Turn the page - out with the old, in with the ...just as old.

Dirt_Dad

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Don't know if the weight is an issue but would a kickstand pivot work better when in the garage?
Possibly if I had to turn left, but I'm turning right. I recall KTM did not recommend putting any extra weight on the 520's kickstand. I do not see the same warning on this one, but I'll probably still avoid it.
 

Dirt_Dad

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update..
Been riding the 690 on the BDR this week. This is an absolutely phenomenal bike for this ride. It has the exact right amount of power to keep me endlessly entertained on the ride. It just handles beautifully in both the dirt and on some truly awesome paved twisties of the MABDR.
Could not be more satisfied with the versatility of the bike. I'm turning into a fan-boy from a once skeptic. This bike was exactly what I hoped it would be.

20200917_105801.jpg

20200917_092922.jpg

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Dirt_Dad

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You know...i have no one to blame but myself. Too much praise, before getting home.

20200918_122227.jpg

Still a fan of the bike. But this was not helpful out on tbe BDR today.
 

Dirt_Dad

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Definitely a coolant leak. Just wasn't sure the source. I was concerned it might have been a radiator hole.

20200918_123153.jpg

Top right corner was wet.

I was 3+ hours into my ride when I found it. Decided to see if I could baby it home keeping an eagle eye on the temp indicator.

So 10 hours and 300+ miles i made the longest dirt bike ride of my life.

Temp stayed good the whole way. Which made me suspicious it might be the overflow tank. Checked the level after the bike cooled. Radiator is full to the top. Guessing some 7 year old hose i can't see may be rotted and split.

Oh well, guess I'm riding the SAS tomorrow. :p
 
B

ballisticexchris

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That's not so bad. I recommend switching to Evans Waterless coolant. It does not pressurize so you can do a quick steel repair and keep moving.
 

Dirt_Dad

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Despite the coolant issue, now that I'm home I still have to say this is a wonderful bike. It was really enjoyable riding a vintage motorcycle on the MABDR. Something about riding a bike without ABS, traction control, engine modes, speed shifter, slipper clutch, cruse control...just made the experience enjoyable. It confirmed I haven't lost my riding skills yet, and it was fun being fully in charge of the controls again.

Sure at one point the tires tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Hey dummy, we're knobbies.' I was getting a little too aggressive in a paved hairpin when I got on the edge of the knobbies and I guess they folded over. The front wheel lurched a bit to the inside and woke me up, but other than that, the bike was a blast on both the paved and dirt.

The bike earned a break, and I'll get it up on the table and see what's happening with that overflow tank or hoses.

 

Dirt_Dad

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Took the bike to a KTM dealer today. Tech looked it over, crawled around on the ground, then speculated it just burped an air bubble. Based on everything I told him, and the fact I rode the bike to the dealership and it was dry when he was looking at it, that all he could figure.

I told him I had flushed the coolant about 2 months ago, and that I followed the book for burping. He said they don't really find the book is adequate and they spend a lot more time heating up the bike and running it around to burp it. He thought there may have been something trapped at the bottom. The "leak" happened after I rode a particularly rough section of the MABDR which jostled around the bike pretty well. That was another reason to think a burp. He told me to ride it normally and don't baby it and let him know if it happens again.
 

Dirt_Dad

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Been more than a year, so thought I'd give an update. It's been a move year for us, so none of the bikes have had a lot of use in 2021. Yesterday I finally got the 690 out for a great ride.



Took the bike on a "End State Maintenance" road I found a few years ago. Back then I did not want to take the heavy Tenere on what looked to be an abandoned rutted out road. I noted it in my head and told myself to return with a more appropriate bike someday.



The road finally justified the knobbies I've been running on the 690. Honestly I've been considering changing to a Trials tire on the bike. The gravel roads I usually run are either too hard, or too gravelly for the knobby to offer any traction. Most of the time they've been counterproductive at best. Going through one of the mud holes on the "road" yesterday I found myself in a deeper and gooier hole than anticipated. Surprised...yes, concerned...no. That 21" knobby studded front of the ideally balanced 690 made the mud hole a breeze to cross...both times.



I'm pretty sure it was a legit road. I saw a lot of posted signs along the road, and I don't think people post those in the middle of their property. The road was rutted out, not all that rocky, and occasionally down to just two single tracks running through the woods. The bike never gave any cause for concern. In fact, I was really enjoying remember that, "oh yeah, I really do know how to ride dirt." It may sound odd coming from a guy named Dirt_Dad, but I ride so much pavement lately, that you kinda forget that you have dirt skills tucked away in your brain. It felt good to be picking a line through the ruts, wheeling over when necessary and just generally relying on long dormant skills.



The bike was the perfect tool for this road. After a couple of miles I took a break to take some pictures. That's when the thought crept in. I wondered how often someone travels this road. I saw no other tracks either 2 or 4 wheel. I felt isolated. No phone signal, no riding buddy, no tracker, DM clueless about where I'm at....this might not be smart. So I thought it prudent to turn around and vowed to come back when I have a riding buddy or at least a tracker before finishing the road.

Too cautious? Maybe...I never experienced anything that made me feel the bike or myself was going to be pushing the edge of our abilities. It was strictly a decision based on isolation, and the thought if something happened it could be a week or two before anyone happened by. I guess this 50-something year old guy just likes having his bases covered and I'm willing to walk (ride) away if I feel it's prudent.

The 690 was flawless all day. I really appreciate it has no rider aids. No traction control, no ABS, it forces me to ride and not become lazy. It only shocked me once. I went for a 3rd gear wheelie and it came up so fast and so high way quicker than I was anticipating. I'm used to fighting against the electronics on my SAS, so most of my wheelies lately are electronically muted. Still enjoyable, but mistakably limited. Ain't nothing artificially limiting wheelies on the 690. It gave me a refresher course and we worked together great after that one.

Overall, the 690 remains a blast to ride. Not much fun on long, high speed jaunts between riding areas. The wind blast will wear you down after a couple of hours. But get it off pavement and it will put a smile on your face. It is light weight, perfectly balanced, easy to ride slow, and has all the power I could ever want.

The 690 remains a keeper.
 

Dirt_Dad

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Finally finished out the MABDR on the 690.

Once again, I'm impressed with the work they did putting together this route. Not always stuff I would have picked, but they are great at introducing me to places I never would have found.







Sometimes we detoured into familiar places...like here on Swearing Hill.


Before this ride I was contemplating getting a bigger bike since the 690 is a bit of a chore to ride the paved roads to get somewhere interesting. I ended up buying the little windscreen topper that helped keep the wind off my chest and make the long distance rides a bit easier. The noisy Arai XT4 is still a weak point in long distance, full wind in your face riding. Maybe I can find a bigger extension for true longer distances???

At the end of this ride I went straight to the dealership because I knew the rear tire was toast. My wife met me with the new TKC80 I bought the week before the MABRD ride. Just getting to the point where I don't want to spend my time changing tires.

When I picked up the bike the service manager said, "that front tire...wow, it really hops along." I wasn't sure what he was saying, but I assumed he was just referencing it being a straight knobby. Somehow that got me paying attention as I rode away. Dang, the bike's front end really is hopping along up there. Funny I didn't notice it during my 600 miles of MABRD riding. Now it's unmistakable.

I'd been watching the rear tire disappear, but paid not attention to the front. When I finally looked I saw this amazing wear pattern.



Every single knob was significantly higher than the double knobs. All the way around the tire. Geez!!

I still had one more tire left that had been included to as part of the sale. I really liked the improvement the TKC80 on the ride home, but I own this other one, and clearly I need to replace this bizarre wear pattern tire. So I bit the bullet, changed it myself, and for the first time ever, I balanced the wheel on my dirt bike. Ride is so much smoother.

When this one dies I'm confident I'll go to a TKC80 up front. The rear is night and day improvement over the old knobby.

The 690 has bought itself another year in the stable. Love the power. Never once has the Africa Twin walk away from the 690 during the pavement sections of the MABDR.
 

magic

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Nice pictures. Looks a lot like Michigan's upper peninsula where I like to explore.
 

Dirt_Dad

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True Grip

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My 690 is my local ride we have over 400 miles of dirt roads in our county. It’s dual sport paradise and 65 horsepower 350 lbs and suspension makes for endless smiles. Mines an 09 so it’s also old school with no nannies I do have a steering damper that gets used occasionally. It’s light enough I can take it on my teardrop tongue to take out of state. You will love the 890 I have a friend who has one and to me it may be the best all rounder or jack of all trades. I also have a 20 Africa Twin dct which is my all road mile muncher.C56FFFF3-0FF6-482A-9060-0C56ED93DC11.jpeg
 

Dirt_Dad

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Your AT / 690 combo makes me smile. That's the exact combo my buddy, Steve, and I used this spring to ride the MABDR. Both of us sold those bikes this weekend.

I did love the no rider aids of the 690. Kept me honest. I realize the 890 will kill my fundamental skills.
 

Dirt_Dad

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I've gone through a whole transition since 2020. I was once hesitant to get KTM due to all the horror stories of the reliability. My personal experience has been KTM is equal to the most reliable bikes I've owned. 30K+ miles on KTM across 3 different bikes. Zero mechanical issues that can be blamed on the bikes. That hesitation has completely evaporated as a result of real life experience. When it comes to performance, KTM just fits with my idea of enjoyable riding.
 

Dirt_Dad

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A note to the other founding members around here...

I find myself feeling almost exactly like I did in September 2010, when I placed my PDP order for my first Super Tenere. The anticipation was off the charts. The new bike was constantly brewing in mind, seeking out every morsels of information I could find. Even joining some dedicated new website called yamahasupertenere.com.

I haven't joined any new sites, but everything else feels very familiar. Like the Tenere, I have no idea when I'll see the 890. I am a patient person, but this is a challenge.
 

Sierra1

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What are the chances of D_M making the 890 her go-to bike and ditching the Beemer? I know it apples and "oranages", but . . . . is orange something she might like?
 
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