Dual-sport motorcycles are brilliant. They are part dirt bike, part enduro motorcycle, and entirely road-legal because they carry number plates, lights, and all the paraphernalia required to be legally compliant to ride on a road. However, there seems to be a little bit of stagnation in the segment over the decades.If you look carefully at the segment, there are products that have been around for a very long time. Nobody has tried to reinvent the wheel in the dual-sport segment. While that's good because it boosts reliability, it is also a bad thing because things are a bit boring. It also hurts the overall do-it-all abilities. Luckily, there is a new KTM dual-sport trying to set a new precedent. The Problem With Traditional Dual-Sport Bikes KawasakiThe dual-sport bike has a very narrow definition of what it needs to do: be good off-road. Now, off-road riding means that you are going to drop your bike pretty much all the time, so it needs to be light. Manageable power is equally important, since low traction can throw you off in milliseconds. At the same time, not everyone can afford the luxury of a pickup truck to cart their motorcycle, so the ability to cover highway miles also becomes a requirement. Compile all those together, and you will quickly notice there aren't many modern-day examples that can manage these things. SuzukiEmphasis here is on 'modern-day' because most big-capacity dual-sports today are quite dated. One is the rock-solid Honda XR650L, and the other is the versatile Suzuki DR650S. Aside from these, the Suzuki DR-Z4S also makes a good pitch as a highway dual-sport bike, but its small tank and five-speed gearbox, coupled with the 400cc engine, really limit its range on the highway. Whatever the case may be, only the DR-Z4S has ABS even as an option, and in the case of the XR and DR, they do not even have fuel injection. Thus, if you want a single motorcycle to cover all bases, you need to look elsewhere. The KTM 690 Enduro R Can Do It All From Dirt Trails To Interstate Cruising KTM via Dobler TEnter the KTM 690 Enduro R. This has been in KTM's lineup for a very long time, but got a significant update just last year. The update wasn't just to comply with ever-tightening emission norms; KTM also had a target of regaining its crown of the most powerful single-cylinder engine in a production motorcycle from a competitor, which had taken it from the 690 Enduro R a couple of years ago. So, not only did the 690 Enduro R get lower emissions, but it also got more power.The rest of it remains the same, which means it is a hugely capable off-road machine that few will ever reach the limits of, and at the same time, it is an excellent highway cruiser — within the confines of a dual-sport motorcycle, of course. The few features that KTM has added to it, like the TFT instrument cluster with Bluetooth and navigation, make it a much better highway motorcycle as well, but it has stuck to its identity of a great all-around dual-sport motorcycle. Premium Pricing For A Premium Product KTM via Dobler TThe 690 Enduro R is priced at $13,399, which is quite high for a dual-sport motorcycle. It is, in fact, one of the most expensive road-legal dual-sport motorcycles on sale today. However, with everything we know about it, the high price is justified in a lot of ways. As mentioned before, this is the most powerful single-cylinder production motorcycle right now. It has that TFT display with Bluetooth and navigation, a six-axis IMU, a by-wire throttle, and the ability to be a single-bike garage. Looked at from that point of view, it seems like the price is fair. Employs The World’s Most Powerful Single-Cylinder Engine KTM via Dobler TThe short-stroke 693 cc LC4 single-cylinder engine had the crown of the world's most powerful production single-cylinder engine for many years until Ducati came along with the Hypermotard 698 Mono. While updating, KTM saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. So, what it did was update the LC4 to meet current emission norms in Europe and, at the same time, increase the power and torque output to 78 horsepower and nearly 54 pound-feet. It is mated to a six-speed gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch and a two-way quickshifter. This being a dual-sport bike, a chain drives the rear wheel. Overall, it has a great balance of power and range. Unique Chassis Designed For The Technical Stuff KTM via Dobler TWhile the engine has been updated, KTM saw no reason to mess around with the 690 Enduro R's chassis. This is a trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member, and it is made out of chrome-molybdenum steel. It is a unique layout where the rear subframe and the fuel tank are exactly the same thing. There is long-travel WP Xplor suspension here with 48 mm inverted forks at the front and a linkage-type rear shock. The adjustments available are compression and rebound at the front, and preload, rebound, and high- and low-speed compression at the rear. A massive 9.8 inches of travel is available at both ends.KTM via Dobler TWith its weight, there is not much need for big brakes; therefore, a single 300 mm petal brake disc is at the front, paired with an axial two-piston floating caliper from Brembo. A 240 mm petal disc is at the rear paired with a single-piston caliper. Being a dual-sport motorcycle, it gets a 21- and 18-inch wheel combination. These are spoked rims and require tube-type tires. All that means this should feel just as happy on pavement as it does on beaten paths. Weight Is The 690 Enduro R’s Superpower This is a fairly large motorcycle for a dual-sport with a 59.2-inch wheelbase, and the seat height is also very high at 36.8 inches. But the trade-off is a massive 10.4 inches of ground clearance. The underseat fuel tank holds 3.5 gallons of fuel, which might not be quite enough for long stretches. However, you can eke out great fuel efficiency if you are light on the throttle because it weighs just 335 pounds, not to mention that the light weight allows it to thrive on pavement and dirt alike. Modern Feature Set Is The Best In The Dual-Sport Segment KTM via Dobler TKTM has now given the 690 a by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU. That means you have ride modes, switchable traction control with cornering functions, and an optional dynamic slip adjust system. The ABS is also switchable and can be turned off completely. As for the cockpit, the most visible update is the 4.2-inch TFT display. Not only does it offer quite a lot of information, but it also has Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation.There is an upgrade package available, too. Purchase this, and you add a Rally mode to the confidence-inspiring 690 Enduro R. This offers much finer control of the motor slip regulation and dynamic slip adjustment, and nine levels of traction control. Other options include a center stand and an Akrapovič slip-on exhaust. The only bummer is the total lack of pillion accommodations. The In-House Competition Is The Strongest HondaThere aren't too many competitors when it comes to a dual-sport motorcycle that is both modern and equally capable on dirt as well as on an interstate. Still, there are a few that one can look at. One is the Honda CRF450RL; this is a toned-down enduro machine. It is a Honda, yes, which means it quietly outperforms the competition while being quite reliable compared to them. But that still makes it very high-strung for everyday use, and it probably wouldn't be advisable to try and go for an interstate road trip on one of these.StarkThen there is the Stark Varg EX. It has incredible performance, great electronics, and the battery charges fairly quickly. But once again, when you're talking about an interstate ride, you have to worry about the charging infrastructure and the time you take to charge your electric vehicle. If it weren't for these two drawbacks, the Stark Varg EX would be miles ahead of the competition.HusqvarnaFinally, there is the in-house competition. The Husqvarna 701 Enduro is the most serious rival, which is usually an unfairly forgotten model. It costs the same as the KTM right down to the dollar, and it is the same as the KTM except that it is branded as a Husqvarna. Personal preference comes into play here, and you just have to pick whether you like your big, modern enduro bike in orange or white and blue.Source: KTM USA