Gotta answer these comments. There are misconceptions here.
I am glad you are both in the game. Sooner or later the supply of good condition stock double wall exhaust headers will dry up. I dropped off a side walk in Daytona a few years ago and dented one side of my headers. I actually like the separate header tubes, collectors, the fact they are stainless steel and I am assuming you could at one point change out the muffler cans for a different set. I am also a little surprised at the price for a stainless steel system.
Won't dry up before I no longer need them, IMHO. I have 16 sets on hand right now, most in good to excellent (brand new) condition. I don't know how long I'll be building custom exhausts - perhaps until folks stop asking me. Or I retire. Whichever comes first.
The separate parts also mean lots of weak, flex points. That's the problem with Lamont's "Easy Glasspack Mod". Over time they start to wobble in the middle at the collector-muffler junction where it's not welded. Yes you can change the muffler cans probably. Many folks also have done that with my system after they dropped the bike and damaged the stacks. Not a unique property.
On their price for a SS system - note this is a new offering. I agree with your comment, with 18 yrs experience in this market. No one else has produced a viable exhaust anywhere near their price, starting from scratch - w/o doing mods to existing OEM systems so much of the cost is already covered. With the possible exception of Cobra, which isn't SS - stainless is much more expensive for materials and to work the metal. SS is brutal on cutting tools. The Valk exhaust is expensive to make with 6 headers - not like a V-twin. There is not enough margin left after the materials and production cost to keep them in business. Particularly with double wall headers or stainless steel metal. Not to mention their shipping from the UK to Denver. Honda did it by burying the cost in the price of the bike. I do it by buying finished exhausts below their production cost and improving them. I question their business plan and I for one, would never invest in this company - if I was looking for investments. I predict they won't sell this exhaust for long at this price. Or keep quality up / continue with SS.
I contacted the seller a few wks ago. I asked the ID of the down pipes. They responded 35mm ID, or 1.377 inches which is more than OEM at 1.1 inches. So they will provide a HP boost.
All 6 into 2 exhausts provide a power boost over stock. Due to scavenging, while most also reduce excess muffler back pressure (with flow-thru packs) recovering wasted power. The power increase is not from the header diameter being larger. In fact smaller diameter headers increase exhaust velocity improving torque. Torque is streetable power. The Honda headers were designed by Honda engineers specifically for this engine - they knew what they were doing. The minimal needed BP to prevent burning exhaust valves is provided by the headers - e.g. don't run the engine with NO headers but you can run it with ONLY the OEM headers w/o engine damage. The larger headers help power only if the engine needs more egress and then at high rpms - if you're racing - specifically has head work and is blown. Do you race your supercharged Valkyrie? I don't race mine.
I wish these guys luck. Any aftermarket suppliers for our bikes is a good thing. Note nearly all of them have bailed and gone on to support V-Twinkies and the like. I'm sure Delkevic's product and pricing will change when the realities of production and marketing come home to roost. And I'm not going to do this forever so your choices will get slim indeed.
