After returning from my first trip with new motorcycle (KTM 690E) I noticed the following problems: Wear of upper tank bolts, one bolt was scratched the fuel hose and there was significant amount of dirt in the fuel tank.

Soluttinns are as follows:

I hope that Billet Filler Adaptor (sold by rally raid) would solve the issue.

I clamped fuel line with larger clamps to ensure the distance from the upper tank bolt.

Upper tank bolt wear is a complex problem. Since the vibration at the contact of frame and gas tank can not be eliminated, the new (better, harder) bolts will eventually wear too. The answer lies in the simplification of upper tank bolts in such a way that repair can be done anywhere in the world. Local metal industry workers made me a custom sleeve, and the remaining parts (bolt and washer) are standard.




The next step is to transfer weight from the rear of the motorcycle forward and relieve weight on the subframe. One solution is Aqualine Safari Fuel tank With this tank some 14 kg of weight is transferred to the front of the motorcycle. This solution was not interesting for me for several reasons.

If there is necessary to remove the motorcycle luggage due to the difficult terrain or obstacles on the way tank stays on the motorcycle while jerry cans can be removed and cary over the obstacle.
In the case of perforation of the tank, I will spend the rest of the way without fuel reserve, while new jerry cans can be purchased.

There is safety issue. If it is written that they are not street legal, it means they do not meet certain conditions and standards required by the traffic legislation. In the case of traffic accidents those tanks can become dangerous. In the event of spillage of fuel, fuel will be spilled over the rider and the ignition can be fatal. If jerry can spills, fuel will likely be spilled behind motorcycle. By putting the sign "not street legal" company is not liable for any injuries on the road.

For the next trip I will transfere some load from rear by fixing tool tube on skid plate and with some saddle bags mounted over radiator protection.

How long was your trip? How many Kilos of gear were your carrying?
How many Months traveling?

You must be one of the first to make travel bike with the 690. A few reports on this over on ADV rider. (ride reports or Thumpers forums)

Most bikes use Rubber bumbers/protectors/insulators to secure fuel tank and avoid vibration "wear" on the tank or stressing bolts.

How do you carry your luggage on your 690? Tank Pannier, Back pack?
Rear pannier? I don't see much of a sub frame on the 690. How strong holding luggage when riding hard off road?

How many Kms. on your bike so far?

Cheers!

In one month I visited Morocco and Mauretania to Senegal and back (app. 10.000 km). About 90% god paved road. In Mauritania, I drove along partly sandy tracks (maybe 500 km) and in Morocco at the high atlas about 100 km of rocky trails, and about 600 km of good gravel roads.

How I carried the luggage you can see from the pictures.

Picasa Web Albums - matjaz - afrika 2010

Together with metal panniers, 4 liters of water, 20 liters of spare fuel, 4 liters of synthetic oil and food for three days, I carried about 75 kg. On the next trip I will took a lighter tent (1 kg less), lighter and fewer tools (2,5 kg less), lighter tarp (1 kg less), fewer spare parts (2 kg less), no photo tripod (3 kg less), no hammock (1,5 kg less), no synthetic oil (4 kg less), only one lens (2 kg less), etc. All together 15 to 20 kg less. I have serious thoughts to remove aluminum panniers and mount jerry cans on pannier rack. In this way I will get rid 7 kg of weight (in total 20 - 25 kg lighter).

I hope I can transfer about 15 kg of equipment to the front of the motorcycle, so that subframe will be loaded with 40 kg, of which half is the reserve fuel.

KTM use ruber insulators for fuel tank, problem is the metal bracket on the inside of the tank. During vibrations, bracket is harmful to the upper tank bolt.

I bought my motorcycle in September 2009, so far I have traveled approximately 18,000 km. (I use it all summer for business driving).

Thanks for the great info and photos on Picassa.

Sounds like the KTM is working well for you. I am amazed your KTM can handle so much weight ... so much extra fuel and water must be large part of this weight?

I hope your "Diet Plan" works out.

Great trip!

Hi team... heres some other things to watch out for... I now have 15,000 k's on mine.
1. I have had 3 new speedos replaced the last being from the 690 SMC which seems have fixed the issue of the display blowing.. (not fogging).
2. Oxygen sensor (1 long & 3 short flashes) due to a broken wire, but now doing it with no wiring issue.. (I just live with it)
3. I snapped a chain at around 8k and it broke the slave cylinder and crack the engine casing... this was replaced under insurance claim. I now have a ktm hard part that covers the chain and protects the slave unit.
4. When the chain snapped it also destroyed the chain guides but more of a worry the chain bound and cracked the swing arm (also under Insurance claim)
5. I have tried the dunlop d908's front and rear.. you have to give these at least 300km run in as I had major wobbles at 90km an hour,,, now I get up to 170 with no issue (rear spocket changed to get these speeds). I have now tried the IRC tractionator on the rear and within 1 ride it was a throw away.. all the centre knobs (well every second) completly ripped off.
6. i have had three sets of mirrors (all original) replaced as they snapped at the stem were the screw into the main handle bar bracket. (they just vibrated and not due to any off's)
7. The rear fender that holds the license plate snapped off.. Other riders behind me always commented that it just flapped in the wind.. I took the extension off and simply redrilled the blinkers and license plate to the top section. Very sturdy now.
All in all I love this bike.... apart from the low range tank which Safari has a long range version.. but I get great mileage anyway.
I also purchased the lowering link from Koubalink which dropped it about 40mm.. Im only 167cm so it has helped alot. I have yet to bottom it out and I have had some mad rides that Im sure would have done this.
Oh by the way if you do get a new speedo check the wheel diameter as mine was out and I was doing 14km quicker than the speedo showed... I had to remove one of the wires in the speedo connector so it unlocked the display for me to change the wheel size.
Well thats all from me... happy KTMming

My mirror (just one) snapped at the stem too. I order The Double Take Mirror (Build Your Mirror - Double Take Mirror - Build Your Mirror - adventure-spec.com: Off-Road Adventure Motorcycling gear,UK,enduro,rally,rallye,touring,rtw,mx), hope it will work better. About the license plate fender - I affixed the fender to the pannier rack with plastic tie.

matjaz

Thanks for posting, nice pics on your picasa album

I plan to do either Nigeria to Europe via Algeria in April 2011 or go across from Nigeria to East Africa

My GS is retired and am looking at getting a 690E December 2010 and start preparing it.

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inyang

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

i know a bunch of guys who have put quite a few miles on the 690 ... you may want to consider the fuel filter too.

The fuel filter appears to be an inappropriate part. It looks like its from a carburetored engine and is not fine enough for a fuel injected engine. Injectors have clogged several times in my company. A fix is to fit a proper metal cartridge FI filter inbetween the pump and the injector:

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Thanks Colebatch,
I see your comments over at ADV also.

So much to do (to the bike), and so little time (and money!)

I have a growing list of mods to do out of the box to the bike, I guess my 1st quarter 2011 is going to be interesting

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inyang

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

What Koubalink did you purchased? The 1" or the 1"5/8? Did you have some problems like the rear wheel bottoming with fuel tank? Did you note some differences in suspension behavior? Some other issues? The side stand still works without standing the bike horizontally due to lower height?

Thanks for your answer

On my last trip to egypt radiator broke. Week point was where front radiator protection is fixed to radiator. Definitely mayor construction nonsense on 690E. You can not protect block of light and soft aluminum by screwing protection on that fragile block. But it turns out that solution was quite simple and cheep. It cost me less than 5 euro, as guys in the garage made extensions for free.





Front protection is now little bit further from radiator, so I tilted front fender with 4 washers on 2 screws that holds front fender.



Side panels I fixed with regular rubber bumper designed for protecting doors and plastic tie. For the moment I considered this as temporary solution but now I think wit stronger tie it will be permanent.



For some reason pictures does not work. Here is link to picasa album:

Picasa Web Albums - matjaz prosen - Recently Updated

Can't see your pics but I think you're referring to a well known issue that is easily resolved by replacing the stock bolts with either a cable tie around the top rad mount or using the soft plastic 6mm number plates screws we have in the UK.

Other issues include the easily bent brake pedal and both upper & lower tank mounts, Rally-Raid provide a solution for all of them. The rear master cylinder is vulnerable, I had an extension welded to my bashplate to protect it.

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My photos: www.possu.smugmug.com