KTM 690 Enduro R (2019+) Simplified Maintenance Schedule

This is the simplified maintenance schedule for the KTM 690 Enduro R as made from 2019 onward.

In 2019, KTM updated its long-running KTM 690 Enduro R. They significantly revised the engine, giving it more power and fewer vibes by way of a counter-balancer.

As with the previous gen, the 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R is based on a 690cc SOHC 4-valve engine with ride-by-wire and two spark plugs. The 2019+ KTM 690 Enduro R makes peak power of 55 kW (74 hp) at 8000 rpm — making the ~160 kg / ~350 lb (with a full tank) dual sport bike quite spritely.

But the 2019+ KTM 690 Enduro R is much smoother than its predecessor and also has a lot more keep-you-alive electronics.

The KTM 690 Enduro R is still being made, not really threatened by the parallel twin-powered KTM 890 Adventure R.

This was originally published November 1, 2021, but has since been updated with a lot more detail.

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KTM 690 Enduro R Service Intervals

The KTM 690 Enduro R has a single-cylinder engine that’s tuned quite aggressively, so the service intervals are appropriately short.

You have to do a service on the 690 Enduro R every 10000 km (6200 miles), at which point you change the oil and filter, clean the oil screens, change the air filter and fuel screen, and check the valve clearances. You also need to change the oil and filter annually if you don’t do the distance in that time.

Luckily the valve clearance check isn’t too involved, as there’s just one piston and the valves are easy to read and adjust.

Spark plug changes are every two services, but while you have the plugs out for the valve service you should inspect them.

Finally, keep you brake fluid and coolant up to date, every two and four years respectively.

What you need to service your KTM 690 Enduro R (2019+)

Aside from basic motorcycle maintenance tools, here’s what you need to do a service on your KTM 690 Enduro R.

Part	KTM 690 Enduro R spec
Engine oil	The manual specifies Motorex Power Synthetic 4T 10W/50, or another SAE 10W-50 fully synthetic engine oil that meets JASO T903 MA2 spec, e.g. Motul 7100 10W-50.
Oil filter	Use part number 58038005100 or Hiflofiltro part HF155, a popular equivalent. (This oil filter is used in most KTM adventure bikes.)
Fork oil	The manual recommends SAE 4 fork oil, e.g. Motorex 4W fork oil.
Brake fluid	The manual requires DOT 4 or DOT 5.1, recommending Castrol DOT 4 or Motorex DOT 5.1 brake fluid.
Air filter	Use a K&N KT-6908 air filter, which has been the same on all 690 Enduro R models since 2009.
Coolant	KTM recommends Motorex Coolant M3.0 or other “high-grade, silicate-free coolant with corrosion inhibitors”.
Spark plug	You need two NGK Iridium IX spark plugs — LKAR9BI-10 for the inside spark plug, and LMAR7DI-10 for the outside spark plug.
Chain maintenance	Use Motul chain paste, a conveniently small and highly regarded chain lubricant.

Maintenance Schedule for the KTM 690 Enduro R (2019+)

The KTM 690 Enduro R’s maintenance is split up into “required” and “recommended” maintenance.

The service interval for the 690 Enduro R is every 10000 km (6200 mi) OR every year. After either the distance interval or time period has passed, check to see what’s due.

Items that need dealer-specific tools or resources are marked [Dealer].

To simplify the maintenance schedule for the KTM 690 Enduro R, we’ve broken it out into two parts:

1. The maintenance schedule
2. The standard inspection checklist, which you do with every minor service, and

Service Schedule

Below is the maintenance that you should do regularly on your KTM bike.

This is a combination of the “required” and “recommended” maintenance tables from the manual

miles x 1000	0.62	6.2	12.4
km x 1000	1	10	20	Every
Perform the full multi-point inspection (see regular maintenance checklist below)	✓	✓	✓	Year
Change the engine oil	✓	✓	✓	Year
Change the oil filter.	✓	✓	✓	Year
Change the air filter (KT-6908), clean the air filter box		✓	✓
Check the valve clearances (cold) Intake: 0.10-0.15mm Exhaust: 0.22-0.27 mm		✓	✓
Change the spark plugs (NGK Iridium IX: LKAR9BI-10, LMAR7DI-10)			✓
Change the fuel screen	✓
Change the front brake fluid. (Castrol DOT 4)				2 years
Change the rear brake fluid. (Castrol DOT 4)				2 years
Change the hydraulic clutch fluid (Castrol DOT 4)				2 years
Change the coolant (Motorex Coolant M3.0)				4 years
Clean the dust boots of the fork legs		✓	✓
Check for fork bearing for play		✓	✓
Check the headlight setting.	✓	✓	✓
Check the frame			✓
Check the link fork			✓

Standard Multi-Point Inspection Checklist

Below is the standard inspection checklist for the KTM 690 Enduro R. Do this according to the maintenance schedule.

Most of the items you can do at home, but some of them a dealer needs special equipment for.

KTM 690 Enduro R — Multi-Point Inspection Checklist
[Dealer] Read out the fault memory using the KTM diagnostics tool.
[Dealer] Program the shift shaft sensor.
Check that the electrical system is functioning properly.
Check the front brake linings.
Check the rear brake linings.
Check the brake discs.
Check the brake lines for damage and tightness
Check the front brake fluid level.
Check the rear brake fluid level.
Check the hydraulic clutch fluid
Check the free travel of the foot brake lever
Check the shock absorber and fork for leaks. Perform service as needed and depending on how the vehicle is used.
Check the steering head bearing play
Check the wheel bearing for play
Check the tire condition
Check tire pressure
Check the spoke tension
Check for rim run-out
Check the chain tension
Check the antifreeze and coolant level
Check the cables for damage and routing without kinks
Check the fuel pressure.
Check that the radiator fan is functioning properly.
Check all hoses (fuel, coolant, bleeder, drainage, etc.) and sleeves for cracking, tightness, and incorrect routing
Empty the drainage hoses
Check the tightness of the safety-relevant screws and nuts which are easily accessible.
Grease all moving parts (e.g. side stand, hand lever, chain, etc.) and check for smooth operation with lithium soap-based grease
Final check: Check the vehicle is roadworthy and take a test ride.
[Dealer] Read out the error memory after the test ride using the KTM diagnostics tool.
[Dealer] Set the service interval.
[Dealer] Make a service entry in KTMDealer.net

Chain Maintenance

KTM recommends you maintain the chain according to the following schedule for your 690 Enduro R.

Chain maintenance	Every
Clean and lubricate the chain (use Motorex Chain Clean)	1000 km / 620 mi, or after riding in rain or washing the motorcycle
Check chain tension, and adjust as necessary Chain tension: 5mm / 0.2 in between chain, when taught, and swing arm	10000 km / 6200 mi

To measure the chain tension, do the following.

1. Put the transmission in neutral and raise the motorcycle onto a track stand or the side stand.
2. Move the chain so that any tight position is in the middle of the chain, between the sprockets.
3. Push the chain upward with a finger.
4. Measure the distance between the sliding guard and the chain. This should be 5mm on the 690 Enduro R.
5. To adjust chain tension, loosen the axle nuts, adjust the chain tension with the adjusting screws, and re-tighten the axle nuts to 90 Nm / 66 ft-lb.

About the KTM 690 Enduro R

The KTM 690 Enduro R is KTM’s big “enduro” bike — basically a distance-capable dirt bike. While it’s not made for doing big distances, many people do so, giving it a bigger tank, some fairing protection… basically echoing the spirit of the ancient and still-loved KTM 640 Adventure, the likes of which no longer exactly exist.

While KTM has been making the 690 Enduro R since 2012, the bike has evolved in a couple of important ways. Over time, KTM has made the engine more powerful AND smoother, thanks to an extra spark plug, a counter balancer shaft, and a more aggressive tune.

The KTM 690 Enduro R is powered by a 693-cc single with a 105/80mm bore and stroke, a single overhead cam, and four valves. It runs an aggressive tune and makes peak power of 55 kW (74 hp) at 8000 rpm, with torque all through the rev range.

The engine in the 690 Enduro R is a significant upgrade over the previous gen 2014-2018 dual spark KTM 690 Enduro R. It has a shorter stroke, a more aggressive power tune, and counter-balancers to keep it smooth for highway time.

So the 2019+ KTM is a huge favourite for enduro riders who take the 690 Enduro R on all kinds of gnarly trails, and even endure some highway stints in between. It’s capable of doing highways, though you don’t want to do them at high speed for long stints.

The 2019+ KTM 690 Enduro R gets a host of rider aids too, like lean angle-sensitive ABS and traction control, via its IMU.

Ride gear on the 690 Enduro R is simple but competent — a single 300mm disc with a Brembo 2-piston caliper up front, and a 240mm disc with a 1-piston caliper at the rear.

As the Enduro R is an “R” model, it also has high-end suspension. The front fork is a compression and rebound adjustable 48mm WP XPLOR fork, and the rear shock is a WP XPLOR shock with a Pro-Lever linkage.

The shock is adjustable for preload, rebound damping, and even high and low-speed compression damping.

The KTM 690 Enduro R doesn’t really have any direct parallels other than in motorcycles built on the same platform, like the Husqvarna 701 Enduro.

KTM sells the 690 Enduro R alongside other middleweight adventure bikes like the KTM 890 Adventure, which haven’t taken its place. There’s just something special about the 690 — it’s light and it’s very capable.

Tires and pressures for the KTM 690 Enduro R (2019+)

The KTM 690 Enduro R ships with Mitas E-07 tyres, but you can of course give it anything from street to full on off-road tyres.

It has a very offroad-friendly 21/18 tyre size combination.

Wheel	Tyre (Tire) size
Front	90/90-21 M/C 54T M+S TT
Rear	140/80-18 M/C 70T M+S TT

Use the same tyre pressures front and rear. Here are the recommended pressures for the KTM 690 Enduro R:

• Offroad solo: 22 psi / 1.5 bar
• Road solo: 26 psi / 1.8 bar
• With passenger: 32 psi / 2.2 bar

Reference — Manual Screenshots for the KTM 690 Enduro R

The above maintenance schedule comes from the manual for the 2019 KTM 690 Enduro R, with reference to parts diagrams.

You can download manuals for your KTM motorcycle from their website.