850 Roadster balanced exhaust pipes examples

jimbo

jimbo

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Messages
2,098
Country flag
What I have here, are four examples of cross over pipes
1. MK3 original :note it is missing the machined steel end piece , only a flared tube, they fit closer to the head than the non MK3's
2. Non MK3 original :note the machined end piece is brazed onto the pipe, makes for the nice clean look, with a decent cross pipe weld
3. Non MK3 replacement :note the machined end piece is now welded,, believed to be supplied by AN
4. Non MK3 Wassel aftermarket note: 15 yr old stock
 
850 Roadster balanced exhaust pipes examples
 
I dislike the welded collar pipes with a vengance and especially the crossover pipes that have a welded collar They are a royal pain to try and get to fit without anything catching, especially the kick start. I always have alignment issues with them. The two gasket trick is always used to try and get round these issues. The Mk3 pipes that have the flared end are much easier to fit and align with the silencer due to the swivel nature of the design of the exhaust rose and spherical washer set up. They are available without the cross over pipe so even easier to fit. I always recommend to clients that they are bought and fitted.
 
I only posted this for references concerning correct restorations. I am sure there are many improved assemblies.
 
Mine all have cracks are the "Y" spilt weld....quite hard to see unless applying some force to the joint. Gone to straight non-balanced sets.
 
dobba99 said:
I dislike the welded collar pipes with a vengance and especially the crossover pipes that have a welded collar They are a royal pain to try and get to fit without anything catching, especially the kick start. I always have alignment issues with them. The two gasket trick is always used to try and get round these issues. The Mk3 pipes that have the flared end are much easier to fit and align with the silencer due to the swivel nature of the design of the exhaust rose and spherical washer set up. They are available without the cross over pipe so even easier to fit. I always recommend to clients that they are bought and fitted.
Click to expand...
I have the stock pipes on my '75 Estart and they interfere with the kicker also. I thought I was the only one with this issue.
 
On a road bike, crossover pipes are probably less likely to damage the exhaust ports through movement. I use slip joints and springs on my bike, but it is not a road bike - As far as performance is concerned, crossover pipes occurred on later 1960's Triumph Bonnevilles. I think it was more about noise than performance. An exhaust system which improves performance often seems to create more noise. My exhaust system is atrocious in that respect. It is a 2 into 1 which actually works. Exhaust systems are not about getting the gas out quicker - they are more about resonance and stronger pulses through tuned lengths. Most road bikes are probably quick enough for their riders.
 
jimbo said:
I only posted this for references concerning correct restorations. I am sure there are many improved assemblies.
Click to expand...
Did not see this before I posted. I now see the reason to be particular. Originality is always a burden.
 
jimbo said:
I only posted this for references concerning correct restorations. I am sure there are many improved assemblies.
Click to expand...
Did not see this before I posted. I now see the reason to be particular. Originality is always a burden.
 
For those having issues with the kick start catching the pipes, Andover Norton sell a stepped silencer bracket part number 061721/S which cured mine.
 
I think the crossovers are all brazed to the pipe(s) , not welded per se . Then chromed .
This is where they crack , if proper loose/sliding /snug assembly procedure is not adhered to .
 
Best thing when i convered my 850 motor to Featherbed frame in 1980 was getting rid of the balance pipe altogether even a short time from new when i brought my 74 Commando in 76 new and 4 years before the conversion my header pipes were cracking where the balance pipe fitted, so when i got new header pipes made for the Featherbed frame without balance pipe i have had no more problems and i am still running to this day with those same header pipes, 46 years now and over 160k miles, not bad for 2 header pipes bent up from my local exhaust shop that had a mandle bending machine and the owner only charged me $20 to make them and $20 to get them chromed.
The good old days when they had the good mandle benders and a experiance operator he only took 15 mimutes to bend each side, i also found without the balance pipe the bike ran better, a lot better.

Ash
 
ashman said:
Best thing when i convered my 850 motor to Featherbed frame in 1980 was getting rid of the balance pipe altogether even a short time from new when i brought my 74 Commando in 76 new and 4 years before the conversion my header pipes were cracking where the balance pipe fitted, so when i got new header pipes made for the Featherbed frame without balance pipe i have had no more problems and i am still running to this day with those same header pipes, 46 years now and over 160k miles, not bad for 2 header pipes bent up from my local exhaust shop that had a mandle bending machine and the owner only charged me $20 to make them and $20 to get them chromed.
The good old days when they had the good mandle benders and a experiance operator he only took 15 mimutes to bend each side, i also found without the balance pipe the bike ran better, a lot better.

Ash
Click to expand...
Correct restoration is a much different animal.
 
Torontonian said:
I think the crossovers are all brazed to the pipe(s) , not welded per se . Then chromed .
This is where they crack , if proper loose/sliding /snug assembly procedure is not adhered to .
Click to expand...
No, and no.

Some are brazed.
Some are welded.
They crack because the entire design sucks. Rubber mounted engine with four foot pipes solid mounted to the head.
 
FWIW, I have the OEM balanced pipe on my 850 Commando and despite operating since 2014 on probably the most "vibrating" road surface available - cobblestones - the balanced pipe has not shown any sign of stress. It's mounted in the normal fashion- including the "feature" that the kickstart lever hits the pipes. It will push past the pipe and start the engine OK but it wouldn't be a good thing to do regularly. Since I have an Alton, it's not a concern. I expected it to crack/fail rather quickly once the bike was moved from Mexico City to its cobblestoned town but pleasantly surprised! TBH, I can't understand why it HASN"T cracked!!!
 

Similar threads

850commando
  • Locked
Balanced Exhaust cross pipe
Replies
2
Views
1,669
kommando
kommando
Tornado
  • Locked
Balanced Exhaust==>Un-Balanced Swap?
2 3
Replies
49
Views
6,732
MichaelB
MichaelB
jimbo
  • Locked
Were balanced exhaust pipes used on late model 750's?
2 3
Replies
45
Views
4,804
N0rt0nelectr@
N0rt0nelectr@
Don Tovey
  • Locked
Will 850 balanced exhaust be OK on 750 (2013)
2
Replies
21
Views
3,569
chaztuna
chaztuna
S
  • Locked
balanced exhaust pipes?????
Replies
6
Views
2,413
L.A.B.
L.A.B.
Back
Top