KTM 690 Supermoto
The sun, pleasant temperatures and fantastic mountain roads around Taragonna with almost XNUMX% grip asphalt and of course the new KTM were the main reasons for the smiling faces of the select journalistic community.
Of course, without the 690 SM, it all would have looked like a retirement trip outside the tourist season, but when we drove from morning to evening, there was a lot of adrenaline.
Everyone seems to know today that the Austrians actually invented today's supermoto category for everyday use. After the first races in the USA in the XNUMXs, the trend moved to Europe, especially France, and then firmly rooted in Mattighofn, where they felt like a niche market.
LC4 was and remains a label closely associated with the supermoto. It replaced the old 640 designation with 690, which means it is powered by an all-new 4cc single-cylinder LC650 engine. This one is three kilograms lighter and 20 percent more power. With 65 "horsepower", it is the most powerful single-cylinder engine to date, capable of driving a motorcycle at a speed of 186 kilometers per hour. Proven and more than that, it remains calm and does not give the feeling that the engine is suffering and that it is in danger of destruction. None of the competitors achieve this so subtly!
In addition, the new engine was equipped with an "anti-jump" clutch. In practice, this means that when you are driving before a corner (of course, at a high enough speed), when the front brake is applied, the rear wheel begins to slide elegantly, which is safer than before, thanks to this clutch. Experienced riders have "anti-scoping" in the index and middle of the left hand when they feel the clutch lever, but not everyone is as good as, say, our top rider Aleš Hlad. For the average user, "anti-hopping" is good!
However, the technical sweets are not over yet. Due to stricter environmental regulations, it had to be equipped with an electronically controlled fuel injection system. They chose a combination of electric cable and classic gas wire. The latter prevents an overdose of fuel when adding gas, detected by the control unit. In practice, however, this means that the engine runs fairly smoothly and quietly even at lower revs, without the jerkiness that is so typical of classic electronic fuel injection systems. However, it is true that the engine only springs to life at more than 4.000 rpm, from where it also releases the greatest reserves of power and torque.
In the world of single-cylinder engines, the new rod frame (chrome-molybdenum steel tubes) is a revolutionary product that provides stability at high speeds while remaining light and weighing less than four kilograms. The same is the case with the pendulum, which is a cast aluminum with highly visible reinforcement grids. The entire motorcycle does not exceed 152 kilograms, despite the rather bulky external dimensions and macho appearance. And this is a mass with all liquids, only gasoline needs to be refilled.
Due to tradition and commitment to sports, they decided to offer three versions, of which orange and black are the same, the only difference is in the color combination. The third, dubbed the Prestige, has alloy wheels and a radial pump front brake and an even more powerful radial four-link caliper instead of the classic wire-spoked supermoto rims. Both were signed by the Italian Brembo.
How are you? Damn good! It's incredibly light in the hand, and the short wheelbase allows for a tough attack around corners. Here it shines, as the complete bike performs reliably, follows commands precisely and, in addition to excellent acceleration, also provides effective braking. We also consider it a big plus that the passenger will ride it quite comfortably. And not only on short trips, but much further, say, in a city, where the new SM 690 will undoubtedly attract a lot of views due to its appearance. Unlike the old one, the single-cylinder does not shake (due to the vibration damper). Well, a little more, but it's a nice caress compared to what the old supermoto did.
In short, vibrations do not bother, and driving on the highway is comfortable even at speeds of more than 120 kilometers per hour. Almost unbelievable, isn't it! ? However, it is not overpriced. It's true that there are cheaper supercars out there, but they don't have as much of the best equipment and performance, and they don't provide as much driving pleasure. This also matters, because it is supposedly about a supermote - a party on two wheels.
KTM 690 Supermoto
engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, 653 cm7, 3 kW at 47 rpm, 5 Nm at 7.500 rpm, el. fuel injection
Frame, suspension: tubular steel, USD adjustable front fork, rear adjustable (reverse only) single damper (Prestige - adjustable in both directions)
brakes: front radial brakes, disc diameter 320 mm (Prestige also radial pump), rear 240 mm
Wheelbase: 1.460 mm
Fuel tank: 13, 5 l
Seat height from ground: 875 mm
Weight: 152 kg without fuel
Price of the test vehicle: 8.250 euro
Contact person: www.hmc-habat.si, www.motorjet.si, www.axle.si
We praise and reproach
+ funny, versatile
+ high final and cruising speed
+ engine (strong, does not pump)
+ unique design
+ top components (especially the Prestige version)
+ ergonomics
- small numbers on the tachometer
Petr Kavchich
Photo 😕 Hervig Pojker (KTM)
Basic data
Base model price: € 8.250 XNUMX
Technical information
engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, 653,7 cm3, 47,5 kW at 7.500 rpm, 65 Nm at 6.550 rpm, el. fuel injection
Frame: tubular steel, USD adjustable front fork, rear adjustable (reverse only) single damper (Prestige - adjustable in both directions)
brakes: front radial brakes, disc diameter 320 mm (Prestige also radial pump), rear 240 mm
Fuel tank: 13,5
Wheelbase: 1.460 mm
Weight: 152 kg without fuel
