630 Longevity Concerns

[XLEnduroMan]

Russ, That is a great question. Keep the nice Italian bike or keep the nice Austrian bike. After briefly riding a friends 690 Enduro off road I agree the 630 feels better and is more enjoyable, so my nod would go to the 630. SWM is producing the same motor for themselves and also AJP, so the motor parts shouldn't be a concern. I am patiently waiting for SWM to pass the paperwork to be sold here in the USA. That should hopefully open up (cheaper) parts availability for the 630's and dohc big blocks.

What ever Husky you keep, you will be a happy guy. Braaaap!

 

[CJBROWN]

I'd appreciate some feedback as to how the 630s are holding up as they get older & rack up higher mileage. Mine has just had a top end rebuild to fix damage caused when the clutch basket broke, with the invoice for the work done attached.

While the bike was being repaired I bought a new 701, which I'm not really loving. Whilst it definitely has infectious power, its gearing is poor & suspension harsh - beats me up on any expressway sections. I think the 630 is a nicer all round bike - still plenty of go, a bit softer, great gearing & more relaxed & comfortable.

I was intending to do the logical thing and sell the 630, as it's 5.5 years old with 28000kms, & keep the 701 (3000kms), but am now having second thoughts as the 630 is going like a rocket & feels so sweet. Am seriously considering selling the 701 instead, which seems crazy. My only concerns are longevity and parts availability. What sort of relatively trouble free miles do you think I could expect from the rebuilt motor? I have owned the bike from new & it has been well maintained.

I don't want to keep both, as they're basically the same class of bike - would prefer the second bike to be something more dirt focused, such as a 501.

I still like mine just fine, but no where near 28,000km, more like 10,000. From what I've seen they seem to go 70,000km without much problem. Still, I would not try to make it something that does a lot of highway miles. Personally I don't think they're that great for a munching a lot of freeway mile. And another 40,000km dirt roads is a LOT of riding. [shrug]

 

[Russ]

Thanks Chris. I only do about 5000km a year, a mix of tar, easy dirt & proper off road riding. Expressway & tar is only to get to the dirt riding destination as quickly as possible. If you don't think the 630 is great for expressway (agreed) then stay clear of the 701, as it's literally a PITA even with the Seat Concepts seat fitted!

 

[EricV]

I'm creeping up on 16K miles on my 630- have the same concerns you have. It was at around 8500 miles when I had my oil screen come apart, causing the replacement of the engine casing. The mechanic who repacked the new case said that all on my internals (bottom and top end) looked to be in great shape, so that's encouraging (and largely to be expected, at 8.5K, but then again I rail on it pretty hard.)

So yeah, I feel like I'm at the same crossroads. To be perfectly honest I've never fully "trusted" the TE...just have had too many small/weird things happen. Things like the tank leak, a fraying/shorting harness, a few radiators leak, the oil screen incident (Very costly), a few other electrical gremlins...sh*t like that. So none of those are by any means a show stopper, but it diminishes confidence. I do go ver the bike very carefully but, as we know, some things you can't see coming, w/out being unreasonably invasive. iBeat is a big turn off- it's an antiquated system that only runs on antiquated machines. It can be fiddly. Now on the flip side I've had no major issues other than the oil screen issue, which was more of a fluke. The only biggie that concerns me is counter shaft spline wear- when that's toast that's gonna require a case splitting, obviously.

As with most of us I'm just not seeing anything out there that appeals to me as much as my 630. If there was I'd be on it. I appreciate your feedback on the 701. It's a bike I'm interested in, but I can't get excited about it either. The big DS bikes out there, for me, are either too heavy for my liking or too expensive for my comfort level (meaning in context w/ my usage...just can't justify 10+K for a seasonal play thing, no matter how much I love riding and how important it is to me.)

 

[DYNOBOB]

I'm at 12,000 trouble free miles on my 630. No mechanical issues/failures at all (knock on wood). No wiring problems, orig fuel pump still, I checked my spring cup washers at 7500 and they looked like new even (of course I ride like an old lady). Just changed the orig chain/sprockets and counter shaft still looks good. If the day comes that the shaft needs replaced I'll put a new sprocket on/tack-weld it and ride 10,000 more miles first. The reasons I preferred the 630 over the 690 5yrs ago are the same for the 701. I coming to accept however that I'm not getting any younger or stronger and almost bought a '16 Husky 501s the other day (just missed smoking deal) to turn into a super lightweight dual-sport. There are some trips/trails that are eventually going to be more than I can safely tackle on the 630 - but for gravel road running/BDR type use I'll never get rid of it. RE: parts, I don't think we're going to have parts issues on these bikes for a long time. For me, iBeat is a huge plus on the 630. I can plug my laptop in and diagnosed a problem on the road, possibly saving a trip (very few bikes you can do that). I carry a spare tps, cps, temp sens, fuel pump, etc on big trips.

Burned out 1000 miles in 2 days to get this pic last Sept. The Dalton is not a hard road but there was a 30mi stretch of construction through deep soft gravel where a lot of heavy bikes bit it in 2016. No sweat on the 630.

Found this '15 Super Ten w/ 1300 mi for $8800 last week, it will be interesting to see how it overlaps w/ the 630... a 501s will have to wait a while.

.

 

[Russ]

It's the little quirks that cause me doubts as well, and like Erik I've never fully trusted it, although perhaps unfairly because it's ever let me down.

The major issue I had was the clutch basket exploded because the mechanic who replaced the spring cup washers (preventative maintenance...) failed to properly install the locking tabs and the bike locked solid at 40kmh, which bent something internally. They fitted a new clutch and handed the bike back ready to go after test riding, but it was shaking like a paint shaker. I decided they had no idea what they were doing, so I took it to a specialist Husky dealer who only deals in Husky & whose mechanic has been around since the early 80s, so knows what he's doing. He pulled & refiiited the clutch and again gave it back to me ready to ride, but it was exactly the same. It was something I could feel that they couldn't, as I was familiar with the bike, and I expect something was just slightly bent. This is when I decided to just get a new bike, as I was over it and just wanted a hassle free and reliable ride. In the meantime they had a closer look and agreed there was a problem, particularly when the bike almost vibrated off their work stand! So now it's been rebuilt and is running beautifully.

But before that I did have experience some of the other known issues such as the oil screen breaking apart and going through through the motor, spinning air box bolts (fixed). broken sub frame (twice). It's these idiosyncrasies that cause me doubt, and one thing I am not complaining about on the clinically built 701.

Regarding the 701, I bought it by default as there was no other realistic alternative in this class. The only other bike I considered was a 501, which I very nearly bought, but both dealers steered me to the 701 because of the mixed tar & dirt riding I do. Personally I think the 501 could handle the bit of tar I do, as I only travel 5000km a year all up.

Anyway, I'll have a think about it and do appreciate your feedback.

 

[motranqui]

While the bike was being repaired I bought a new 701, which I'm not really loving. Whilst it definitely has infectious power, its gearing is poor & suspension harsh - beats me up on any expressway sections. I think the 630 is a nicer all round bike - still plenty of go, a bit softer, great gearing & more relaxed & comfortable.

Hi Russ

What do you mean by "its gearing is poor" (701)... great gearing (TE)

By "gearing" I understand first gear, second gear, .... sixth gear.

BTW, mine is aprox 18.000 km and not big issues so far

Thank you

 

[M-Coupe99]

I'm at about 11,700 miles with my 630, bought it at 4,900 miles. So far the bike has given me no problems and still is a blast to ride. Since I bought a Yamaha FZ-07 last year, the 630 is no longer used for commuting, just mainly for off-pavement riding, so it should last me for many more years.

 

[Russ]

Hi Russ

What do you mean by "its gearing is poor" (701)... great gearing (TE)

By "gearing" I understand first gear, second gear, .... sixth gear.

BTW, mine is aprox 18.000 km and not big issues so far

Thank you

The 701 has a very narrow spread 6 speed box, with 1st being too high for technical off-road riding, 6th too low for relaxed tar cruising and the gaps in between ridiculously close resulting in numerous unnecessary shifts. This means at anything more than 100kmh it's revving & vibrating more than it needs to & just wears you out on the open road, yet is only just low enough in the tight stuff.

This is a well documented gripe with the 690 on which it is based, to the point that Nova Racing offer a replacement wide spread box, albeit at a very expensive price. Because I'm not willing to fork out for that it means if I gear it lower for the off-road performance I like it'll be even more tiresome on the road, and vice versa, so I'm stuck with it. It's a shame KTM have failed to address this fundamental flaw at a factory level given the bike has been in production since circa 2009. I understand the root of the problem is that the 690 was based on the road going SM version, so got its gearbox, which has a 16T CS sprocket that gave gearing great for that application. The Enduro has a 15T, but the primary ratios don't work for a dual purpose bike. Given the 701 makes 67hp it could pull way taller gearing, ie have an overdrive, whereas the gap from 5th to 6th is tiny.

The 630 on the other hand has a nice wide ratio box, with 1st & 2nd quite good for technical riding and 6th relaxed for cruising - I love it. It's the main reason I bought the 630 in 2011 instead of a 690. I knew of this issue before I bought the 701, but I needed a new bike and that was the only realistic option in this class. I'm not hung up about it, as I don't do that much tar work, but when I hop straight off the 701 and onto the 630 it's immediately obvious how much more comfortable the 630 is. Where the 701 is better is in build quality and sheer horsepower - it's acceleration from 110kmh to well above 160kmh is incredible for a single cylinder bike.

 

[motranqui]

Hi, Russ

My only concern about the bike is not the bike itself, is not having a qualified mechanic that can repair it, as not too much Te630 were sold in Spain and the only Italian technical service in Madrid I don’t really trust on it.

And the only thing that sucks (sorry) me about the bike is the fact that the fork has not 270mm travel but 240mm, and that means that in small jumps I make bottom (and the Italian tricked us all around the world). I proved it in a thread here at Husky café.

Your case:
If…

1.- You have finally found a qualified TE630 mechanic and
2.- you have no money problems,

I will keep the TE630, because you love it more than the 701… and you could buy a new 701 anytime in the future if you like (on the other hand to buy a new TE630 is impossible). Besides the TE630 is by far a more exclusive bike than the “white” KTM 690 (the “Husky” 701)


So, based on 1.- and 2.- … “Bob’s your uncle”, enjoy the bike and don’t think about the future

 

[CJBROWN]

Hi, Russ

My only concern about the bike is not the bike itself, is not having a qualified mechanic that can repair it, as not too much Te630 were sold in Spain and the only Italian technical service in Madrid I don’t really trust on it.

And the only thing that sucks (sorry) me about the bike is the fact that the fork has not 270mm travel but 240mm, and that means that in small jumps I make bottom (and the Italian tricked us all around the world). I proved it in a thread here at Husky café.

Your case:
If…

1.- You have finally found a qualified TE630 mechanic and
2.- you have no money problems,

I will keep the TE630, because you love it more than the 701… and you could buy a new 701 anytime in the future if you like (on the other hand to buy a new TE630 is impossible). Besides the TE630 is by far a more exclusive bike than the “white” KTM 690 (the “Husky” 701)


So, based on 1.- and 2.- … “Bob’s your uncle”, enjoy the bike and don’t think about the future

Easy fixes all around...
1. Learn to work on it yourself.
2. Reduce the air-gap in the forks - add 10cc's of fluid and likely your bottoming will stop. Even better change out the fluid to 7 weight shock fluid.
3. Grow a money tree. (J/K)

Then there's also the issue of purchase cost. For most if not all of us, a 690/701 is likely twice or more the cost of what bought our 630 for.

 

[BobPS]

Easy fixes all around...
1. Learn to work on it yourself.
2. Reduce the air-gap in the forks - add 10cc's of fluid and likely your bottoming will stop. Even better change out the fluid to 7 weight shock fluid.
3. Grow a money tree. (J/K)

Then there's also the issue of purchase cost. For most if not all of us, a 690/701 is likely twice or more the cost of what bought our 630 for.

Agree with that Chris.
Personally, I will have to start learning how to work on the bike myself. Not just simple stuff like changing oil but more complicated and more involving work.

There was a Husky dealer (and a workshop) about 2 km from home, but they moved the dealership and the workshop to a neighboring town about 40 km away, and I don't like the idea of riding 40 km to have a routine service or maintenance.

 

[EricV]

Personally, I will have to start learning how to work on the bike myself. Not just simple stuff like changing oil but more complicated and more involving work.
There was a Husky dealer (and a workshop) about 2 km from home, but they moved the dealership and the workshop to a neighboring town about 40 km away, and I don't like the idea of riding 40 km to have a routine service or maintenance.

Similar situation here. Closest dealer is around 2 hours away. I worked on a lot of 2-strokes way back in the day, and then when I got into DS bikes around 12 years ago I realized I was behind the curve on ohc, valves...anything beyond the basics. But, with this great site/gang, the manual and iBeat I've muddled along. I haven't the skill/confidence to rebuild or anything that major, but you'll find most things are straightforward. I've been looking for an old thumper to rehab for a long time now so figure I'll learn the bigger stuff along that route (maybe a next winter project, hopefully.)

 

[ghte]

Hi Guys, Bit of a clarity sought please; would a recluse clutch act as a quasi cush drive as well ?

Cheers.

 

[CJBROWN]

Hi Guys, Bit of a clarity sought please; would a recluse clutch act as a quasi cush drive as well ?

Cheers.

Do they offer one to fit?

Personally I don't care for them, but then again I have never even tried one, so how can I say right? I dunno, I have no problem with clutch and gears on a bike - almost fifty years worth. One could say I'm stuck in a rut. LOL

The stock clutch basket with the springs is a crude 'slipper clutch' - designed to reduce shock to the gearset from the drivetrain. Elsewhere the replacement of the rear hub to a cush-hub has been discussed. This is for majority of riding being done on pavement. [shrug]

BTW, have a local rider that just got one of these and the seller handed him a bag of the spring-cup washers - a set from south Africa. Whoot! Anyway, he needed the rivets, and I suggested the bronze bushing as cheap insurance - both were in stock at Motoexotica here in so-Cal!

So far I haven't heard of anyone not being able to get parts. Oh, and the packaging was KTM!

 

[ghte]

Cheers and thanks for the heads up CJ.
I am not a user of recluse clutches on my pure dirt bikes either. Just postulating if a recluse (assuming one was available) would be a panacea for the cush issues we seem to have with it situated within in the clutch.

 

[motranqui]

The 701 has a very narrow spread 6 speed box, with 1st being too high for technical off-road riding, 6th too low for relaxed tar cruising and the gaps in between ridiculously close resulting in numerous unnecessary shifts. This means at anything more than 100kmh it's revving & vibrating more than it needs to & just wears you out on the open road, yet is only just low enough in the tight stuff.

This is a well documented gripe with the 690 on which it is based, to the point that Nova Racing offer a replacement wide spread box, albeit at a very expensive price. Because I'm not willing to fork out for that it means if I gear it lower for the off-road performance I like it'll be even more tiresome on the road, and vice versa, so I'm stuck with it. It's a shame KTM have failed to address this fundamental flaw at a factory level given the bike has been in production since circa 2009. I understand the root of the problem is that the 690 was based on the road going SM version, so got its gearbox, which has a 16T CS sprocket that gave gearing great for that application. The Enduro has a 15T, but the primary ratios don't work for a dual purpose bike. Given the 701 makes 67hp it could pull way taller gearing, ie have an overdrive, whereas the gap from 5th to 6th is tiny.

The 630 on the other hand has a nice wide ratio box, with 1st & 2nd quite good for technical riding and 6th relaxed for cruising - I love it. It's the main reason I bought the 630 in 2011 instead of a 690. I knew of this issue before I bought the 701, but I needed a new bike and that was the only realistic option in this class. I'm not hung up about it, as I don't do that much tar work, but when I hop straight off the 701 and onto the 630 it's immediately obvious how much more comfortable the 630 is. Where the 701 is better is in build quality and sheer horsepower - it's acceleration from 110kmh to well above 160kmh is incredible for a single cylinder bike.

I agree 100%. My brother has just bought a 701. 701 is by far less confortable than the 630. 701 first gear is longer and the sixth is shorter than the 630. The seat is too hard and the driven position I don't like too much. But above all, in my opinion what is worst is the handlebar vibration: is unbearable. We hope we can solve this problem someway...

 

[motranqui]

Longevity concern??

Look, I've found this. This guy is selling his bike. It has 53.000 km

 

[CJBROWN]

I agree 100%. My brother has just bought a 701. 701 is by far less confortable than the 630. 701 first gear is longer and the sixth is shorter than the 630. The seat is too hard and the driven position I don't like too much. But above all, in my opinion what is worst is the handlebar vibration: is unbearable. We hope we can solve this problem someway...

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And not to mention you can get a TE for less than half the money. That's a LOT of coin!!
You sure can't tell this to the 690/701 owners can ya?? They just ain't buyin' it!

I still like mine just fine, although the big adventure bikes are what I mostly pile miles on now. I'm sitting at about 7500 miles on mine, it's 6 years old this year. Obviously it mostly sits in the garage. Oh well!

Yes, that's Las Vegas!

 

[EricV]

I'm starting this season at close to 16,000 miles on mine. I still feel the same: no other bike I've enjoyed as much, but no other bike I've trusted less. That's not entirely fair, though, because overall the bike hasn't let me down in any significant way. It's just the niggling things that have, at times, diminished confidence. Overall I've had a good run of it w/ the 630:

- Two blown left hand radiators- kind of pricey. The OEM's just can't be trusted. This is now a known issue.
- Leaking fuel pump mount. Known issue, now, with no great confidence inspiring fix. Pain to get sealed up but it's held. Still, it's always on my mind and constantly checking it.
- Leaking clutch master cylinder- also a now known issue. I did the rebuild kit and it's held up fine.
- A frayed wiring harness where it enters the VR. Little more than an annoyance, and a bit of a pain to fix, but it did strand me...and it's now an on-going point of concern.
- Cracked engine casing from the RH oil screen tip coming loose and being hammered through the bottom of the casing. That was VERY expensive/time consuming.
- A short somewhere in the tail I still haven't found (and have yet tried hard enough to find, to be honest)- so the right turn signal, in back, doesn't work. I really need to work on that- the thing hasn't been inspected in two years because of that.
- Vent pipe from valve cover gasket to airbox shrunk- had to replace. Easy/no big deal.

Also did the clutch hub fix, of course, but I see that as part of the deal w/ these bikes...just has to be done. I pulled it about a thousand miles ago to inspect and the Indy Unlimited washers are holding up pretty well. I think they're certainly diminishing, but by no more than a third.

I'm sure there are other things I've forgotten, but clearly they'd be minor. And again in all fairness to the bike I've not been easy on it. It's done a lot of tarmac, and each time I ride it I ride it pretty enthusiastically- not abusively but I sure do get into it. Fun, fun bike.