: KTM 690 Enduro R

These are about ideas born during a trip through the parks of Slovenian motocross and enduro, during a trip that stretched from the planned 700 to 921 kilometers. In one day, or rather 16 and a half hours.

So tell me, how many cars are capable of handling both serious off-road and off-road? BMW F 800 GS? Yamaha XT660R or XT660Z Tenere? Honda XR650? Are they still working on the latter? Yes, there are not so many real enduro cars that can work both off-road and off-road. An endangered species.

I confess that I am very sympathetic to the LC4 generation - because I had two of them in my home garage (4 LC640 Enduro 2002 and 625 SXC 2006) and because it suits me. But I will try to be as objective and understandable as possible for those who think otherwise.

A friend and experienced motorcyclist described him like this: “What are you going to do this for? This is in vain! "Yes it's true. From the point of view of GS Fahrer, the LC4 is uncomfortable, too slow, too small in range and overall egg count. On the other hand, the owner of a motocross or hard enduro motorcycle will look sideways at you as you veer off the road. For him, it's a cow. I understand both sides, but on the very first day after taking over, I drove a test 690 from Ljubljana right on the Istrian coast. Who Said You Can't?

Okay, let's get down to business: sometimes they raced enduro and even motocross with the LC4 generation, then Dakar of course, until they limited the volume to 450cc. Then they strongly protested at KTM and even threatened to boycott the race, but then they nevertheless developed a 450 cubic meter rally car and won.

The limit was set by the French organizer with a desire to attract the remaining motorcycle manufacturers that don't have big single cylinder engines but have 450cc motocross. And we actually got to watch the Honda and Yamaha teams jump over the Austrians in Dakar this year. The goal is achieved, but still - what volume is suitable for such an adventure as Dakar? Miran Stanovnik once commented that the 690 cubic meter engine has survived two Dakars, and since the limit is 450 cubic meters, it is necessary to replace two engines in one rally. So…

Now you're feeling better, why would I need a 700 Enduro R for the proposed 690km route? Because it delivers the right speed, endurance and off-road performance. Compared to the EXC range, so is comfort. Let's take a ride!

At half past four in the morning, I already bent over, because I left my raincoat in the garage, they say, it won't rain, and the temperature is tolerable. Hell. All the way from Kranj to Gornja Radgon I was like a bitch in motocross or enduro gear. Heated levers? No, this is KTM. And not a BMW.

The first falls were secured by two laps on a varied motocross track in Machkovtsi in the heart of Gorichko. If I ignore driving on the wet side of the track (Pirelli Rallycross with 1,5 bars does not guarantee traction on slippery roads), the bike passed the first motocross test more than confidently. I was tempted to skip two shorter jumps, but preferred to drive carefully when thinking about the route ahead.

However, after a short wandering around the head of a little-known chicken, asking the natives and finding the right way to Ptuj, I go out on the legendary trail in Radizel, better known as Orekhova you. I have ridden three cross-country races here in the last three years and this time I have ridden almost the entire motocross circuit for the first time in the company of local motocross and enduro riders. Why almost? Because they were building a new springboard on a part of the track with an underground passage under it. In search of the missed (wasted) minutes, I forgot to turn off the ABS and inadvertently checked how it works on dry terrain. Um, it's fast and not too aggressive, but I recommend driving off-road with anti-lock brakes turned off. Sometimes it is better to block the tire.

Next stop: Lemberg! Since the hour is late and there are free trainings, the group photogroup and the circle around the trail are the most numerous. But what, when the cancer whistle went off on the photograph ... More on that later.

Since the last refueling, the meter has already shown 206 kilometers, so I greet the gas station in Mestigny with a smile. If we assume that there are 12 liters in the fuel tank, then there are only two liters left. Given the small fuel tank, the range is pretty good. The average consumption that day was 5,31 liters per 100 kilometers, and on the introductory trip to Istria I calculated the consumption of 4,6 liters. This is a surprisingly low result given the liveliness of the single-cylinder engine (it jumps to the rear wheel with some dexterity in third gear without using the clutch).

A wonderful "scene" goes through Kozyansko, past Kostanevitsy ... "Documents, please. Why does he have an Austrian license plate? Why is it so dirty? Did you drink alcohol? Smoked? asked a policewoman on the plain towards Shternay. I blow out 0,0, fold my documents, drive towards Novo Mesto and after 12 kilometers I find that I was driving with an open bag. And it's almost clean, all the contents have been thrown away. The padded bag from the KTM Powerparts catalog is nice, light and comfortable, but when you open it, it folds like an accordion and… Shit.

Returning to the police checkpoint and observing the road, I found a handkerchief, handkerchiefs and the flag "Motorsport = sport, leave us a place", with which we took pictures on each track. The camera (Canon 600D with a Sigma 18-200 lens), a small stand, a map and more were left somewhere along the way. Or someone poked home. In this case: call 041655081 to send you the original charger ...

Again with Belaya Krajina, although I promise to come longer for each visit, I do it in a quick procedure: a little reluctant due to the lost canon, I only go half a circle on the motocross track in Stranska vas, near Semich, and yet Lagging in of time, I continue to dynamically play against Nomad.

I admire the grip of off-road tires: they with lower cornering stability consistently indicate that they are designed for off-road, but the grip is still good and, above all, well-controlled. On short corners, they can be easily introduced (safely controlled) into sliding when braking and accelerating. Quality WP suspension contributes to well-being on twisty roads; behind with "weights". Even though it has an enduro 250 millimeters of movement front and rear, which forces the front telescopes to lower during braking, it always gives a good idea of ​​what is going on with the bike. What to do and where is the limit of a healthy pace on the road. No twisting, no swimming. The suspension is durable and breathable. Who wants to, he will understand.

In the Kochevsky region, despite the vast natural expanses and a large number of field lovers, there are no trails. “We worked on the motocross and enduro park project for a few months, but over time it faded. There are too many paper obstacles and logs under my feet, ”says my friend Simon at a stop at Lake Kochevye and advises me to hunt for a few minutes through Nova Shtifta, and not through Glazhuta, as I originally planned.

Thanks to this, I gained some time and, after driving through the snowy forests past Knezak, Ilirska Bystrica and Chrni Kal, I ended up on the enduro training ground between Rigana and Kubed. Grizha was the name of a quarry owned by the "sunken" Primorye, and Grizha is still called today when it is run by Enduro Club Koper. In a place also called Coastal Erzberg, they put on a beautiful trial park and an 11-minute enduro circuit with various difficulties. Despite my desire to take the easiest route, I (one day!) discovered in the pleasant summer heat that the 690 Enduro R is not a hard enduro machine. When he stays, that 150 pounds weighs like a cent. And we pushed off.

No, this is NOT hard enduro. But understand: the service interval for changing the oil and filter is estimated at ten thousand kilometers, and with a hard enduro four-stroke every 20 hours. But count it ... This is an engine for moderately difficult terrain, for fast gravel, for the desert ... Although it is worth mentioning that the transfer of the fuel tank to the rear of the motorcycle, in addition to two positive ones (the air filter is still installed, the feeling of lightness on the steering wheel) also has a bad feature: riding with a sliding rear wheel (drift) it seems that the 690 is heavy at the rear, not as easy as the previous LC4. Hey, Primorsky, let's attack Chevapchichi another time!

Before Postojna, Zhirovets, I announce that I will miss the Jernej Les enduro and motocross park. The boys, mostly avid KTM members known for their annual KTM family outings, are aware of the importance of their polygon to the environment. Thanks to the orderliness and attractiveness of the classic track, the best Slovenian motocross riders regularly train here.

At half past eight in the evening I arrive on the "home" route of Brnik. Three motocross riders tidy up their cars after training. After the last lap from a stranger, a Kawasaki driver, I get a damn good two slices of cold pizza and a cookie, drive one lap for a young motorcycle enthusiast and ... I go home. 921 of them fell. What a day!

A word more on quality: Given the controversy with motorcyclists during testing, I can't help but note the fact that KTM has yet to shed its reputation as a brand that lacks endurance. The fact that I had to tighten the screws on the exhaust shield in my home garage, and the left mirror in the tour itself using a crane does not seem critical to the owner of an enduro racing engine. However, the owner of a Japanese motorcycle will say that this is a tragedy.

Prepared by: Matevj Hribar

• Basic data

  Test model cost: 9.790 €

• Technical information

  engine: single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, 690cc, electronic fuel injection, wire-ride, three engine programs, two spark plugs, electric start, automatic decompressor.

  Power: Power: 49 kW (66 hp)

  Energy transfer: traction clutch with hydraulic drive, six-speed gearbox, chain.

  Frame: tubular, chromium-molybdenum.

  brakes: front reel 300 mm, rear reel 240 mm.

  Suspension: WP front fork, adjustable hold / return damping, 250mm travel, WP rear shock, clamped, adjustable preload, low / high speed damping while holding, reverse damping, 250mm travel.

  Tires: 90/90-21, 140/80-18.

  Growth: 910 mm.

  Ground clearance: 280 mm.

  Fuel tank: 12 l.

  Wheelbase: 1.504 mm.

  Weight: 143 kg (without fuel).

• Test errors: unscrew the screws on the exhaust shield and on the left mirror.

We praise and reproach

modern, original, yet classic enduro look

responsiveness, engine power

precise operation of the throttle lever ("ride on the wires")

soft and pleasant sensual clutch

ergonomics of seats for use in the field

ease of riding, extremely controllable front of the motorcycle

brakes

podcast

moderate fuel consumption

Quiet engine running (good for the environment, less for your own pleasure)

less vibration compared to previous LC4 models

blurry image in mirrors due to vibration

steering fluctuations (compared to multi-cylinder engines)

weight on the rear of the motorcycle due to the fuel tank

hidden under the seat is a button for selecting motor programs

comfort on long journeys (wind protection, hard and narrow seat)