KTM 690 Rally (2027) Review, Specs and South African Price
KTM built its name on bikes that go where the road stops, and for two decades the one everybody wanted was the 640 Adventure: a big single with a rally tower and enough fuel to cross the Karoo without thinking about it. It was never directly replaced. The 690 Enduro R that followed was a superb dual sport, but riders who wanted a proper rally bike had to build one from the aftermarket catalogue. For 2027, KTM has done the building itself.
The 690 Rally takes the 690 Enduro R and adds twin front fuel tanks for 20 litres of range, a rally tower with an integrated windshield, and the electronics from KTM’s bigger adventure bikes. It lands at South African dealers in October 2026. Here is what it is, what it will realistically cost to run in rand, and who should be waiting for one rather than buying a Ténéré 700.
This is a research based review. The bike has not yet reached dealers and was not supplied by KTM. Specifications come from KTM South Africa’s model page and an authorised KTM dealer’s listing, the announcement details from ZA Bikers, and the running cost sums are our own at September 2026 fuel prices. KTM South Africa has not published a price yet, so the price section is an estimate that we will update the day it is confirmed.
What you need to know first
The 690 Rally is a 2027 model, announced in September 2026, built in Austria from September and due at authorised KTM dealers in October 2026. KTM South Africa lists it on its site but, at the time of writing, without a price. Perry Bikes, an authorised KTM dealer, lists it as “price to be announced”. For scale, the same dealer lists the 2026 690 Enduro R at R222,999, and the Rally adds a tower, a second pair of tanks, a TFT dash and the cornering electronics to that bike. Expect it to land above the Enduro R. We will put the confirmed figure here the day KTM releases it.
The engine is KTM’s 692.7cc LC4 single, quoted at 58 kW (79 hp) and 73 Nm. Fuel capacity is 20 litres, split between the 13 litre rear tank and two front-mounted tanks adding 7 litres. Seat height is 935 mm. Weight without fuel is 161.5 kg. Wheels are 21 inch front and 18 inch rear on Continental TKC 80 tyres. You need a Code A licence.
Those four numbers, 79 hp, 20 litres, 935 mm and 161.5 kg, tell you almost everything about who this bike is for. It is light and tall with a long range, which is the rally recipe, and the opposite of the comfortable, road-biased adventure bikes most South Africans actually buy.
What the 690 Rally actually is
Start with what it is not. It is not a new platform. The frame, engine, suspension and brakes are shared with the 690 Enduro R, which is a good thing, because that bike has been refined for the best part of two decades and its LC4 motor is one of the most proven big singles ever made.
What KTM has added is the kit that owners used to buy from Rally Raid or Rebel X and bolt on themselves.
- Twin front fuel tanks. Two tanks sit low on either side of the engine, adding 7 litres to the 13 litre rear tank for 20 litres in total. Mounting the extra fuel low keeps the weight where a tall bike needs it.
- Rally tower and windshield. A purpose-built tower carries the LED headlight, the instruments and a windshield that gives real protection on fast gravel and highway liaison sections.
- 4.2 inch TFT dash with connectivity. Ride modes, navigation and bike data, on a screen the Enduro R does not get.
- Cornering electronics. Cornering ABS and cornering traction control using a six-axis sensor, an Offroad ABS mode that switches the rear off while keeping the front, and a dedicated button to disable ABS completely.
- Rally bodywork and no-dirt footpegs. Slim panels for moving around on the bike, and wide pegs that shed mud. Rubber inserts are optional for tar.
- LED lighting derived from the 450 Rally Replica, which matters more than it sounds if you ride Karoo gravel after sunset.
The honest summary is that this is the bike the aftermarket has been building for years, now with a factory warranty, factory electronics and one invoice. That is exactly what a lot of South African 690 owners have wanted.
The LC4 engine and the electronics
The LC4 is a 692.7cc single with a 105 mm bore and 80 mm stroke, a single overhead cam, four valves, twin spark plugs and a 50 mm Keihin throttle body with ride-by-wire. Compression is 12.7 to 1. KTM quotes 79 hp and 73 Nm, and on a bike weighing 161.5 kg without fuel that is a serious amount of shove. Fully fuelled you are still under 180 kg. A Ténéré 700 carries around 205 kg wet with less power.
Big singles have a character, and it is worth being honest about it. Below 3,000 rpm the LC4 is lumpy and does not like to be lugged. From 4,000 rpm it pulls hard and cleanly to the limiter, and the two balancer shafts keep the worst of the vibration out of the bars. On the highway at 120 km/h it is relaxed rather than smooth. This is not a bike you buy for the N3 to Durban, though it will do it. It is a bike you buy for the last 200 km of that trip, once the tar runs out.
Altitude matters here as it does with every naturally aspirated engine. On the Highveld at 1,750 metres you give away real power, and a single feels it more than a twin because there is less to spare. The good news is that 79 hp leaves plenty in reserve. The bad news is that the bike will feel noticeably sharper at the coast than in Johannesburg, so a Gauteng test ride is the honest one.
The electronics are the real upgrade over the Enduro R. There are Street and Off-road ride modes as standard and an optional Rally mode. In Rally mode you can set traction control and throttle response separately, and a function KTM calls Dynamic Slip Adjust lets the rear spin more when it senses you need drive on a loose climb, then returns to your setting. Cornering ABS and cornering traction control come from a six-axis sensor. Offroad ABS keeps the front wheel protected while letting the rear lock for steering on descents, and there is a physical button to switch ABS off entirely for riders who know what they are doing.
The clutch is a hydraulic Braktec unit with KTM’s PASC slipper function, and it integrates with the optional Quickshifter+ for clutchless changes in both directions. KTM’s headline maintenance claim is a 15,000 km oil change interval, which is long for a single and a real cost saving over a year of touring. Ask your dealer for the full service schedule, because the valve clearance intervals are what actually decide the bill.
Chassis, suspension and brakes
The frame is a powder coated chromium molybdenum steel trellis, with the rear tank doing double duty as a self-supporting subframe. Steering head angle is 62.3 degrees, which is a rake of 27.7 degrees, with 121 mm of trail and a 1,506 mm wheelbase. Those are stable, long-distance numbers rather than enduro-quick ones, and that is the point of the bike.
Suspension is WP XPLOR at both ends, and it is properly adjustable. The 48 mm upside-down fork has separate compression and rebound adjustment and 265 mm of travel. The rear shock, on KTM’s Pro-Lever linkage, has high and low speed compression, rebound and preload adjustment with 250 mm of travel. Ground clearance is 265 mm. This is enduro-grade hardware, and it is the clearest single difference between the 690 Rally and the middleweight adventure twins, which run softer, shorter suspension tuned for tar.
Brakes are Brembo. A single 300 mm front disc with a twin piston floating caliper and a 240 mm rear disc with a single piston caliper. One disc is correct for a bike this light with a 21 inch front wheel, and the cornering ABS calibration is what makes it usable on a wet Van Reenen’s Pass rather than just on a jeep track.
Wheels are spoked with aluminium rims, 1.85 by 21 inch front and 2.50 by 18 inch rear, wearing 90/90-21 and 140/80-18 Continental TKC 80 tyres. The TKC 80 is a well liked 50/50 tyre and the sizes are common in South Africa, so replacements are not a special order. Expect the rear to last around 5,000 to 7,000 km if you use the bike as intended.
Seat height, ergonomics and who actually fits
At 935 mm the seat is very tall. Riders around 1.85 m will get the balls of both feet down. Riders at 1.75 m will be on one foot at a stop, and shorter riders will need to plan every stop on a camber. The bike is narrow and light, which helps far more than the number suggests, and the suspension settles a fair amount under a rider’s weight. Even so, this is not a bike for a nervous rider or a first adventure bike, and no amount of enthusiasm changes that.
Standing up, which is where a rally bike spends its life, the ergonomics are excellent. The bar is high, the tank and panels are slim between the knees, and the wide pegs give a stable platform. Seated, the shape is designed to let you slide forward for tight sections and back for the fast stuff. Comfort on a long tar stint is adequate and no more. If your riding is mostly seated, look at the twins.
Pillion accommodation is technically present. Treat it as an emergency measure.
What it costs to run in South Africa
The 20 litre tank is the whole reason this bike exists, so it is worth doing the sums properly.
Published tests of the 690 Enduro R, which shares the engine and gearing, land between 4.0 and 4.8 litres per 100 km depending on how hard it is ridden. Call it 4.3 litres per 100 km for mixed gravel and tar. At the September 2026 inland price of roughly R26.09 per litre for 95 unleaded, the numbers work out as follows.
- A full 20 litre tank costs about R522.
- Range on that tank is roughly 460 km, and over 400 km even ridden hard.
- Fuel cost per kilometre is about R1.12.
- A 40 km round trip commute costs about R45 a day, or roughly R990 over 22 working days.
- A 1,200 km long weekend to the Tankwa or the Baviaanskloof and back costs about R1,350 in petrol.
That 460 km figure is the one that changes trips. A Ténéré 700 with its 16 litre tank is looking for fuel around 350 km. On routes like the R355 through the Tankwa Karoo or the back way into Lesotho, an extra 100 km of range is the difference between planning the day around a filling station and not thinking about it.
Beyond fuel, budget for TKC 80 rear tyres at roughly 5,000 to 7,000 km, a chain and sprockets around 20,000 km if you ride gravel, and services at the intervals in the book. KTM’s 15,000 km oil change claim helps, but off-road use shortens air filter and oil intervals in practice, and dust on a Free State farm road is not what the interval was written for. Insurance on a new KTM adventure bike is not cheap, and some insurers treat anything with “Rally” in the name as a competition machine. Get three quotes before you sign, and confirm that off-road riding is covered.
KTM’s premium manufacturer’s warranty runs for up to four years on the street range from model year 2025, provided the bike is serviced on schedule at an authorised dealer. Confirm the terms that apply in South Africa with your dealer, because the warranty is the strongest argument for buying the factory bike rather than converting a used Enduro R.
Licence requirements in South Africa
South Africa runs two motorcycle licence codes. Code A1 covers motorcycles up to 125cc and is available from age 16. Code A covers any engine capacity and is available from age 18.
The 690 Rally is 692.7cc, so you need a full Code A licence. A car licence does not cover it, and neither does a Code A1. Riding on the wrong code invalidates your insurance, which on a bike at this price is not a risk worth taking. Our guide to what a motorcycle licence costs in South Africa covers the fees and the process.
One more thing on the legal side. The 690 Rally is a homologated, road-legal motorcycle, unlike KTM’s 450 Rally Replica, so it can be registered and licensed for the road in the normal way.
690 Rally versus the alternatives
KTM 690 Enduro R at R222,999
The obvious comparison, because it is the same bike underneath. The Enduro R gives you the engine, frame, suspension and brakes with a 13.3 litre tank, no tower, no TFT and no cornering electronics, for R222,999 at an authorised dealer in September 2026. If you never ride further than 250 km from fuel and you prefer the lighter, simpler bike, it is the better buy. If you were going to add a tower and tanks anyway, the Rally will almost certainly be cheaper than the Enduro R plus a kit, and it comes with a warranty on the whole thing.
Yamaha Ténéré 700
The bike most South African adventure riders will cross-shop, and the one the KTM has to beat. The Ténéré’s 689cc parallel twin makes 54 kW (72.4 hp), it carries 16 litres, the seat is 875 mm and it weighs around 205 kg wet. It is smoother, easier to live with on tar, far more forgiving for a less experienced rider and cheaper to buy. The KTM is roughly 30 kg lighter, has better suspension, more range and more electronics. On a hard technical day the KTM wins easily. On a 700 km tar day with a pillion the Yamaha wins just as easily. Used 2025 examples are listed among the adventure bikes for sale on Scooter125 from around R209,999.
Honda XL750 Transalp
More road bike than the other two, with a 755cc twin, a 21 inch front wheel and Honda’s reputation for reliability. A 2026 Transalp with E-Clutch is listed new at R229,999 on Scooter125. It is the sensible choice for a rider who does 80 percent tar and wants a bike that will do the gravel pass on the way to the guest house. It is not a rally bike and does not pretend to be.
Husqvarna 701 Enduro and a used 690 with a kit
The Husqvarna 701 Enduro is the same LC4 platform in different clothes and is worth a look if a dealer is closer to you. The other real alternative is a clean used 690 Enduro R with a Rally Raid or Rebel X tank and tower kit already fitted. Those bikes exist in South Africa and often sell for well under the price of a new one. What you give up is the factory electronics, the warranty and the resale value of a bike that left the factory as a Rally. What you gain is a lot of money.
Ordering one, and what to budget
First deliveries are due in October 2026, and the first batch of any new KTM in South Africa tends to be spoken for before it lands. If you want one this year, put a deposit down with your dealer now and ask these questions while you are there.
- The on the road price in writing, including registration and licensing, once KTM South Africa confirms pricing.
- Whether Rally mode and the Quickshifter+ are included or optional on the South African specification, and what each costs to activate.
- The full service schedule and the price of the first three services, with the valve clearance check marked.
- The exact warranty terms that apply locally, and what off-road use does to them.
- Lead times on the PowerParts you will want on day one: crash bung kit, a proper skid plate if the standard one does not satisfy you, and luggage.
Budget for riding gear that matches the bike. A rally bike is ridden standing, in dust, often a long way from help. An adventure helmet with a peak, boots with real ankle protection and a hydration pack are not optional extras on this one.
Full specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | 692.7cc, single cylinder, SOHC, 4 valves, liquid cooled |
| Bore and stroke | 105 mm by 80 mm |
| Compression ratio | 12.7 to 1 |
| Power | 58 kW (79 hp) |
| Torque | 73 Nm |
| Fuel system | Keihin EFI, 50 mm throttle body, ride-by-wire, twin ignition |
| Transmission | 6 speed, hydraulic PASC slipper clutch, optional Quickshifter+ |
| Ride modes | Street, Off-road, optional Rally with adjustable traction control and throttle |
| Rider aids | Cornering ABS and traction control, Offroad ABS, ABS off button, Dynamic Slip Adjust in Rally mode |
| Frame | Chromium molybdenum steel trellis, self-supporting rear tank subframe |
| Front suspension | WP XPLOR 48 mm USD fork, compression and rebound adjustable, 265 mm travel |
| Rear suspension | WP XPLOR shock, Pro-Lever linkage, high and low speed compression, rebound and preload, 250 mm travel |
| Front brake | Brembo 300 mm disc, twin piston floating caliper |
| Rear brake | Brembo 240 mm disc, single piston floating caliper |
| Wheels | Spoked, aluminium rims, 1.85 x 21 inch front, 2.50 x 18 inch rear |
| Tyres | Continental TKC 80, 90/90-21 front, 140/80-18 rear |
| Steering head angle and trail | 62.3 degrees, 121 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,506 mm |
| Ground clearance | 265 mm |
| Seat height | 935 mm |
| Weight without fuel | 161.5 kg |
| Fuel capacity | 20 litres (13 litre rear tank plus two front tanks totalling 7 litres) |
| Estimated range | Around 460 km |
| Instruments | 4.2 inch TFT with connectivity |
| Lighting | LED, derived from the 450 Rally Replica |
| Availability | Authorised KTM dealers from October 2026 |
| South African price | To be announced by KTM South Africa |
Frequently asked questions
How much will the KTM 690 Rally cost in South Africa?
KTM South Africa had not published a price at the time of writing, and authorised dealers list it as price to be announced. The 2026 690 Enduro R it is based on sells for R222,999, and the Rally adds the tanks, tower, TFT and electronics, so expect it to sit above that. We will update this page when the figure is confirmed.
When can I buy a 690 Rally in South Africa?
Production started in Austria in September 2026 and KTM says the bike reaches authorised dealers in October 2026. Early stock is usually limited, so a deposit with a dealer is the way to secure one.
What is the seat height of the KTM 690 Rally?
935 mm. It is one of the tallest seats on any road-legal motorcycle sold in South Africa. The bike is narrow and light, which helps, but riders under about 1.75 m should sit on one before ordering.
What is the fuel range of the 690 Rally?
Around 460 km from the 20 litre tank at a realistic 4.3 litres per 100 km. Ridden hard on gravel expect closer to 400 km, which is still around 100 km further than a Ténéré 700.
What licence do I need for a KTM 690 Rally?
A Code A motorcycle licence. Code A1 only covers bikes up to 125cc, and a car licence does not cover any motorcycle.
Is the 690 Rally a good first adventure bike?
No. It is tall, it has a lot of power for its weight, and a big single rewards experience. A Ténéré 700, a Transalp or a KTM 390 Adventure is a far better place to learn, and the 690 Rally will still be there when you are ready for it.
690 Rally or 690 Enduro R, which should I buy?
Buy the Rally if you ride long distances between fuel, ride fast gravel where wind protection matters, or were planning to fit a tower and tanks anyway. Buy the Enduro R if you want the lightest, simplest version of the LC4 for day rides and technical trails and never need more than 250 km of range.
The verdict
The 690 Rally is not a bike for most people, and KTM knows it. It is tall, it is single-minded and it will be more expensive than the bike it is based on. What it does is answer a question South African riders have been asking since the 640 Adventure went out of production: give us a light, long-range, road-legal rally bike with a warranty, and let us stop building our own.
If your riding is Lesotho passes, the Tankwa, the Baviaanskloof and the kind of routes where the next fuel is a question rather than a certainty, this is the most focused tool KTM has sold for the job in twenty years. If your riding is mostly tar with the occasional gravel pass, buy the Ténéré or the Transalp and enjoy a lower seat and a smoother engine.
Put a deposit down if you are the first kind of rider. Get the licence sorted, budget for proper gear, and get an insurance quote that covers off-road use before the bike arrives. Then see what dealers and private sellers are asking for BMW adventure bikes and the other adventure bikes for sale on Scooter125 while you wait.
Sources referenced
- KTM South Africa, 2027 KTM 690 Rally model page and technical details
- ZA Bikers, “KTM 690 Rally: Back to its Roots”, 24 September 2026
- Perry Bikes, authorised KTM dealer, 2027 690 Rally and 2026 690 Enduro R listings and pricing, September 2026
- Yamaha Ténéré 700 and Honda XL750 Transalp listings on Scooter125, September 2026
- AutoTrader South Africa, September 2026 fuel price update
- Find a Driving School, South African motorcycle licence codes A1 and A
