Luki, come to the orange side of the power…
The Motorcycles we chose for our longwayhome trip are two KTM 690 Enduro R built in 2012. Two, because on one we would kill each other. We experienced this during our Iceland trip. We both wanted to ride, we both wanted to challenge the road. And we started to argue who is a better rider. In addition, the weight of our two, along with the luggage and weight of Yamaha XT1200 Super Tenere, away from tarmac roads made us aware that also in a marriage there are moments when APART means BETTER.
We made the decision after a looooong searching for information about the motorcycle, which would fit our adventure riding needs. The problem whether to choose KTM 690 Enduro R or maybe the competition lasted some time. After the ride on Husquarna 701 (half-brother KTM 690), we knew that we were heading in the right direction. The decision has been confirmed after we test rode our KTMs.
Why KTM and not …? Well, a good question. “KTM you love or you hate” they say. I am one of those who just fell in love at first sight with this motorcycle. I always looked at KTM with a bit of jealousy, although I never complained when riding other motorcycles. Monia likes it too, but deep in her heart she prefers Husky
Good looking, lightweight, agile, with considerable power at its weight, not consuming hectolitres of fuel. Do not try to release it in a back garden. It will rip off all flowers and vegetables and you will not even know when! Wonderful, marvellous – would like to say. Not really, KTM 690 has its disadvantages, some of which give you a headache, some of which you have to remove and learn to live with the rest. But which motorcycle does not have them? 😉
Service intervals every 10,000 km in our motorcycles are a very good result for a single-cylinder bike. Moreover, ease of adjustment, quite “simple” construction, nice suspension travel – 250 mm front and rear, 280 mm ground clearance, weight only 142 kg (without fuel and modifications), tearing up power of 49kW (66 hp) are just a few of the features that made us believe this bike is for us.
690 Enduro R is a newer model and therefore more expensive. That’s also why we chose two twin models from 2012. At an affordable price, with very low mileage on a clock, they were suitable for our preparation needs. In addition, two of the same year allow taking one set of tools and spare parts for both machines. The same components, fluids, the same way of servicing or modifying. And well, the same problems…
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