Comparison: KTM 690 Enduro R vs 1190 Adventure or why you probably need a big one?

This is not a comparison of the two new test bikes as the 690 took years to build. 2016, and 1190 with year 2013 is practically outdated, and this is not the manufacturer's report on the launch of a new motorcycle with KTM coffee cups and KTM staff, but also a KTM powerpoint presentation enthusiastically announcing what the engineers have managed to improve in the new model and why this new machine is better than the previous one and of course from all competitors and why is it needed in the garage. No, this is basically a recording of an interesting personal experience in which I had the opportunity to simultaneously test two related but very different machines, even in a non-home environment, far from Postojna OMV.

It began, you see the fraction, with “screwing”: on the dashboard of a large 1190, a warning for non-functioning outside temperature sensor and using the net I figured out that this is a common problem with this model. The sensor attached to the belt eventually gets damaged when you turn the steering wheel and, you have nothing, it dies. I brought the sensor with me, which costs about 16 euros, to India and we replaced it in the garage at a bad hour as the front plastic and headlight need to be removed. In doing so, I noticed a strangely glued foil under the driver's seat.

Unwanted feet warming at 1190

"It was pasted on by the previous owner because it got too hot in the eggs." said the owner of both Udai motorcycles, and also pointed to the exhaust pipes wrapped in heat-resistant tape. Heatwhich warms the driver's thighs when driving at low speeds was a disease of the first 1190 models, and in almost tropical southern India, where temperatures in March fluctuated between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius, this problem is all the more unfavorable. Tapes and foil can help, but as I found out later, heat is still quite a problem. If you are thinking about buying a used one, keep this in mind ... Otherwise, according to the owner, some have driven up to 25.000 kilometers. he had no engine problems... Except, as you just read, the outside temperature sensor.

The 690 baggage must not interfere with the movement of the seat.

In the morning, I strapped my backpack, which contained everything I needed for the next week, to the trunk of "my" 690 Enduro R and off we went. Somewhere along the highway, Dinesh joined us in a Triumph Tiger 800; as soon as it was taken from somewhere, we greeted each other with a raised hand and went towards the east coast. Driving on the highway and any road where speeds above 100 km/h are reached is pretty boring on the 690 (otherwise it “flexes” to 150 km/h and probably a little more if your heart allows you to keep the gas open for as long as until the end.), so I was overjoyed when, after about an hour and a half, we finally left it and continued along winding roads and paths through countless villages and hamlets.

But even on such roads, I quickly realized that a single-cylinder is not the best tool for long trips. What bothered me the most was the backpack strapped to the back, which moved from the small trunk to the back of the seat, thereby making it very difficult to move back and forth on a narrow and not very comfortable seat, which forces me to sit often and sometimes stand. We then strapped the rucksack to the 1190's trunk, which was not very familiar with two full side cases. As for the comfort of the 690 Enduro R, I would say this: when storing luggage, be careful that it does not restrict you when moving your buttocks back and forth on the seat, and at the same time, do not plan more than anything else. 400 kilometers per day... Better less ... And if it is not entirely solid and sinful, leave your interlocutor at home.

Trrrreslagi

But I was surprised that "only" 12 liter fuel tank it turns out to be quite large, because when the consumption is often below five liters per hundred kilometers (but we did not go slowly!), this means a fairly solid power reserve. The single-cylinder engine emits much less vibration than the old LC4 640, but still much more than the large twin-cylinder; in particular, they are felt on the steering wheel and are seen in the rear-view mirrors, in which the image is rather blurry. Suspension, brakes and standard tires are suitable for long journeys.

But why is 690 better than 1190?

First: on the cape Rameswaramstretching towards Sri Lanka, we saw, twenty meters from the asphalt, a martyr pushing 390 RC into soft sand. The boy wanted to take a beautiful photo for Instagram, but then he brutally realized that road tires are not friendly with loose sand, so we stopped and helped him push the car back onto the road. And, of course, it was necessary to show that KTM also makes more suitable cars for this: I ran six hundred and ninety on the beach than Toby Price. Well, almost like Price.

My twenty-one would be even more fitting, but the field possibilities of this multidisciplinary practice are still undeniable. It is also pleasing that it is air intake installed somewhere in the front under the testicles of the driver, and not in the back, as in 640, which, like an excavator, filled the sand in the air filter chamber. I'm not saying that since 1190 such a game is impossible, but a large animal requires a lot more knowledge. Just look at what New Zealand enduro and enduro instructor Chris Burch is doing with this bike.

And second: when are we after serpentine road began to climb towards Kerala, Udai suddenly found himself on my way. In the serpentines, it has been observed to opt for wider, smoother lines with a larger two-cylinder engine, while in the 690 you can go supermoto style; with late braking deep into the bend, a sharp tilt due to the removal of the motorcycle from the body (broken equipment) and early acceleration from the bend. At the same time, the narrow silhouette from a bird's eye view (the bike is very narrow due to the fuel tank under the rear of the front seat!) Allows you to move around the bike and push your feet like an enduro or motocross bike.

Party on a winding road

The fun is really top notch, and on a road that can be compared to a trip to Vršić, the 690 is part of the 1190. Not only is it much faster, but above all, the ride becomes more fun. . Six-speed transmission it works great with a hydraulically driven engine and clutch, but of course it is expected to be much more demanding than driving, say, an R 1200 GS. With the grip provided by standard Metzeler Sahara tires, the question arises whether it makes sense to fit smooth road tires on 17-inch wheels. "Flu" is enough for a healthy (non-racing) event, besides, on these universal tires you stay safe when there is sand under the wheels.

After four days of driving and a total of about 1.600 kilometers in temperatures close to 30 degrees Celsius (does the word ritoznojčan give you something to think about?), I moved to all possible and impossible positions in the last hundred kilometers and traveled a lot. standing position. Yes, the 1190 (or any other great touring enduro bike) is the best choice for this kind of trip. The myth of relaxed riders who can no longer travel with "real" massive enduro machines stands on shaky ground.

Yes, for a longer trip, the more the better

The big 1190 is simply better: it has more room for the driver, passenger and luggage, it has a more comfortable seat, better wind protection, and a longer engine that's less friendly, less vibrating, and at the same time I dare say that (in right hands) he can still manage all classified roads in the Balkans. So?

PS: Rumor has it that the Austrians are also going to build a big touring enduro based on a new two-cylinder engine (shown at the Milan show last year in the 790 Duke prototype). If this does happen, there can be a very good compromise between the two bikes just described. We will have a great time!

Matevj Hribar