KTM 690 Enduro R Timbersled MH ST Build

[Mountaincanuck]

Hello everyone,
I have been wanting to get into snow biking for quite a long time now, and I was hoping to find a way to use my KTM 690 Enduro R.
I have seen other posts that say a 690 R timbersled weighs approximately 356 lbs with kit and I was going to give it a shot and see how it goes. I have a lightweight exhaust and battery, and my bike weighed in at 305 lbs before starting the conversion. So I am hopeful that those mods along with a lean running map will make for a good snow bike.
I had a local machinist in Calgary Alberta named Franco do the work to adapt the MH to my 690, and I am currently finalizing the install. His business name is NAF mechanical, really awesome guy to work with, if anyone is considering doing this I highly recommend him!
Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

Hello everyone,
I have been wanting to get into snow biking for quite a long time now, and I was hoping to find a way to use my KTM 690 Enduro R.
I have seen other posts that say a 690 R timbersled weighs approximately 356 lbs with kit and I was going to give it a shot and see how it goes. I have a lightweight exhaust and battery, and my bike weighed in at 305 lbs before starting the conversion. So I am hopeful that those mods along with a lean running map will make for a good snow bike.
I had a local machinist in Calgary Alberta named Franco do the work to adapt the MH to my 690, and I am currently finalizing the install. His business name is NAF mechanical, really awesome guy to work with, if anyone is considering doing this I highly recommend him!
Any tips would be appreciated.

I'm doing the same project! ( well husky 701, but same same)
I choose to try and keep the stock shock so I bought a used swingarm and cut off the very front 5" of each arm. Thats reusing the stock spacers, seals and needle bearings. Also its automatically the exact right width when re-installing the swingarm bolt.
The short alum stubs are going to get bolted to 2" flat bar welded to the TS front frame, the way you widened your steel arms. ( pics soon)
Not too sure about your 'lean map' idea tho - cold air is dense so depending on elevation you ride at? maybe lean isnt the way.
I got excellent results using Dynojet power commander V and an Autotune kit. Thats true wideband O2 sensor in the headpipe and then you just specify desired AFR in the software. eg light throttle cruise zones 14.2 -14.6 to 1 and then 11.8 or so in WOT 6000-7800 rpm zones

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

I'm doing the same project! ( well husky 701, but same same)
I choose to try and keep the stock shock so I bought a used swingarm and cut off the very front 5" of each arm. Thats reusing the stock spacers, seals and needle bearings. Also its automatically the exact right width when re-installing the swingarm bolt.
The short alum stubs are going to get bolted to 2" flat bar welded to the TS front frame, the way you widened your steel arms. ( pics soon)
Not too sure about your 'lean map' idea tho - cold air is dense so depending on elevation you ride at? maybe lean isnt the way.
I got excellent results using Dynojet power commander V and an Autotune kit. Thats true wideband O2 sensor in the headpipe and then you just specify desired AFR in the software. eg light throttle cruise zones 14.2 -14.6 to 1 and then 11.8 or so in WOT 6000-7800 rpm zones

137MH re tracked and re railed to Yeti 146

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

Yeit ski modded to TS spindle
Ktm 1290 adventure pegs are easy swap for more platform
If you zoom in on pipe, you can see the O2 sensor about 6" from exit end

 

[Mountaincanuck]

I love the Husky! I wish I could have afforded the 701.
Track looks awesome massive 146!
I am going with 15 tooth CS sprocket And 17-20 on the track.
What gearing are you going with?
I think I will go with the rade garage pegs also.

 

[Fwd55]

Very happy to see more 690 on the snow , been riding it for 5 seasons , 3 with ADBoivin and going onto my second season with aro 129

With the 690 I would say low CG is key , getting my trail shock rebuilt with spacer to drop 2 inch on the track height

Nice built to both of you

 

[JManHale]

I'm doing the same project! ( well husky 701, but same same)
I choose to try and keep the stock shock so I bought a used swingarm and cut off the very front 5" of each arm. Thats reusing the stock spacers, seals and needle bearings. Also its automatically the exact right width when re-installing the swingarm bolt.
The short alum stubs are going to get bolted to 2" flat bar welded to the TS front frame, the way you widened your steel arms. ( pics soon)
Not too sure about your 'lean map' idea tho - cold air is dense so depending on elevation you ride at? maybe lean isnt the way.
I got excellent results using Dynojet power commander V and an Autotune kit. Thats true wideband O2 sensor in the headpipe and then you just specify desired AFR in the software. eg light throttle cruise zones 14.2 -14.6 to 1 and then 11.8 or so in WOT 6000-7800 rpm zones

You got any pictures of the modified swing arm? I'm looking to do the same thing and want to see if its something i can do myself or if i need to call in some extra help.

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

You got any pictures of the modified swing arm? I'm looking to do the same thing and want to see if its something i can do myself or if i need to call in some extra help.

Here are some pics along the way

 

[JManHale]

That's looking awesome! thanks for the pics

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

That's looking awesome! thanks for the pics

Done now.. 2 rides

 

[JManHale]

How do you like it now that you're two rides in? Was it worth it or would you rather have gotten a different dirt bike and not modified the snow kit? Have you ran into any issues with the 701 in the snow?

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

How do you like it now that you're two rides in? Was it worth it or would you rather have gotten a different dirt bike and not modified the snow kit? Have you ran into any issues with the 701 in the snow?

The ktm 450 /129 camso in the posted pic is my other bike..I knew I wanted more hp so 701 was the highest hp bike that still seemed 'dirtbike'
The mods made to the TS can easily be undone and made back to original.
For me, the best thing about the 701 is the full on wideband O2 autotuner I installed. Perfect fueling any temp any elevation. So wouldn't change much of anything.
With full rear shock susp, the longer 146 track still turns well (forms an arc when laid over in a turn) its a bit heavier but the extra 30hp over a 450cc bike more than compensates. Big torque makes it easy to throttle thru the trees

 

[chumbilly1]

Bada$$! Can you show more pics of the relation of the kit to the linkage to the frame? Please!

 

[BirdmanID]

I'm doing the same project! ( well husky 701, but same same)
I choose to try and keep the stock shock so I bought a used swingarm and cut off the very front 5" of each arm. Thats reusing the stock spacers, seals and needle bearings. Also its automatically the exact right width when re-installing the swingarm bolt.
The short alum stubs are going to get bolted to 2" flat bar welded to the TS front frame, the way you widened your steel arms. ( pics soon)
Not too sure about your 'lean map' idea tho - cold air is dense so depending on elevation you ride at? maybe lean isnt the way.
I got excellent results using Dynojet power commander V and an Autotune kit. Thats true wideband O2 sensor in the headpipe and then you just specify desired AFR in the software. eg light throttle cruise zones 14.2 -14.6 to 1 and then 11.8 or so in WOT 6000-7800 rpm zones

can I ask why are you targeting such rich afr numbers under wot in an NA engine? That’s inefficient turbo afr numbers, in my experience you should be aiming for 13:1 under wot, maybe a little richer to keep things cool but I doubt that’s any kind of a problem given the conditions and such. We used to aim for 11.5:1 on 10v turbo Audi’s pushing 18-25psi of boost and that was only because the poor head design would let us get 12:1 and we kept detonation at bay. Have you monitored egt to know the limit? You’re problem leaving some power on the table.

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

can I ask why are you targeting such rich afr numbers under wot in an NA engine? That’s inefficient turbo afr numbers, in my experience you should be aiming for 13:1 under wot, maybe a little richer to keep things cool but I doubt that’s any kind of a problem given the conditions and such. We used to aim for 11.5:1 on 10v turbo Audi’s pushing 18-25psi of boost and that was only because the poor head design would let us get 12:1 and we kept detonation at bay. Have you monitored egt to know the limit? You’re problem leaving some power on the table.

11.8 is actually a typo but I didn't bother to correct it.
12.8 was wot target

 

[heliwrench]

Cool project. How do you figure the 701 is putting out 30 more hp than a 450? Have you done a bunch of work to the motor?

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

It's 76 hp stock..
Oem airbox is horrible noise reducing thing... Gone.. High flow foam filter like a 450 plus 80mm velocity stack.
Stock exhaust is 8kg steel baffled unit.. Gone.. Modified 501 husky alum silencer in its place. Ceramic coated head pipe.
Power commander fuel and ign module...
Above 6500rpm the fuel is up to 26% increase over stock map.. Same for ignition 6-8 degrees advanced from stock
True O2 wideband sensor.
The stock bike is quite lean and corked up
Very very sim setup dynos at +12hp
(rotteweiler perf)
So 85-88hp
You pick whatever you like for 450 hp numbers

 

[eric82930]

I just googled the 701. It has the gas tank in the rear. Farther back then a yz by looks. If you did a riot style suspension setup it could be more playful than a 450 if you keep the weight off the front!

 

[Tykkyt E Blue]

I just googled the 701. It has the gas tank in the rear. Farther back then a yz by looks. If you did a riot style suspension setup it could be more playful than a 450 if you keep the weight off the front!

I know a rider in Quebec who has a 690 and had same idea... Yes playful combo but the extra weight and extra hp of these bikes don't suit a 120 track length if there is any amount of fresh or deep snow

 

[Mountaincanuck]

I ended up using 14 tooth CS, everything works really well! I use 2nd and 3rd most in hill climbs. And 4-5-6 on flats for high speed but rarely go past 4th.
I have the original traverse ski with small single skegs and it made my handling on trail and ice sketchy with lots of hunting. Does anyone have the non ARO traverse ski with RMC tall skegs, TS studboy or the gold standard triple skeg. What works best?
What benifit is there to shimming your ski for a tip up orientation? is it only better for powder handling?
Thanks!