VOLUME 57 ISSUE 14 APRIL 7, 2020 P67
I've got to be honest and
say my feelings are pretty
much the same. Highway
riding still isn't great, but
it has been somewhat
improved with the fitment
of the latest edition KTM-
derived 690 Duke single-
cylinder—a far smoother
motor than what was in the
last generation 701.
Husqvarna claims a stout
74 horsepower from the 692cc mo-
tor, wrapped in the same steel trellis
chassis as before. That's a claimed
eight percent/eight horsepower gain
over the old one, with torque now
sitting at 52.3 lb-ft.
If you haven't ridden a large ca-
pacity single before, it can be an odd
sensation, especially when going
fast. That massive piston measures
105mm wide, thumping up and down
an 80mm stroke (by comparison, a
Ducati Panigale V4 S has a bore and
stroke of 81 x 48.4mm, and even
though it has four pistons, doesn't
create anywhere near the gyroscopic
force of the massive Husky single).
It's funny in that this motor feels
completely different to the same
(albeit more tuned) version I raced
in Minnesota last year–the Krämer
HKR-EVO2 R.The Husky's is a lumpy
motor, and at low traffic speed revs
is not much fun at all. You need to
get the single spinning up, hunting
around the 3-5000 rpm mark for
the ride to smooth out. The range of
power spreads from about 1500 rpm
to 7000 rpm before the vibes really
start to take over again. That's an ex-
tremely impressive spread of power,
and Husqvarna claims peak power
won't kick in for another 1000 revs
until the tacho hits 8000 rpm.
(Above) The latest generation KTM 690
Duke motor is a big improvement over
the old lump. (Left) The exhaust can get a
little hot in traffic. (Below) Half the same
front brake setup as on the Kawasaki Z H2
is plenty for the Husqvarna.
