This topic contains 14 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by 
Hadrian Haine 1 year, 5 months ago.
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So…
I’ve been a bit busy, lately, I had a trip to Morocco with my friends from Portugal (write up about that coming up (probably a year away to be honest))…
And when I arrived I saw a familiar bike for sale, a KTM 690 Enduro R.
I’ve been resisting the temptations to give in to the 690, because of many reasons… one of them because I don’t actually like the bike… and I always believed that you need to get the bike you love, regardless of it being the right bike or not…it is the one you like.But… I love rally bikes, so I thought why not buy the 690 and build it up?!
So that is exactly what I intend to do.First step: Buy the 690. Done
Now start “fixing” the bike… 😀
Fix the awful vibrations coming up from the handlebars…
This is a KTM Powerparts (optional) of course… isn’t that a great way to make additional money from you???More to come…
Do you own a toaster yet? 😀
What do you mean by Toaster? 🙂
There is a KTM toaster of course! 😀
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/KTM-Toaster,1232598
AHAAHA Cool toaster.
Speaking of toaster. I finally replaced the stock exhaust (toaster, aka Thermo Nuclear plant) and finally the 690 sounds like a proper bike…
Ready to go to surgery.
My baby!!!And it has been a while.
Work commitments had me traveling for the last couple of weeks, so… not many updates…Finally got to work on the bike a bit more.
This time I installed the Koubalink to lower the bike about 30mm let’s say I’m not one of the tallest guys out there and this way the bike feels alot better to me…
The KoubaLink just before unpacking and starting to work on the bike.
Accessing the suspension link requires that you have to pretty much disassemble the entire swing arm assembly, including removing the footpegs and all… takes a couple of hours to do for a noob like me…
The link after installation and assembly.So, having lowering the bike now I will start working on assembling the rest of the parts.
Those include new rear tank cap, because everyone know the standard KTM is not great and prone to let dirt and mud into the tank…
Two side fuel tanks, new navigation tower and lights.
And a new (much bigger) carbon fibre bash plate.For the next steps to take place I had to reroute the exhaust system under the footpegs there is a clearing issue with the gear lever that I still have to work on…
Keep tuning in for more updates.
And we are back at it!
Some free time over the wet weekend means I get to work on the bike.
First thing is to remove the fuel pump and sensors from the back tank.
After that we need to route cables and fuel lines to the front of the bike.
Remove the headlight and speedo assembly
And install the new headlights and navigation tower.
We need to install the two tanks and route the fuel lines between them under the engine.
Installed the front fairing. Looks so much better than the stock one…
Assembly is complete and we no just need to fill the tanks and check for leaks…
And she is done!!!
Now the 690 looks like a proper bike!!!!
Of to test it out… 😉
Damn that looks Good!
Well that slipped under the Radar, very Nice a what KTM should have made 5 years ago (I’d surely own one if they had)
Hey Joao someone was asking about the size of the front tanks ?
Hi Mark,
The size of the front tanks is 8L each.
JoaoWOW, you have build yourself a very nice rally/adventure bike well done. Colour me jealous.
How does she riden had the shifting weight changed the handling much? Are the front forks up to the challenge? (I have read some say no)
Oh and I bet that Akropovic sounds amazing. Got any videos or audio bites to share with us?
Again nice job.Hi Hadrian,
The bike rides amazing. To me it is perfect now. the additional weight is about 14kg, replacing the mufler for the akrapovic removes about 4kg so dry it only gained 10kgs from stock.
To me she seems balanced I really cannot tell if the front forks are ok to the challenge or not, it would need a much higher level of expertise to advise…Still no video with sound posted, but come and ride with us. I will even let you take her for a spin!
She sure is beautiful.
I would love to come for a ride and am sure I will some time.
But awhile back I had a work place injury, and I am off riding for some time yet.
But with summer approaching I am hopeing to heal fast. My bike is just out of the shop from a rebuild so am rearing to go, as soon as the doctor give me the go ahead.
I see you out with Mark so presume your Auckland based, once I am mended I hope to plan some group rides running south from Auckland. Easton bays, Clevedon, a section of the Seabird coast and then into the Hanua forest, explore the water resivours.
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