Stock Exausts?

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Peashooter

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Jun 24, 2010
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It's about time to start the Commando project. I bought a '73 850 that had been stored since 1977. It is in remarkably good shape, except the tank was rusted through ( I already have a NOS fiberglass one for it) and the exhaust. Which brings up this subject. There are several low priced exhausts on Ebay. Has anyone bought one of these systems? Worthwhile?
I already have a '66 Atlas, which I have a Mikuni on and I have put one on the Commando.
The tires are original and have gotten very hard so they should last a long time :idea: and other than these things I should be running soon.
 
1. Exhausts are easy. Buy the best quality you can afford.
2. Do a search of “fiberglass tanks”. That will keep you busy for a while.
 
Check out Commando Specialities for exhaust (they are also on ebay).

And read up on fiberglass tanks before you go down that path.
 
swooshdave said:
Check out Commando Specialities for exhaust (they are also on ebay).

And read up on fiberglass tanks before you go down that path.
Click to expand...

I was looking at Commando Specialties exhaust. Price looks real good . Have you tried one?

I will seal the tank, been down that road with the Ducati 750GT. Premium gas here in Arkansas does not have alcohol in it.
 
Peashooter said:
swooshdave said:
Check out Commando Specialities for exhaust (they are also on ebay).

And read up on fiberglass tanks before you go down that path.
Click to expand...

I was looking at Commando Specialties exhaust. Price looks real good . Have you tried one?
Click to expand...

I have not but have generally heard good things about them.
 
Peashooter said:
Premium gas here in Arkansas does not have alcohol in it.
Click to expand...

Where in Arkansas are you? As far as I know, the premium here in southern AR does in fact have alcohol in it at most stations. There are a few here and there that advertise ethenol free gas, but they are rare...

Chris
 
I purchased two complete exhaust systems from Commando Specialties and have had a great experience with them; high quality chrome, consistent contours. To be completely candid I had to bend both headers to get thme to a perfect fit, no big deal; to be fair I have also had to do this with stainless pipes costing 2-3x more; in either case it gives me more time to be specialist rather then a technician. Achieving a truly perfect unstressed fit is a pleasure...

RS
 
RoadScholar said:
I purchased two complete exhaust systems from Commando Specialties and have had a great experience with them; high quality chrome, consistent contours. To be completely candid I had to bend both headers to get thme to a perfect fit, no big deal; to be fair I have also had to do this with stainless pipes costing 2-3x more; in either case it gives me more time to be specialist rather then a technician. Achieving a truly perfect unstressed fit is a pleasure...

RS
Click to expand...

What is your bending technique?
 
This week I put on a set of balanced pipes from Viking with Beancans. The pipes actually fit, a miracle. The welds and the chrome are in a different league, and the gauge of the tubing is heavier. I've had them for over ten years and only now gotten around to putting them on. My preference tends toward quiet in my dotage. They were pricey then and probably still are.
It helps to check the fit with the bike off the centerstand. I was surprised to see how much things shifted with the wheels on the ground and my butt on the seat.
 
I have a set of TOGA pipes and mufflers which I bought ridiculously cheap a long time ago and stored in my garage attic. I finally put them on a few years ago. The left pipe stuck out so that the muffler was far (almost 2") from bolting up to the mount. My totally unapproved and crude way was to rotate the pipe so I could wedge a 2x4 between it and the primary case and then I used a long bar stuck way in the end of the pipe to move it inwards. It didn't have very far to go and I tried to support it so the force was not concentrated in one spot so there was not much danger of kinking. The exhaust nut was snugged up when I did this. I had to overbend slightly. It came out right and the muffler ends were nicely symmetrical when looking at the back of the bike.

I can't really recommend this method to others but it worked for me with the pipes I had. You could probably do it on a strong workbench with a firmly bolted down big vise and clamp the pipe with wood blocks that have half circles cut in them. Add a well placed block of wood or two to bend against. It's all in the fixturing.
 
This may belong in the, 'Stupidest thing you've ever done to your bike?' thread. I did some tweaking with the pipes on the bike once too often. The problem was that the head had welded in exhaust inserts. Who knew? :oops:
 
batrider said:
I have a set of TOGA pipes and mufflers which I bought ridiculously cheap a long time ago and stored in my garage attic. I finally put them on a few years ago. The left pipe stuck out so that the muffler was far (almost 2") from bolting up to the mount.
Click to expand...

Usually it's the right side that has issues:

Stock Exausts?


Stock OEM right pipe compared to some aftermarket POS (Toga I think):

Stock Exausts?


Right side pipe clearance to the kickstart lever is a major complaint about head pipes nowadays.
 
I've got a pair of Commando Specialties headers.
Happy with the quality and fitted with no problems.
I loose fitted at head (use anti-seize on nut), silencer and connection of silencer to side plates.
Particularly for right side to be sure to avoid boot striking silencer a put a nylon strap tie around header and pulled toward bottom frame. Avoid actually touching frame.
So when I tightened head nut, header to silencer clamp and silencer mounting bolts in that order the pipe stayed close to frame.
Cut off nylon tie!
After first run while engine warm tightened head nuts again. Told factory used 4' bar to tighten them seriously so I really pulled on them.
I marked head and nut with indelible marker so I can see if unwinding. 1,000+ miles so far and haven't budged.
OldBritts shows how Fred uses lock wire to be sure nuts can't move.
 
Bending technique:

I have big hands so I hook my thumbs over the pipe and my fingers over the lower frame rail and start squeezing, with the exhaust nut tight. I slowly increase pressure over a number of squeezes until the pipe starts moving the right direction, you do have to over squeeze in order for the pipe to "remember" the new position; this "process" takes less than 5 minutes.

RS
 
I've been "meaning" to buy the viking balanced pipes for my 850 for over a year now but have never managed to actually order them. I was going to order their 2-1-2 pipe set but discovered that the ground clearance reduction would not be workable in Mexico and I don't want to lose the center stand either. But I probably will get around to the balanced pipes at some point.

Dunstall identified that the balanced setup made more power with no loss of low/mid way back when and it's included in his "tuning tips"
 
+ 1 for vikings worth the extra money as they fit and cleared my standard kickstarter. Good quality chrome etc and the after sales service and backup for their product the best. Mine is a 750 Fastback with British peashooters. They have Nortons to try the pipes on for fit before they are sent for chroming so you know they will fit as in OZ there is a lot of rubbish about, would not take the chance with any off Ebay.
Ian
 
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