KTM 690 Enduro FAQ

General Information

This FAQ covers KTM's 690 Enduro, or 690E. The 690E has several brothers: the 690 SuperMoto, the 690 SuperMoto R, and a cousin in the form of the 690 Duke. All these bikes share the same, new-generation counterbalanced LC4 engine that displaces 654cc. The 690 Enduro became available world-wide in 2008. (The SuperMoto was available in 2007.)

Note that the Enduro and SMC are substantially the same and can share most parts, but the SM is a very different bike with limited parts interchangeability.

This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) list is provided for reference only. I try to ensure that the information is accurate, but I make no warranty expressed or implied about the information herein. Use at your own risk, and I take no responsibility for any damage that may occur as a result of your use or mis-use of information in this document. I am not in any way affiliated with KTM and this document is not an official KTM document. I also take no credit for the information presented, as it represents the combined wisdom and experience of owners and fans from throughout the world.

Known Issues

Known issues are ones that are reported by a very large number of users and which seem to not be due to an out-of-spec part or a manufacturing or assembly error.

Left Rear Turn Signal Melting

This happens only on North American bikes because they use a different rear fender and tail light arrangement than the European bikes. The left rear turn signal is very close to the direct exhaust path from the tailpipe, so it typically starts melting in less than 50 miles of riding. KTM hasn't decided on a fix yet, other than to replace the signals under warranty, but there are several expedient options:

1. Flexible LED turn signals from Electrosport. These are small enough that they're out of the way of the exhaust gasses. They're also very flexible, so they should persevere through most tip-overs. Unfortunately they are not DOT certified, so if your state requires regular vehicle inspections this could be a problem for you. Note that because they are LED you may need the optional relay to get them to flash at a reasonable speed.
2. Use zip ties over the tail to pull both signals up and out of the way of the exhaust. You'll want to put something between the zip ties and the painted surface of the tail to prevent scratching.
3. Cut some short pieces of ~12 gauge wire and shove them into the bottom half of the grooves of the turn signal stalk. Now wrap the stalk in electrical tape to keep the wire bits from falling out. This will force the stalk to curve upwards and out of the path of the exhaust gasses.
4. Cut a large rubber washer, like you'd find in a common garden hose, in half and use it to shim the stalk upwards at the mounting point. 

UPDATE: Rumor has it there's a fix. Some dealers have received a factory bulletin describing a kit that includes a new turn signal and some angled mounts to move the signals out of the way. No part numbers are currently known, however.

Limited Turning Radius

The maximum steering angle is surprisingly small for an off-road bike, so even in the best case it may be less than you're used to. However, there are some adjustable stops that keep the fork tubes from hitting the body. You may be able to adjust those to give you a bit more turning angle.

Limited Availability of the Endorsed Motor Oil

KTM recently sent dealers a bulletin reminding them that the required oil is of 10W-60 viscosity and has the JASO MA rating. Oils meeting these requirements are not widely distributed in North America, and not even every KTM dealer is actively stocking or using the endorsed Motorex Cross Power 4T 10W-60 oil. Many people have reported using 50-weight oils with no discernible problems, but the bikes are fairly new and not many people have racked up a lot of miles on them yet. It would be safest to use the endorsed oil, especially while the bike is under warranty.

Note that there's some indication that KTM has used silver bearings in the new LC4 motor. Using silver, instead of lead, provides greater strength than any other bearing material, and it also resists corrosion better and is more thermally conductive. Silver bearings are more typically found in heavy duty marine diesels or jet engines. Unfortunately, the detergents in automotive and motorcycle motor oils (primarily ZDDP) will attack and eventually degrade silver unless they are specially stabilized. This may be the reason behind KTM's strong endorsement of the Motorex Cross Power 4T 10W-60.

Gas Tank Bushing Slop

Some folks have noticed that there's as much as 1/4" vertical play in the gas tank mounts and are concerned about the durability of the mounts when doing a lot of off-pavement riding. Rumor has it that alternate bushings (in polyurethane, not rubber) are available from the factory, but no part numbers have been revealed yet.

Dust in the Air Intake

Several folks have reported seeing lots of dust inside the air intake. It's unclear at this time whether there's a problem with filters not being seated correctly, gaps around the filter, or dust getting past the filter media. UNI currently has the only alternative to the OEM pleated paper filter; it can be ordered from KTM Twins.

Modifications

Second and Third Gear De-restriction

The bike's computer limits the engine's power in second and third gears, reportedly to address emissions and noise regulations. However, you can uplug a couple of wires to bypass this feature. If you do this, be careful afterwards as the bike may tend to wheelie a little more!

Looking at the left side of the bike you will see a bunch of wires coming out of the top of the front sprocket cover. Follow them up to the area where the throttle body connects to the cylinder head. You will see a black junction. There are three wires coming out of the top of that junction. They are colored grey, black/green and yellow/brown. There are three wires going into the bottom of that junction colored light green, yellow/green and blue/red. Unplug the yellow/green and the blue/red wires. The light green one is required for the neutral light. The other two tell the computer the gear position.

Don't cut the wires! If you cut the cable ties you'll have enough slack to get to the connector block. Using some pliers, grip the wire, then twist and pull the cable from the black block and it will come loose with the connector attached. It takes a bit of pulling, but then you can re-fit if needed. Wrap each connector end separately with electrical tape to prevent shorting and then re-tie the wires with new cable ties.

Alternately, unplug the connector. It's held together with a small locking mechanism. Gently insert a small screwdriver (like a jeweler's screwdriver) to get it apart. It'll take more effort than you think, but not too much. If you take a minute to examine the connector it'll be pretty obvious how it's held together.

Once you've got it apart, look inside the male portion of the connector. You'll see the three prongs, one for each wire. With a pair of narrow pliers, grab one at a time (only the yellow/green and blue/red) and pull as if you were going to pull the wire further through the connector.

The prong will click out of position a bit. Pull a tad harder and it'll work itself a little farther out. You don't need brute force, just patience and steady force.

Once that's done, pull the prong and wire out from the back side of the connector. It should come right out, and come out clean. It will work—just a little trial and error is all it'll take. All you're doing is reversing the way the thing was assembled originally.

Don't get brutal with it—it simply is not necessary. Trial, error and patience.

Also note that there have been some reports that the optional map for the Duke disables the second/third gear restrictor, but the optional map for the Enduro and SuperMoto definitely does not de-restrict the bike—you must physically disconnect the wires.

Akrapovic Computer Map

KTM has an optional computer map that's intended to be used when the optional Akrapovic exhaust is installed. Your dealer can update your bike's computer map. Dyno testing has shown that it doesn't significantly improve horsepower or torque, but it does run the bike with a richer mixture than the rather lean standard map. Some feel that the richer settings provide a little more power down low and make the bike run a little smoother when riding around at lower RPMs.

Folding Mirrors

These mirrors from the 950 will work. It's recommended to replace the nut on the folding hinge with a nylock, otherwise they tend to self-disassemble. <http://www.ktmtwins.com/950adventure/58312040200.html>

Tank Bags

Wolfman's Enduro Lite fits nicely and if you route the standard straps (not the KLR-specific ones) under the fork stop brackets the straps won't get cut.

Electrical Accessory Leads

There are two sets of powered leads available behind the headlight, marked ACC1 and ACC2. Each is serviced by a 10A circuit. ACC1 is unswitched (always on) and leads to fuse #9 underseat, while ACC2 is switched with the ignition and leads to fuse #8 underseat. The brown wire of each set of leads is ground, while the wires with a red stripe are positive. While you can connect some low power-draw devices like GPSes to these wires, given their small gauge it would be better to use a relay for anything that draws a lot of current (lights, heated grips/clothing, etc.).

Adjusting the Odometer for Different Front Wheel Circumferences

*Remove old Odometer and the connector.

*Cut the wire for pin 18 (should be Brown/Grey for 690E) on the connector.
*Install Odometer
*Turn key to "on" and with the meter set to "Trip 1", press and hold "Mode" for 10 sec.
Length xxxx (the 17" circumference) will show up (flashing), press "mode" to increase and "set" to decrease the circumference.
The correct setting for 21" should be 2205.
*Press "mode" and "set" simultanously to set it.

The only thing that the "pin 18" do is lock the Odo from adjusting wheelsize.

Skid Plates

Flatland Racing offers one that's half the cost of the KTM Hard Parts one.