KTM has officially revealed the 2027 690 Rally, positioning it as the spiritual successor to the 640 Adventure. The earlier model was produced from 1997 to 2007 with a 625cc single-cylinder engine and five-speed gearbox. The new motorcycle brings that concept into a modern rally-raid package, combining the agility needed for demanding off-road riding with the endurance required for long liaison sections.

LC4 power and fuel capacity

The 690 Rally uses a 692.7cc LC4 single-cylinder engine producing 79PS and 73Nm through a six-speed gearbox. KTM specifies 15,000km service intervals, an important detail for a motorcycle intended to cover substantial distances. Total fuel capacity is 20 litres: the 13-litre rear tank is supplemented by two 3.5-litre tanks mounted at the front inside a purpose-built rally tower. The tower also incorporates an integrated windscreen.

Its electronics include a 4.2-inch TFT display and a dedicated Rally ride mode, allowing riders to adjust traction control and throttle response for different terrain. Off-road ABS can disable ABS at the rear wheel alone or switch the system off completely via a dedicated button.

A chassis for off-road riding

Braking hardware comes from Brembo, with a two-piston caliper and 300mm disc at the front and a single-piston caliper with a 240mm disc at the rear. The hydraulic clutch works with KTM Quickshifter+, enabling clutchless upshifts and downshifts. LED lighting is carried over from the KTM 450 Rally Replica.

The suspension is fully adjustable WP XPLOR equipment. Wheel sizes are 21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, fitted with Continental TKC 80 tyres. Seat height is 935mm, while claimed weight is 161.5kg without fuel. KTM says the ergonomics allow the rider to move easily between seated and standing positions. The company presents the motorcycle as a bridge between lightweight enduro agility and rally-style endurance, from technical trails to faster liaison sections.

Every 2027 690 Rally includes KTM’s Premium Manufacturer’s Warranty, offering up to four years of coverage across the company’s street-legal range when servicing is carried out by an authorised KTM dealer. Production in Austria is scheduled to begin in September, with the motorcycle due to reach authorised KTM dealers nationwide from October 2026. UK pricing had not been confirmed.

The LC4 lineage is traced to the 1987 350 LC4 prototype, which carried Joachim Sauer to victory in the European Enduro Championships. The engine later powered KTM’s Dakar-winning rally motorcycles until capacity-rule changes ended its competition career in 2011. MCN also quotes Sports Editor Michael Guy describing this format as a “unicorn”: a motorcycle capable off-road but still suited to motorway mileage and carrying luggage.