Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I have consolidated from a 950SM and a 400EXC but with no financial need.
Purely to get a bike that copes with rubbish Sussex roads and I've always wanted a 690 since I rode one about 7 years ago.
While I accept Mike and others probably have experienced problems with a 690, I guess plenty of others haven't.
I had my TVR Chimaera for 7 years and 12000 miles and only needed a plug cap and a clutch master cylinder yet all the big heads who had never driven one, let alone owned and maintained one said they always broke down. Yes, some did but plenty didn't. You get back what you put in but I will accept you can't affect poor design.....remember Honda's Joe Public R&D in the 70's? Or most other car and bike manufacturers these days?

One item i found is load riders saying my bike faultless and has 5k on it
Bike isn't reliable till i see 90% if them hit 50k miles
Also heard horrif stories of 690's giving huge issues

My completely unrepresentative sample of one has been very reliable. Needs as much maintenance as any other trail bike if used off tarmac. I my view the bike has very few weak spots, the rocker arm issue is the main one and the gearing is a bit odd depending on your use/needs. The bike is a pig to clean and a few bits are a bit plasticky. For proper trail riding I use other bikes and for road and gravel trips I prefer other bikes. It might be the best compromise for some but I don't subscribe to the one bike does it all thing - hence 10 bikes in the garage

I've had mine 4 years now, and it's got 20k Miles.
2010 Enduro R
Have replaced the rocker arms as part of the maintenance.
Just service regularly with oil and filters.
Known Problems
Fueling / Injector Blockages
Can be dealt with by adding another inline fuel filter
Getting rid of the standard key/filler cap and fitting screw cap acerbis (stops dirt in tank)
Fuel Sock - Have heard they can be a pain when filling up as can often cut the pump out.
Fix - Turn injector round and flush out
Can be done on the trail if required
Stalling Issues
Can be related to the Fueling issues above / partially blocked injector etc
Water Ingress in Coil / Plug Cap
It's not a great design, but some dialectic grease or silicone grease will help.
Rectifier
Replace when not working i.e. no lights / not charging (not had an issue with mine)
Can be retrofitted with a mosfet unit - info on ADV Rider - seems to be a USA thing..
Steering Wobble at Speed
Generally down to what tyres / air pressures are and how the suspension is setup
Steering Lock
It's not great - get used to it

F - 17
Very honest
And well done
At the end of the day it's a bike
And you know what
People slag it
Because they can't ride it
Afford it
Or just plain
Ktm haters
Because they all know it's the best enduro bike out
There
Ps .
Not much talk of other bikes
And where's Mike ?

Let's get some perspective here folks.
Does anybody remember a few years ago when all 1200GS wee about to blow up and kill the riders with final drive issues? Not heard a thing about the issue for years now!
Oh let's not forget the Suzuki TL1000 widow maker....we are awash from the widows of this bike!
If I were to work In a garage that fixed KTMs and all day i saw broken bikes coming In I might think that they have some quality issues. But what I am not seeing are all the Ines that have no issues.
I once had a car that was a good make and known for being very reliable....broken can belt, injector, key card reader..and any other things went wrong. Yes this put me off this make but I still see them on the road every single day.
So for me what is a reliable bike? Your view is different to mine as it is shaped by what you see and do. Apart from cam follower bearings I've not heard of many other problems the 690 and as Tea said the ABC group has plenty on the go.
Mike

My experience with the 690 (2013 single Ecu version) was that it was a much more capable bike than I initially gave it credit for, however whilst I also own a 350exc I always felt that the 690 was a compromise. It was too heavy and cumbersome to replace that, yet being a single wasn't particularly great for road work either. I've come to the realisation that what I thought might be the 'one' bike, is simply impossible to achieve.
I had my fair share of issues and had to a lot of mods to get the bike ready for travel, including the usual smog removal, rocker bearings, and fuel pump, wiring, remap for lean condition at low rpm etc etc. I've now stuck with the 2 bike situation and when I reach the real gnarly bits I the 1090r, I just note to come back with the 350 one day.

Just one more thing that hasn't come up in the tread of Pro's 'n' Con's is I have known and seen a few throw the throttle body off the back of the intake, Quite a few of the people that I ride with ride 690e/r's and they all seem to love them, even if they break down, they would rather fix 'n' keep rather than fix 'n' sell. (thumbs)

The 690 is a terrible bike. Its just not good enough to be classed as an enduro bike. It looks rubbish and is only suited to small people.

I Don't thing anyone seriously classes it as an Enduro bike Mike, it's just a marketing thing for KTM Innit?
I certainly don't think anyone buys it to ride Enduros on, that would be a bit daft. (unless your some sort of masochist)
I'm 5'11" with a longish torso, shortish legs,, I'm gonna have to try get a test ride.