I wanted a 690 for years and bought one last year with the expectation that it would be a do it all bike with a focus on leisurely riding on back roads and broad trails It is a great bike, but after one year I sold it when I found a good deal on a 1090R.
The 690 R carries its weight much like a 450 4T enduro bike from seven or eight years ago and with genuine decent performance from the chassis it can be ridden at a lick through the trees. The true answer to that question is, many times over, this is a better bike.
UmnVr3.