school me on a ktm 690 enduro r

[breakdirt916]

f yeah, we talked about it, but I couldn't appreciate a lot those histories and landmarks for death valley until after I got back and looked them up

the WR250R would do pretty well out there; miles and miles of dual sport riding out there. Over 3 days, we rode to Darwin from PSR, Centennial Flats, up Saline Valley/boxcar cabin, Wildrose to Goler Wash, to Mengel Pass/geologist cabin, warm springs, west side road, furnace creek, augeberry point, skidoo mine, and back...and that's the equivalent to intro bunny slopes of death valley

Btw - I got a Supermoto wheel set For the 690 - I signed up for Thunderdome’s laid back track day in Apple Valley in May; you got any Adams/Apex days planned?

[OneCheekRider]

Btw - I got a Supermoto wheel set For the 690 - I signed up for Thunderdome’s laid back track day in Apple Valley in May; you got any Adams/Apex days planned?

I've been on the fence about Thunderdome. Mizziel (spelling?) was at Apex last time I was there but Thunderdome charges $90 now which seems like a lot given the distance. I'm always up for a Adams/Apex day but none planned currently (usually a last minute decision). I bought a YZ450F dedicated to SM so I'm ready to rock! Let me know when you want to go and I'll meet you there.

[breakdirt916]

oh yeah, I forgot about the 450F

yeah, in perspective $90 is a bit much for a dedicated bikes only day on a kart track when Adams is $50 and closer

I just have a buddy who wants to take advantage of the laid back "run what you brung" access and bring his Harley fat boy for some goofy laps

you and I can do an Adams day next...I should have the supermoto wheels on this week

I know the answer is no, but mannnn, if the answer was ever yes:

[OneCheekRider]

I did Horse Thief Mile yesterday at Willow Springs with Highway 2 Trackday. It's actually one of my favorite track days to go to...laid back, little track but still larger than a kart track, beautiful scenery, and pics/food/drinks are included. Your friend should go to the next one in October. There's a few Harley's and other odd bikes that show up and are welcomed. I actually took my Tiger 1200 last time I was there.

Hit me up when your SM wheels are on and let's do Adams! After a carb rebuild, the YZ was running great yesterday!

[breakdirt916]

horse thief mile kinda looks like you're in the canyons; very neat!

I see their next one is 9/24 is a day I'm working...but I do want to hit that track at some point

got the street tires back on with the 16t front sprocket, and back doing street duty:



went to a bike night last night, passed through some drizzles and bike did fine.

the heated cyclegear jacket liner is worth it!

headed to long beach grand prix this evening, then check out the speedway races next weekend

I'm thinking the supermoto wheels, front fender, and flashier graphics will make a good beach/summer/bike night ride...maybe even an exhaust if I can find a good deal on it.

[breakdirt916]

and just like that, the desert season is tapering out, and the bike night/hangout season is back on:



riding to the grand prix was dope. The whole area is a zoo, and we didn't pay for parking, went around the road closures, and parked right downtown next to a bike display.

the weird part is downtown/city kids were running up to my bike to take pics I guess they don't see KTM "dirt bikes" much.

supermoto front fender ordered

also did a night canyon run, and decided to finally do this:



since I'm selling the bike, I don't feel like justifying the moto minded setup



daytime, it's ok

nighttime, it has some angles that are glare city

[OneCheekRider]

Did you park in front of the Grand Prix entrance at Long Beach Blvd and Ocean Blvd Fri, Sat, or Sun? If so, my bike was there with all the others. Not sure if you saw it on my FB/IG but I did a lap of the track in an NSX.

So does street setup mean Adams/Apex day soon??

[MattR302]

Think your front tire is mounted backwards in that last photo

[breakdirt916]

Think your front tire is mounted backwards in that last photo

you are correct sir, thank you

I installed it…so…oops lol

It mostly to rain? Not sure if I’m motivated enough to swap it

Did you park in front of the Grand Prix entrance at Long Beach Blvd and Ocean Blvd Fri, Sat, or Sun? If so, my bike was there with all the others. Not sure if you saw it on my FB/IG but I did a lap of the track in an NSX.

So does street setup mean Adams/Apex day soon??

duuuuude...I saw that clip! what's the story there??

I've been in the pits, I've done a night run on a bike through the course, but never did a ride along in an actual race car

but no, we just went Thursday night for the free event downtown. Did not go Fri/Sat/Sun...but that's your hood!

and no, not ready for kart tracks yet. The thing I'm dragging my feet on, is the chain. It's too long to run a smaller rear sprocket, and I either run a big rear sprocket on the rear and top out at 85mph, or cut the rivet linked $220 DID chain I put on last year, remove a few links & flip the axle block so I can keep the same chain for dirt/sumo. I also have to cut the Enduro fork guards and re-route the front brake line to the outside of the fork

otherwise, doing random night loops through OC w' a buddy. Some light canyons (Santiago/live oak), some urban (Jamboree), some coastal (PCH), and home. 70ish mile loop, at night with minimal traffic.



fun bike for casual cruises

mandatory 2-3 wheelies daily

[breakdirt916]

just got off work, lane splitting at speed on the 405 near LA, and the bike just dies. No lights, no power to the cluster, nothing. It's as if the battery terminal was disconnected.

Luckily was able to zig zag coast my way to the shoulder.

-cycled the key: nothing
-toggled the kill switch: nothing
-checked the battery terminals: tight
-jiggled the battery terminals: nothing
-checked the ground in front of the shock/behind the starter: tight
-pulled out the fuses, one at a time. Swapped each fuse with a spare in case the break was difficult to see: nothing.
-jiggled wiring under the ignition: nothing
-jiggled wiring around the fuse box/battery: nothing

at that point, the tow truck came and I decided to work on this at home.

At this point, I don't know whether or not to or

how many times is too many times?

[Paul_E_D]

This story is seriously insane! You got the one lemon KTM ever made and posted enough about it that selling it would be tough!

[breakdirt916]

yeah it's kind of a hot mess of stinky garbage

little toxic...borderline dangerous when it randomly dies on you at speed on the freeway whilst lane splitting

going to start by testing voltages with a multi meter, testing fuses, then going from there

have a kart track day scheduled next week.

May just take the YZ on some old tires

other miscellaneous events from the past few weeks:



acerbis universal supermoto fender:

[OneCheekRider]

have a kart track day scheduled next week.

May just take the YZ on some old tires

are you doing Thunderdome? or Adams/Apex?

[breakdirt916]

Thunderdome next Saturday 5/27 - you in?

[breakdirt916]

can you guys see it?





after Facebook and some of my group chats were inconclusive, I reached out to one of the ADV guys that has a 690, and he looked up the wiring diagram

he told me all the power goes through the main fuse (30A) on the starter relay. check that. Then the power goes through fuse #9 to the ACC #1 connector. If that works, then that fuse is good. Power also goes through fuse #1 to the key switch. Everything else (lights relay, power relay, ignition switch, ecu, instrument cluster, fuel pump) is powered downstream from fuse #1, and the main battery ground and chasis ground need to be working.

Pulled out, inspected, and put in a new fuse into spot #1, and the bike starts!

the question is - why did it pop?

not a lot of power goes through fuse spot #1

now to swap the wheels, pull off the forks, trim the front fork guards for the 17" wheels, and get ready for next Saturday!

[Kurlon]

I think you're due to strip it to the frame and then go over the harness with a fine toothed comb. Lots of potential places for rub throughs or stress cracks that can cause shorts/etc.

[OneCheekRider]

Thunderdome next Saturday 5/27 - you in?

Most likely not, planning to take advantage of the long weekend and take the lady out of town.

Glad you got it started! That's odd for that fuse to go but at least the cheap & easy fix for now is a handful of extra fuses just in case!

[breakdirt916]

Yeah, and Thunderdome raceway charges another $10 per person gate fee Man, this is an expensive kart track day.

But I doubt Apex and Adams would let my buddy bring his Harley and the 690 would also violate their CC limits (usually 450cc max)


(@Kurlon/Paul/other guru’s: At what point do we sell it for $4k and make it some else’s problem?)

[tls25rs]

I think you're due to strip it to the frame and then go over the harness with a fine toothed comb. Lots of potential places for rub throughs or stress cracks that can cause shorts/etc.

Exactly what I was thinking. Even a tiny exposed area on the power feed would pop that fuse.

Went through a similar issue on my TL1000S back in the day down in Daytona. Turn the bars too far left and bike would die and lose all power due to blown main fuse. Stripped the bike in the parking lot of the hotel only to find a tiny spot right at the ignition cylinder where when the bars were turned left the corner of the key switch housing would penetrate the outer layer of the main power feed to the ignition and pop the fuse. Moved some things around and covered up the hole in the power feed cable and it stopped being an issue.

[tls25rs]

(@Kurlon/Paul/other guru’s: At what point do we sell it for $4k and make it some else’s problem?)

My $0.02, when you are sick of dealing with the little things that keep happening. Or when the hassles outweigh the enjoyment you are getting from owning/using the bike.

[breakdirt916]

yeah I dunno with this bike. It's great until it breaks, then I want to shoot it. Then I fix it, then it dies again. Dying on the freeway in rush hour traffic was a borderline "F this" moment where it didn't feel safe anymore.

but there isn't any other bike out there that weighs 340lbs, 70hp, can do LA-B2V, but also slay canyons, do bike nights, 100mph, commute, CA beach bike, and a kart track day. the DR/KLR is far poor suspended/weight/power, the F850/T7/890 ADV's are too heavy off road, and the 450/500/501 can't do 100mph or 80mph for 300 miles

idk; maybe I need a spirited Japanese street bike (FJ09?) and a husky 501

back 17" wheel is a bolt on:



it's the front wheel that's a b!tch

gotta remove the forks, just to swap the fork guards with trimmed guards to clear the 17" wheel

[Kurlon]

Remove the forks, to change fork guards?! Why?

[Spooler]

yeah I dunno with this bike. It's great until it breaks, then I want to shoot it. Then I fix it, then it dies again. Dying on the freeway in rush hour traffic was a borderline "F this" moment where it didn't feel safe anymore.

but there isn't any other bike out there that weighs 340lbs, 70hp, can do LA-B2V, but also slay canyons, do bike nights, 100mph, commute, CA beach bike, and a kart track day. the DR/KLR is far poor suspended/weight/power, the F850/T7/890 ADV's are too heavy off road, and the 450/500/501 can't do 100mph or 80mph for 300 miles

idk; maybe I need a spirited Japanese street bike (FJ09?) and a husky 501

back 17" wheel is a bolt on:



it's the front wheel that's a b!tch

gotta remove the forks, just to swap the fork guards with trimmed guards to clear the 17" wheel

Those Shinkos are crazy good for the price, great tire.

[OneCheekRider]

but there isn't any other bike out there that weighs 340lbs, 70hp, can do LA-B2V, but also slay canyons, do bike nights, 100mph, commute, CA beach bike, and a kart track day. the DR/KLR is far poor suspended/weight/power, the F850/T7/890 ADV's are too heavy off road, and the 450/500/501 can't do 100mph or 80mph for 300 miles

idk; maybe I need a spirited Japanese street bike (FJ09?) and a husky 501

if you didn't want 70hp or 100mph my WR250R accomplishes all those things and hasn't needed anything besides routine maintenance in 11k miles

[Kurlon]

KTM 500 will do 100mph and still have short gearing in 1st...