- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
[or I bought a dirty orange pumpkin]
Adventure Bike
- Thread starter Gravy
- Start date
Spork
Tin Foil Hat Equipped
- Location
- Saratoga Springs, UT
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Pics or it didn't happen 
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Spork
Tin Foil Hat Equipped
- Location
- Saratoga Springs, UT
Nice. :greg:
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Jealous! I never get tired of looking at the frame on those
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Specs: 2009 KTM 690 Enduro R.
Ricochet Racing skid plate.
FMF pipe. ECU remap.
SW Mo-Tech rack.
Continental TKC 80 Tires.
Ricochet Racing skid plate.
FMF pipe. ECU remap.
SW Mo-Tech rack.
Continental TKC 80 Tires.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I added a few mods before my ride.
I turned the steering nuts all the way in at Greg's recommendation. These things still don't turn super tight but it's decent now that it's all the way in.
The rear brake lever was bent when I got it, so I bought the most expensive brake lever ever... stock ($115 shipped!) Blegh.
but it's a beautiful piece of kit from Clean Speed Engineering ($174)!!! eek.
Better than this tinfoil junk
I turned the steering nuts all the way in at Greg's recommendation. These things still don't turn super tight but it's decent now that it's all the way in.
The rear brake lever was bent when I got it, so I bought the most expensive brake lever ever... stock ($115 shipped!) Blegh.
but it's a beautiful piece of kit from Clean Speed Engineering ($174)!!! eek.
Better than this tinfoil junk
Tonkaman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I'm in love with this one [emoji7]
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
You have bought and sold more motorcycles this year than I have owned in my life. You are catching up to Tyson. This looks like fun. You going to keep it a while of just flipping it? I'll warn you, adventure bikes are super fun. Don't take it camping or you won't sell it.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I already went on a (smallish) adventure. It's pretty capable. I'll post a trip report when I get a chance to sit down in front of a computer. I've already got around 40 miles of singletrack on it.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
This video is really what sold me on the 690.
[video=youtube_share;VmXlrwGCUPE]https://youtu.be/VmXlrwGCUPE[/video]
Same bike but used enough for me to afford it
[video=youtube_share;VmXlrwGCUPE]https://youtu.be/VmXlrwGCUPE[/video]
Same bike but used enough for me to afford it
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Well immediately after I bought this and did a tune up, I took it on a dirt ride:
I had planned to just jam up some dirt road to get a feel for it first, but the best laid plans... you know.
I end up taking it on my enduro/ race practice loop up in the mountains above Bountiful, and it's pretty ridiculous how capable this machine is.
First gear is plenty high compared to a offroad enduro bike, but this 690 has such amazingly smooth and huge torque I didn't feel like I needed any lower gearing at all.
And to be truthful I took it into some hairy stuff for a 300+lb machine.
The suspension is frankly incredible. It soaks up sharp rock, roots and chunky stuff like a boss. It's soft, but not too divey.
It's only when you get to steep, snow covered, muddy, eroded downhill v-notches that the true bulk of the machine shows it's face and to be truthful: it still wasn't half bad.
The clutch is outstanding and compared to the DR650 I've ridden and the DRZ400E I owned it feels like a REAL modern dirtbike. The fuel injection is flawless, it doesn't lean pop on deceleration, it starts easily and stays cool. It even corners quite well on a tight figure 8 corner track.
I feel like I'm gushing about a new girlfriend, but it's really "that" good.
I had planned to just jam up some dirt road to get a feel for it first, but the best laid plans... you know.
I end up taking it on my enduro/ race practice loop up in the mountains above Bountiful, and it's pretty ridiculous how capable this machine is.
First gear is plenty high compared to a offroad enduro bike, but this 690 has such amazingly smooth and huge torque I didn't feel like I needed any lower gearing at all.
And to be truthful I took it into some hairy stuff for a 300+lb machine.
The suspension is frankly incredible. It soaks up sharp rock, roots and chunky stuff like a boss. It's soft, but not too divey.
It's only when you get to steep, snow covered, muddy, eroded downhill v-notches that the true bulk of the machine shows it's face and to be truthful: it still wasn't half bad.
The clutch is outstanding and compared to the DR650 I've ridden and the DRZ400E I owned it feels like a REAL modern dirtbike. The fuel injection is flawless, it doesn't lean pop on deceleration, it starts easily and stays cool. It even corners quite well on a tight figure 8 corner track.
I feel like I'm gushing about a new girlfriend, but it's really "that" good.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Yep!
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Anyways without so much more than a slight jaunt up a few freeway exits and back I planned my first "adventure ride."
I was planning to work and camp at the Sage Riders National Hare and Hound in Cherry Creek about 110 miles away.
So I dropped of my major camping supplies with a friend, packed a backpack and a tailbag on the bike and suited up for a ride.
I planned to link a little bit of dirt into my pavement and headed out.
I was planning to work and camp at the Sage Riders National Hare and Hound in Cherry Creek about 110 miles away.
So I dropped of my major camping supplies with a friend, packed a backpack and a tailbag on the bike and suited up for a ride.
I planned to link a little bit of dirt into my pavement and headed out.
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
After jamming down I-15 at 80 mph. I decided I hadn't ridden on the road in enough years that I wanted out of traffic. The bike is completely comfortable doing this speed for lots of miles, but I got a little windblown and I was thinking a windscreen might be nice.
So over to the east side of the lake and out past pelican point I ran offroad a bit and met a couple guys on some very loaded bikes packing up tents.
Turns out I met an Englishman on a BMW 650 X-Challenge and a German on a Triumph Tiger 800. The Englishman was on a ride from San Diego to Alaska then back down through South America and the German (who now resides in Cedar City) had jumped in to share a section from Cedar up to Montana and then peal off back home. Well I guess I looked like I knew what I was doing when I came down a steep rocky hillside on a big bike and they let me chat for a bit while I let my new English friend take a rip on my bike. He came back with a big grin and said he wanted to sell his BMW and get one. I politely declined to ride his loaded up trans-continental bike for fear of ruining his trip by wadding it up...
Anyways if you care to check out Tony's trips: here is a video of him and a friend from London to Cape Town, South Africa.
[video=youtube;6qC_5CLxQC0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qC_5CLxQC0[/video]
So over to the east side of the lake and out past pelican point I ran offroad a bit and met a couple guys on some very loaded bikes packing up tents.
Turns out I met an Englishman on a BMW 650 X-Challenge and a German on a Triumph Tiger 800. The Englishman was on a ride from San Diego to Alaska then back down through South America and the German (who now resides in Cedar City) had jumped in to share a section from Cedar up to Montana and then peal off back home. Well I guess I looked like I knew what I was doing when I came down a steep rocky hillside on a big bike and they let me chat for a bit while I let my new English friend take a rip on my bike. He came back with a big grin and said he wanted to sell his BMW and get one. I politely declined to ride his loaded up trans-continental bike for fear of ruining his trip by wadding it up...
Anyways if you care to check out Tony's trips: here is a video of him and a friend from London to Cape Town, South Africa.
[video=youtube;6qC_5CLxQC0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qC_5CLxQC0[/video]
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
I'll post some video later, but I rode down through Eureka, and around the mini Motocross track out there and fueled up around 100 miles or so. Only took a little over 2 gallons so I'm pretty impressed at the fuel mileage. I think it was around 40 or 45.
Got about 10 or so more dirt road miles in into Sage Riders race pits and rode into camp and pulled my Moto gear on after 118 miles.
They told me they needed an odometer to mark race course on loop 3 of the race, soooo sure I'll do it on a giant enduro bike...
Knocked the tires down from 28 psi to what I thought was soft enough and ran another 10 or so dirt miles to jump onto the race course at mile marker 90.
Well from 90-95 wasn't too bad but at 95 we got into some nasty rocky hill climbs and up till mm 105 it was really really technical and the thing just ate it up. I wish my GoPro had batteries because I frankly was flabbergasted at what the thing can to. Right up to big deep whoops it does great I was even keeping up with the two yahoos that decided to race a little between pounding lathe at 5 mile increments. MM 100-104 had some big whoops and fun sandy washes and it was kinda like riding a porpoise if I pushed it too hard, but back on the sandy turn track section from 104 to 108 at the finish I got to open up the 72 horsepower machine and rip some fast corners.
The Continental TKC80's work great until you get the rear locked up on a downhill or 90* corner and then it slides pretty fast and goes sideways pretty easy, but I'd hate to try a tire more aggressive that that on the freeway at 80 or 90 mph.
So 18 miles of race course and I ripped a valve stem on the back tire in the whoops on the way in because I was at 8-10 psi and it apparently has no rim locks. I'm told this is because they don't balance well on the road.
Luckily I have some good friends who helped me hoist the beast onto a bike stand and had a spare 18" tube. Also as a side-note a 140 section width rear tire makes changing a tube a breeze.
I got to jam around working road crossings during race day and kinda got a feel for the machine.
Aaaaaand luckily for me when it started to downpour; I chickened out and got a ride most of the way home with Tyson in his sweet toy hauler. It would have been miserable and dangerous: it really really rained for about 70 miles of the drive home.
Got about 10 or so more dirt road miles in into Sage Riders race pits and rode into camp and pulled my Moto gear on after 118 miles.
They told me they needed an odometer to mark race course on loop 3 of the race, soooo sure I'll do it on a giant enduro bike...
Knocked the tires down from 28 psi to what I thought was soft enough and ran another 10 or so dirt miles to jump onto the race course at mile marker 90.
Well from 90-95 wasn't too bad but at 95 we got into some nasty rocky hill climbs and up till mm 105 it was really really technical and the thing just ate it up. I wish my GoPro had batteries because I frankly was flabbergasted at what the thing can to. Right up to big deep whoops it does great I was even keeping up with the two yahoos that decided to race a little between pounding lathe at 5 mile increments. MM 100-104 had some big whoops and fun sandy washes and it was kinda like riding a porpoise if I pushed it too hard, but back on the sandy turn track section from 104 to 108 at the finish I got to open up the 72 horsepower machine and rip some fast corners.
The Continental TKC80's work great until you get the rear locked up on a downhill or 90* corner and then it slides pretty fast and goes sideways pretty easy, but I'd hate to try a tire more aggressive that that on the freeway at 80 or 90 mph.
So 18 miles of race course and I ripped a valve stem on the back tire in the whoops on the way in because I was at 8-10 psi and it apparently has no rim locks. I'm told this is because they don't balance well on the road.
Luckily I have some good friends who helped me hoist the beast onto a bike stand and had a spare 18" tube. Also as a side-note a 140 section width rear tire makes changing a tube a breeze.
I got to jam around working road crossings during race day and kinda got a feel for the machine.
Aaaaaand luckily for me when it started to downpour; I chickened out and got a ride most of the way home with Tyson in his sweet toy hauler. It would have been miserable and dangerous: it really really rained for about 70 miles of the drive home.
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- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Let's talk bags. What do you guys recommend? Hard panniers? or like a big soft loop style?