SINGLE MINDED

What’s orange, unhinged and egotistical? No, it’s not Donald Trump, it’s KTM’s new 690 SMC R

KTM reckon that supermoto isn’t dead, and judging by ride I’ve just experienced on the revised 690 SMC R, most of which was spent giggling uncontrollably, I concur. This year sees the latest generation LC4 motor slotted into a tweaked chassis, with the added bonus of electronic rider aids and a quickshifter/blipper, and KTM claim 65% of the bike is allnew. We spent the morning tearing up tarmac on some stunning roads around the Algarve before heading to Portimao’s kart track for a thorough assessment of this barmy new supermoto. But were KTM right to revive this super-niche model?

Bridgestone S21 rubber gives enough grip do deck out the bars Resonator chamber balances intake tract pulses to smooth throttle action 6-speed gearbox with Quickshifter+ allows fast clutchless up/downshifts The fuel tank’s an integral part of the chassis