Motorcycle tests at motorradtest.de

KTM SMC R 690 (Baujahr 2019)

Completely superfluous

13.06.2019

There is hardly a motorcycle that offers less everyday benefits than the KTM SMC R 690. class! Does it also have drawbacks? The test finds out.

Anything that bothers comes off

My goodness, this thing looks nasty. Reduced to the go-not-more, once motorcycle without everything. In the cool frame, the tank hangs in the back, is almost a supporting element. There is also a steering rod and a bench with a padding thin like carpaccio. And a cockpit. Hah, Cockpit? What's that? Something will show it, but it's all unimportant stuff. For this, for example, gear display and even the rev counter are omitted, one does not want to distract the driver unnecessarily.

Everything, but also everything on the KTM SMC R 690 screams that she is looking for a wild rider. With her power of 75 hp and the narrow weight of 159 kilos, she is considered a super athlete among the SuperMotos among her fans. Right? Wrong. Short trip to the SuperMoto: Originally the movement originated in France, and it wasn't about racing, but about the ideal city bike. Enduros were handy, but neither from the big wheels nor from the tunnel tires to the city. So they were placed on smaller rims with road tyres. That came with the racing later, here serves a mixed course of mostly 70 to 80% asphalt, the off-road share is 20 to 30%.

Unfortunately not as real as desired

So, and now? Now let's correct the sentence up there, because the KTM SMC R 690 would like to be the King in the ring and super sportsman among the road-approved SuperMotos. Whether it is, we will find out. In any case, it is as it comes from the trader, too softly springed and too weak to survive in a serious race. If it is marketed as a pure racing machine, it would be a sham.

But that doesn't matter. Your competitors, for example, bmw (yes, you don't think...) G 650 Xmoto and of course the Ducati Hypermotard would also look old on the track in the series trim.

Nevertheless, one thing is true: the KTM is the purest version of a Supermoto. At 159 kilos, it is very light, has the strongest single cylinder in the world, is high and narrow build and spartan. A passenger (m / f / divers) is not provided, for this the wheelbase has been consistently shortened to only 1.46 meters.

Is there anything between the horns from the KTM? Let's go now.

Handy like no other

First surprise: Despite a seat height of 890 millimeters (lowering to 840 possible), even short-legged ones get on the floor with their feet thanks to the very narrow bench. The bench itself is uncomfortably uncomfortable in the long run (this eternally stressed duration doesn't even have to be particularly long) because it's very hard. No one would really claim that the KTM SMC R 690 could even be a touring motorcycle.

It doesn't matter that the rev counter is missing in the cockpit, as you can't read anything anyway. The LED in the cockpit looks cheap, but they work, and that must be enough as a warning system. It's hard to believe: the SMC has traction control. And what a one: This traction control allows wheelies (!) and only ensures that the biker does not make a salto backwards - supercool. On the model side of KTM, a friendly person greets with thumbs up and the front wheel at eye level.

As usual by KTM, the most powerful single-cylinder world with 75 hp is installed. It is native to the Duke 690 and is also used in the 690 Enduro R. This engine makes it clear what kind of being it has. As a single cylinder, it is more half a V2 than a half twin. He rattles off happily, but he doesn't have it that way with running culture or other manners. Despite the large displacement, it also wants to be rotated. It doesn't like low speeds at all, so the pass is correspondingly mau.

Once he has wandered through the speed valley, things start to be fun. Despite the far-forward seating position, the KTM quickly becomes slightly on the front wheel - and yes, it goes up in earnest. In addition, it is superagile to drive, that's what it was made for. Rarely do you have so much fun on a motorcycle, especially since the brakes do a top job despite only single disc at the front.

Conclusion: You want to like them, but it's not easy

Does she get her thumbs up from us? Difficult decision. Even if it is the most agile and consistent Supermoto compared to the competition, it simply has too many flaws for most interested parties. This is not about such things as the lack of suitability for the future or the non-existent windscreen. About such things, dedicated KTM SMC R 690 drivers can only grin, and they are right about it. By the way, there are many fans: The machine is ranked 15th in the current registration statistics.

No, there is one big drawback: it does not deliver in its parade discipline, because it is really fast only if you want to go up the stairwell of the Hamburger Michel. Otherwise there's more show than Shine. If the world's most powerful single-cylinder engine delivers only 75 hp, this is the decisive performance shortcoming compared to the not much less manoeuvrable Ducati Hypermotard with its 114 hp. That's more than 50% more.

The fact that comparisons with Ducatis appear at all is due to the sporty pricing policy of the Austrians, from which even BMW could learn something. For the raw SMC R 690, KTM actually charges 10,799 euros. By comparison, the same engine is installed in the 690 Enduro R for 10,799 euros, the Naked Bike Duke 690 is available for 8,899 euros.

Ducati motorcycles are not considered softies. The Hypermotard may be that compared to the SMC, but for a seat more, the extensive equipment and 114 hp require Ducati 12,490 euros, which is only 1,691 euros more.

But probably this is not for the KTMlers. Yes, it is the most consistent Supermoto on the market. And with it a statement, wonderful.

Thanks to M.A.S. for the test bike.

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