KTM has officially revealed the 2027 690 Rally, a factory-built rally-raid motorcycle based on the 690 Enduro R platform. The Austrian brand positions it as the spiritual successor to the 640 Adventure, which ran from 1997 to 2007 with a 625cc five-speed single.
Power comes from KTM’s latest LC4 single-cylinder engine, a 692.7cc unit producing 79 PS (roughly 78 horsepower) and 73 Nm (54 lb-ft) of torque. A six-speed gearbox handles shifting, and KTM claims 15,000 km (9,000-mile) service intervals for long-distance use.
Factory Rally Hardware
The biggest departure from the standard 690 Enduro R is up front. KTM fitted a purpose-built rally tower with an integrated windscreen and LED lighting sourced from the 450 Rally Replica.
Two additional 3.5-liter front fuel tanks bring total capacity to 20 liters. A handlebar-mounted switch lets riders toggle between front and rear tanks, with the reserve warning tied to whichever tank is selected.
Underneath the rally hardware sits the 690 Enduro R’s chassis, including fully adjustable WP XPLOR suspension and a 21-inch front, 18-inch rear wheel combination shod in Continental TKC 80 tires. Seat height is 935mm, and claimed weight comes in at 161.5 kg without fuel.
Electronics and Availability
Ride modes span Street, Off-road, and an optional Rally mode that opens up traction control and throttle response adjustments. Cornering ABS and cornering MTC use a 6D sensor to adapt braking and traction during cornering, while Dynamic Slip Adjust in Rally mode automatically increases permitted wheel spin when traction allows.
A Braktec hydraulic clutch integrates with the optional Quickshifter+ for clutchless up and down shifts. Braking duties fall to Brembo, with a two-piston caliper on a 300mm front disc and a single-pot unit biting a 240mm rear.
Off-road ABS lets riders disable the rear wheel while keeping front assistance, or kill everything via a dedicated button. I like that KTM built these controls into the switch cubes rather than burying them in menus.
Every 690 Rally ships with KTM’s four-year Premium Manufacturer’s Warranty, the same coverage the company extended to its 450 SMR earlier this year. Production starts in September with bikes reaching dealers in October 2026.
UK pricing has not been confirmed, and no US MSRP has been announced. Given the rally tower, additional fuel tanks, and factory assembly, expect a meaningful premium over the $13,399 690 Enduro R.
The LC4 engine family has roots stretching back to 1987, when a 350cc prototype carried Joachim Sauer to a European Enduro Championship title. That same lineage powered KTM’s Dakar-winning rally bikes until capacity rules ended its competition career in 2011.
Source: Motorcycle News, ADB Magazine
