I believe you are correct in your choice of bike - the KTM 690 series is particularly apt for what Thailand/Laos/Cambodia have to offer.
The Enduro would also be my choice, tho you need to junk the stock catted muffler as it is a serious fire hazard.
The much heralded 'Adventure' [read extended range] version would even be more choice, tho there is still no firm news on when it will be released.

Now the bad news - Thailand still has no dealership.

The nearest KTM dealer is in Penang Malaysia and then Singapore.
I have just been down to visit them both with a view to looking at importing one.

The Malaysian dealer, a particualrly slippery character when trying to tie down for "firm facts", says:
1. He has been appointed KTM's Thai dealer with local dealerships working through him.
2.He claims that he has 690s going through Thai homologation tests, but he won't confirm who is the dealer doing this for him. Word on the street that this is BS.
3. The Singapore dealer says KTM have yet to appoint a Thai dealer, so he will sell you an Enduro for 14K SGD and then ship it up as parts for assembly here. You, however, are left with the very real problem of getting it plated and having a resellable green book registration.
This [plate & registration] may or may not be possible as things have tightened up considerably in the last few months.
Even if you want to throw mucho moolah at the problem, normally it has has been 30-80K THB depending on whether you cared if the numbers had been "ringed".

A mate of mine with this very same issue with a KTM 525EXC has the option of a dodgy rego but needs to rebadge it as a Kawasaki!!
Or, maybe riding on an even more dodgy Cambo plate.
Not great choices.

You could buy one with Malaysia or S'pore, plates pay full local tax - and the dealers both have promised me a good buy-back price. Yeahhh, right.

But were you to go down this expensive route you would have to take the bike out of Thailand every 6 months [there's a modest fine after 30 days, not exceeding 2kTHB for the 6 months]. If you exceed this by 1 day, you risk having the bike impounded.
Another mate of mine has a KTM 950 on US plates and operates with this system.


Maybe if the Penang dealer stops speaking with forked tongue and actually delivers on his promises, then we may see a Thai dealership emerge.
There does not appear to be an indigenous Thai dealer in the running.
There's certainly a market here, both on & off-road/track - many motocrossers and enduro racers are racing them.
But these are smuggled in and don't need plates.

In the meantime for what it is worth the BMW F800GS is being launched in late October and on sale in November for 750/760K THB.
Not a KTM 690, I know, but maybe a stopgap if you want to cross borders and go moderately off-road and stay legal.

Older enduros like the Africa Twin are available for around 200+K THB depending on age, condition and paperwork

They're available for order now, the salesperson I spoke to at the `10 BKK Bike Fest' was very nice too.
a new showroom is also being built at New Petchburi road too, will be open in April..not sure about the date though.

The guy told me that all new orders should take no longer than 2 months to arrive after you make a deposit.

Quote by: kenneth

Quote by: Toppy

They're available for order now, the salesperson I spoke to at the `10 BKK Bike Fest' was very nice too.
a new showroom is also being built at New Petchburi road too, will be open in April..not sure about the date though.

The guy told me that all new orders should take no longer than 2 months to arrive after you make a deposit.

ktm smc 690 can it be bought in bkk now?
what is the lead time?
what is the approx. price?
who do i contact?

I have a d-tracer 250 today and now after 1.5 year everybody have one here in pattaya where I live, and I getting bored of the bike.
please help me

Yes, the KTM SM 690 can be officially bought in Bangkok. For the lead time you best contact the Bangkok dealer by telephone 085-518 6556 (mobile). The prices of the KTM's you can find at our KTM price list