Three more mods for the 690. We’re getting there.
Vanasche Gas Filler Neck
I chose this one over the other option (CJ Designs) for the simple reason this one has a cable that ties the cap to the filler neck. They both do exactly the same thing in the same way.
There’s two reasons you want to do this upgrade. The first is because the stock filler neck can collect dirt and crap too close to the filler neck and it’s easy to get that crap into your tank when you refill for gas. Even with my bike being cleaned from the last ride you can see how close that is in this picture. Imagine what it would be if there was dirt or mud?
Compare that to the new filler neck which raises everything up higher…
The second reason that this is a worthwhile upgrade is you can’t break your key off trying to get the cap off. The locking cap does break keys off from time to time and as long as you can live without a locking cap – this is so much better. My old cap was sooo stiff and I worried every time it was time for gas.
Install was easy. Remove the old one, make sure you don’t drop crud in the tank here either, then remove the o-ring from the old one and install the new one with the 3 screws – done! For some reason they do not include a new o-ring.
Pivot Pegz
I’ve had these on the 950 since I got it. This is the new Mark IV version which are a little wider and bigger. Only one option for finish in these and that’s chrome. I’m not sure why when there’s virtually zero chrome on the bike.
For those that don’t know Pivot Pegz work a little like a bicycle pedal in that they pivot forwards and back a few degrees. This matters when you are standing on the pegs going up or down a steep hill. The pivot allows your feet to stay in contact the whole time.
As a regular cyclist, this feels normal whereas I think most people not familiar with cycling won’t like the feeling.
Wings Silent Kit
I love my Wings exhaust on my 950 and so adding the same to the 690 was a no brainer. Recently I saw a guy installing a “silent kit” from Wings into his 690. My bike has a lot of BRAAAP and quieter wouldn’t have been a bad thing. The reason for the wings wasn’t exactly more power or more noise, it was to get rid of the catalytic converter that was inside and the heat that would melt anything close (usually your baggage).
Tomm saw a post about it and sent me the email address. I fired off an email, a day later I got a response from the owner and I ordered the parts. About a week later it was here. The kit consists of a cone and a new end pipe. Both look high quality.
Apparently you can use the cone just by itself, or the cone and the end pipe to adjust whatever you like. I thought I’d start with the full quiet and see how it went.
The cone just press fits into the intake end of the muffler. It’s held in there when the muffler is attached to the bike and muffler clamp.
The “silent” end pipe has a diameter of about 27mm
While the old pipe had an internal diameter of a little over 30mm
They also had a slightly different design with the new pipe having a lot more restriction.
Everything fit perfectly like it should and the bike is definitely quieter, almost stock quiet. I haven’t been able to ride it off road yet but I’m sure liking the fact it’s quiet. Since it’s just a single bolt to remove and replace the end pipe, I might swap that out and see what it sounds like with the old pipe.
He's an avid hockey fan, rides a mountain bike, sometimes rides a road bike, has a few motorcycles (he had a really fast one, had a big cool orange one, rode a really slow one, and is currently building a perfect "BDR Weapon"). If that isn't enough, he makes cheese and sourdough bread, loves strong beer and good red wine, and poorly plays the Mandolin.
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