Ever since selling the previous 690 i had some regrets. I bonded really well with that bike, we got along brilliantly and despite some quirks i felt it was absolutely spot on for me.

But then i jumped ship as the KTM 990 SuperdukeR which had been on my bucket list came up at a price and time that suited me. However that didn’t quite work out and somehow i ended up with a 790.

Whenever i’d ridden the 790 i felt it was too close between the seat and pegs, certainly compared to the 690s that came before it. But i decided to go for it anyway and really enjoyed the bike, doing a trip round Wales with the boys and a recent trackday at Pembrey with the forum.

However, i never really bonded or gelled with the 790, i never really fell in love with it as a bike, sure it was good, effective, the electronics were great etc, but still it left me feeling a bit ‘meh’ at times and a sense of excitement never appeared for me. Admittedly the Quickshifter is excellent, so is the noise of the exhaust, but i dunno, i was never quite ‘there’

The final stumbling block was the comfort side which seems to have been giving my knees a bit of trouble. Combined with a higher number of miles than usual i was feeling tweaks day to day. That was the final and sealing nail in the coffin for the 790.

So i spent yesterday disucssing with myself and I had 3 options.

1. KTM 690 SMC-R Brand new. [url=https://flic.kr/p/2fFZSsG]2019-05-03_09-30-45[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr
The plus sides being : Brand new bike. Quickshifter+ and all the gizmos. It looks absolutely brilliant.
Downsides : It’s £9000+ and the riding position i think would take a bit of getting used to, i didn’t quite fall in love with it on the test rides.

2. KTM 690 DukeR.
This was almost the game changer, with the Monoblock caliper, the higher level of suspension along with Akra exhaust etc. But the downside being things like the footpeg position being too cramped along with my knee issues maybe causing issue, when i had the R footrests on my old 690 i didn’t get on with them. Plus, i really wanted ‘new’ as this is likely to be probably my final bike purchase.

3. New 2018 690 base model. [url=https://flic.kr/p/2gBisFJ]s-l1600 (1)[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr
KTM are knocking these out for £2500 off RRP at £5799 with this particular dealer. Along with a very good trade in on the 790 i was sold. The brand new and 2 years warranty along with being the right ergonomics and i was sold. So the deal was struck and the new bike is arriving in a couple of days time. Well, early next week when i go to collect it that is. Just got to wait for it to go through the workshop.

I’m really looking forward to it, getting back on it and thrapping the 690 again. I always feel more at home on a bike i can feel like i’m making it work and try, rather than a bike i feel would be sitting under me and getting completely bored due to my ability. The 690 always suited my riding, my wants and my needs etc, so this can only be a good thing.

Bring on the orange !

So i thought “Is this all just rose tinted glasses with the 690, will it end up being a disappointment?”

There’s only 1 way to answer that…. So a lunch-break scoot up to Premier Bikes in Abingdon was on the agenda for today.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gBqX6G]2019-07-18_02-35-25[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

20 minutes later out on the back roads and i absolutely LOVE the thing. There’s just no downside to it, nothing i don’t like about it.

I have completely forgotten how to change gear without a QS though… I came into 1 turn and thought “oooooh how do i change down again?” but we will get that back pretty quickly.

The 690 just flicks, turns and changes direction like a dream, the power is excellent and the riding position is spot-on.

Couldn’t be happier…. Just got to wait for it to be ready now ! 4pm…. roll on !

I really like the look of KTMs

On paper it’s hard to ignore the R, is the reason you didn’t get that purely for the footpeg position?

I have a fireblade (though currently SORN’d as too busy with family stuff), went up from a Triumph STR. Day to day, for everyday and backroad riding, the STR is probably the more fun bike

not only that, i wanted ‘new’ and theres no new Rs left. If there were, theyd by £9000 not £6000 too.

V nice looking bike. I started off with a Duke 390 which I loved (first bike after passing test) but never totally gelled with. I now have a Triumph Street Triple that is spot on for me. I hope the 690 does the same for you! Good luck and stay safe.

£9000.00 for a 690 smc r!!!!!!!???????????

Bloody eck ! Have they fixed known faults since they released the full 690 cc version bk in 2012. I v much doubt it.

790 is a munter that was bound to be awkward riding.

I want to get my 08 smc £9k build bk although something tells me it would have been ragged to death just like it was heading with me on board.

Ive always liked KTM’s. Got a 990 myself and recently had a 525EXC.

Enjoy your ride.

Yh 525 is a damn fine machine dream

Very nice – I loved my Duke 390 I had in India, which cost absolute peanuts brand new as they make them out there. Was gutted that it wasn’t going to be feasible to ship it back and get it legal for the UK with emissions gubbins etc

Very nice – I loved my Duke 390 I had in India, which cost absolute peanuts brand new as they make them out there. Was gutted that it wasn’t going to be feasible to ship it back and get it legal for the UK with emissions gubbins etc

Might be selling my duke 390 soon as I fancy an xsr700…….

Just got rid of my 690 and got a Kawasaki Z900 instead. The Duke was great fun but the most uncomfortable bike I’ve ever owned – an hour was the most I could manage before the pain became unbearable. Rode the Z900 for the first time yesterday and covered 300 pain free miles.

Weird, in what way ? I took mine to Germany and did 5-6 hour days on it.

Well if anyone’s knows KTM’s is you isn’t it.

I always think they look better with a rider sat on them, the trend for small rear seat/mudguards looks odd without someone sitting on them.

Gotta say enjoy it.

Why is it “your last one” ?

Had enough ?

Don’t like riding on the road anymore ?

Weeksy – the seat was the issue. I’m a bony arsed 65kgs and both the stock seat and the Powerparts version were so unforgiving I could never get comfortable. Any ride longer than an hour meant having to wear two pairs of cycling shorts under my leathers but not even that resulted in a comfortable ride.

Bikeboy, to be honest, i just think i’m getting older and time will come that i don’t bother with bikes due to age/lifestyle etc. I plan on keeping it a decade, hence why i went new, so it’s mine and not anyones before, so i know all it’s history, looking after, work, oil etc..

Dodger, never had a problem, i think i had the PP seat when i went to Germany on the other 690, i’ve bought a PP seat for this one cheap on ebay too so if i need it, i’ll use that and see if it works. It’s also pretty

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gERPV5]s-l1600 (2)[/url] by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Hahaha last one! We all say that and it NEVER happens!

Lovely looking bike, I’d love to try one of these as I think it probably suits me better than my current bike. That R is lovely too, but I’m not wild on the Perspex bit! I agree completely about being able to use it – I’m simply not good enough to make use of the power my current bike has, I think something like this would be a much better bet.

Congrats on a fine purchase!

👍👍

Enjoy it, does look good from this side of the screen..

Nothing like new bike day 🙂

Hope you enjoy it, is the 690 fly by wire? Can you retrofit a blipper?

Hope you enjoy it, is the 690 fly by wire? Can you retrofit a blipper?

Yes to fly by wire. Not aware of a blipper/QS kit but the SMC-R has one so surely can’t be impossible.

I love KTM motorbikes but unfortunately could not buy one as their boss keeps giving money to right wing Politics here in Austria.

Deep mate, deep. Luckily i don’t do politics, nor do i care in that context at all.

I wonder if the ECU can be flashed to turn the blipper on then !!! Is it a powerparts option on the base model ?

I am running a HM one on the new 765RS track bike I have built and an IRC one on my V4 Tuono.

Not used the HM one yet but the IRC is no where near as nice as the OEM one on my BMW.

Nope not an option, track pack gives TC, multi modes etc.

I quite enjoyed the QS on the 790 but won’t lose sleep not having it. Deffo wouldn’t fit a non factory version

So it turns out that although I fancied an xsr700 it was this that turned my head:

That’s a lot of bike there!!! Beast of a thing! Congratulations!!

2019-08-02_03-04-01 by Steve Weeks – Flickr2BBcode
H8216, undefined@4.4 mm, f2.0, 1/250s, ISO40

Tail tidy added. Been away for 2 weeks so it’s only on 320 miles on the clocks, need to get some more miles on it when back in the UK

2019-08-04_07-05-09 by Steve Weeks – Flickr2BBcode
H8216, undefined@4.4 mm, f2.0, 1/50s, ISO40

Aye she’s a bit of a big bird but probably making similar peak power to your 690, probably a bit more torque though 😁 After the frenetic 390 it’s a big change of riding style but one I’m finding more to my taste.

I think this one’s the keeper!

Very nice Weeksy! I’ve just bought the 790 which I’m loving so far😀

Nice on rusty, I didn’t keep my 790 that long but still browse the forum and active on the other KTM ones

Smokey Jo that Griso looks lovely, been tempted by one of those myself.

I think it looks even better in the flesh and it only took a 10 minute ride and I was hooked, easy to cruise on but capable of getting a shift on, never would be considered nimble but it turns in quick enough and it’s so stable and predictable.

Whilst I was waiting for the rain to ease a little when I picked it up had a good look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor too, can’t believe they are only £5.5k – lot of bike for the money and being built in a brand new state of the art factory now, not like the Bullet. Guy at the dealers said they have sold every one they have managed to get hold of and people keep offering them full price for their demonstrator

Blimey, i thought for a minute you had bought and sold another 790 ….