The. Ktm 690/ Husky 701 with the new engine and a rally kit is a unicorn bike.... 74 bhp ( 86 if you do a little work ) and 145 kg dry. 🤩 The rally kit gives you wind protection, and if you buy a new Seat, it will be ok for longer rides as Well..... I did it... and love it 😊
That was my thought also (I have a new 2020 leftover 701 Enduro)... power/weight is pretty fantastic. However... having two 'stranding' level issues in the first 200 miles (fuel disconnect issue and slave cylinder failure) does not make me a happy KTM owner. clearly they've earned their reputation as the most unreliable brand.
Wondering where all the weight is? Simple, 2 cylinders (is too much). The Yamaha and 790 are approx. 205-210 kg wet. Go back to the first F800GS 10 years ago and it weighed 207 kg wet. No progress in 10 years. We now have the Africa twin auto breaking the scales at 240 kg and people believe they can routinely ride semi challenging dirt roads. I call that a total marketing victory over common sense. I am taking the opposite route. R1200GS/F800GS/Husky Terra/Suzuki DR650/KTM500EXC (highly modified). There is a 120+kg weight loss in that progression. Note that I am lucky to live in Australia where there is vast riding terrain.
We now have the Trans European Trail (TET) and a bunch of exciting middleweight adventure bikes, people with no off road experience are understandably believing the marketing hype, jumping in the deep end and risk learning the hard way. Off road is all about the capability of the rider not the bike and 200kg and 100bhp is alot to handle on anything other than flat easy trails.
Everything is a trade off with choosing a bike, I have gone for low weight/ease of handling and top of the line suspension. Yes there is more maintenance than an Africa twin but it’s not as bad as you hear from some people. My extensive research reveals that for non competitive usage with high gearing, you can comfortably go for 1200-1500 km oil changes and quite infrequent valve checks. As for reliability, I am following the travels of a Kiwi who has just passed 1600 hrs/122,00 km on his 500EXC with no problems. It helps being retired and having a 50 year involvement in dirt bikes.
I gave up on the one-bike-does-all experiment. All-purpose bikes don't perform exceptionally well on the street or offroad. They're just average, and that gets a little boring over time. It steals a little bit of excitement that you would otherwise be enjoying on a role-specific bike. I went back to a plated dirt bike for offroad/dual sport riding and a sporty road bike. I decide what kind of riding I want to do for the day and accept the limits of where I can go. I've enjoyed my riding much more since doing this. The ride is always thrilling! I know a 2-bike garage is not always an option. Adventure bikes can be the perfect thing for some people. If I had to choose, I'd go with the lightest bike that can travel at the speed you need to. Weight is your enemy offroad.
mld These adventure bike are perfect for that. The guy on the 690 seems to like the idea I’m pitching. Smaller is better if excitement (and safety) is what you want. I have two friends who have been injured badly in offroad crashes mainly because they were trying to go places on heavy adventure bikes where they shouldn’t. One is lucky to be alive. If you’re going to ride these bohemoths offroad, know your limitations and the bike’s limitations. Be safe.
If you are on a long (adventure) trip, it is all about to set your own priorities. If your focus is off-road (the real stuff, not dirt roads that can be done with most road bikes) you will love a single like the 690. But you will have to eat the frog on the freeway/highway. Although you can go very fast on a 690, you will be well shaken and aired when arriving. The mid size adventures are able to take a fair piece of dirt riding skills provided. But they are still a compromise that cannot be pushed as hard off-road and on pavement. Love it or leave it.
Well balanced critiques, thousands of forum pages condensed into one vid. Good work. I suspect that with some cash chucked at the T7, 60/40 is a possible result for those who are confident firing heavy weights at the scenery. The motor is a peach. Thank you for this series of videos.
Two weeks ago I badly crashed on my WR250r on a whoop section and fell on my hip. With the pain I barely manged to pull it up, although usually it's not a problem at all (132kg wet). So take an injury into consideration when you think about weight.
I love this t7 i had to buy one for long adventures but could never live without my ball tearing 500exc for off road performance its untouchable stable and eye watering fast ,Simple fix i need 2 bikes
So many of pro motocross riders have said the tenere 700 can do both really well, with a few mods. He may have lot's of miles behind him but he's not a pro rider. Thanks for the great vid.
Very informative episode thanks. Just to add to the pick up a bike tests; after a slippery moment on a green lane I put my ktm 1090 (road version) down on our lawn to see if I could pick it up. I hurt myself making the effort and had to get my son (who weight lifts) to pick it up. Which is why I'm watching your channel on the T7!!
Same here - picking my 1190r up is for me a maximum effort affair that leaves me absolutely f8cked for several minutes (using the same technique as in the vid). Do it 2 or 3 more times and i'm done. Looking at how you picked that T7 up (unless you're a lot stronger than the average bear) leaves me seriously considering this bike. Good to know the tank was full as well.
I ride a Africa Twin CRF DCT, it happened I had how to pick it up. With the right technique you can make it, and continue to ride. It's your legs which pick it up , not the arms. You turn your back to the bike, grab the bike at seat level, legs bent, back up right, and you push on your legs, while your arms are straight. 1st time is intense, 2nd easier, 3rd nearly easy. I experienced it twice on road, twice off road. Thanks to SW Motech crash bars !
Battling the question as well.. Absolutely love my T7, but the weight is an issue, I've started to look into the 690 seriously.. I know at least 5 people that made that transition to 690. I'm just worried about warranty 😅
That was great thanks!...the more I see of the T7 the more I like it!. Hopefully there will be some test rides available soon...I couldn't buy one without trying it first. Following your ownership experience with great interest!. Your friends Rally raid 690 looks good!! Cheers, Steve
@@MrAlphadeltabravo it looks a well sorted bike...and the Rally raid kit is excellent. My 'old friend ' is my XR650R...I love that bike!. My dilemma is my other bike..an XT660Z Tenere that I have spent time and money on...its a great bike but is the T7 a better Tenere.. ? Cheers Steve. Ps you mentioned Patsy Quick...I still have a Team Desert Rose tee shirt from her Dakar days, great rider.
Ive owned the KTM and 690 and it was horrible on any sort of high speed road. Okay around town or 2 lane backroads bearable but no good on any highways where you not only get blown around but the vibration becomes unbearable and limiting ( not to mention the uncomfortable seat which i changed out ) I really believe the Yamaha ( guessing here ) will be better for those wanting to jump on a highway or Super Strada as the motor is more capable, that being said off road the KTM is probably the way to go ? Best solution get a dirt bike and get a road bike...lol
T7 definitely better on road IMHO. As per the video, for me the T7 is a superb 80/20 on/offroad bike. Probably 70/30 or 60/40 or more in the right hands. Yamaha have done a super job with it.
Thanks lads just got rid of my GSA and, due to age, want a lighter bike to go off road and do some TET. First idea was the 690 or 701 but now thinking about the 501 husky. Its just that thing about how far would you want to ride that on the road. Anyway thanks for this most informing.
I bought the T7 to compliment my 1290 superduke. I live in France just 1 hr from Spain so summertime i'm often in the Aragon region where there are countless trails to explore which is why I bought the T7 & i'm definitely an very easy trail rider. I like the yam very much & find it comfortable enough for 300 to 400 km. My only real issue is the seat height, i'm 5ft 10 inches so not a shorty but I have a problem when I stop & try to maneuver on loose/rough surfaces.....so i'm going to put on the lowering kit this Friday which will bring the bike down 18mm without changing the riding position. I'll let you know what I think.
Aww , what a lovely personal message! Just for that I’ve added notifications to your channel. Time you were up there influencing with the flyers, vidas, pots and chops.
Great video. Weight matters ! The Tenere since inception was always intended as a Dual Sport rather than an ADV (single cylinder). I own an 2002 XT600 and it is 40 kg lighter and I would not swap it for the T7. In the end I purchased a 2020 ktm 690 as I was after a DS. I think its disappointing that they went with the twin rather than a single as my decision would of been much harder. If you are after an ADV bike then your selection has gotten bigger. IMO its not a Tenere but a good ADV bike.
I found the tenere to be heavy in front for slippery and loose surfaces. With a good knobby tyre in slippery conditions would make it better. Eng is too far forward and weight is felt when on dirt. Engine is great plenty of power overall once over 3800 rpm. Needs 2 teeth smaller sprocket for tighter trails. Rh engine cover and guard makes your right leg offset sitting and standing and pegs were not wide enough to componsate this area. Abit of vibrations at bars so smaller grips and grip puppies be good. Abit wide at tank. Suspension is stiff but can be adjusted easily. Seat was pretty good. Overall good bike but would prefer the ktm 790 or SWM supaduel X as weight is distributed evenly without the.weighty front for me. If i had the $$$ i would buy but not to have just for road and dry wide trails. Great review thanks boys
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Great video, Andrew! How hard is the seat? For non off road riding, where you would be mostly sitting, how many hours do you reckon you can sit on it before it starts hurting? Thanks Italo
Thanks! The Rally seat is not a comfort seat - it's fairly firm but seems to be "breaking in" a bit as the miles mount up. Longest trip so far is just under 200 miles and it was getting quite "pinchy" if you know what I mean. Standing up for 30 secs restores the blood flow to the buttocks nicely. I have yet to do proper long day on the bike. In any event, we as a group usually take a break every 100 miles anyway to stay fresh and alert.
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Andrew Tobin thanks for sharing, Andrew. Very good content indeed.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 I have the standard seat on my T7, had a ride on a mates T7 with the rally seat and found it to be harder and less comfortable which was a surprise ,however was easier to move around on when riding aggressively offroad.
For off road I used to run a Yamaha WR250, perfect for the trails but obviously not so great on road. I'm just sticking to my MT10 and LC road bikes because I kept crashing off road. Thanks for the comparison.
How would you compare the t7 vs 690? Handling on and off road? How much can you feel the weight difference? No regrets about not getting a lighter bike?
P S - The 690 is more agile in the muddy stuff. The T7 feels like a “bigger bike” by comparison, but still a real laugh to ride. I have no regrets about the T7 at all. It’s an 80% onroad and 20% offroad split for me so the T7 suits me fine. Yes it would be great if it was 50kg lighter, but we’re all waiting for that aren’t we.
The 690 will happily behave like a SuperMoto on road..particularly if you put on the SM wheels and rubber. This one is geared down for off road but will still do 70+mph. The Seat Concepts seat makes it comfortable and vibes vanish above 40mph. The 701 and 2019 690 both carry the smoother dual counterbalanced motor with 70bhp. The T7 is however more comfortable as a road biased bike. Off road the 690 romps with dedicated rubber. It's still heavy and over powered but agile enough to keep the line you want rather than it's own...
Oh yeah, the 390 ADV with 21” front and spokes...already have the 690, the T7 weight is a little bit confusing because it feels much lighter than it is, not sure if the t7 would be my next bike but I love that engine and KTM dealers at my country are pain in the ass...maybe the rumored 490 Adv in the roadmap?...
have y’all seen those harness straps delivery lads use to deliver refrigerators and other appliances? Just a thought. I thought they were a gimmick but after I tried it, could not believe how much easier to lift weight. Just need to figure out attachement point and shorten length to get up past pivot point
I'm getting older and the Yamaha is looking like a good answer to if I get into adventure riding. Not going to buy a bike made in China that's for sure. I've mostly just riden off road with dirt bikes. A lot on a couple of CR500's, CR20R in my teens to 30 years of age then got the KTM 520 MXC. Now with a plated (bookleg in California) KTM450 XCW that can go on roads but mainly to connect trails or go into towns to get gas and eat. My rider friends have not thought yet to go into Adventure riding so I will have to make new friends. Always get larger spring for both ends. If I can I will have bikes for all occasions. A dirt bike (KTM 300XC), Dual sport (KTM450 XCW) plated and the Yamaha T7 Adv. bike.
Yes it has... notably the latest motor from the Duke/701. I would ride mine on road all day and it's fine...some discomfort is a worthy price for some strong off road capability. The T7 would give a plush ride but you'll pay the price when asking too much in the dirt
Awesome video! You two have great chemistry. No doubt you guys headed straight to the nearest pub for a few cold ones after filming. :) Thanks for sharing.BTW I'm about to buy a KTM 690 Enduro R, mainly because it's lighter and I'm older. (72)
I have a 2019 690 Enduro R and after new handlebars, seat, bar weights, and isolaters I can say I like the bike. However I spend 85% of my time on the street, and I am wondering if the T7 is much smoother on the road and if its more grunty on the interstate? I don't want to move to an Africa Twin if I can help it. Height isn't an issue but less weight the better. Anyone have firsthand experience want to chime in? :D
Having ridden both, you’d find the T7 much more friendly on the road, and it will happily sit at 90mph on motorways. The KTM 790 is an interesting alternative to the T7 as well, with a more potent engine and some say better off road manners, but more expensive.
As you can see from our membership, there is an extremely rigorous selection procedure. And anyway it would mean re-doing all the sophisticated intro and end graphic special effects which is high budget stuff.
Just a point of view from ex 701 owner and current T7 owner: Instead of moaning about the 200 kg let's get some skills, and start riding bike properly... 150kg bike won't make you riding like a Chris Birch, and most of us will not ride any faster on lighter bikes (more lazy - yes). Especially UK green lanes are easy to moderate, and places like Salisbury Plains are waaaay to easy for bikes like 690/701, not even mentioning anything lighter... Another topic - bikes like 701/690 are pointless in UK - too little green lanes, too much tarmac between them. And if you want to hae fun on both you need to stick some 50/50 tyres on it, and at that point you loosing all benefits of lightweight offroad, as you have poor traction anyway. Instead is better to gett heavier / faster adventure machine, where you can enjoy tarmac more, and have a little more of the challenge on green lanes, or - get EXC bike and do some track days, where you can come across proper challenging offroad stuff. I have sold my 701 to get Tenere , simply becoause it's better suited to 70-30% road/offroad riding that every adventure biker in UK does... unless you loading your bike on the trailer, but then it's not adventure - it's enduro, and EXC would be better for you :-) Different story would be in Australia or even US, but in UK, where there is a gate to every forrest and every dog walker will report you to police if you wander anywhere else than "byway" lightweight adventure bikes like 701 or 690 are slightly misplaced, unless you want to cheat yourself on how much better rider they make you on tose short sections of easy green lanes, and you don't mind going slow between them.
Enjoyed the video, good balanced content, but lets be a bit careful about publishing ill informed comments such as (referring to BMW), 'They sent two blokes out there...Long way Down...etc..!'. Anyone who followed the series from the start knows that KTM passed on the opportunity to supply the bikes and BMW had the foresight to support the project! I have no affiliation with either brand, just don't like bullshit!
It's TRUE weight = bad. I think the weight of the old bmw GS 800 was around 165 kg. By all reports it was a great bike and very capable with a low center of gravity. A few suspension upgrades on one of those old girls and put it up next to the new 700 teny. Have we made much progress in 20 years..??? The marketing blokes have certainly prgressed
Lol .. the bloke with the Kato was clearly bleeding about the T-700, didn’t want to admit it felt good to ride or happy to give it a gee-up in any way.
Watch some of the many motorman (police motorcycle) instructional videos for some easier ways to pick up heavy fallen motorcycles. Your back will thank me later. Your video was great guys!!
Thanks - two of our members are actually ex police traffic people with much motorcycle expertise. Unfortunately neither were there when we filmed this one!
Hi Stephen - I was out on it at the weekend. Bloody lovely is the best answer. I am considering selling my MT10 and just going down to 1 bike as the Tenere is so good. Not as fast as the MT10 obviously, but rather more practical. Super bike - really enjoying it.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 Sounds like it's a keeper!, and my mind is pretty much made up...there are no more UA-cam videos or reviews left for me to devour...I've had a too short test ride and really liked it, and everyone is praises it!! . Should have done the pre order and saved some dosh...but it's still a sensible price . My one thing holding me back is my love of my current 660 Tenere, previous model...I might just hide it away!! Cheers Andrew, Steve
Laughing dog, dont get me wrong, i could easily enjoy the 790 on my rides but i carry my bike 2hrs from home and you have ro be really careful loading and unloading it. I ride solo and would hate to have to pick up 220kgs of bike, also i have nearly 50 years riding experience and prefer light weight and have done all my hard riding- the easy street for me now.
It's still nearly 200kgs. I'm hoping the 390 will get down below the 690's. I'm not saying the 790 isnt a great bike but off road is more about the rider's capability than the bike's and 100bhp and 200kgs definitely takes some experience IMHO.
Hummm not sure about that. The 690 out the showroom on OEM tyres is pretty road focussed. They need some prep for serious off road use, despite being an 'enduro'
For tall guys you're both struggling way too much to pick those bikes. I'm 5ft8in barefoot and I can pick my Africa Twin with literally half the effort, and I've broken quite a few bones myself. You're either acting for the camera or you need to hit the gym...
Hi Steve - thanks for your valuable feedback on this topic. There are numerous ways to pick up a bike. One of the most effective is to use the handlebar end nearest the ground, with the bars at full lock (so that bar end is the furthest from the tank) as the longest possible lever available to exert maximum leverage to raise the bike. This is the method used in this vid. You could also pull it up with your back to the bike and "walk it up", or wrench it skywards in a fit of adrenaline powered strength. YMMV.
The. Ktm 690/ Husky 701 with the new engine and a rally kit is a unicorn bike.... 74 bhp ( 86 if you do a little work ) and 145 kg dry. 🤩 The rally kit gives you wind protection, and if you buy a new Seat, it will be ok for longer rides as Well..... I did it... and love it 😊
That was my thought also (I have a new 2020 leftover 701 Enduro)... power/weight is pretty fantastic. However... having two 'stranding' level issues in the first 200 miles (fuel disconnect issue and slave cylinder failure) does not make me a happy KTM owner. clearly they've earned their reputation as the most unreliable brand.
@Javier Darius yup, I have been using Instaflixxer for years myself :D
@Javier Darius yea, been using instaflixxer for since december myself :D
@Javier Darius Yea, I have been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself =)
Wondering where all the weight is? Simple, 2 cylinders (is too much). The Yamaha and 790 are approx. 205-210 kg wet. Go back to the first F800GS 10 years ago and it weighed 207 kg wet. No progress in 10 years. We now have the Africa twin auto breaking the scales at 240 kg and people believe they can routinely ride semi challenging dirt roads. I call that a total marketing victory over common sense. I am taking the opposite route. R1200GS/F800GS/Husky Terra/Suzuki DR650/KTM500EXC (highly modified). There is a 120+kg weight loss in that progression. Note that I am lucky to live in Australia where there is vast riding terrain.
DKW125 Good points well argued. That’s a similar route to Andy B as well - he’s looking lighter and lighter wherever possible.
We now have the Trans European Trail (TET) and a bunch of exciting middleweight adventure bikes, people with no off road experience are understandably believing the marketing hype, jumping in the deep end and risk learning the hard way. Off road is all about the capability of the rider not the bike and 200kg and 100bhp is alot to handle on anything other than flat easy trails.
what about the maintenance of the 500exc?
Everything is a trade off with choosing a bike, I have gone for low weight/ease of handling and top of the line suspension. Yes there is more maintenance than an Africa twin but it’s not as bad as you hear from some people. My extensive research reveals that for non competitive usage with high gearing, you can comfortably go for 1200-1500 km oil changes and quite infrequent valve checks. As for reliability, I am following the travels of a Kiwi who has just passed 1600 hrs/122,00 km on his 500EXC with no problems. It helps being retired and having a 50 year involvement in dirt bikes.
it your worried about weight go for a jog
I gave up on the one-bike-does-all experiment. All-purpose bikes don't perform exceptionally well on the street or offroad. They're just average, and that gets a little boring over time. It steals a little bit of excitement that you would otherwise be enjoying on a role-specific bike. I went back to a plated dirt bike for offroad/dual sport riding and a sporty road bike. I decide what kind of riding I want to do for the day and accept the limits of where I can go. I've enjoyed my riding much more since doing this. The ride is always thrilling! I know a 2-bike garage is not always an option. Adventure bikes can be the perfect thing for some people. If I had to choose, I'd go with the lightest bike that can travel at the speed you need to. Weight is your enemy offroad.
Agreed. Everyone needs a min 3 bikes: Tour, Scratch,Dirt 😊
mld These adventure bike are perfect for that. The guy on the 690 seems to like the idea I’m pitching. Smaller is better if excitement (and safety) is what you want.
I have two friends who have been injured badly in offroad crashes mainly because they were trying to go places on heavy adventure bikes where they
shouldn’t. One is lucky to be alive. If you’re going to ride these bohemoths offroad, know your limitations and the bike’s limitations. Be safe.
If you are on a long (adventure) trip, it is all about to set your own priorities. If your focus is off-road (the real stuff, not dirt roads that can be done with most road bikes) you will love a single like the 690. But you will have to eat the frog on the freeway/highway. Although you can go very fast on a 690, you will be well shaken and aired when arriving. The mid size adventures are able to take a fair piece of dirt riding skills provided. But they are still a compromise that cannot be pushed as hard off-road and on pavement. Love it or leave it.
Well balanced critiques, thousands of forum pages condensed into one vid. Good work. I suspect that with some cash chucked at the T7, 60/40 is a possible result for those who are confident firing heavy weights at the scenery. The motor is a peach. Thank you for this series of videos.
Two weeks ago I badly crashed on my WR250r on a whoop section and fell on my hip. With the pain I barely manged to pull it up, although usually it's not a problem at all (132kg wet). So take an injury into consideration when you think about weight.
I have a wr250r and have been thinking about adventurising it. Only problem is the fuel rang and luggage
I love this t7 i had to buy one for long adventures but could never live without my ball tearing 500exc for off road performance its untouchable stable and eye watering fast ,Simple fix i need 2 bikes
Thanks for the measurements Andrew ! Great video. From CT, U.S.A.
So many of pro motocross riders have said the tenere 700 can do both really well, with a few mods.
He may have lot's of miles behind him but he's not a pro rider.
Thanks for the great vid.
Very informative episode thanks. Just to add to the pick up a bike tests; after a slippery moment on a green lane I put my ktm 1090 (road version) down on our lawn to see if I could pick it up. I hurt myself making the effort and had to get my son (who weight lifts) to pick it up. Which is why I'm watching your channel on the T7!!
Same here - picking my 1190r up is for me a maximum effort affair that leaves me absolutely f8cked for several minutes (using the same technique as in the vid). Do it 2 or 3 more times and i'm done. Looking at how you picked that T7 up (unless you're a lot stronger than the average bear) leaves me seriously considering this bike. Good to know the tank was full as well.
I ride a Africa Twin CRF DCT, it happened I had how to pick it up. With the right technique you can make it, and continue to ride. It's your legs which pick it up , not the arms. You turn your back to the bike, grab the bike at seat level, legs bent, back up right, and you push on your legs, while your arms are straight. 1st time is intense, 2nd easier, 3rd nearly easy. I experienced it twice on road, twice off road. Thanks to SW Motech crash bars !
I really enjoy your videos and comments. Thank you so much!!
Your videos are pure quality. Every single one of them!
Thanks Steven - much appreciated!
Good stuff, thanks for the videos! Subscribed and looking forward to more!
Best test ever! This is the most practical channel ever!
Battling the question as well..
Absolutely love my T7, but the weight is an issue, I've started to look into the 690 seriously..
I know at least 5 people that made that transition to 690.
I'm just worried about warranty 😅
That was great thanks!...the more I see of the T7 the more I like it!. Hopefully there will be some test rides available soon...I couldn't buy one without trying it first. Following your ownership experience with great interest!. Your friends Rally raid 690 looks good!! Cheers, Steve
Thanks Steve. There's loads more done to the 690 than mentioned and it's trusty old friend!
@@MrAlphadeltabravo it looks a well sorted bike...and the Rally raid kit is excellent. My 'old friend ' is my XR650R...I love that bike!. My dilemma is my other bike..an XT660Z Tenere that I have spent time and money on...its a great bike but is the T7 a better Tenere.. ? Cheers Steve. Ps you mentioned Patsy Quick...I still have a Team Desert Rose tee shirt from her Dakar days, great rider.
Ive owned the KTM and 690 and it was horrible on any sort of high speed road. Okay around town or 2 lane backroads bearable but no good on any highways where you not only get blown around but the vibration becomes unbearable and limiting ( not to mention the uncomfortable seat which i changed out ) I really believe the Yamaha ( guessing here ) will be better for those wanting to jump on a highway or Super Strada as the motor is more capable, that being said off road the KTM is probably the way to go ? Best solution get a dirt bike and get a road bike...lol
T7 definitely better on road IMHO. As per the video, for me the T7 is a superb 80/20 on/offroad bike. Probably 70/30 or 60/40 or more in the right hands. Yamaha have done a super job with it.
Thanks lads just got rid of my GSA and, due to age, want a lighter bike to go off road and do some TET. First idea was the 690 or 701 but now thinking about the 501 husky. Its just that thing about how far would you want to ride that on the road. Anyway thanks for this most informing.
I bought the T7 to compliment my 1290 superduke. I live in France just 1 hr from Spain so summertime i'm often in the Aragon region where there are countless trails to explore which is why I bought the T7 & i'm definitely an very easy trail rider. I like the yam very much & find it comfortable enough for 300 to 400 km. My only real issue is the seat height, i'm 5ft 10 inches so not a shorty but I have a problem when I stop & try to maneuver on loose/rough surfaces.....so i'm going to put on the lowering kit this Friday which will bring the bike down 18mm without changing the riding position. I'll let you know what I think.
I had a 1290SDGT...awesome bike!
Nice comparison and nice review. Like you said, it all depends on what you want to do!
Soon, the GS will have a button to engage the artificially-intelligent electro-hydraulic pickup assist.
My fingers are crossed for the 390 Adventure. God, please make it light!
And, are you disappointed?
Aww , what a lovely personal message! Just for that I’ve added notifications to your channel. Time you were up there influencing with the flyers, vidas, pots and chops.
Great video. Weight matters !
The Tenere since inception was always intended as a Dual Sport rather than an ADV (single cylinder). I own an 2002 XT600 and it is 40 kg lighter and I would not swap it for the T7.
In the end I purchased a 2020 ktm 690 as I was after a DS. I think its disappointing that they went with the twin rather than a single as my decision would of been much harder.
If you are after an ADV bike then your selection has gotten bigger.
IMO its not a Tenere but a good ADV bike.
Keep these T7 vids coming. I'm having a personal battle with myself whether to swap out my ATAS for one, still miss my 660z.
I have the KTM 690 - I'm moving. Thanks Andrew for the measurements !
it would be nice to see the actual weight of his modded ktm 690 wet.
160 kg
I found the tenere to be heavy in front for slippery and loose surfaces.
With a good knobby tyre in slippery conditions would make it better.
Eng is too far forward and weight is felt when on dirt.
Engine is great plenty of power overall once over 3800 rpm.
Needs 2 teeth smaller sprocket for tighter trails.
Rh engine cover and guard makes your right leg offset sitting and standing and pegs were not wide enough to componsate this area.
Abit of vibrations at bars so smaller grips and grip puppies be good.
Abit wide at tank.
Suspension is stiff but can be adjusted easily.
Seat was pretty good.
Overall good bike but would prefer the ktm 790 or SWM supaduel X as weight is distributed evenly without the.weighty front for me.
If i had the $$$ i would buy but not to have just for road and dry wide trails.
Great review thanks boys
Great video, Andrew!
How hard is the seat? For non off road riding, where you would be mostly sitting, how many hours do you reckon you can sit on it before it starts hurting?
Thanks
Italo
Thanks! The Rally seat is not a comfort seat - it's fairly firm but seems to be "breaking in" a bit as the miles mount up. Longest trip so far is just under 200 miles and it was getting quite "pinchy" if you know what I mean. Standing up for 30 secs restores the blood flow to the buttocks nicely. I have yet to do proper long day on the bike. In any event, we as a group usually take a break every 100 miles anyway to stay fresh and alert.
Andrew Tobin thanks for sharing, Andrew.
Very good content indeed.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 I have the standard seat on my T7, had a ride on a mates T7 with the rally seat and found it to be harder and less comfortable which was a surprise ,however was easier to move around on when riding aggressively offroad.
For off road I used to run a Yamaha WR250, perfect for the trails but obviously not so great on road. I'm just sticking to my MT10 and LC road bikes because I kept crashing off road. Thanks for the comparison.
If your not crashing off road then your not having fun......
Has anybody ever told you resemble Captain Picard? Appreciate the comparison.
I was just thinking "it's great that Patrick Stewart is into off road riding. I would have never thought."
Damn yes... Jean Paul Picard..his younger Brother :)
there is no unicorn ,got a T7 for adv touring but not planning on selling my 500exc in any hurry
How would you compare the t7 vs 690? Handling on and off road? How much can you feel the weight difference? No regrets about not getting a lighter bike?
P S - The 690 is more agile in the muddy stuff. The T7 feels like a “bigger bike” by comparison, but still a real laugh to ride. I have no regrets about the T7 at all. It’s an 80% onroad and 20% offroad split for me so the T7 suits me fine. Yes it would be great if it was 50kg lighter, but we’re all waiting for that aren’t we.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 s
Sounds perfectly reasonable. Thank you for your comment.
The 690 will happily behave like a SuperMoto on road..particularly if you put on the SM wheels and rubber. This one is geared down for off road but will still do 70+mph. The Seat Concepts seat makes it comfortable and vibes vanish above 40mph. The 701 and 2019 690 both carry the smoother dual counterbalanced motor with 70bhp. The T7 is however more comfortable as a road biased bike. Off road the 690 romps with dedicated rubber. It's still heavy and over powered but agile enough to keep the line you want rather than it's own...
@@MrAlphadeltabravo Agreed!
They call that bike a 690/ 700/701@@beardedbaldbikers4634
Oh yeah, the 390 ADV with 21” front and spokes...already have the 690, the T7 weight is a little bit confusing because it feels much lighter than it is, not sure if the t7 would be my next bike but I love that engine and KTM dealers at my country are pain in the ass...maybe the rumored 490 Adv in the roadmap?...
have y’all seen those harness straps delivery lads use to deliver refrigerators and other appliances? Just a thought. I thought they were a gimmick but after I tried it, could not believe how much easier to lift weight. Just need to figure out attachement point and shorten length to get up past pivot point
Very good video. Very good perspective. Very useful information. Overall a must watch video if you're not an experienced rider. A big thumbs up.
20:40 You could also consider the AJP PR7.
701 is 50 / 50.
Road manners great.
Off road all good.
690 / 700 / 701 are the UNICORN
Hi thanks for the video, what is the brand of your bikestand that we see at the end ? Thanks.
TMAX Belgium Its an Oxford stand. Not the best really. Its a bit wobbly.
Andrew Tobin thanks 👍🏻
The 690 actually sits closer to 70 HP at the crank. and has 50 "lbs of torque. Great comment when he made the suggestion regarding the T-7 and GS..
enjoyed that , well done lads. still trying to figure where all the weight is on my africa twin. think most of it is on me !
how much was your first service out of interest
I'm getting older and the Yamaha is looking like a good answer to if I get into adventure riding. Not going to buy a bike made in China that's for sure.
I've mostly just riden off road with dirt bikes. A lot on a couple of CR500's, CR20R in my teens to 30 years of age then got the KTM 520 MXC. Now with a plated (bookleg in California) KTM450 XCW that can go on roads but mainly to connect trails or go into towns to get gas and eat. My rider friends have not thought yet to go into Adventure riding so I will have to make new friends. Always get larger spring for both ends.
If I can I will have bikes for all occasions. A dirt bike (KTM 300XC), Dual sport (KTM450 XCW) plated and the Yamaha T7 Adv. bike.
How is it going with the Tenere...? Cheers, Steve
The 2019 ktm 690 has loads of improvements over the previous year models... so, not really a fair comparisation.
Yes it has... notably the latest motor from the Duke/701. I would ride mine on road all day and it's fine...some discomfort is a worthy price for some strong off road capability. The T7 would give a plush ride but you'll pay the price when asking too much in the dirt
Great stuff, again!
Awesome video! You two have great chemistry. No doubt you guys headed straight to the nearest pub for a few cold ones after filming. :) Thanks for sharing.BTW I'm about to buy a KTM 690 Enduro R, mainly because it's lighter and I'm older. (72)
Not really a true comparison they used a T7 with no extras on it against a 690 with all extras on it. Not apples against apples
"like Charlie and whatshisname"... bet you made Charlie's day with that comment. ;-)
Next time bring along a third mate to film you actually riding the bikes, that'd be far more interesting than 27 minutes of talking about them.
Thanks. See other video if you can bear it.
I have a 2019 690 Enduro R and after new handlebars, seat, bar weights, and isolaters I can say I like the bike. However I spend 85% of my time on the street, and I am wondering if the T7 is much smoother on the road and if its more grunty on the interstate? I don't want to move to an Africa Twin if I can help it. Height isn't an issue but less weight the better. Anyone have firsthand experience want to chime in? :D
Having ridden both, you’d find the T7 much more friendly on the road, and it will happily sit at 90mph on motorways. The KTM 790 is an interesting alternative to the T7 as well, with a more potent engine and some say better off road manners, but more expensive.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 I really appreciate you taking the time to respond
There is no way that 690 is 140 with all of that extra fuel and accessories
140 dry....clearly when on day rides it's not fully fuelled.
is the t7 seat comfortable?
Ktm 690 is 160kg wet, and closer to the unicorn duel sport than any other bike.
That sounds like the 2019 MY...with the new motor? Earlier versions were 150.
Except for any distance work or reliability.
Heeeeyy.... I'm a bearded bald motorcyclist, where's my invitation???
As you can see from our membership, there is an extremely rigorous selection procedure. And anyway it would mean re-doing all the sophisticated intro and end graphic special effects which is high budget stuff.
Ah Andrew, I put down a deposit yesterday in the U.S.A., was told it would be a while, then left on my KTM 690.
How have you mounted your quad lock up there?
BigBear Boyes it’s on a Ram mount
Great video!
Just a point of view from ex 701 owner and current T7 owner: Instead of moaning about the 200 kg let's get some skills, and start riding bike properly... 150kg bike won't make you riding like a Chris Birch, and most of us will not ride any faster on lighter bikes (more lazy - yes). Especially UK green lanes are easy to moderate, and places like Salisbury Plains are waaaay to easy for bikes like 690/701, not even mentioning anything lighter... Another topic - bikes like 701/690 are pointless in UK - too little green lanes, too much tarmac between them. And if you want to hae fun on both you need to stick some 50/50 tyres on it, and at that point you loosing all benefits of lightweight offroad, as you have poor traction anyway. Instead is better to gett heavier / faster adventure machine, where you can enjoy tarmac more, and have a little more of the challenge on green lanes, or - get EXC bike and do some track days, where you can come across proper challenging offroad stuff. I have sold my 701 to get Tenere , simply becoause it's better suited to 70-30% road/offroad riding that every adventure biker in UK does... unless you loading your bike on the trailer, but then it's not adventure - it's enduro, and EXC would be better for you :-) Different story would be in Australia or even US, but in UK, where there is a gate to every forrest and every dog walker will report you to police if you wander anywhere else than "byway" lightweight adventure bikes like 701 or 690 are slightly misplaced, unless you want to cheat yourself on how much better rider they make you on tose short sections of easy green lanes, and you don't mind going slow between them.
not a single sentence on the suspension, only weight weight weight... 😢
Coming from a 950Adv I’d love to here more of a comparison! What did you say at 10:45 when you said “The 990 felt a lot more ???? than that”...
need a digger to pick a gs up. tyres look shit on the t7 better rubber less crashing off road.
Tyres not bad except in slimy mud. Proper knobblies required for proper serious off-road stuff.
Thanks for the informative video. Only thing is talking two at a time takes away from it.
Thanks. Useful.
My bike is 430lb. I've dropped it a lot and I've decided it's the maximum weight I can pick up after a day of riding.
Enjoyed the video, good balanced content, but lets be a bit careful about publishing ill informed comments such as (referring to BMW), 'They sent two blokes out there...Long way Down...etc..!'. Anyone who followed the series from the start knows that KTM passed on the opportunity to supply the bikes and BMW had the foresight to support the project! I have no affiliation with either brand, just don't like bullshit!
It's TRUE weight = bad. I think the weight of the old bmw GS 800 was around 165 kg. By all reports it was a great bike and very capable with a low center of gravity.
A few suspension upgrades on one of those old girls and put it up next to the new 700 teny. Have we made much progress in 20 years..???
The marketing blokes have certainly prgressed
Nice review.
Lol .. the bloke with the Kato was clearly bleeding about the T-700, didn’t want to admit it felt good to ride or happy to give it a gee-up in any way.
Hi. Sorry I didnt have that objective and tried to give a balanced view. I liked the T7 but this was an off road test and I think it has it limits...
Whats its top speed?
Sufficient.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 the tracer 700 can reach 200~220kmph so im guessing 180~200kmph for the tenere 700
YAMAHA WHY YOU CAN'T DO DUAL SPORT ENDURO BIKE ???? LIKE YAMAHA 700 R ENDURO (DUAL SPORT BIKE )
Watch some of the many motorman (police motorcycle) instructional videos for some easier ways to pick up heavy fallen motorcycles. Your back will thank me later. Your video was great guys!!
Thanks - two of our members are actually ex police traffic people with much motorcycle expertise. Unfortunately neither were there when we filmed this one!
How is the Tenere going....you still enjoying the bike...? Cheers, Steve
Hi Stephen - I was out on it at the weekend. Bloody lovely is the best answer. I am considering selling my MT10 and just going down to 1 bike as the Tenere is so good. Not as fast as the MT10 obviously, but rather more practical. Super bike - really enjoying it.
@@beardedbaldbikers4634 Sounds like it's a keeper!, and my mind is pretty much made up...there are no more UA-cam videos or reviews left for me to devour...I've had a too short test ride and really liked it, and everyone is praises it!! . Should have done the pre order and saved some dosh...but it's still a sensible price . My one thing holding me back is my love of my current 660 Tenere, previous model...I might just hide it away!! Cheers Andrew, Steve
More videos Andrew !
690 is 145 kg without fuel
160 with full tank
Laughing dog, dont get me wrong, i could easily enjoy the 790 on my rides but i carry my bike 2hrs from home and you have ro be really careful loading and unloading it. I ride solo and would hate to have to pick up 220kgs of bike, also i have nearly 50 years riding experience and prefer light weight and have done all my hard riding- the easy street for me now.
Kato guy was bleeding a bit after he rode it.
There is a unicorn bike, the 790R. .....
It's still nearly 200kgs. I'm hoping the 390 will get down below the 690's. I'm not saying the 790 isnt a great bike but off road is more about the rider's capability than the bike's and 100bhp and 200kgs definitely takes some experience IMHO.
Sounds like the guy doesn't want a 50/50 bike. He just wants a KTM 450 with license plates. His idea of road worthiness is completely off.
I have a Beta 300 2T for trail riding...😊
Wheres all the footage of it offroad :(
no one ever seems to ride/test these things anywhere but hard pack do they?
We did have about a foot of mud, but we’re sadly lacking sand dunes here in Surrey.
the GSs are actually easier to pick up ;)
Nice.
KTM 690 us just a dirt bike, nothing comparable to 700.
Hummm not sure about that. The 690 out the showroom on OEM tyres is pretty road focussed. They need some prep for serious off road use, despite being an 'enduro'
@AM: Completely right!
Just get a Vstrom and be done with it, lol
For tall guys you're both struggling way too much to pick those bikes. I'm 5ft8in barefoot and I can pick my Africa Twin with literally half the effort, and I've broken quite a few bones myself. You're either acting for the camera or you need to hit the gym...
Bearded Bald Bikers, I guess I fit into
Пока накопишь на эти мотоциклы станешь старым пердуном, как эти райдеры.
Be nice to see you doing some riding rahter than talking!!
How to upgrade an enduro bike for Adv dual sport use here ua-cam.com/video/vxOQFzSce9o/v-deo.html
Why don't these two blokes know how to lift a motorcycle......
Hi Steve - thanks for your valuable feedback on this topic. There are numerous ways to pick up a bike. One of the most effective is to use the handlebar end nearest the ground, with the bars at full lock (so that bar end is the furthest from the tank) as the longest possible lever available to exert maximum leverage to raise the bike. This is the method used in this vid. You could also pull it up with your back to the bike and "walk it up", or wrench it skywards in a fit of adrenaline powered strength. YMMV.
The call for a lightweight Adv bike ua-cam.com/video/ERHH927p_rw/v-deo.html