| Author | Message | ||
     Randymoser |
Hi all, Well, I picked up my bike in June with 17k and some change and just turned 20k yesterday. My 1997 M2 has run flawlessly other than a few odd oil leaks and the Force Streetfighter pipe shaking itself apart. I was never committed to this pipe. It’s VERY loud and not in a sportbike sort of way IMOH… It doesn’t sound mean to me; it just sounds broke. In addition to cracks around the elbow, I’ve also lost nuts on the header at a rate of about one every 200 miles or so. I torque them down after every ride now, but I think the design of this pipe (with just the header bolts and rear hanger holding it on) has contributed to the nuts vibrating out so frequently. I just picked up a used Vance and Hines can off Ebay because I’ve read here and in other places that it’s much less noisy than the Force. Should I 1) try to cut the Force where a OEM header would end and mount the slip on or 2) wait until a stock header comes up and mount the slip on then. Additionally, does anyone have a picture of the recall header bracket Buell put on these bikes? Does that prevent the nuts from vibrating out? Many thanks! Randy Rounding Doggit Mountain near Asheville, NC | ||
| Phelan |
I have a stock header for my '95 S2 that I'd be willing to part with. I dunno if it's the same or not as the M2 header. Wanna part with the busted Force pipe? | ||
| Randymoser |
I most certainly would. Let me do some research to see if it would fit. I can send you some pics of the Force, if you want... it's wrapped right now, so I'd have to remove that to show the cracks on the elbow... I'd also like to arrange it so I get the header first, if possible, so that the bike isn't down. Would that be cool? Randy | ||
| Phelan |
That would be cool with me, but we will have make sure we're cool with the trade. I did forget to mention there is a small dent at the bottom of the front header. Not very noticeable, and hasn't hindered performance any. I actually have a Force pipe already (wrapped as well) that I'm about to put on; but I know these are kinda like iPhones- they are really cool work great, but will eventually break (I dropped my 7-month old iPhone 2 days ago for the hundredth time but this time it cracked the screen). I also have a D&D slip-on but it's at least as loud as the Force only because the cap and packing blew out (both replacable from D&D). | ||
| Phelan |
I forgot to mention the D&D before it blew out had a great sound- quiet at idle with a nice growl when you get on it. I think Bartimus has D&D for an S2 that he would get rid of pretty cheap... | ||
| Djkaplan |
The V&H muffler has a reputation for shaking itself apart, but I never had a problem with mine. You could probably modify the V&H to fit the old Force header easier than modifying the the Force header to fit a stock V&H. I modified a V&H to work with a race header pretty easily. | ||
| Randymoser |
Phelan, This sounds great! I'm not concerned about the little ding. Do I need to unwrap the Force or are you ok without me going through the bother? If we go forward, I might take the wrap off anyhow and try to re-use it... It cost around $65, if I remember right. I've been reading about the V&H problems all day. Funny, but I looked at the design of this system -- with a mid-pipe between the header and can and springs -- and figured it would wiggle, thus avoiding stress at the elbow. But it seems like the issue isn't just vibration from side-to-side, but vibration back and forth, too, which might mean the Force pipe retrofit is a good idea… No way I’d go back to the noise, though. So is the consensus America Sport Bike’s bracket (http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-p rodshow/17036.html) if I’m using this Vance and Hines? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ewItem&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AEOIBSAA%3AUS%3A11&vie witem=&item=130241247576 Thanks all, Randy | ||
| Djkaplan |
The mount is no guarentee that you won't have problems, but it's supposed to help. I never updated mine and still use the old fashioned mount with my race kit header and modified V&H (which I totally eliminated the 90 degree elbow on). | ||
| Randymoser |
I hope I can get this thing resolved. This is a wonderful machine and I intend on riding it. It won’t be cool if I need to replace the exhaust every 500 miles. Is there one system that seems to stay together? I’d read good things about the V&H somewhere and it looks smart, as I say, but now I seem to be hearing that the D&D works better? My brother has never had problems like this on his stock Thunderbolt. That bike has been pretty reliable. I think the only failures have been a rectifier and a shifter that vibrated loose. Thanks all, Randy | ||
| Djkaplan |
All the aftermarket mufflers seem to have their foibles. I know for a fact that same year M2's can have the same V&H fitted using the the same installation procedure, and one bike will have problems and the other one won't. I never had trouble with the V&H on my 00 M2, but front mouting tabs breaking off, core pipes fracturing, rear mounts cracking, and Z-brackets breaking at the bend lines, not to mention exhaust studs breaking, have all been problems when using V&H SS2R's on tubers. I was lucky with mine, I guess, in both incarnations of it. It worked fine with the stock header, and when modified to fit the factory race header, the V&H is superior to the stainless steel factory race muffler in terms of fit and weight. Durability is probably better too, but I have no direct comparison for that because I never ran the race muffler after I saw how heavy it was. |
