Looking for a source for good fitting "S" type headers

It's come to the point again where I need to think about what to do with my header pipes. I have gone through the routine in the past of replacing them with after market and having to deal with crappy fits. This is especially problematic with this style as they need to both follow each other along the same path to the mufflers. The last time around after yet another run in with a poor fit I had an old rusty original pair that fit perfectly re-chromed. It's been 7 or 8 years now and the chrome is starting to give up near the head. Not sure where to go with this. This current pair fits really well but the chroming process is dubious at best. Lots of suppliers out there for new pipes but don't want to pay a fortune for stuff that fits poorly. I know the "machining tolerances at the head" excuse but some I have seen are just poorly bent.

I fought a nice clean war with a set of those pipes and the pipes won. So then I assumed I was doing it wrong and tried, tried, and tried and the pipes won. The bottom one was pushing on the fiberglass side cover and the top on only had a tiny clearance. So, totally pissed off, I did something very unlike me: Tightened the roses very tight. Two feet on the bike, two hands on the bottom pipe, PULL! Ok, now I had a small gap. PULL HARDER, now I had a decent gap but I thought it too small. PULL REAL HARD - happy. Ok, same drill on the top pipe until it matched.

Like you I had a nice set that fit perfectly, but that set was cracked at the flange that goes into the head. The set I made work was new and came with the bike along with a new side cover because the one on the bike was badly burned.

I hate gorillas working on bikes, but that day I went full gorilla!

Yep. Been there, done that. The last time the bottom pipe was kicked out 2" from the top pipe. Ended up sending them back.

I went through that 30+ yrs ago, I am amazed that things haven't got better

Now I'm trying to fit roadster pipes on a 72 and find interference on the right side with the kick stater rubbing on the muffler .

jimbo said:

I went through that 30+ yrs ago, I am amazed that things haven't got better

Now I'm trying to fit roadster pipes on a 72 and find interference on the right side with the kick stater rubbing on the muffler .

Click to expand...

That is a standard Commando feature! MK3 kickstart lever usually misses. The RGM lever misses. And, once in a while you can fix it:

ALL mounting points, clamps, roses put together but loose! While pushing the exhaust towards the frame, tighten the rose. Then tighten the plate to the muffler, then the rubber mounts. Finally, tighten the clamp between the muffler and exhaust pipe or don't install one. Best you can hope for is a near miss.

jimbo said:

I went through that 30+ yrs ago, I am amazed that things haven't got better

Now I'm trying to fit roadster pipes on a 72 and find interference on the right side with the kick stater rubbing on the muffler .

Click to expand...

BTW, there is a service release on this: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/SR/N1_01.aspx

So, AN makes this: https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/sho...r-mount-bracket-stepped-version-chrome-plated

I've found them to be a PITA and they generally do not fix the problem.