KTM 690 LC4 Supermoto

The beginning of a new legend: the new 690 Supermoto pulverizes all borders. From the high performance LC4 engine to the sporty six-gear transmission right up to the rally-tested exhaust system – it’s all been newly invented.

New. Feeling Greedy? One look at the new 690 Supermoto says more than a thousand words. And a test ride says more than a thousand looks. So call the dealer, take a look, take a ride and be speechless.

KTM 690 Supermoto

When the invitation to toss the latest KTM supermoto machines around the mean Streets of Willow popped into my in-box, I knew I was in for a peg-dragging good time. In fact, the very first supermoto experience of my career took place in Las Vegas at the KTM 450/525 SMR press intro some three years prior, and life has never been the same since.

On a supermoto, every single-lane road looks like a playground, every rolling hill a table top, and every dirty apex just a reason to put distance on your buddies. That's what supermoto is all about - breaking the rules, doing what shouldn't be done, and having a good time while you're at it. It's this irreverence that KTM is hoping to capture in their all new single-cylinder 690 Supermoto.

For those of you who have been paying attention, there are major differences between these most recent offerings and the previous ones. Unlike the original motocross-based 450/525 series, which are to this day the weapons of choice for Supermoto racers around the world, the 690 and 950 are purpose-built streetbikes that will likely never be seen at a starting grid. Instead, they are part of a new era of fun-to-ride bikes that have become fashionable these days. Although not exactly suited for clearing 100-foot table-tops and backing it in at 100 mph, they are a pleasant blend of rider-friendly ergos, race-inspired performance and distinctive appearance aimed at inspiring mischievous behavior in even the most discriminating riders.

At the center of this pointed challenger is the latest rendition of KTM's single-cylinder LC4 powerplant. The LC4 is new from the ground up. A counterbalanced crank reduces vibration dramatically versus its predecessor and, for the first time ever on a single-cylinder KTM, fuel injection atomizes the precious natural resource so that this is one efficient piece of ausrustung (TK - equipment in German). Featuring a 46mm throttle body, Electronic Power Throttle (EPT) unit with cold start and idle regulation system, the 690 is surprisingly smooth for a Single across the entire rev range from the moment it is fired up. At idle it lopes along like any good running Single does but does not vibrate incessantly like the previous generation LC4. Twist the throttle and the motor smoothes out significantly from its thumptuous beginning and continues to exude a pleasant, rather than irritating, bit of throb through the bars.

A new slipper-type APTC 'anti-hopping' clutch provides a light effort at the lever and makes even the sloppiest of downshifts seem perfect. It works very well out on the track and there's no reason to expect anything less from it on the street, where frantic downshifts and attempts to get agro are not quite as common (cough, cough) - or at least they shouldn't be. A six-speed transmission harnesses the claimed 63 hp and 48 lb-ft of torque and directs it to the rear wheel via left-side chain drive. The ribbed swingarm looks really cool, too, as if the exterior skin of the thing was purposely left off to reveal the interior bracing. This will definitely attract commentary from the peanut gallery.

The big Single and slick tranny form a team intent on getting from point A to point B with a big smile on that very same mug you see every day in the mirror. Lofting the front wheel should be easy, if you are so inclined, and accelerating up the freeway on-ramp should be drama-free too. This is no gutless 400, this is a big-bore Single. It moves along just fine. It's not exactly explosive off the line but it may be geared tall to make street riding more enjoyable and that's a commendable aspect of the 690. You may have noticed the dual exhaust pointing towards the sky. This is the final piece of a politically correct emission system. Although a bit subdued, there is no doubt this is a single-cylinder machine thanks to its staccato exhaust note.

Brembo supplies the braking system front to rear, and after one lap it was apparent it offered up more power than was even necessary for this middleweight Thumper, and that's another check in the positive box for it. A single 320mm front disc and radial-mount caliper, steel-braided lines, a 240mm rear disc and single-piston caliper - it's all Brembo on this bad boy, all the time. A hydraulic Magura clutch works with the new APTC unit to offer up exceptionally light and easy pull at the lever. That's a good thing because, despite the gobs of available torque, riding a Single requires a significant amount of shifting to get around the race track like Streets of Willow.

Source Motorcycle-USA

Review

Just when you thought single-cylinder supermotos had been supplanted by the new generation of twins, KTM drops the bomb that is the 690 Supermoto. Admittedly, this all-new mega-Thumper displaces just 653.7cc, only slightly larger than the 625 SMC that preceded it, but the difference is night and day.

If you read last summer's "Swinging Singles" comparison, you may recall that we reported the 625 vibrated so badly, it would "shake loose change from your pockets." The 690, on the other hand, is astonishingly smooth, vibration manifesting only as the engine nears its 8000-rpm redline. This was accomplished via a sixth speed, a balance shaft and by ensuring the frame didn't amplify the vibes. Tune the frame to reduce engine vibration? Welcome to the 21st Century.

Following the same basic layout as the 950 Supermoto, the 690 is built on a steel trellis frame-so long, single backbone. The black, die-cast aluminum swingarm is unusual in that it has external reinforcement ribs that make it look inside out. The bodywork is unique, with a pointy beak that begs "Spy vs. Spy" jokes. And the rally-derived exhaust is a bit unusual, with twin smokestack mufflers oriented to prevent water from entering during stream crossings. Not that you'd do that on a supermoto bike.

Though the LC4 engine has been redesigned to make a claimed 63 horsepower, the parts around it are more noteworthy. To begin with, it's fuel-injected, which is a first for KTM and still fairly novel on a single. But what is truly groundbreaking is the Electronic Power Throttle (EPT) system. Not quite Fly By Wire, the twistgrip opens the throttle valve via a cable, and a servo motor can then close it to maximize torque or, should revs rise too quickly, control a wheelie or wheelspin. The system also holds the throttle valve open a tad when the twistgrip is shut to reduce engine braking. Add to that a slipper-style Adler Power Torque Clutch (APTC) like that employed on Ducati Monster models, and MotoGP technology is trickling down to the supermoto set.

I didn't notice any of this techno-trickery while riding the 690 at the press introduction at The Streets of Willow Springs in early February. In fact I didn't even know about it until the end of the day, when one of the engineers clued me in. And that's high praise: This sort of rider-assist technology is supposed to be transparent, and the KTM's is.

What I did notice is the dirtbike riding position, with a wide tapered handlebar, motocross-style footpegs and narrow fuel tank-at least in back; the farther forward you slide, the more it splays your legs. The seat is nice and flat, but as on most KTMs, it's too hard-I had a serious case of monkey-butt at day's end.

Handling is superb. Though the 690 weighs a few pounds more than the 625, it doesn't feel heavier. Feedback from the Bridgestone Battlax BT090 tires (more street-focused than the 625's Pirelli MT60s) is exemplary, the WP suspension is firm but compliant and braking power from the single radial-mount front Brembo is strong but not too grabby. Interestingly, the hydraulic clutch employs a Grimeca master cylinder that specifies mineral oil, as is common with mountain bike disc brakes. Though the brakes are strong enough to initiate hacked-out corner entrances, and the slipper clutch is well up to the task, the bike's soft standard suspension settings and high center of gravity made it difficult to get too sideways. Not that we didn't have fun trying.