The KTM 690 Enduro, The Revving Big-Single
Tuesday, February 09 2010 @ 11:46 AM ICT
Contributed by: news

On the KTM 690 Enduro, we left Bangkok behind us, crossed the range, tooled around on some back roads and now, finally, we'd reached the dirt-road turn-off into wilderness. Tracks and trails led in all directions, some to town or villages I will not even try to pronounce. I'd skirted around the edges of this area many times, and occasionally dipped in a little way, but never really explored it properly. With a quick nod from my girlfriend, we took off down the road.The next turn took the KTM 690 Enduro and the BMW G 650 X-Moto into thicker vegetation. The next into steeper country. The third into fields of rice weaving in the wind. The road had given way to muddy-red-brown-clay 8 or 10 kilometers back, and the track was getting worse as rapidly as our hearts were pumping.
A bit of air here, a satisfying power-slide there, and a plenty of weaving and dancing. The KTM 690 Enduro is just super.
The last time I had been so far from any form of tarmac or paved road in the wild country, was on a 450cc Honda Enduro machine. I'd ended up riding like a pussy and blamed myself for it, but now I realized I was only half at fault; this time I was comfortably aggressive and loving it. And it was all because of the KTM 690 Enduro.


The BMW K 1300 R is about as high-end as a nakedbike can get. Duo-lever suspension, Automatic Stability Control and ABS brakes set it apart from other motorcycles in it's class.
Valentino Rossi led the way for the second day running in Sepang today, concluding the first test of the year on top of the standings. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was also on the pace today, finishing the test third fastest behind Casey Stoner.
5 months, and 4 days ago 250GP history was made in Valencia, Spain, when the world 250 Grand Prix championship ended after 60 years and 716 races.
For the possible future of Honda Thailand, we visited India. Hero Honda has developed a new 223cc motorcycle with fuel-injection, the development was a joint operation with Honda Thailand. To insiders Honda Thailand's contribution was mostly concentrated on the engine development, especially the fueling of the engine.
Not liking the idea of having to plug wires in everywhere, and the flip-top feature, were what sparked my interest in the Nolan N102 Flip-Top helmet.
I've barely had time to slide my helmet off and whip out an earplug before a neighbor is asking questions. He's soon joined by a couple of friends, while the two boys from next door crane their neck over wall. Even the usually indifferent Chinese lady from down the street pauses for a nose. The KTM Super Duke R certainly has presence.
With the anniversary motorcycle “40 Years of Berlin" based on the BMW roadster R 1200 R, BMW Motorrad not only celebrated 40 years of production at its plant in Berlin-Spandau in 2009. By auctioning the exclusive motorcycle on eBay in November 2009 BMW Motorrad at the same time supported the children's rights organization Save the Children Deutschland e.V.
Do you weight less than 70 kilo? More? Don't know? Well, if you aren't average (weight-wise, speed-wise or height-wise), then the spring of your box-stock motorcycle is very likely not right for you.