KTM 690 SMC R Review: Sophisticated Single-Cylinder Silliness

KTM’s current range is chock full of bikes that are well up for what you might describe as ‘shenanigans’. But which is the silliest? You might point to the frankly outrageous 1390 Super Duke, or maybe the recently revealed 1390 Super Adventure, which is about as daft as ADVs get. Really, though, the contender is an older, perhaps overlooked bike in the range: the 690 SMC R.

The supermoto class is arguably the most hooliganistic bike category out there, and the KTM 690 SMC R plays all the right supermoto notes with a punchy single-cylinder engine, fancy suspension, and 17-inch wheels at each end shod in sticky road tyres. I spent a week and a half riding one on a variety of roads to see if it’s any good.

KTM 690 SMC R pricing and availability

Both 2024 and 2023 model year 690 SMC Rs are available to buy now, and thanks to KTM’s stock issues which are giving the company a serious financial headache, there are some cracking deals to be had. KTM has effectively knocked the VAT off the £10,399 RRP of the 2024 MY bike, giving a new price of £8,741.30. Meanwhile the 2023 MY examples have received the same treatment, with the price slashed from £9,799 to £8,235.64.

690 SMC R engine, chassis and technology

The supermoto features a trellis-style frame, which houses an ‘LC4’ 690cc single-cylinder engine. In the latter are a couple of balancer shafts - one that sits in front of the crank and another in the cylinder head driven by the timing chain.

The single produces 74bhp at 8,000rpm and 54lb ft of torque at 6,500rpm. That might not sound like much, but we’re talking about a bike that weighs just 158.6kg. The LC4 is fed by a 13.5-litre fuel tank, so don’t expect to be making it too far between stops.

The standout element of the spec sheet is the suspension setup, which comes from KTM’s in-house WP brand. You get a chunky 48mm-thick Apex fork providing 215mm of travel, while the Apex shock at the other end delivers 240mm of travel. Both are fully adjustable.

Elsewhere on the chassis front, 17-inch wire wheels front and rear are wrapped in road-focused tyres - Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport hoops in the case of our test bike. While down there, you’ll also clock a 320mm front disc squeeze by a Brembo radial monoblock calliper, with a 240mm disc and a floating calliper from the same firm at the back.

You get a reasonable assortment of electronic goodies including two riding modes, cornering ABS (with the option to disengage it at the rear, because supermoto), a quickshifter and traction control. The dash setup is, in the typical supermoto way, very simple. You get a basic LCD strip showing speed and trip data, and that’s your lot.

What’s it like to ride?

You don’t have to ride the 690 SMC R far at all before you start regressing into childish behaviour, whether using that gutsy LC4 to power wheelie or deliberately locking the rear.

However, it’s the steering that truly stands out. The SMC R responds with a deranged enthusiasm to even the lightest pressure put on the bars, and when you really get stuck in, you might surprise yourself by just how much you’re leaning the thing over. When it is tipped in, the SMC R inspires confidence on its Bridgestones.

It helps that the ride is superbly polished thanks to that plush-feeling suspension setup. It soaks up the lumps and bumps of a typical British B-road beautifully, so you never have to worry about the bike getting unsettled either on your way into the corner, halfway around or on the way out.

Given the length of the fork and shock stroke, you might be expecting something that dives excessively into its travel under braking or squats at the rear under the power. Granted, you can’t expect it to behave like a sporty naked or a super sports bike in this regard, but the trade-off between the damping’s ability to deal with whatever crap is going on under the tyres and its stiffness is very well executed.

Going with all this is that LC4, which feels like it’s doling out far more than 74bhp. I never found myself wanting for power, such was the burly nature of the single. It sounds good, too, without seeming too yobbish. Meanwhile, the gearbox is slick, and the quickshifter performs well. 

KTM has worked hard to dial out the vibes in the latest version of this engine, and indeed, it is smoother than you might expect. At certain speeds, you will feel some vibrations through the pegs and through the bars, but the rubber mounting for the latter does help offset this. To keep things comfortable, you’ll probably want to be in third when riding through town - things start to get a little chuggy in fourth and above at lower speeds. 

As far as the less good stuff goes, the simple dashboard does irk a little. Yes, a basic LCD is pretty common for a supermoto, but for a more premium one like this, we expect more. The switchgear is pretty basic, too, although the overall build quality of the bike is decent.

You also won’t get far on a single tank, not just because, as mentioned earlier, it ain’t big, but also because the SMC R isn’t hugely economical. But then, it doesn’t exactly encourage economical riding, which doesn’t help.

It should also come as no surprise that, as is typical for a supermoto, the seat height isn’t what you’d call accessible, at 890mm.

Should you buy a KTM 690 SMC R?

At its RRP, it’d be tempting to overlook the 690 SMC R to the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono. It’s a much newer design, has better tech (including a dash that offers far more information), and the engine is more refined than the SMC R. 

But here’s the thing, the SMC R has a greater feeling of ‘rawness’, and might just be a bit more exciting as a result. What’s more, the usual KTM discounts on offer right now mean that you can pick one up for significantly less than the Ducati.

KTM’s current financial situation might prove off-putting, but the company has assured that “nothing has changed” for its customers as it restructures to pay off debts.