Roadster Headers

My Combat has been fitted along the ways with Interstate headers, the bike has a nice used look to it so I don't want to fit new ones, wondering if they are the same apart from the 'kick' at the end and could I cut the pipe at the muffler end reangle ? or are they totally different? Unless any of the NZ members have a used set from a resto they want to move on?

So why do you want to change them ??

Perfect for saddlebags or luggage.
Or keeping passengers heels away from the hot bits....

hi John, try Paul Bryant at Viking exhausts, he made a set for me but the kick out wasn't quite right so he made a custom set to suit my bike, I know he has the others there at his business/shed
027 242 0781 or 07 824 8105

Regards Mike

Rohan said:

So why do you want to change them ??

Perfect for saddlebags or luggage.
Or keeping passengers heels away from the hot bits....

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I like the swept up look

Passengers and luggage......Thats what the BMW is for.... :wink:

Yes my 110lb. wife has melted her boots on upswepts so can relate. Crazy dislikes her prescence and even worse when she packs cosmetics and stuff on the roadtrips. Bought the Sidewind softbags that are angled to compensate such loading but from here on in it's friend's places or motels as need be and a little less camping gearage. That's what the Big Money Wasted R 1100 RT is for , load er' up n' go. Like the Cabot trail last season. A must do and the tarmac is new . Speed limit : slow with care (moose ). I don't think Nortons like much weight unless you like slow.

The Interstate are longer , and could in some cases lead to increased horsepower . Tuned length and the like . Combats were origninally a interstate option .

Stupid stainless steel burgess style ( saussage ) car resonator / straight thru Mufflers are available , like the old Coby type . Or ancient A10 BSA .
Just to be differant . IF you cut em you could pull em up & in if you loose the sidestand lug. Norvil P.R. pipes foul the chaincase lip as you swing em out .
fit up under the iner chaincase , 4 mm clearance . Just get a Interstate Tank to match the Pipes .

I might bite the bullet and get some new ones..as the rest of the bike has buffed up ok. its hard to tell of the parts manual which brackets I need to change....Just the outer ones? thanks John.

72Combat said:

I might bite the bullet and get some new ones..as the rest of the bike has buffed up ok. its hard to tell of the parts manual which brackets I need to change....Just the outer ones? thanks John.

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You need to replace both.

Torontonian said:

Yes my 110lb. wife has melted her boots on upswepts so can relate. Crazy dislikes her prescence and even worse when she packs cosmetics and stuff on the roadtrips. Bought the Sidewind softbags that are angled to compensate such loading but from here on in it's friend's places or motels as need be and a little less camping gearage. That's what the Big Money Wasted R 1100 RT is for , load er' up n' go. Like the Cabot trail last season. A must do and the tarmac is new . Speed limit : slow with care (moose ). I don't think Nortons like much weight unless you like slow.

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I made new silencer/footrest hanger brackets with the footpeg mounting hole an inch higher, to stop my missus melting her boots on upswept pipes, and will do the same on my new Mk 3.
sam

Why not round up the brackets and mock it up. You can probably get everything close enough to see if the bend will work. I would be happy to take some good photos of mine if it would help out. Even better find another member with roadster pipes and measure compared to the frame and Z-plate were the bend lands. You could send a PM to ZFD and ask him if he has drawings for the two styles of pipes. I wouldn't be surprised.

Now, should you cut them off? I dunno, a nice set of interstate pipes would not be a bad spare to have on the wall.

Russ

rvich said:

Why not round up the brackets and mock it up. You can probably get everything close enough to see if the bend will work. I would be happy to take some good photos of mine if it would help out. Even better find another member with roadster pipes and measure compared to the frame and Z-plate were the bend lands. You could send a PM to ZFD and ask him if he has drawings for the two styles of pipes. I wouldn't be surprised.

Now, should you cut them off? I dunno, a nice set of interstate pipes would not be a bad spare to have on the wall.

Russ

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Cheers Russ, its a bit odd as looking at the parts book I appear to have Roadster brackets, large diamond shaped one but I can't see how that would work if the mufflers are more tilted....I think I'll spring for some new headers and as suggested hang the interstate ones on the wall.( I can see my hack idea ending up in the bin.... :roll: )

Whats the best way to keep the exhaust nuts tight.....I did a search and it looks like the makings of an oil thread.... :shock:

How much riding do you get up in Alaska? Here in Auckland NZ I ride all year....I do however get wet a lot.

Take a look at this link from the Old Britts web site. It shows the roadster parts assembled.

http://www.oldbritts.com/mk3_m_conv.html

As for keeping the nuts tight. I followed the advice of running the throttle up to around 4k and utilizing the vibration from the engine to aid in getting it tight. I haven't had it come loose since. I also used a bit of high temp RTV on the threads.

As for riding seasons. Sadly it is short here. In fact I always said I would never bother to buy a motorcycle while I lived here. The lack of a highway out of town combined with wet and cold weather makes it a hard place to gets lots of riding in. However when gas first hit above 4 dollars a gallon a few years back, I bought an old Honda just to commute to work. I saved over a thousand dollars in fuel that first summer season (compared to driving my Ford truck) and the Honda was just a gateway drug to a Commando. At least with a vintage bike, I get a lot of satisfaction from working on the bike preparing for the summer commuting season. The good news is that my ride to work is about 6.5 miles on a winding two lane highway with light traffic. I have been averaging a little over a thousand miles per season. My 850 project is coming together and it is my desire to get out of here for some road trips. I just have to quit my job to pull it off!

I've spent some time down your way. I have friends in Tauranga and have had a number of (mis)adventures on visits.

Russ

Russ