2008 KTM 690 SMC - Mossy Rides

Words/pics by: Chris Moss/KTM

KTM’s SMC (Supermoto Competition) is one of the three bikes in the new 2008 690LC4 range, and when it comes to thrills and excitement it’s the best of the trio. It’s true that the other two in the line up set a very high standard when it comes to sporting performance, but the SMC just pips them. As far as encouraging stunt riding and lifting spirits, its right up there with the best on the market. Few bikes get a hold of you and make you laugh out loud like this one does. And that happens each and every time you ride it.

I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun on a motorcycle. And it’s been a hell of a long time since I felt so confident when I’ve been riding so close to my own personal limit - something made all the more remarkable given that the roads I was whizzing along were extremely challenging, not to mention very risky. Crashing at virtually any point along the rock-flanked, twisty and undulating Spanish mountain route, where

KTM

chose to launch the SMC, would have some pretty nasty consequences. But that still couldn’t stop me having one hell of a time.

A bike has to be pretty special to generate that sort of faith, and even though it’s not got a spec sheet you’d normally associate with a

sportsbike

worthy of much praise, there’s no doubt the KTM has plenty of potential to thrill – you’ve just got to be selective with your playgrounds. It’s the highly capable engine and chassis cocktail that gives the SMC such endearing qualities.

If I was to prioritise the high-quality components of this brilliantly balanced package, in as much as how influential they are to the feel of the bike, I’d have to start with the suspension and tyres. Both the WP forks and shock are softly sprung and use up plenty of travel when you’re using the bike harder. But they’re so well damped and controlled, and give such precise feel and feedback that combined with the exceptionally grippy Pirelli rubber, the bike feels just about uncrashable.

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On the morning of the test, I got a chance to take the KTM to its edge on a track. Essentially a coned-off car park, the make-shift circuit served as a real test of the ultimate cornering potential of the bike. And it was a test the SMC passed with flying colours.

So tight and tortuous was the circuit that I almost felt dizzy from the scores of laps I completed. The composure of the KTM on the other hand never faltered. And such was the superb feedback from the suspension and tyres, even when they got to the limit of their grip you were the first to know about it and ready to deal with the issue accordingly. Allied to strong progressive brakes and a friendly motor, it wasn’t long before I had total belief in the SMC’s abilities. It was this feeling that made me feel at ease with the bike even when I was riding hard up in the Spanish mountains.

It doesn’t hurt that the KTM only weighs 139.5kilos dry, feels more like a fast bicycle than a motorcycle, and can be dominated and forced to go just where you want it to with ease. It’ll track your chosen line precisely and can always be relied on to stay right on course no matter how bumpy the corner. I only lost tyre adhesion once during my time on the road, and recovered from it instantly thanks to the early warning from the suspension and the rubber. The KTM really is quite a special handling bike.

Part of the flickable and agile feel of the bike has to be down to not only the light weight of the SMC but where that weight is located and distributed. Part of the reason for this could well be where the fuel tank is located. Instead of sitting in the conventional spot in front of the rider, the SMC’s tank sits towards the rear under the seat. I didn’t get the chance to ride the bike when the tank was nearly empty, but even when it had used half the capacity the balance of the KTM still felt very good.

Being only 12 litres large, you’d expect the tank range is probably not going to be too lengthy, but you can bet the single cylinder engine will only sip, rather than sup fuel, so it’ll be good enough to be practical.

The engine is the real surprise of the package and shouldn’t really be able to power the KTM in the spirited manner that it does. The single’s 63bhp power output is only a fraction of what most multi-cylinder engines make these days. But because it’s so punchy and usable, you can be far more aggressive with the throttle and use everything it has with full confidence – even using the ‘extreme’ setting selected on the three-stage power switch.