes well, it takes in the hits and it has those modern world technologies to make the bike a treat to ride.

If that’s what all you want, then it is the ride of your dream—there are no two ways about it.

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