RUST magazine: RUST#41

2019 KTM 690 ENDURO R
market (which admittedly we do quite
like, too).
Here at RUST are we into supermoto?
Given our history (Supermoto was a
sister mag to TBM for a long time) we
should be, but they’re not our preferred
tipple. So forgive us for being brief here.
The SMC R… You know, I was
struggling to enjoy the road ride on
this. Nothing wrong with the bike, just
I wasn’t prepared to ride like a hooligan
and that’s the one mode which the SMC
R really responds to. Hooligan riding
on the road, that’s like so 1990s. Or is it?
Maybe I was just plain scared. Jeez, I’m
getting old.
On the Portimao kart track meanwhile
– hey what a laugh this bike is?! Lapping
the mini-track the SMC R was a hoot.
It has its own specialist ride modes,
including a track mode accessed via
plug-in dongle, and I could see in
younger, more talented hands this
meant the SMC R could do all that
backing-in and wheelieing-out that
we know (and love) supermoto for. For
me it was more a case of mini-road
racing, knee down felt safer than foot
down. But no question, the SMC R is
as accomplished within its field as the
Enduro R is in its.
It’s a cracking bit of kit (a term which
in itself must pre-date to at least the
1990s) and no doubt if you want for
a supermoto, then this is a good one.
Kind of 80% race 20% road. But for us
old dirt riders, it’s the Sideshow Bob of
this launch!
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