Exhaust System

[BorderLineRider]

 I have a question I hope someone can help me with. I have a '98 Valkyrie Standard I bought new that still has the stock exhaust system. Recently a buddy of mine was riding behind me and later said "Hey! Did you know your right exhaust pipe is up higher than the left one?" I never noticed before but I had him sit on it and hold it up straight and I got down on my knees and looked, and sure enough, the right side is about an inch or so higher than the other side. It just doesn't look right and it's been bugging me ever since. I've had the exhaust system off before and when I put it back on there are no adjustments; there is only one way for it to be there. I tightened the header nuts first and then the nut on each rear bracket. I've never banged the pipes against anything and if I look at each pipe from the side each one is as straight as an arrow. I haven't been around any other Valkyries recently to compare it to. Are they all like this or is there something I need to check to rectify the problem? Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Mine are even. Could it have been tweaked when you were doing a rearend service ? I could see where a person could tweak them with the jack . Maybe with a strategically placed strap, pulley, and come along winch you could persuade them back into unison.

[wiggydotcom]

I have MarkT's exhaust system and when he builds up a system, I believe he checks for alignment as he goes. I "think" he has a system/jig that he uses to make adjustments. Maybe you could get in contact with him and he could steer you to a possible course of action.

[BorderLineRider]

 Thanks for responding Meathead. No, I don't think I tweaked it because I see no damage or bending anywhere along the exhaust system. I do have one theory. A few years ago my exhaust on the left developed a crack at the collector and I had it welded. I heard of no one else experiencing cracks there. My guess is that the rear mounting bracket on the left pipe was welded in the wrong position at the factory, a little high from where it should be, and perhaps had to be forced into position on the bracket stud therefore creating stress at the collector which eventually caused the crack. I really don't know what else it could be. I guess I'll have to learn to live with it because I don't want to spring for a different exhaust system.

[BorderLineRider]

  OK, thanks, Wiggy.com.

[Hoser]

It's just me, but I think I would push down on the high pipe or lift up on the low and see if I could tweak it. the muffler tips may be on a little crooked.  Just don't get carried away and break something.  Hoser   

[MarkT]

Yep.  If you had it welded, it wasn't welded with jigs to keep it at factory spec.  I'm betting I own the only jigs in the world that are made to hold Valkyrie exhausts in correct alignment for welding. (The OEM Honda factory jigs, gotta be discarded by now.) Broken welds at the collector happen with age and miles, especially in humid places like FL or the Carolinas.  I have fixed several, and weld them while they are held in a jig that holds them at factory spec. I have been collecting the measurements for years of how high they are supposed to be - have hundreds of them and their average - part of my proprietary business information.  All my builds, I measure where they are at the start and again when finished and keep them within spec.  They do get bent, if you drop the bike, or lift it by the pipes. You can see if they are out of alignment by the crack between the covers - it will be angled if they are bent. For now you can lift the one and tighten, push down on the other, to make them look the same.  You can hog out the holes on the rear brackets some to add extra movement, with a Dremel or even better, a good air die grinder with a small carbide burr.

Even better - get a set of pipes from me and they are guaranteed to be level within the adjustment available in the mounting hardware.