KTM Archives | Wind Burned Eyes

KTM Unveils 690 Rally as Successor to the 640 Adventure

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.

Why KTM’s 450 SMR Warranty Matters Beyond Supermoto

For 2027, KTM is doing something unusual with its 450 SMR competition supermoto bike. The company is backing it with a four-year manufacturer warranty.

The engine and chassis carry over from last year. But the warranty move tells a bigger story about KTM trying to repair buyer confidence after a difficult stretch.

Could the Two Upcoming KTM Sportbikes Be Big Wins for the Company?

CEO of KTM Gottfried Neumeister has officially confirmed that the Austrian manufacturer is developing two new fully faired KTM sportbikes to expand its low-to-mid-displacement lineup.

The announcement confirms that KTM is actively working on the 490 RC and the 790 RC, bringing sharp fairings back to categories where the brand previously scaled back.

Can You Buy a Factory Dakar Bike? Meet the 2027 KTM 450 Rally Replica

KTM’s 2027 450 Rally Replica is finally arriving, and it’s the closest thing to an actual Dakar-winning machine that any of us will ever ride. Built directly from the Austrian brand’s legendary factory race program, the 450cc single-cylinder bike combines proven rally DNA with modern touring technology.

This isn’t your typical middleweight adventure bike. The 450 Rally Replica is purpose-built for desert racing, featuring KTM’s rally-specific 450cc fuel-injected SOHC engine paired with a six-speed gearbox and Brembo hydraulic clutch.

Video Analysis: KTM 990 Duke vs Yamaha MT-09 SP

The fine gents across the pond at Motorcycle News (MCN) recently pit the reigning middleweight champion, the Yamaha MT-09 SP, against the long-awaited challenger, the KTM 990 Duke R.

This video (included below) is a great comparison piece that’s worth a watch. I’ll also provide my own opinion on these two awesome bikes below.

Custom KTM 690 Enduro R by David Nast Cole

This is “The Feral Princess,” a heavily modified 2010 KTM 690 Enduro R, and she was built by David Nast Cole, a filmmaker and artist out of Los Angeles.

David’s journey into the world of motorcycles began during the pandemic, and after a serious 6,000-mile cross-country trip, he wanted a bike that could handle both the highways and the dirt, but he just couldn’t stand the look of those modern adventure bikes.

The KTM 790 Adventure and 790 Duke Were Cut From the US Lineup

The winds of change blow through the motorcycle world, and sometimes, they carry a whisper of what’s no longer coming ashore. KTM has, with a quiet nod, pared down its American lineup.

For a while there, we saw the 790 Duke, a sharp street scalpel, and the 790 Adventure, a capable wanderer, gracing the virtual showrooms. But now, like a desert mirage, they’ve simply… faded from the U.S. website.

It Looks Like Bajaj Saved KTM

In the ever-turbulent world of motorcycles, where the roar of engines often masks the whispers of boardroom deals, KTM finds itself once again at the crossroads of survival and collapse after its tough last year.

The Austrian marque, renowned for its off-road prowess, has been grappling with financial headwinds that threaten to stall its journey.

Stefan Pierer Has Officially Resigned From KTM AG

The king is stepping back, but not too far. After 33 years at the helm, Stefan Pierer has officially resigned from KTM AG, leaving CEO Gottfried Neumeister to clean up the mess. The company has been in self-administration since November, weighed down by more than €2 billion in liabilities.

The plan? Pay creditors a 30% cash quota—about €548 million—while scrambling to raise €800 million in fresh capital. Meanwhile, KTM’s production lines have been idle since mid-December.

Who Saved KTM? A Mystery

KTM’s been on the ropes, bleeding cash and goodwill like a bad high-side at full lean. Insolvency, layoffs, busted camshafts, and a MotoGP team playing the corporate version of musical chairs.

The Austrian powerhouse even offloaded MV Agusta just months after taking the reins. Stefan Pierer, the man who built KTM into a juggernaut, stepped down—but only halfway, because he’s still hanging around as co-CEO.