Long-awaited: The KTM 690 Rally in Dakar livery is ready to go

The adventure touring bikes marketed under the ‘Adventure’ name have become an indispensable pillar of KTM’s model range and are just as defining of the brand’s style as the Duke naked bikes across all engine capacities. As all-rounders for everyday use and long tours, the Adventure models have become increasingly versatile, comfortable and powerful over the years, thereby carving out a niche in the Innviertel-based manufacturer’s portfolio.

A niche that KTM intends to fill in future with the 690 Rally, of which we can now show the first image in production-ready form. Its design offers a clue as to how KTM is likely to position the model within its range: the windscreen, which draws inspiration from the design of the Dakar-spec 450 Rally, sets the tone. It offers sufficient wind protection whilst making it clear where the Mattighofen-based manufacturer sees the 690 Rally within its model range: as a fully-fledged first motorbike, yet more agile, lighter and more minimalist than its more comfortable sister model, the 790 Adventure.

The technical basis is provided by the 690 Enduro, unveiled last summer, which supplies the chassis and single-cylinder engine, complemented by a design that echoes that of the Dakar competition bike. The light-coloured paintwork, seen for the first time in our photo, complete with its blue and orange graphics, is unlikely to be a coincidence in echoing the design of the replica version of the 450 Rally from the 2026 model year. A KTM-typical orange variant is also likely to be added to the range.

Beneath the fairing lies a larger fuel tank in the conventional position in front of the rider. This appears to have two filler necks and clearly holds considerably more than the 13 litres familiar from the sister model. A capacity of around 18 litres seems realistic, though this cannot yet be verified. Passenger footrests are missing from the pre-production bike in our photo – earlier prototypes featured solidly constructed, fully-fledged footrests. The seat appears to be slightly more thickly padded than that of the 690 Enduro, from which the platform is derived; however, compared to the seat on the 790 Enduro, it still looks rather more spartan. At the rear, the motorcycle shown features grab handles for the pillion passenger.

In terms of suspension, the 690 Rally uses the same components as those found on the 690 Enduro R. This means a fully adjustable WP XPLOR USD fork with generous travel and a 48mm diameter, housing a 21-inch front wheel. The front wheel is braked by a single 300 mm diameter brake disc and a radially mounted caliper – apparently supplied by Bybre in this case. The rear wheel retains a 240 mm disc diameter.

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The instrument cluster appears to consist of a horizontally mounted TFT display. The larger, vertically mounted unit from the 1390 Super Adventure is likely to remain the preserve of the Austrian manufacturer’s top-of-the-range models for the time being. Under the bonnet, the latest version of the LC4 single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 693 ccm is used. In the 690 Enduro R, it delivers 79 PS and 73 Nm of torque, making it currently the most powerful single-cylinder engine in series-production motorbikes.

In the pre-production motorcycle shown here, it is shielded from the ground by a stainless-steel engine guard; earlier photos still showed plastic parts in this area. The alternator is protected by a carbon-fibre cover, presumably an accessory. The fitted Akrapovič titanium exhaust is also of high quality. This is already available as an option for the 690 SMC R and 690 Enduro R. It remains to be seen whether it will be fitted as standard on the 690 Rally.

To position itself as a stripped-back and agile off-road motorbike that is nonetheless fully suitable for everyday use, the weight must be just right: the 690 Enduro R, which serves as the platform, weighs in at 162 kg ready to ride. The larger fuel tank, its modified design and the associated changes to its surrounding components, as well as the new cockpit and windscreen design, will add to the weight. It is impossible to predict with any certainty exactly how much heavier it will be, but it should easily undercut mid-range touring enduros. By way of comparison: a 790 Adventure weighs 203 kg dry.

The specification of the motorcycle shown suggests that development of the 690 Rally is likely to be largely complete. The official launch is therefore not expected to be long in coming.