KTM introduced the 690 Enduro R in 2009, and three years later, the Austrian firm added the 690 SMC R to the fray. Since the two thumpers joined the lineup, Team Orange has gradually but steadily updated the platforms over the years. From the addition of ABS in 2014 to a chassis and engine revision in 2019, KTM’s upgrade campaign soldiers on. For 2021, the brand is at it again with minor electronic and component adjustments along with a stealthy new livery.
Starting with the 690 Enduro R, KTM retains the off-roader's core package. The 690cc single-cylinder still pumps out 74 horsepower and 54 lb-ft of torque, the WP XPLOR suspension readily tackles the gnarliest terrain, and cornering and traction control can still save your hide from a slide.
Never resting on its laurels, the company reconfigures the 690 Enduro’s ride modes for 2021. With a switch at the handlebar, users can now toggle between Street and Off-Road modes. The former engages two-channel ABS for both wheels while the latter disables ABS on the rear for improved off-road feel/hooning. The new upgrade eliminates the need for KTM’s after-purchase dongle—a feature that many 690 owners believed should have been stock for years.
On the supermoto front, the new 690 SMC R also keeps its foundations. The WP APEX suspension, steel tubing chassis, and 17-inch wheels still make it a natural canyon carver and track weapon, but minor tweaks to the electronics add some sophistication to the hooligan machine. Along with the Cornering and Supermoto ABS modes (deactivates ABS on the rear wheel), the 2021 SMC R gains an upgraded Brembo M 4.32 Monoblock caliper for even more speed shedding capability and control.
Both models receive a new catalytic converter to meet Euro5 standards and feature an A2 license mode that restricts output to 47 horsepower. Of course, the 690 Enduro R and SMC R receive new liveries and graphics for the 2021 model year. An orange trellis frame, headlight shroud, and front fender grace both variants while distinct graphics help customers distinguish between the two. For the new year, slate gray replaces the white and black contrasting bodywork of the past and modernizes the platforms.
The 2021 KTM 690 Enduro R and 690 SMC R will be available at KTM dealers in January 2021 and pricing is yet to be announced.
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Source: KTM