New Exhaust Headers / downpipes - market options?...

[F4celess]

Looking at replacing the original Exhaust system headers/downpipes on my Fazer.
There are a couple of offerings, comparing Black Widow and Delkevic.

The 4 into 1 connecting pipe is a different design from each, which caught my attention.
With the Delkevic appearing a much more seamless, flowing, plus cosmetically pleasing design.

Interested to hear from anyone with either of these exhaust systems, concerning build quality, finish, etc?
Or are there other products out there worth considering?

Until I decide, will be applying WD40 liberally to the header bolts, to hopefully make the job as eventLESS as possible (want no snapping header bolts).  :eek

[agricola]

Scorpion may do a system for the fazer, and im not sure that the Delkevic is road legal

[bandit]

Delkevic are fine would prefer than Blackwidow, also use a penetrant spray as will be better than WD40. 

[BBROWN1664]

A good penetrating oil on the studs works well. As for the choice of headers, I have recently been looking too. On my last FZS I went for Delkevic. Looked good but were a pain to align properly. This time I went for Black Widow. Look just as good but easier (for me) to align.

[F4celess]

Interesting point on the legality of exhausts - do you mean the e-mark? Will the MOT man be looking for this?
Have just had a look at Scorpion offerings. They appear to produce a load of mufflers / end cans, however I couldn't find exhaust downpipes/headers.

Point taken on the penetration fluid - will pickup some.

So you went for the Black Widow BBROWN1664. My exhaust can is Black Widow, so might be a good pairing, having the whole system BW.

On youtube there's quite alot of Yamaha MT-07 and MT-09 owners who chose an aftermarket Black Widow muffler for their bikes.
If its good enough for them, its going to be more than adequate for my 19yr old FZS!

[BBROWN1664]

downpipes do not need any markings. They are straight through pipes.

Mine is a Delkevic end can.

[bandit]

A carb balance maybe required after fitting new downpipes.

[redmandan]

Hey F4aceless, just this summer I did an exhaust change and I was in exactly the same position as you, stuck between the choice of Black Widow and Delkevic.


I started a thread here


In the end I went for the Delkevic, I bought the full system 450mm end pipe as linked here. Others have said it might not be street legal but the website explicitly states that it is and they have been going a few years so they are probably legitimate (with baffle in of course).


I´m very happy with it, I also read around and heard people had had problems with alignment, indeed I set it up on the kitchen floor before heading out to the bike and the spacing did look a bit off, in the end it was perfect. Actually aligned better than the factory ones I took off. I had to persuade the old ones off but the Delkevic ones went right on. Instructions were a bit non-existant; there are 4 springs that need to be ?sprung? on that were a bit stiff, it comes with a handy tool which makes the job possible. The kit also includes new header gaskets.


One word of advice, get yourself some copper slip and some nice domed stainless nuts, putting the old rusty nuts back on the nice stainless header mounts doesn´t give a satisfactory finish. I did eventually get some but in the photos below I hadn´t got them yet:


Imgur


Lastly, with regards to getting the old nuts off, I watched a video by a guy I´ve been following on youtube which you might enjoy: video


In the end I ordered a bottle of Automatic transmission fluid. Luckily I jhave access to Acetone at work. I made a 50/50 blend like the guy tested in the video and applied it with a pipette I also liberated from work, once a day for a week before. In the end the nuts came right off.


Best of luck

[fazersharp]

I have so far managed to keep my 21 year old originals (see my signature ) so far by repainting and filling a couple of pin homes in the collector area. But I have already soaked and removed the nuts to be ready for a change. I soaked mine for a few weeks after rides when it was all hot/warm, and used a syringe to target the nuts and get right in there including the back of the nut header plate.
You can get acetone from the chemist or ebay as it is used in fibreglass resin --- things 

[bandit]

I have so far managed to keep my 21 year old originals (see my signature ) so far by repainting and filling a couple of pin homes in the collector area. But I have already soaked and removed the nuts to be ready for a change. I soaked mine for a few weeks after rides when it was all hot/warm, and used a syringe to target the nuts and get right in there including the back of the nut header plate.
You can get acetone from the chemist or ebay as it is used in fibreglass resin --- things

And most nail varnish removers.

[Carpy]

I put a set of Black Widow headers on my last Fazer. Well made and fitted easily. Everything lined up sweet as. Nothing else needed to be done. I also put a Leo Vince can on the end. Luckily the nuts came off the studs without any dramas and no studs were damaged in the process.
When the headers go on this Fazer I will replace with another set of Black Widow as I was impressed with the build quality and finish of the last set.

[fazersharp]

[quote author=fazersharp link=topic=25704.msg303935#msg303935 date=1572080782]
I have so far managed to keep my 21 year old originals (see my signature ) so far by repainting and filling a couple of pin homes in the collector area. But I have already soaked and removed the nuts to be ready for a change. I soaked mine for a few weeks after rides when it was all hot/warm, and used a syringe to target the nuts and get right in there including the back of the nut header plate.
You can get acetone from the chemist or ebay as it is used in fibreglass resin --- things

And most nail varnish removers.
[/quote]But they can also contain water --- sorry Aqua  :rolleyes - stupid cosmetics crap

[F4celess]

Thanks all for the additional replies. Great info plus further considerations.
Delkevic is still winning by tally however a couple of praises for Black Widow.

Will checkout your thread redmandan for additional tips - thanks for linking to that.

fazersharp... based on your signature, I expect all your bolts and screws to be squeaky clean (with zero rust) considering the bike has only been exposed to vitamin D (sunshine) since birth?

[F4celess]

Sorry, one final question - is it best to strip off the front end (Wheel / Forks, etc) prior to removing/replacing downpipes?
Looking quite tight in there (especially getting a socket to the central downpipe bolts, at the engine). 

[fazersharp]

No need to dismantle. You need a 1/4 inch socket extension bar about 6 inch long ? ish. Not sure if you can get a 3/8 one in there. 

Keep on soaking them first.

[bandit]

Also you will need a universal joint 1/4 drive added to the end of the 1/4 drive extension bar.

[F4celess]

Thanks both. Sounds like a good excuse to expand the toolkit with some more Socket parts

[BBROWN1664]

Also you will need a universal joint 1/4 drive added to the end of the 1/4 drive extension bar.

I didnt need a UJ when i did mine

[fazersharp]

[quote author=bandit link=topic=25704.msg304123#msg304123 date=1572452213]
Also you will need a universal joint 1/4 drive added to the end of the 1/4 drive extension bar.

I didnt need a UJ when i did mine
[/quote]is that an elbow thing - if so then neither did I - straight through.