KTM 690 Rally Arrives in October: The Rally Conversion Now Comes From the Factory

• 79 hp (58 kW) and 73 Nm (54 lb-ft) from the 692.7 cc LC4 single-cylinder
• 20 litres of total fuel capacity, split between a 13-litre rear tank and two front tanks
• 161.5 kg (356 lbs) without fuel, deliveries to dealers from October 2026

The story of the new KTM 690 Rally does not begin in Mattighofen, but in countless garages. For years the 690 Enduro R has been the most popular base for home-built rally machines. Anyone who wanted range, wind protection and a cockpit for navigation bought front tanks, a tower and brackets from the aftermarket and assembled the bike themselves. That exact package now arrives as a production model, and KTM explicitly places it in the tradition of the 640 Adventure, built from 1997 to 2007. Within the 2027 model year, the 690 Rally is one of those new arrivals that introduces no new technology but instead re-aims an existing platform.

What sets the KTM 690 Rally apart from the 690 Enduro R?

The most important difference lies in the fuel system and the cockpit. The 690 Rally largely carries over the engine, frame and suspension from the 690 Enduro R, but adds two front-mounted tanks, a dedicated rally tower with an integrated windscreen and bodywork tailored to long distances.

KTM describes the concept in its press release with a focus on “extended range, stability, and long-distance usability”. The campaign for the model runs under the title “GO OUT. MEET YOURSELF.” The frame is prepared for the new hardware: according to the manufacturer there are purpose-built mounting points through which the tower and front tanks are structurally attached. That is the key advantage over a retrofitted conversion, where the add-on parts always remain foreign bodies.

The extra equipment shows up on the scales. KTM quotes 161.5 kg (356 lbs) without fuel for the 690 Rally. Measured the same way, the 690 Enduro R sits at 152 kg (335 lbs). The surcharge in kilograms is therefore 9.5 kg (21 lbs). Compared with twin-cylinder adventure bikes, that remains a low figure.

How much range does the 20-litre tank deliver?

On paper, one tank filling covers around 476 kilometres. The two front tanks hold 7 litres between them, the rear tank adds 13 litres, for a total of 20 litres. On the 690 Enduro R the capacity is roughly 13 litres.

The calculation rests on the stated CO2 emissions of 99 g/km, from which a consumption of about 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres can be derived. In practice the figure is likely to vary considerably depending on surface and riding style. Fully fuelled, the weight sits at around 180 kg (397 lbs).

More interesting than the raw number is the control behind it. A switch unit on the handlebar lets the rider select which tank currently feeds the engine, front or rear. The reserve display always refers to the selected tank. That turns weight distribution into a riding decision: run the front dry and weight shifts rearwards, start at the back and the front stays heavier. According to reports the front tanks are made from translucent material, so the fuel level can also be judged from the outside.

The rear tank itself is not a new development but a familiar KTM solution: the subframe does not carry the tank, instead the tank is self-supporting and bolted to the steel frame.

Engine, chassis and brakes in detail

The powertrain sticks with what is proven. The liquid-cooled LC4 single with 692.7 cc produces 79 hp (58 kW) and delivers 73 Nm (54 lb-ft) of torque, with six gears. Engine management comes from Keihin, working with ride-by-wire and twin ignition. Bore and stroke measure 105 and 80 millimetres, and the clutch is a hydraulically operated slipper unit that prevents the rear wheel from hopping under rapid downshifts.

For long-distance use KTM quotes extended service intervals. An oil change is due every 15,000 kilometres, with valve clearance checks reportedly every 30,000 kilometres.

The chassis remains enduro-typical. Up front there is a WP XPLOR upside-down fork with 48-millimetre stanchions and 265 millimetres of travel, its functions split between the two legs: one leg handles compression, the other rebound, with the adjusters on top. At the rear a WP XPLOR shock with Pro-Lever linkage and 250 millimetres of travel is used, adjustable for rebound, high- and low-speed compression as well as spring preload.

The frame is a powder-coated chromium-molybdenum steel trellis unit, the wheelbase measures 1,506 millimetres, the steering head angle 62.3 degrees and the trail 121 millimetres. KTM quotes ground clearance of 265 millimetres. Braking is handled by a 300-millimetre disc with a two-piston Brembo floating caliper at the front and a 240-millimetre disc with a single-piston caliper at the rear. The spoked wheels measure 1.85 x 21 inches front and 2.5 x 18 inches rear, and KTM fits Continental TKC 80 tyres as standard.

What electronics does the KTM 690 Rally have on board?

Street and Offroad ride modes as well as cornering ABS and lean-angle-sensitive traction control are standard. The actual Rally mode is optional, according to the manufacturer.

The basis for the rider aids is a 6D sensor that registers lean angle and adjusts braking and traction interventions accordingly. In the optional Rally mode, traction control and throttle response can be configured individually. It also brings the Dynamic Slip Adjust function: it briefly allows the rear wheel more slip when additional traction is needed, then automatically returns to the preset level.

For off-road use there is Offroad ABS. It switches off the ABS at the rear wheel while it stays active at the front. A dedicated button can also disable the system completely. The clutch comes from Braktec and works hydraulically, and it is prepared for the equally optional Quickshifter+, which allows clutchless up- and downshifts.

Cockpit and ergonomics

The rally tower houses a 4.2-inch TFT display with backlit switchgear. Above it sits a pivoting mount offering space for GPS units, navigation instruments or a roadbook. Connectivity runs via KTMconnect with turn-by-turn directions plus music and phone control, joined by a USB-C socket and a 12-volt outlet.

The tower takes its design language from the 450 Rally Replica used in competition, and the LED lighting is derived from that model too. Unlike the race machine, however, the structure is made from plastic rather than carbon.

On ergonomics, KTM quotes a seat height of 935 millimetres. Individual media reports list a differing figure of 910 millimetres, while the manufacturer itself stays with 935 millimetres. The footpegs are wide and designed to prevent mud build-up, with optional rubber inserts available for road use.

What the 640 Adventure has to do with this project

Between 1997 and 2007 the 640 Adventure was KTM’s offering for hard off-road use with road approval. It used an LC4 single with 625 cc and a five-speed gearbox, with output of around 54 hp (40 kW). After it was discontinued, a gap remained in the model range that stayed open for almost two decades.

The engine itself looks back on an even longer history. The roots of the LC4 range reach back to 1987, when Joachim Sauer won the European Enduro Championship on a 350 LC4 prototype. Later the concept powered the rally bikes with which KTM found success at the Dakar, until changed displacement rules ended that campaign in 2011.

When does the KTM 690 Rally arrive and what will it cost?

Production starts in September 2026 at the Austrian plant, and the model is due to reach authorised dealers from October 2026. KTM has not yet named a price.

The technical basis offers a guide: the 690 Enduro R currently sits at 12,499 euros (around 14,565 US dollars). Since the Rally adds tanks, the tower and the bodywork, it is likely to sit above that. There is no official confirmation. The model is delivered with the premium manufacturer warranty of up to four years, which requires servicing according to the maintenance schedule at an authorised dealer.

It also remains open whether KTM has changed details that do not appear on the spec sheet. Whether the suspension has been adapted to the higher weight or the gearing revised is not clear from the information published so far.

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