KTM 690 SMC R 2025
The definitive big supermoto, unchanged because nothing beats it.
65.5/ 100
Scored within supermoto, methodology here
€12,449
list price
- power
- 75 hp
- wet weight
- 156 kg
- tank range
- 329 km
The short version
The 690 SMC R pairs the biggest single KTM makes with fully adjustable WP APEX suspension and a chassis that treats every roundabout as an apex. It is a one-trick bike, but the trick is the best in motorcycling and no rival has matched the recipe at this weight.
Where it wins
- 75 hp and 156 kg wet is the class benchmark power to weight
- Fully adjustable suspension at both ends
- Cornering ABS with a supermoto mode that lets the rear slide
Where it loses
- LCD dash feels a decade old at this price
- Single-cylinder vibration wears on motorways
- Mirrors and pillion provision are afterthoughts
Score breakdown
Engine and performance
15.9 / 25Handling and chassis
16.4 / 20Value
10.6 / 20Practicality
10.3 / 15Technology
6.3 / 10Reliability and ownership
6.0 / 10The full review
Twenty years of practice shows
The 690 SMC R has been the big supermoto reference for so long that KTM barely bothers changing it, and the reviews explain the confidence. Testers describe grown-up hooliganism: a chassis that treats every roundabout as an apex, brakes and suspension that flatter aggression, and a sharpness of throttle response the press consistently ranks above its Husqvarna twin.
It is a one-trick motorcycle. Every reviewer says so, usually in the same paragraph where they admit the trick is the best one in motorcycling.
The LC4 engine
The consensus on the big LC4 single has softened over the years from brutal to charismatic. Owners with serious mileage report the current engine vibrates far less than the old one, and reviewers call it smoother than expected around town. The caveat arrives on the motorway: hold a steady cruise long enough and the buzz through pegs and bars finds your hands, because physics does not read press releases.
The roll-on punch is what everyone remembers. Seventy-five horsepower is ordinary on paper; delivered by one enormous piston at low revs in a 156 kg bike, it is not ordinary at all.
What it costs you in comfort
The recurring ownership complaints are stable across a decade of reviews: a seat built for standing on rather than sitting on, mirrors and pillion provision fitted out of legal obligation, and an LCD dash that at 12,449 EUR is KTM quietly hoping you will not notice. I noticed.
Against the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto the differences are bodywork, 100 EUR, ride modes and a slightly sharper throttle map; against everything else, the difference is that the KTM is better. The press has run out of new ways to say it, which is its own kind of verdict.
Full specs
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| Engine | LC4 single cylinder, liquid cooled, SOHC |
| Displacement | 692.7 cc |
| Power | 75 hp at 8,000 rpm |
| Torque | 73.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm |
| Power to weight | 0.48 hp/kg |
| Chassis | |
| Wet weight | 156 kg |
| Front suspension | WP APEX 48 mm split function, 215 mm |
| Front adjustability | Fully adjustable |
| Rear suspension | WP APEX monoshock, 240 mm |
| Rear adjustability | Fully adjustable |
| Front brake | 320 mm, radial 4-piston |
| ABS | Cornering ABS |
| Dimensions | |
| Seat height | 890 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1470 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 13.5 L |
| Claimed consumption | 4.1 L/100 km |
| Fuel range | 329 km |
| Ownership | |
| Price | €12,449 |
| Service interval | 10,000 km |
| Valve check | 20,000 km |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Equipment | |
| Dash | LCD |
| Ride modes | Yes |
| Traction control | Yes |
| Quickshifter | Optional |
| Cruise control | Not available |
| Connectivity | No |
Compare the 690 SMC R
Husqvarna 701 Supermoto vs KTM 690 SMC R
74 hp vs 75 hp / 157 kg vs 156 kg
Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono vs KTM 690 SMC R
77.5 hp vs 75 hp / 161 kg vs 156 kg
KTM 390 SMC R vs KTM 690 SMC R
45 hp vs 75 hp / 161 kg vs 156 kg
KTM 690 SMC R vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
75 hp vs 38 hp / 156 kg vs 154 kg
KTM 125 SMC R vs KTM 690 SMC R
15 hp vs 75 hp / 152 kg vs 156 kg
Frequently asked
- Is the KTM 690 SMC R A2 licence legal?
- Not as delivered: 75 hp is 55.2 kW against the 35 kW A2 limit. Because it stays under 70 kW, dealers can supply it restricted to 35 kW for A2 licence holders, and the full power returns with a dealer derestriction once you upgrade.
- How fast is the KTM 690 SMC R?
- Our power-to-weight model estimates 0 to 100 km/h in about 3.2 seconds, from 75 hp moving 156 kg wet. That is an estimate for comparison, not a measured time, and it is labelled that way everywhere on this site.
- What is the fuel range of the KTM 690 SMC R?
- About 329 km on paper: a 13.5 litre tank against a claimed 4.1 L/100 km. Ride it with enthusiasm and the maths gets worse, never better.
- How tall is the seat on the KTM 690 SMC R?
- The KTM 690 SMC R seat sits at 890 mm, which is on the tall side, so shorter riders should sit on one before signing anything. At 156 kg wet, weight does the rest of the talking at a standstill.
- How much does the KTM 690 SMC R cost?
- €12,449 list price in the EU market this site scores. It earns 10.6 of 20 value points on our formula, which weighs price against equipment and running costs.
The workshop
Build your 690 SMC R
The upgrades owners actually fit, at typical retail prices. Tap a part to bolt it on and I re-run the full 100-point scorecard on your build, same math as the official score above. Shop links are affiliate links: they support the site and cost you nothing extra.