Jody's KTM 690

[Jody]

Dragged the KTM out the back of the van yesterday and to it's credit it fired right up. Not bad considering it's been in the back of my camper at temps as low as -15 and hasn't been started since early December!

I intended on a quick ride about to see how my wrist / hand would hold up. Then I found myself on the mountain roads, then I found myself in Spain!. 80 odd miles later I got home!

The bike was fine, still got an abs fault but I have the ECU comms cable now so hoping to make some progress with that.
Me, well I was OK, out of practice, but OK, my hand was achey by the time I got home !

[weeksy]

The only things lacking in this story is beer and pictures

[Jody]

The only things lacking in this story is beer and pictures

I'm trying to stay off beer as it gives me bad guts and contains about a billion calories

I did take one pic, Hendaya Or Hendaye

[Jody]

An update !

As you may have seen from various other threads, one of the filter cover bolts came out and most of the oil with it ! I managed to get home and having made a repair to the clutch cover (that the filter cover bolts to) I put it back together and it I appear to have got away with it !!

However, I wasn't entirely happy with the repair I made to the clutch cover, nor do I have much faith in the conditions of the thread on the other bolt on the oil filter cover! When the oil first visited the outside world I set myself a budget of £2.5k to get the engine rebuilt. Thus far it's only taken a helicoil kit at £16, a tap wrench at £6 and oil at around £70. It's worth noting the bike has over 20,000 miles on it so that oil filter cover will have been off and back on again a few times. Also I'm pretty sure the clutch is on it's way out, which ties in with 20,000 miles + !

Next week (when my wages hit), I'll be ordering a complete new clutch cover, with gasket and bolts, plus a complete clutch kit from KTM. It's going to be around €600 all told !! But I will feel better about the whole thing! Once I'm back in the UK I'll have my old clutch cover repaired by a professional and I'll sell it on ebay which should be good for £150 +

[weeksy]

I thought you were going to put the £2500 into the R!

[Jody]

I thought you were going to put the £2500 into the R!

Once I'm happy with this one, I'll get it French registered and sold. If all that happens as expected, I'll be looking for an R when I get back to the UK in October

[weeksy]

I thought you were going to put the £2500 into the R!

Once I'm happy with this one, I'll get it French registered and sold. If all that happens as expected, I'll be looking for an R when I get back to the UK in October

Nice one. They're cracking things. I've not ridden an R, but my previous ones have been R spec apart from caliper.
The footpegs are a chunk higher on the R which does change the dynamics of it a bit more than you'd expect.

Power modes are irrelevant but sport is fruitier than street. Suspension is massively better, especially if you can still ride how you used to. You'll be well happy.

I forget your height but the R is also taller, I think 15-18mm if that's of any relevance

[Jody]

I thought you were going to put the £2500 into the R!

Once I'm happy with this one, I'll get it French registered and sold. If all that happens as expected, I'll be looking for an R when I get back to the UK in October

Nice one. They're cracking things. I've not ridden an R, but my previous ones have been R spec apart from caliper.
The footpegs are a chunk higher on the R which does change the dynamics of it a bit more than you'd expect.

Power modes are irrelevant but sport is fruitier than street. Suspension is massively better, especially if you can still ride how you used to. You'll be well happy.

I forget your height but the R is also taller, I think 15-18mm if that's of any relevance

The suspension on mine isn't that great, but it has done over 20,000 miles! The front brake isn't that great either so an R with a power parts seat should be the ticket

[mangocrazy]

R model 690 Dukes have 15mm extra suspension travel and stiffer suspension, so noticeably taller seat height. R model footrests are higher and further back than non-R. Brembo M50 brakes are stonking even with only single disc/caliper. Best I've ever used by quite some distance. I think you'll notice quite a difference in suspension and riding position.

[Jody]

Went out on the bike today to run an errand, I wasn't riding hard but it was at least 35 degrees ! I'm a very naughty boy because I was wearing shorts and trainers without even any safety socks! I must confess to being shocked at just how much heat comes off the engine, particularly, as you might expect, the exhaust!
Dash flashed up for overheating as it's done a couple times before when I've been really caning it, I was in traffic so I'm wasn't surprised!. I pulled over, let it cool for min, then set off again. Same thing on the way home, but I managed to make it all the way home before the dash did it's thing so I was able to switch the bike off and back it into it's parking space
It was when I took my helmet off I realised I could hear the water boiling ! I left it well alone for a good couple of hours before deciding I should probably check the coolant level. It was a bit low, maybe 100ml but not loads. Difficult to tell exactly as while I did carefully measure the water into the jug I was cack handed and spilt loads of it when I should have remembered I bought a set of funnels last month

The water in there appeared to be just that, water! no colour to it, so I think it would be a good idea to get an antifreeze tester and probably some anti freeze/ summer coolant! I seem to recall there's two types of antifreeze and I'll need the 'right' tester ? Any ideas which one I need?

I suspect there's a different thermostat available for EU which I assume turns the fan on a bit sooner, but I can't say I think that that alone will cure the problem if there's only water in the rad !

[weeksy]

Tbh mate I wouldn't bother testing it, just do the job completely and empty>fill with decent coolant

[Dodgy69]

Ain't there some sort of magic coolant for Hot climates, or was it a dream.

[Supermofo]

Yup them 690 engines are bastard hot, especially if its got the cat still fitted. On mine even in boots with riding jeans on in traffic it'd be seriously hot around the ankles.

The coolant in mine was green and you could see the colour through the bottle so if yours is clear and boiling its probably water or very diluted.

I topped mine up once and being used to a car used a measuring jug, it took about 100mls before being brimmed and I ended up syringing some out as it was level with the top of the bottle.

I seem to recall on the KTM forum there's a thermostat you can buy that comes on sooner. Sure I've seen it on KTM dealer sites but anyway here's a thread about cooling which might link to it

https://www.ktmforums.com/threads/cooli ... 690.92794/

[Jody]

New thermostat ordered

What coolant should I be looking for?

[MrLongbeard]

Ain't there some sort of magic coolant for Hot climates, or was it a dream.

The waterless stuff?
Always meant to have a look at that but IIRC you have to really really sure to have flushed every last nano nats worth of old stuff out of the engine before using it.

Now I ride a Harley and it's not something I need to worry about

[Jody]

I've found the coolant KTM recommend, but I don't know how much it will need?

Probably just gonna order 3 litres from amazon and return any unused bottles !

[weeksy]

I've found the coolant KTM recommend, but I don't know how much it will need?

Probably just gonna order 3 litres from amazon and return any unused bottles !

1.20L

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/58462 ... l?page=159

[KungFooBob]

IIRC there's two main types of coolant, Glycol based and OAT.

The gloycol stuff is traditionally blue and generally used in older stuff, should be replaced every two years.

The OAT is usually an orange colour, last a lot longer, 5 years.

Never mix the two and use what the manufacturer recommends

Take the colours with a pinch of salt really, they both can be pretty much any colour.

[Hairybiker84]

I used the waterless (Evans?) in the 955 Daytona and it completely cured the tempermental cooling system. The stuff has a much higher boiling point so doesn't exhibit the 'boiling over' of conventional coolants. Won't cure another underlying issue though.
Need to use the flushing compound too with this so works out pretty expensive.