school me on a ktm 690 enduro r

[breakdirt916]

and we're about ready



2 hour 125 miles of pavement slab to Barstow for the start, then 120 miles of dirt to Primm, NV

[breakdirt916]

420 miles in one day

starts from your own driveway, your neighborhood, whichever town you live in.



and onto the nearest freeway, cruising at 65-85mph on crazy SoCal freeways



man, I'll tell ya: when you're heading up a long grade like the Cajon pass against a high wind warning, you're glad you have 70+ horsepower!



this is what makes the 690 unique - you can, but I *prefer not to* do this section on a 250/350/400/450. Yeah, you're fine, pinned at going up the grade in the slow lane being passed by cars at 70-80mph, but the 250/350/400 classes don't have as much power as you'd like to fight the high wind warnings, let alone getting momentum for the grade.

125 miles into Barstow/gas/remove layers

10ish extra miles of payment, then we finally hit the start of the Mojave Trail:



and it started out great!



even good views are starting!



then we hit this transition:



immediately, the front wheel started to plow

I've ridden plenty of sand, but this was more deep and loose than I was used to...felt like fresh powder snow...pics don't do justice

we tried 200-400 yard sections to screw around

1st gear: just digs

2nd gear: maybe get 50-100ft of momentum, then the front plows, bars toss to each side, and you have to stop.

bike's fan: on almost immediately

so I tried the edge:



nope, still super loose

got out of the wash & tried, what looked like packed dirt.



nope, it's actually just loose sand that hasn't been touched yet

every now and then, we'd get a few hundred feet of harder packed dirt:



but the sand kept coming back, and kept going, and going:



yeah, yeah...just go past already!



it took me a little bit of practice, but on some some shallower sand, I eventually figured it out on the 690:



28mph, lean back as far as you can, bottom of 3rd

any slower: dig/plow
any faster: get ready to eat sh*t

and even then...28 is still kinda sketchy...bars and rear will still bounce all over the place...but I started to actually have fun!



I was REALLY glad I went -1/+4 on the gearing! Helped a lot! Plenty of power to get moving on sand and allowed me to work 1st/2nd/3rd to get into a cruising gear in the sand.

another nod to the 690 here: XR650L/KLR650/790/890/GS/DL650/T7/Africa Twin are all doable, but it has 80% to do with the rider skill, and 20% on the tires. And I'm just not good enough a rider to have fun on those bikes in this terrain. Every bike over 400lbs feel the same to me in these sections. Can I do it in a pinch? Sure, but I prefer not to. Would not ride 2-1/2 hours of pavement at 6:30am to fight a big bike in the sand when I got there...there's just so many other better options

so I just sent it...blipping the bottom of 3rd gear and flogging the gas when it would start to get nasty. Tried to stay loose and let the bike dance under me. Try to roll the sandy whoops.

but after 20 miles, we were cooked. Definitely not planned or setup for this much sand.

So we asked ourselves: are we having exponentially more fun continuing like this for 100+ miles?

no

luckily we stopped at a bailout spot (ALWAYS HAVE THESE BUILT INTO YOUR LONG ROUTES)

so we hopped on Afton road: easy breezy, and hard packed:



then did 20 miles of on the 15



into Baker:



and had lunch

now this is one of the greatest features of the big single dual sport: we can just choose a different route and ride on!

from Baker, we went south on a more scenic, less crowded, stress free desert road, and suddenly you're surrounded by Yucca/Joshua trees



Beauty in the desert: huge rocky mountain backdrops





pics don't do justice - you just gotta see the view in person



did you know Disney's Cars was modeled after this?



route 66 awesome sauce

got my highway pegs



cutting through "towns" - some of them just had moments of beauty with the mountain backdrop:



then through the windmill farm:



INSANE wind.



Like you feel like you're getting ripped off the bike, pushed all around your lane, and you need to stay pinned to maintain speed. 5mpg

again, the a 250/350/400/650 are doable, but would be less fun

then Friday rush hour traffic for the last 90 mins home



Clocked in 410 miles for the day...I was sort of fatigued, but it was a great day!!

Huntington Beach after!

[xrocket21]

Thanks for all the pics, I really enjoyed it!!!

[breakdirt916]

7:30pm sunsets mean enough light to ride after work!



also: overcast days will keep temps down...that means we still have a lot of days left to ride desert!



it also makes the elevation cold 38 degrees at the peak! I need to remember to bring the rain shell and thicker gloves



was a fun day riding my usual local spot

I am getting more comfortable flogging the sh*t out of the gears to see where the limits were



riding w' more weight means the bike has to be ridden differently

keep her upright while WOT; don't try to push down on the bars to lean it over or try to slide the rear out



but the tires made a pretty good difference in traction over the TKC80's...can finally push it w' more confidence in the dirt!

still trying to figure out summer/fall plans...got one tentative day trip in Ocotillo Wells

[breakdirt916]

went to a desert rave/off-the-grid campout and brought the 690 in tow







it was just an overnight & I *really* should have camped off the bike

all I needed was: an ultralight backpacking tent, sleeping bag + a duffel bag to carry it across the back

next time

on the drive back with sunlight I saw a ton of marked trails off the main road



it's a designated OHV area of rolling hills with "single track" going through it

how fun does this look?!?



"motorcycle only" trails have a benefit in socal:

no ATV's or SxS's out there (that usually have no trail courtesy, blow up the spot & make it more dangerous)

definitely want to check that out

but thinking maybe YZ duty

now that I have the detonation sorted, I definitely want to set the YZ up to be more trail friendly. Stripped down, lightweight, more low end, low center of gravity, smaller tank, shorter rides.

[typeone]

it was just an overnight & I *really* should have camped off the bike

all I needed was: an ultralight backpacking tent, sleeping bag, a duffel bag to carry it across the back + a shitload of acid.

next time

FIFY.

[breakdirt916]

total burning man vibes...many definitely partook

getting to the beach can be such a chore with socal traffic...the distance from the parking lot...the crowds...you gotta take it on faith

riding over definitely made it more worthwhile, if not fun



Beach runs were a former Ninja duty



But the 690 was a fun little beach bike! cruising Huntington beach on the evening on PCH on the weekend is always electric...the smell of bonfires, classic cars, occasional lambo's, pretty girls, it's all lively! Way more immersive on a bike vs a car and the 690 was also fun to screw around with and scoot around a little bit on patches of sand...whenever kids on bicycles see you they wanna race...and mini whoolies when beach cops aren't looking

so I'm still having some issues:
-at 72mph the bars start to wobble. It's better if I scoot all the way back. Went from 20/20psi to 28/30 and it helped a little, but still there. Worse over painted lines/changing lanes/pavement imperfections. May try a harder compound or less knobby front tire. May try suspension adjustments.
-it tops out at 91mph at redline (92 on GPS) - I need a wee bit more top speed to safely pass, and not get creamed by oncoming cars. the -1/+4 is just a little too much for freeway. Gonna try +1 on the front sprocket.
-not much luggage capacity for 1-2 cords of firewood...it would only be a mile or 2...need to figure out a bungee net situation

the next day I rode up the mountain...saw my buddy who was randomly coming down on his plated smoker



100% need the tools out of my backpack and leave them on the tail bag...otherwise my shoulder gets sore. getting older sucks. need to do the same for the YZ somehow without making the YZ look too much like a dual sport...also the YZ doesn't have any subframe support



gearing on the local fire road was okay...but there were times I was carrying a little too much speed

got stuck behind a jeep and a 4 runner on the way up...it's amazing how much faster bikes are on windy mountain roads

and I need to bring the headlamp next time...it gets really dark up there at night to the point where it's spooky



this thing got much worse after 2 weeks

[jimmycapp]

Is your sag set?

[breakdirt916]

negative...I did notice it sits pretty high, and barely squats when I sit on it

the book suggests 70-80mm of sag (2.7-3.1")...I feel like I have wayyyy less than that

took it out to a harley bike night

Jeff Goldblum was there



they were filming so none of us could talk, snap a pic, or get an autograph

but man, for these events I really need a properly dolled up harley...not a 690, and definitely not a ninja 500 with a top case

but what's my style? dyna? roadglide? streetglide? street bob? fat boy?

[jimmycapp]

negative...I did notice it sits pretty high, and barely squats when I sit on it

the book suggests 70-80mm of sag (2.7-3.1")...I feel like I have wayyyy less than that

Definitely start with that. KTM's typically have pretty aggressive geometry to make it turn quicker. If you're up in the rear, it could definitely make it unstable.

[typeone]

but man, for these events I really need a properly dolled up harley...not a 690, and definitely not a ninja 500 with a top case

but what's my style? dyna? roadglide? streetglide? street bob? fat boy?

[breakdirt916]

group messenger: big bear, we're leaving at 2



more Ninja duty today: run up to Big Bear for a meal. 240 miles round trip

80 miles of slab, cruising at 80-85 and passing at 90-95...that's KPH of course

at times the bike was completely topped out against the revlimiter

If I'm doing this much slab, I either need to go down at the back or up in the front.

added some sag into the bike, and it helped!

Combined with the street tire pressure, I'd say the wobble got maybe 65% better. Still present under certain circumstances (grooved pavement, 80ish or higher, or wind gusts), but better than before.





in the mountain twisties, at a medium pace, I was fine on the knobbies. Group street rides w' a mixed group of bike styles and skill levels meant it would only get to a certain pace anyways...big group rides are generally at a medium to slower pace too, so this will do for now. I just can't smash in the canyons (nor should I be anyways), do high speed street stuff, long distance touring, or look really nice. I would like a little better freeway manners, so maybe +1 in the front. you always kinda feel like you're getting ripped off the bike at 80+



need to install that Rade Garage aux tank.

Gas light has been coming on at 115-120 miles (with a gallon left); which means my range is roughly 150ish miles. The Rade tank adds 1.6 gallons/60 miles which would take me 200+ miles on pavement, maybe high 190's on dirt.

the RT1200/ST1300 guys had 4.4-7 gallons of fuel @45ish mpg....a 200 mile range would match up nicely so everyone's not asking me for fuel

[breakdirt916]

more Ninja duties



groceries

I need a helmet lock

thinking of a top case in the back for daily duty, then swap out the tail pack for dual sport rides (currently my close circle of dual sport buddies are all down with injuries anyways...getting older sucks)



with any kind of midweek pavement errands, gear storage helps

the lockers in the gym are a little too tight for my street bike helmet; it will just barely fit the Bell MX-9 Dual sport helmet

[Paul_E_D]

Top cases on tall bikes is a no go for me. I can't get on the damn things. Some nice semi-soft saddlebags would be cool.

[breakdirt916]

I have the nelson rigg bags, and they're pretty good...but can't store a helmet and jacket...the soft side bags are luggage for a trip

but I haven't investigated how difficult it would be to get on a bike with a top case

hmm...maybe just a helmet lock

although I may be assigning too much "scooter duty" to a dual sport and just leave it as-is

did a local ride after work last night:





and for the first time, I felt "fast"...got in tune with the balance/weight and got to the mountain peak from home in under an hour

good trail courtesy from 4x4's too

the trashed van is gone



and when my friend invites me over for dinner and says "there's no parking after 6"



braap...just cuz pic

[MattR302]

but I haven't investigated how difficult it would be to get on a bike with a top case

Easy, when it’s on the kickstand, stand on the left footpeg with your left foot, and right leg over the seat.

[breakdirt916]

Easy, when it’s on the kickstand, stand on the left footpeg with your left foot, and right leg over the seat.

I've been trying this!

the dealer for the 350 told me not to sit on the bike with the kickstand as it's only designed to handle the weight of the bike...and I see how it doesn't feel as beefy as the older 80's 90's dual sport and/or street bikes, but I started doing it anyways.



still too shy to park w' the other sport bikes/cruisers at bike nights, but she still does "ninja 500" duty just fine. The ex500 wasn't exactly a purty bike night ride either.

I gotta crank back on the whellies tho...

comes up pretty quick in 2nd, slow in 3rd, and I can get it high enough to ride out a few hundred feet, but it feels like it'll getchya if you're too ballsy.

also found the right seating position so I can comfortably lift the front wheel as I'm shifting 1st/2nd/3rd as I'm flogging through the gear box...especially if it's a small rise in the pavement

still flogging the crap out of it and bike doesn't seem to care

4,400 miles on the clock, 1700 of it is mine...oil change, valve check, and front tire soon

[OneCheekRider]

took it out to a harley bike night

Jeff Goldblum was there

Was this at a bar/restaurant called "My Place"? If so, I work across the street but have yet to run into Jeff Goldblum.

[breakdirt916]

yes sir, they were filming for a Disney+ segment



there was a Taco Tuesday on the other side of the mountain...so naturally I turned it into a dirt trip

this started to wiggle loose, and an axle tool shot out of the pack



luckily I heard it drop and picked it off the trail

just need to add 1 extra strap over the top. Items on the tail generally get catapulted off any dirt bike, so they need redundancy to stay on.



I hit the bump on the left and bottomed out the front suspension and bopped my helmet on the bars...really need to be careful on a bike of this weight with speed. If I were on a fatter bike with less travel, I would've crashed for sure. I really need to slow down and roll it if I don't know the terrain.

took me just under 90 mins from home to get over the mountain range and end back in civilization



again, this is very unique dual sport platform in that it can slab

on the 15 and 91 freeways in SoCal at night, people take advantage of the lower traffic and go 80-100...to me it's a matter of safety to be able to move over or keep up with traffic.

yes, I could've taken dirt back, but having the option to slab on the freeway home was awesome. Plus, it doesn't matter where you stay in socal, everything is 30-120 mins away. Having a bike that can slab changes a lot of where you can get to and how often you ride.

[breakdirt916]

246 mile day

first time hitting "Angels Crest Highway"

55+ miles of mountain twisties



it's very pretty...wish I brought the GoPro to record



potatoe wedge garlic fries w' cheese were BOMB



adding bacon and pastrami to the cheeseburger was



destination riding for lunch, through scenic mountain pavement and/or dirt roads is AWESOME

the last 30-60 mins...cutting through traffic on the 91 to get back to orange county, SUCKS. "Cost to pay for where we live."

but again:
-246 miles
-60-80 miles of awful highway slab through downtown LA
-80-100mph on the 15
-competing with cars through 91 freeway traffic

that's a "no from me dawg" on the 350

the 690 wins as a superior SoCal platform

when I got back, I heard something dragging



skid plate brackets broke!

rear brackets gone...they must have disappeared first

contacting the company for a new hardware kit

when you front brake heavy on pavement...



gonna hold off on dirt until I get the skid plate hardware...maybe do some pavement zings this next weekend

need to install my Rade Garage Aux Tank...new tires soon

[breakdirt916]

hypothetically speaking, what happens if someone lost the only key?

get a full lock set?

asking for a friend

with the steering lock on

[csmutty]

hypothetically speaking, what happens if someone lost the only key?

get a full lock set?

asking for a friend

with the steering lock on

I would think the dealer should be able to get you a new key based on the vin or a code on the ignition itself?

[breakdirt916]

called them dealer and they said they couldn’t based on the vin; they recommended buying blanks and having a locksmith reverse cut a key

2 keys ordered up!

No rides planned soon anyways

[Kurlon]

The key's aren't chipped?

[breakdirt916]

The key's aren't chipped?

I don't believe it does



so uh...I drove to the gym after my last ride and it fell out during leg press

someone turned it in and it was in their safe!

just bought 2 more spare keys and gonna get them cut!

also added an orange lanyard...cuz ktm

got the AXP plastic skid plate...haven't ridden dirt in a few weeks