school me on a ktm 690 enduro r

[typeone]

Offered him $7,500 and took it home.

awesome, congrats, man

[breakdirt916]

it was fine...hopefully the riders are doing more hot girl shit off road where you'll benefit from the closer gear ratio...plus, that's why it's 15/45 from the factory. closer gearbox, tall gearing, 100+mph

did a 100 mile desert loop



bike was aight

gearing: 15/45 was doable, but I'm doing things in 1st when I should be in 2nd...definitely changing to to 14/49

TKC80 was a little sketch (especially in the front in sand + sandy whoops)...on a heavier bike that plows, a grippier knobby up front is more important. April for sure.

definitely noticed the weight over the YZ in the sand and whoops...it's more of a power and smash vs. a zing and fly. can't rail the berms because it wants to fall into the track. But 60% of the time either bike was fine, 30% of the time I wish I had the yz, 10% was slab pavement and any 4 stroke is better. The 690 will do for now, plus it's pretty much a requirement for a BDR ride, longer desert loops, UT, etc. Keep the YZ.

this was fine











not so fun



fine

[ZX-12R]

Your ability to say "Meh..." to just about every bike you've had is beyond entertaining. I can't wait to see what you get next!

[csmutty]

Your ability to say "Meh..." to just about every bike you've had is beyond entertaining. I can't wait to see what you get next!

Besides the old yz. That is the holy grail!

[nhbubba]

How is the wheelbase? It is a healthy bit longer than the 500, 350, etc, no? How's that in the tight stuff?

[breakdirt916]

this is a platform for a very specific type of riding: long ass touring/desert riding loops. Load your tools, sleeping clothes, toothbrush, spare shoes, Slab 20-85mph from home for 2 hours to cover 120 miles, then ride 150 miles of jeep/2 track roads. Hotel sleep; repeat. The YZ could not do that. The FE350 could do the dirt stuff (and better) than the 690, but no real subframe to load gear, and couldn't slab 75mph very well while it's shaking it's bars off. The goal is to cover 150-200 miles/day vs. 24 miles/day in tight/technical stuff on a little bike.

@nhbubba - haven't really tested in tight stuff; and although it feels "bigger", honestly overall lengthwise it's not much different from a wheelbase standpoint from the 500/350...maybe 1-2 inches longer. It's the weight that pushes the front in the sand more than the length.

[Paul_E_D]

this is a platform for a very specific type of riding: long ass touring/desert riding loops. Load your tools, sleeping clothes, toothbrush, spare shoes, Slab 80mph from home for 2 hours. Ride 150 miles of jeep/2 track roads. Hotel sleep; repeat.

Or ride from Prudhoe Bay to Tierra Del Fuego on as much 2 track as possible

[breakdirt916]

^^ this!

it doesn't replace the YZ duty; it just expands on it

California/desert southwest has an amazing landscape of great diversity; this is one way to cover more of it

[nhbubba]

@nhbubba - haven't really tested in tight stuff; and although it feels "bigger", honestly overall lengthwise it's not much different from a wheelbase standpoint from the 500/350...maybe 1-2 inches longer. It's the weight that pushes the front in the sand more than the length.

Bah. You are right. I just checked the specs again and it is like 22mm delta (<1 inch). My first read was that it was a 2-3" delta. Which was my expectation based on what folks had told me in the past.

As you were.

[loudbeard]

I’d just like to add it doesn’t matter a whole lot if you’re longer when you can add a bit more throttle and pivot through the turn When in doubt, as they say...

[csmutty]

I’d just like to add it doesn’t matter a whole lot if you’re longer when you can add a bit more throttle and pivot through the turn When in doubt, as they say...

Pull out?

[loudbeard]

Pull out?

Leaving this one alone since you got upset with me the other day

[breakdirt916]

windscreen goes on before next saturday's 200+ mile pavement day

need to work on endurance...by 3ish I start to crash (w' a KSU of 9am)

gonna bring an egg sammich for carbs/protein & also helps minimize processed crap. no cheese. a banana, and granola bar as snack stop. no caffeine or alcohol.

Giant Loop Klamath tail bag goes on the rear.

I was so sore w' 20lbs in a Kriega that I felt the weight of the world off my shoulders when I took it off. Also getting older sucks and tendons/joints just start to hurt earlier now. Tools, tube, trail stand, C02 cartridges, battery jump box, pump, first aid kit, quick steel, safety wire, pliers, electrical tape, tire pressure gauge, swiss army knife, all go into the tail pack. Was thinking of just having water on my back.

May bring the giant loop mojavi bags to the BDR stuff. spare shoes, toiletry, t-shirt, socks, and rain shell, on the right side. Tube in the rear pack; tools and rest of tire stuff on the left side.

[breakdirt916]

tomorrow's ride ended up being a meet for lunch

squeezed in some local stuff today



and it was groomed...so it was super smooth. 690 was pretty cush and happy on smooth dirt roads, and it was fine just putt-putting along instead of smashing.

played around w' the ABS dongle: w' the kill switch "run", turn the key, and the rear abs is disabled. Leave the kill switch off, turn, the key, then turn the kill switch and front/rear abs is enabled.

had one "ohshhh" moment...same issue. use the front brake gingerly on dirt. The weight washes out the front. I use the rear more than the YZ

[breakdirt916]

There's a "local" group that's met every Wednesday night for 183 weeks, called the "hump day" riders

joined them today and did a "dual sport" ride from home



110 miles on a weekday evening: 50 miles of pavement, 5 miles of dirt, (with a detour) 55 miles of pavement home.



still getting used to it & figuring out where I should be seated for optimal balance. So far it feels like the FE350: you should just be in the middle. No need to get your head over the bars, no need to weight the outside peg in berms. Don't slide it; don't send it...if you do; make sure you do so carefully. don't WOT in tighter stuff or it'll send the rear.

then on the ride home, I was wondering why people kept riding my ass and flying up to me...I was riding 100+ mph on the freeway and 85mph+ on parkways/boulevards just to gap people. then an 18 wheel driver told me my taillight was out

ah, back to the YZ life - street shit is always breaking and you gotta carry the kitchen sink to fix it trail side



fuses looked fine

who did this!



gas station: no bulbs
OReileys: closed
Target: no bulbs
Walmart: locked up, but found the bulbs!

but the light still wasn't working....

I took a closer look and realized the plastic for the socket was deformed and the bulb wouldn't seat into place. Dammit.



rode home at 10pm without a taillight, in what felt like being chased by every car on the road.

the good news is the socket and harness are only $20 on RMATV...

giant loop tail bag was convenient to have

and the REI rain shells are good for blocking wind when it gets chilly. will need to pack winter gloves on the BDR ish stuff rides and maybe get a cramp buster

[tls25rs]

As much as I dislike LED bulbs and the type and intensity of the light they emit, for the dual sport/off road world LEDs are a good thing. Theoretically they should last significantly longer then a standard filament bulb under the conditions these types of motorcycles will see. Just need to make sure the bulb is the correct bulb for the socket and the socket isn't somehow damaged right?

[breakdirt916]

the socket is what's broken

but in regards to LED vs. incandescent, oddly enough I had so many autozone LED bulbs fail on the FZR that I switched back to incandescent bulbs

maybe i'll just bring the LED as a spare as it's easier to transport without worry of crushing

I'll get a new socket for sure, then just add a spare. I just want things to work; that's all.

Stock exhaust is good, but it gets hotter than the sun. DO NOT TOUCH after riding. lol

sheez, you weren't kidding

just barely tapped it it while fiddling w' the taillight



stings

[jimmycapp]

Save 7 lbs up high, and the burns. Wings makes great stuff. I put one on the 1290. Even with the large DB killer, it's not that loud. I almost dropped the stock one when removing it. Couldn't believe how heavy it was. There's multiple pipes in there so the air flows from head to tip, to head, then out the tip, after all these chambers.

https://wings-exhausts.com/exhausts-...18-us-ca/#show

[loudbeard]

but in regards to LED vs. incandescent, oddly enough I had so many autozone LED bulbs fail on the FZR that I switched back to incandescent bulbs

[tls25rs]

Stock exhaust is good, but it gets hotter than the sun. DO NOT TOUCH after riding. lol

sheez, you weren't kidding

just barely tapped it it while fiddling w' the taillight

stings

Welcome to the club LOL

Also, like Duncan (loudbeard) pointed out so gracefully a quality LED bulb should last much longer then an incandescent on a dual sport type motorcycle.

[breakdirt916]

did a 200 mile ride (95% pavement, 5% flat dirt)

this ride proved it: I don't need the Ninja.





cruising freeway and roads at 77-88mph indicated, there is no way the 350 would hang. Not enough power and it damn near well shook itself apart at 65 from it's wheels.

one of the guys that came just got a tiger, so the ride leader took us to Bautista canyon road so he could get some practice on some light dirt.



it was...uh...doable on the Ninja.



we took a quick break to remove layers (NOTE: the AM canyon temps were in the 40's. Even w' a balaclava and rain shell, my hands were ice. Need to figure out a way to carry cold weather gloves for the morning).

then we did pavement twisty-ish riding...which was actually kinda fun on the 690!







getting through Temecula wine country meant getting through traffic lights as a connector.



then we the rolling hills, canyons, and forestry roads of De Luz heights





then 45 mins later, we're in Fallbrook San Diego getting their Easter special



omg nommmmm



followed a leisurely mellow slab for an hour to home

since we left at 7am, and including the hour lunch, we were home by 2

so I spent a little time in the evening packing my tools into a tool roll:



reading online, people love the Cruz tool roll - I may try that next time

but for now, check this out!



tools + tube fit in my tail pack!

tools off of my back is a must for long ass rides...I even got the C02 cartridges, quick steel, hand pump and battery jump box into the tail pack...and I still have room to spare for a little first aid kid. All that's left to fit in the Kriega is water, snacks, a trail stand, toiletry wipes, tow strap, and space to roll up a rain shell.

Honestly, paired w' a well maintained bike, the right gearing, and the right tires...this is enough to ride LA-B2V

heck - add a small set of saddle bags for boxers/socks/a pair of shoes/shorts/toiletry, and you can do a 2-3 night weekend trip no problem.

this, is what the 690 is built to do

and it does it way better then any other class of bike. The only things that come close are the older tech Japanese 650 singles. ADV bikes are too heavy and perform mediocre off road, and the euro and jap dual sports won't slab as well as the 690. The DRZ400 was kinda meh at both.

[SRTie4k]

I just bought this nice little set of bags for my CRF:

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p...pannier-bags-p

Just big enough for those extra items that you can't find room elsewhere for. There is enough room in one side to get 2 MSR fuel bottles in, and thats without putting anything in the 2nd pounch (there are 2 per side, a large one and a small one).

The only complaint I have with them is they are a bit fiddly to attach to the bike due to the CRF Rally's huge ass, they are really meant for the skinny tail of a KTM. They're also not waterproof, but that's not as big of a deal to me.

[jimmycapp]

Do you have heated grips? If it's only 40s for a little while, it might be enough to skip the extra gloves.

https://ktmtwins.com/products/ktm-he...mr-r-2008-2019

[Paul_E_D]

The 690 excels at corner carving. It's definitely in a class of it's own straddling actual off-road capability and high performance road work.

[breakdirt916]

I just bought this nice little set of bags for my CRF:

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p...pannier-bags-p

Just big enough for those extra items that you can't find room elsewhere for. There is enough room in one side to get 2 MSR fuel bottles in, and thats without putting anything in the 2nd pounch (there are 2 per side, a large one and a small one).

The only complaint I have with them is they are a bit fiddly to attach to the bike due to the CRF Rally's huge ass, they are really meant for the skinny tail of a KTM. They're also not waterproof, but that's not as big of a deal to me.

and only $100ish! Oddly enough I couldn't find any in stock

I may just run the beat up Giant Loop Mojavi bags I already have...I'm going to carry a stinky ass 1 gallon dromedary bag since the Rade garage 1.6 gallon aux tank won't be here in time for next weekend

dropped off the bike today for:
-14/49 gearing + new chain
-Shinko 216 front (the Goldentyres are not available from the distributor in SoCal)
-Dunlop 606 in the rear
-oil change

Then I need to add my powered Garmin mount and buy a front brake light switch (the little nub is gone, so the front switch keeps the taillight on all the time), and hopefully ready to go by Wednesday.