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New V Strom 650 - Am I being sucked in by the looks? New V Strom 650 - Am I being sucked in by the looks?
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
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  #1  
Old 3 Apr 2017
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The KTM 690 is a great bike ... but not the perfect travel bike IMO. There is no subframe, so you have to make mods to carry luggage ... but it can be done.

It's also a very maintenance intensive machine.

But for you, the main draw back may be it's height. It's a tall one! But you may be able to use lowering links,
raise fork tubes up in triple clamps and use a cut down seat ... all in an effort to lower the 690 down a bit.

The good news is how light weight the 690 is vs. other bikes. And ... the POWER!
Awesome power! Just make sure you take care with oil changes, valve adjustments and all should be good ... OH ... and the KTM is very very expensive.
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  #2  
Old 3 Apr 2017
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I toured around the Baja Peninsular on a hired 650 Vstrom. 2 up fully loaded.

Bike performed great. Sure its not designed for hard core off road but we did quite a bit of the Baja 1000 race course and it performed admirably.

I also own a 08 DL1000 Vstrom and its certainly better on road 2 up, but I highly rate the 650 for what you say you are planning.
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Old 6 Apr 2017
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Even construction roads can turn into an adventure , especially when encountered " just over the hill" while a watering truck is coming up your side. So have a bike for the "worst case" then enjoy the ride, otherwise you can be reading the road rather than enjoying the view.
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  #4  
Old 6 Apr 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mollydog View Post
The KTM 690 is a great bike ... but not the perfect travel bike IMO. There is no subframe, so you have to make mods to carry luggage ... but it can be done.

It's also a very maintenance intensive machine.

But for you, the main draw back may be it's height. It's a tall one! But you may be able to use lowering links, raise fork tubes up in triple clamps and use a cut down seat ... all in an effort to lower the 690 down a bit.
The remarks above are rather out of date. Pre-2012 there were two models, a lowish 'E' and a higher 'R', the engine was about 650cc, service intervals were short, and there were reliability problems around the valves and head.

And then the bike was re-worked. From 2012 onwards the 'E' was dropped, the 'R' was lowered to the height of the 'E', the engine size increased to 690cc, the head/valves reworked, service interval increased to 10,000km. So the remarks from Mollydog must all be about the old bikes.

I've just returned from a 3,200km trip combining on-tarmac and off-tarmac. I oiled the chain from time to time and adjusted it once. I checked the engine oil daily but didn't need to add any. That was the sum total of my maintenance. The bike has now done almost 25,000 km and apart from chain/engine oil checking I've done nothing between 10,000 km services.

You don't have to make mods to carry luggage. I have pillion pegs fitted and sometimes carry a passenger which is far heavier than luggage.

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Old 7 Apr 2017
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You're correct Tim, most of my reference is from 690's from '07 up to about 2011. I did sit on a new (2014 iirc) and still found it a bit tall for me, but I'm only 5'6". (same height as OP)

Some of my riding buddies have traded away their 690's for 1290 twins. Some have 500 EXC's for dirt bikes. Not many 690's around in my group. Last 690 I rode I think was a 2011 or 12? not sure. I liked it, but as mentioned, a bit tall for me. But pretty smooth... and FAST.

Good to hear of your trouble free trip. I wondered about the new valve gear up date, here's hoping it's long lived and less troublesome than earlier versions.

I'll have to stop by my local KTM dealer again to try out the latest 690 enduro.
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Old 9 Apr 2017
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Tim, how do you find the 690 on long asphalt/motorway sections, I test rode a 690 a couple of years ago and hated the close ratio box, what's your cruising speed and what sprocket sizes do you run? 70mpg is pretty good.
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Old 9 Apr 2017
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Originally Posted by Gipper View Post
Tim, how do you find the 690 on long asphalt/motorway sections, I test rode a 690 a couple of years ago and hated the close ratio box, what's your cruising speed and what sprocket sizes do you run? 70mpg is pretty good.
I have a Husqvarna 701, in almost all respects it's a 690 Enduro R but with none of that horrible orange paint.

I cruise along the autobahn at roughly 130 kph and I'm quite comfortable doing so, on my 2016 bike the vibes smooth out over 115. Aftermarket windscreen helps a lot.

The gearbox is fairly flexible, I don't have any issues with it - it's very different to my old Tiger and takes a little more work, more regular changes, but for me it works for everything from single track to autobahn.

I should note that I'm on the stock sprockets, whatever they are. I've felt no desire to change.
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Old 9 Apr 2017
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If you look up the technical specs for the ratios on the 6-speed box of the 690 compared to those of the 5-speed box on the XT660Z, you would think the 690 ratios are totally unsuitable, with 1st gear too high and 6th gear too low, but the reality for me is that they are perfect. I have never, ever, wished for a lower first gear, and I think that's possibly because the bike is so light and easy off-tarmac that I ride more confidently.

I generally don't exceed 105 kph (65 mph) on main roads at the start of my trips as I am saving my tyres for the rough stuff, but towards the end am happy to be cruising at 130 kph (81 mph). The engine just loves to rev and I feel I'm rewarding it for all the previous distance at restrained speeds. Any faster than 130 kph and my neck aches with the wind, so I will look at fitting an extension to the touring screen.

This is the first bike I've ever had that I am totally OK with the ratios, I've never changed from the stock sprockets.
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Old 10 Apr 2017
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Thanks for the replies guys, I will have to take a 690 out for another test ride I guess
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