school me on a ktm 690 enduro r

[breakdirt916]

If dirt in fact slipped past the air filter, I’d expect to see some inside the intake.

I am a little suspect that the bike didn’t need a top end:
-bike suddenly runs rough at 6k miles
-top end done: bike still runs rough $2,000
-fuel filter and seals replaced: bike runs great

Maybe the top end had plenty of life left in it, and it just needed a new fuel filter and seal kit?

Yeah, I am salty.

It’s been Hard for me to get momentum of enjoyment for these Husky/KTM bikes. Even people with the same bike seem to have it easier.

[xrocket21]

If dirt in fact slipped past the air filter, I’d expect to see some inside the intake.

I am a little suspect that the bike didn’t need a top end:
-bike suddenly runs rough at 6k miles
-top end done: bike still runs rough $2,000
-fuel filter and seals replaced: bike runs great

Maybe the top end had plenty of life left in it, and it just needed a new fuel filter and seal kit?

that's a big ouch

[Paul_E_D]

If dirt in fact slipped past the air filter, I’d expect to see some inside the intake.

I am a little suspect that the bike didn’t need a top end:
-bike suddenly runs rough at 6k miles
-top end done: bike still runs rough $2,000
-fuel filter and seals replaced: bike runs great

Maybe the top end had plenty of life left in it, and it just needed a new fuel filter and seal kit?

Yeah, I am salty.

It’s been Hard for me to get momentum of enjoyment for these Husky/KTM bikes. Even people with the same bike seem to have it easier.

Yep. that thing didn't need a top end. This is the kind of stuff dealers do all the time. I had a merceded dealer replace and entire steering column/ignition when I really need a new trailer harness.

[jimmycapp]

My 2018 1290 had a bum fuel pump by 12k miles. It would start to lose power on a ride. Swapped fuel filter and it was good for a few months, then it started making this horrible noise on priming. I'm guessing you're was probably on it's way out.

[tls25rs]

The issue comes back to finding a technician that knows their shit that you trust.

Just like any profession there are people that are really good at what they do, people that plod along in the middle of the road doing what they do and the bottom feeders that don't really know what they are doing but still work in the profession. Within those sub groups there are solid people you can trust to help you without gouging you for all of your money and those that want to make a decent living and yet still help others out now and then. The trick is to find the ones that are really good at what they do and want to make a decent living and yet still help others out now and then.

I can't imagine what it would have cost me to fix any number of my bikes throughout the years if they had been taken to a dealership/service department. I do realize that the dealership/service department is sometimes the only option for some people and I hope they are able to find the technician that knows their shit and won't screw them over.

[loudbeard]

I will never understand why in the automotive industry the customer foots the bill for poor troubleshooting/parts replacement/service hours. Doesn't fly anywhere else.

[tls25rs]

I will never understand why in the automotive industry the customer foots the bill for poor troubleshooting/parts replacement/service hours. Doesn't fly anywhere else.

The medical industry isn't too far behind

[breakdirt916]

ughhh...a lot of hard truths

it's a dealer problem

whatevs...it's done

this *is* the right platform for the kind of riding I want to do.

sticking to the plan: ride from home, 60-90 mins of slab for big bike loops. Long desert dirt day rides with adequate fuel range but can still hop on freeway and ride 80mph for 2 hours to connect/skip sections. 30-60 mile pavement loops to the beach/bike nights. Maybe SuMo track days. Longer service interval than the YZ.

-------------------------------------

for your viewing pleasure, here what the OEM filter looked like:





ProTip: use the spray cleaner outside, or in a garage. Not inside your bathroom.









ProTip: don't air dry it in the bed of the truck, forget it, and have it blow away.

Bike still at dealer for valve check, oil change, and rack bolt repair.

[loudbeard]

I forget, do you have a cush drive fitted on this bike?

[OneCheekRider]

Maybe Definitely SuMo track days.

FIFY, see you at Apex

[breakdirt916]

and she's back



I think I did 500ish miles(?)



now I don't have to check it for 6,200 miles according to the book

the book also *never* recommends a top or bottom end. Ever.

air/oil filter changes after big dirt rides

sticking to the plan: long distance dirt/desert/ride from home bike

still needs:
-moto minded headlight
-powered Garmin mount fixed
-Yoshimura slip on
-sumo wheels for summer

[breakdirt916]

the plan: DIY as much as possible on non-technical stuff

690: lol, not today.

with the spinning bolt extracted, I was finally able to remove the OEM tail section to install the Sicass tail w' Euro LED light & flush mount signals

removal was easy



way cleaner and angles the bottom of the plate farther out



it only installs one way, and seemed to line up:



but in reality, it did not:



I tried just moving it forward, but:
-because it's molded, it only fits one way
-once the front bolts were lined up, the rear ones weren't
-the plastic is thick & firm - it can't be heated and stretched

I tried smashing out the metal collar - it wouldn't budge

I tried installing everything loose and cinching it down.

Bad idea - the bolts were under so much lateral pressure, it felt like I was stripping the other threaded inserts

I didn't want that to happen again.

maybe I was installing the wrong bolts in the wrong location.

and upon further inspection - the bolts and collars were 3 different sizes



and upon even further inspection of the old taillight holder...



the shop never even repaired the tank insert



they just press fitted a collared nut onto the tail light holder...and used a shorter bolt, so it wouldn't thread into the tank's insert

I thought they fixed the insert in the gas tank

nope, my rack/grab handle was being screwed into the tail light holder plastic.

that's the last straw...no more dealers...

I'm just gonna figure out a DIY solution so I don't hand a dealer hundreds of dollars to not even fix the problem. Spent $3,000+ in the last month on this thing. At this point I just want a working tail light so I can ride it.

new tanks are $1,600+

thinking:
-drill out those metal collars
-making sure the bolts will line up properly and thread
-see if I can move that collared nut onto the sicass taillight holder, or just not run a 4th bolt.

[Kurlon]

Are the inserts just spinning, or stripped/hard to thread? If they're spinning you can use a soldering iron and heat gun to soften the plastic, warm the insert and reform the plastic around it.

[breakdirt916]

gah, it's spinning...and it's embedded into the gas tank - is that a little unsafe to heat up through contact?

[Kurlon]

Well... I'm not saying light it on fire after drilling a hole through for direct gas access, have to use a little common sense on how hot you get things. You need the plastic warm enough to deform, and to meld with any plastic you add. (If you've got any old plastics lying around, you can shave off bits to act as additional material/filler.) You don't need it so hot that the insert drops through the tank into the gas, though even then it likely wouldn't be hot enough to light off. Be safe, play outside when you do it.

[breakdirt916]

yeah, I'm over it...I am just using the rear two bolts...not using the front two at all





went to another "illegal? but tolerated." spot 40ish mins away

inland empire spots - SO MUCH TRASH...and the major openings had glistening dirt - mostly broken bottles



most of the trash was mainly fire/dirt roads

but where does the trash disappear?



the single track



it's 1 min of single track followed by 2-3 mins of fire road

If I could connect it all into a 1-2 hour loop, I'm good.

That could be an alternative "local" spot...and since I'm plated, I could park nearby and ride in/out. Ride 2 hours & home by 1

[breakdirt916]

^^ fox raceway

again, this bike is versatile



did a 230 mile pavement ride...freeway slab, mountain twisties, 40-65mph farm roads, dinner, etc.

anyone here recognize this dude behind the mask?!?



hint: he's on NESR and he moved to the westest coast and owns his own small business/knife shop

going back to street mode, I forgot:
-tank bag w' a visor cleaner + rag
-cramp buster
-RandyO's underwear suggestion for longer rides
-+2 front sproket
-highway pegs on the skid plate
-gopro running as stills
-top case to store helmet/jacket + tool roll + battery jump box + GoPro mount
-Skene P3 running lights front/rear
-moto minded headlight
-front/rear dash casm
-Black Widow scissor stand (for front tire removal)
-Harbor Freight paddock stand (for rear tire removal)
-Rabaconda

[Kurlon]

I'm becoming more and more a fan of KTM's singles as well, my 500 is a blast as an ice bike and push button easy.

[breakdirt916]

Well, I spoke too soon

Bike randomly stalled 4 times from the beach.

Tried to replicate the issue in a parking lot, bike hesitated a few times then stalled and wouldn’t fire. Cranks just fine.

Battery terminal connections firm.

All fuses good.

Kickstand wire intact, sensor lines up with kickstand.

Jiggling battery terminal and harness wires did not alter the behavior.

Bike is back at the shop…

EDIT: Facebook group suggestions include fuel pump. They also recommend swapping rocker arms.

[breakdirt916]

and I got it back Saturday (almost 3 weeks later)

they said the issue was the TBI connector (throttle body...?) here:



they traced it, found it was loose, unplugged it, cleaned it, added dielectric grease, plugged it back in and it ran fine again

subframe bolt was also sheared, so it was extracted & replaced w' new bolt

I asked again - the dealer said:
1.) NO fuel pump for 3-5 years at least
2.) NO to replacing rocker arms

the rocker arms are more prone from 2016 and older; mine should be ok. Fuel pump; I dunno...maybe in 2-3 years I'll swap it preventatively

I also polled it to find out what else I should do:



17% - stranded

granted this is not normalized by generation (19+ have a newer motor design, 2016 and older are prone to rocker arm failures)

you have almost a 1 in 5 chance of the bike leaving you stranded.

it's still worth it over a KLR, I just wish I knew the issues in advance

I almost definitely want a kickstand switch delete...also known to leave you stranded

[breakdirt916]

finally finished "fixing" my rack's front 2 bolts

the shop installed an insert into my old taillight holder; luckily I was able to just unscrew it and re-use it



It’s threaded on the outside to install into your application, then threaded on the inside for your bolt to screw into

I also had the same size/thread tap on hand:



and uh...it's my first time tapping threads

but it cut threads surprisingly easily by hand on the Sicass taillight holder



insert screwed in pretty smoothly too:



The rack bolt now screws into this taillight holder; not the tank

the other front bolt wasn't lining up since the taillight holder wasn't the right length



so I went to drill out the insert, an it got so hot that it dropped out of the bottom:



opening now big enough:



2 front rack bolts are now back in!

front windscreen was also missing 2 bolts - and I couldn't find a replacement hardware kit, so I just adapted the closest I could find with nylon locknuts



similar to the YZ, bolts just kinda wiggle loose. I need to add locknuts and periodically check bolts to replace them.


I also replaced the 14T front sprocket with a 16T to get close to stock gearing for street

stock: 15/45 = 0.33
dirt: 14/49 = 0.28
now: 16/49 = 0.32

the idea here is keep 2 sprockets for use with 1 chain:

14t for desert/LAB2B dirt season

16t for pavement runs from Feb-Sept

YZ/short rides from Feb-Sept

The conversion from “street” to “dual sport” is merely tires, 1 sprocket change, windscreen, and top case

[tls25rs]

similar to the YZ, bolts just kinda wiggle loose. I need to add locknuts and periodically check bolts to replace them.

From job experience there are only two or three things that really keep hardware tight or at least from falling off.

Keeping them tight:

Thread locker (Loctite): proper use of the proper thread locker will keep hardware from coming loose couple of different manufacturers and all sorts of options within the different brands for various applications

Nord-Lock washers: https://www.nord-lock.com/nord-lock/products/washers/ if used as instructed to by Nord-Lock these will keep your nuts and bolts in place

Keeping them from falling off:

Safety Wire: Drill your hardware and safety wire it correctly and it won't fall off unless the safety wire breaks

[breakdirt916]

much thanks Joel

my circle talked me out of the YZ so hard, saying that it's always losing bolts, and needs too much maintenance...and what I spent on rebuilding it, could have bought me a newer bike.

but now that I've been in 2 of the new(ish) bikes, I feel like they have a lot of the same maintenance routines as the YZ

I guess the problem was me...going from old to new, I was expecting something closer to the FZR600 maintenance. I basically parked it outside and rode it 10 years with tires, brakes, clutch, chain/sprockets, and a regulator. Never did a fuel pump, fuel filter, constantly fastening bolts, etc. But on a spectrum of pavement to street, the 690 is closer to the dirt side than pavement side...it will need more fastener checks, broken subframe bolts, air filter cleaning, fuel filter changes. etc.

I finally teste the 16t front sprocket is the difference I was looking for on pavement. It will now comfortably cruise a little faster than freeway traffic, and I can gas enough to pass people...it's more than the Ninja 500. 14t for dirt and 16t for pavement, same chain. Perfect!

and actually kinda fun on a little canyon/twisty stuff

I tested the ACC1/ACC2 wires and they have power, so time for a new Garmin mount

[Paul_E_D]

I just spent some time in P.R. and the 690/701 is a very hot item there right now. Saw tons of them. Almost all were slammed and stretched. Not gonna lie, the seat height was appealing!

[Imbeek]

I just spent some time in P.R. and the 690/701 is a very hot item there right now. Saw tons of them. Almost all were slammed and stretched. Not gonna lie, the seat height was appealing!

I recall you got a new Mayhem recently…did it work well down there? I was at both of Lost’s San Clemente stores a few days ago…