KTM 690 Enduro R

What is the KTM 690 Enduro R?

It is KTM’s biggest road-legal off-road single: a 693 cc, 79 hp LC4 in a bike weighing 152 kg without fuel, with 265 mm of travel up front, 250 mm at the rear and 21/18-inch spoked wheels. KTM files it under its “Dual Sport” range (road-legal on/off-road bikes), alongside the 390 Enduro R, rather than with its EXC competition enduros. Sitting between a true enduro bike and an adventure tourer, it is, as Cycle News half-jokingly puts it, “the world’s most polarizing motorcycle”. Its technical twin is the Husqvarna 701 Enduro.

Which model year is on sale today?

KTM unveiled this new generation on 12 August 2025 as a 2026 model. There was no 2025 690 Enduro R: KTM’s owner’s manual database jumps straight from 2024 to 2026. KTM France now sells the 2027 model year, with identical specifications, and that is the bike covered here.

How much does it cost?

KTM France lists it at €12,149 including VAT, excluding registration, in a single white and orange colour scheme; the identical 2026 model is still listed at €12,649. The Rally Pack and the Quickshifter+ (clutchless gear changes) are paid options, which Demo mode lets you try for 1,500 km. Its twin, the Husqvarna 701 Enduro, costs the same, while the new KTM 690 Rally, built on the same base with a 20-litre tank, costs €13,649. In the US, the 690 Enduro R sells for $12,999 plus $800 freight.

What’s new for the 2026 generation?

Mostly the engine: KTM lists a new crankcase, new clutch and stator covers and a revised oil system, and according to Cycle News over half of the parts are new. The catalytic converter moves upstream of the silencer (with two lambda sensors, according to ADV Pulse) to meet Euro 5+. Front travel goes from 250 to 265 mm, the seat rises to 935 mm (910 mm claimed in 2019), and the bike gains a 4.2-inch TFT dash, an LED headlight, a USB-C socket, a new skid plate and centre-stand mounts. Oil changes move from 10,000 to 15,000 km, valve checks to 30,000 km.

How good is the engine?

The 692.7 cc LC4 (105 x 80 mm, 12.7:1 compression) has a single overhead camshaft, four valves, twin spark ignition and a ride-by-wire throttle. KTM France claims 79 hp and 73 Nm and calls it the most powerful single on the market; the US press puts those peaks at 8,000 and 6,750 rpm. That is 4 hp more than before, with torque arriving lower in the revs according to Cycle News, which calls it “a behemoth of acceleration”. The six-speed gearbox works with a hydraulically operated PASC slipper clutch, which stops the rear wheel hopping on hard downshifts. RevZilla notes that the big piston’s vibration eventually makes itself felt on the road.

How does it ride?

The chromoly steel trellis frame is paired with a 13.3-litre plastic fuel tank that doubles as the rear subframe. The 48 mm WP XPLOR upside-down fork splits its functions (compression left, rebound right); the linkage-mounted WP XPLOR shock is adjustable for preload, high- and low-speed compression and rebound. Brembo brakes bite on 300 mm and 240 mm discs. KTM claims 152 kg without fuel, 162 kg with a full tank and 265 mm of ground clearance.

After four days on tarmac, gravel and singletrack, RevZilla found it far more reassuring than a big adventure bike in tough terrain, since it weighs about 45 kg less; on the road it steers slowly but predictably, and the front end lacks bite in technical sections. Cycle News found it tall and front-heavy at low speed, with suspension lacking reserve on big hits at speed; when there is traction, though, it “has incredible manners”.

What electronics does it have?

A 6D IMU (six-axis sensor) governs the cornering ABS and traction control, both of which can be switched off. Street and Offroad modes come as standard, the latter reducing power and allowing less rear-wheel spin. Offroad ABS lets the rear wheel lock, and a dedicated button turns ABS off completely. The selected mode is remembered after switch-off. The optional Rally Pack adds an adjustable Rally mode, nine-level traction control, Dynamic Slip Adjust (which temporarily allows more spin in mud or sand), MSR engine-braking control and adjustable throttle response; Cycle News says you should get it. The TFT connects to a smartphone through the KTMconnect app (calls, music, navigation).

Fuel consumption and maintenance

KTM France only quotes CO2 emissions: 99 g/km. Husqvarna claims 4.3 L/100 km for the 701 Enduro, which means a theoretical range of about 310 km from 13.3 litres (calculated); Cycle News managed about 225 km per tank riding sensibly. The 2027 manual calls for an oil change every 15,000 km or 12 months, plus a valve clearance check and spark plug replacement every 30,000 km. KTM’s Premium Manufacturer Warranty runs for up to 4 years, with servicing in the KTM network.

Who is it for?

It requires a full A licence. At 58 kW it stays under the 70 kW ceiling above which a bike cannot be restricted for an A2 licence, but KTM France does not mention a 35 kW version for this generation (the 2021 EU recall notice lists an “A2” type approval for the previous one), so check with a dealer. With a 935 mm seat, it suits tall riders who are at ease off-road. For more range, the 690 Rally carries 20 litres; the 45 hp 390 Enduro R is A2-legal; and for long road trips a twin-cylinder adventure bike such as the KTM 890 Adventure R is far more comfortable, as RevZilla found when riding both.

Where does it come from?

The line started in 2008 with the 690 Enduro (654 cc), joined in 2009 by a more off-road 690 Enduro R. The 690 Enduro R grew to 690 cc in 2012, then gained twin spark ignition, ride-by-wire and standard ABS in 2014, according to Visordown. The 2019 generation brought a 692.7 cc engine with a second balancer shaft, WP XPLOR suspension, a 13.5-litre tank, a 910 mm seat and lean-sensitive ABS and traction control.

Recalls

No recall was found for the 2026 and 2027 690 Enduro R with RappelConso, Safety Gate (the EU alert system) or the US NHTSA. The previous generation was recalled in 2021, in Europe and the US, over the clutch slave cylinder (2018 to 2020 models), and in 2022 in the US over Continental TKC 80 tyres that could crack (2019 to 2022 models).