Call for interest - Group Buy of repro exhaust systems

[NobleHops]

Alright, I had so much fun doing the last one I thought I'd do another, although this one will be tons easier because I will not be handling anything.

Two of the good guys that sell parts for our bikes have graciously agreed to support us with a discounted rate on the two popular brands of reproduction exhaust systems. If we can get 10 or more of each system sold through this group buy we will all enjoy a nice discount on these. For starters, here's the info, and if you would like to participate then please reply here including which system and the quantity needed, and when we hit the magic 10 threshold we will place our order.

Tim's CBX is offering a nice discount on the Delkevic reproduction exhaust system. These are available for both the twin-shock, 79 and 80 bikes, as well as the ProLink 81 and 82. The sole difference is the placement of the bracket however - there is NOT a crossover pipe as on the stock ProLink system. I have this pipe on my '80, now 4 years old and it looks, works and sounds great. Chrome is excellent, fit was easy. It comes packed in a bulletproof styrofoam box and it includes the mounting clamps and a set of collets and exhaust gaskets. Add a set of and new nuts and be good to go. Tim's will sell us these systems for $1,050, plus shipping, USA. This is about $250 off of the usual price, and a GREAT DEAL for a complete system. UPDATE: Tim's will flat-fee shipping to the USA at $65, and to Canada at $120.

Northeast Vintage Cycle is also oferring a nice discount on the reproduction Sankei system. Sankei was the original supplier to Honda back-when and the story goes that the Dutch CBX club encouraged then to dust off the tooling and reproduce these. The first batch had stamping that mimicked the original sets, these later ones have different stamping that is less like the original pipes I am told. These are by all accounts also EXCELLENT pipes as well, but this system does not include clamps or collets as the Delkevic does. Northeast will sell you additional items you might need including gaskets and nuts, no problem, but they do not have the clamps available - you will need to reuse what you have or source them elsewhere. Northeast will sell us these systems for $1166.36 each, also a very nice $130 discount from their normal price. I believe this system is twin-shock only, I do not believe this works as well for the ProLink. I welcome correction or input on that score, please. NVC estimates shipping between $75 - $100 within the USA, likely higher in Canada.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Respond to this post, or PM me if you prefer. I need to know the following:

Which system you want - Delkevic or Sankei:_____________

Which bike it is for - Twin-shock or ProLink:_____________

How many sets do you want:_______

We will leave this open for two weeks, close it for participation on MAY 14, 2014. Place our orders then. Anticipate 2-4 week delivery, or faster I think.


Feel free to forward to folks that do not use the forums, including the Brewer list please, and ask them to email me directly at nils.menten@gmail.com The more the merrier.

Best,

N.

[daves79x]

I'll bump this. Guys, this is one of the best deals you're ever going to get. If you've been putting off thinking about an exhaust for that restoration, better think about it now. They'll never be any cheaper and either system is fine quality and will improve the value of your bike.

Dave

[Mike Cecchini]

Sorry to say this never got posted to the Brewer List. Or did I just miss it?

Thanks ..........Mike

[NobleHops]

Sorry to say this never got posted to the Brewer List. Or did I just miss it?

Thanks ..........Mike

Please do repost it Mike, and thanks in advance.

[Rick Pope]

I'm in for one Sankei system, twin shock.

[Mike Cecchini]

Sorry to say this never got posted to the Brewer List. Or did I just miss it?

Thanks ..........Mike

Please do repost it Mike, and thanks in advance.

Will do Nils.

Thanks...........Mike

[NobleHops]

OK, we are up to 6 systems (Sankei) including the crowd at CBX World. 4 more and we light this candle.

[daves79x]

Hope this is not a hi-jack, but some initial impressions of the Sankei system:

I have put about 100 miles on the restoration with the Sankei system. Sound is nearly identical to my other '79 with a stock Honda system. Fit is excellent. Sankei supplied a second right-side rear mounting bracket that I didn't pay any attention to at first. I mounted the system as delivered and it fit up fine. After, I was eying up the bike from the back and noticed an obvious difference in pipe heights. The right one was higher. So I dug out the spare hanger they'd sent and saw that it was longer. I mounted that one and bolted up the right pipe again and they now both hang perfectly equally. They are also exactly symmetrical left-to-right. I don't know what the original bracket attached to the right pipe was for, as every year CBX, sport kit or standard, mounts exactly the same way. At least they recognized the need for the spare bracket and included it.

The chrome is quite good and the stand brackets are perfectly placed.

A couple of nits - the replica covers on the collector could be shaped a little better, but don't interfere at all and you'd never notice a difference unless compared side-by-side to stock ones. The biggest issue others may have is the spot-welds showing on the outside of the cans. Honda got away with just spotting the inner side that doesn't show, but these are spotted in 4 places all around. David Silver clearly describes this if you read the whole description. Personally, I'd rather the welds didn't show, but I'm satisfied enough and certainly thrilled that we can buy such a good system for a reasonable price.

I've seen both systems being offered and actually have a Delkevic system here still in boxes to install on a customer's bike, just haven't gotten it out yet. They do supply collars and split rings. Others that have installed the Delkevics may want to comment.

Dave

[Joner]

Hi Dave,

I wasn't impressed with my Delkevic system.
I had to wait for the cover for one side of the pipe to be replaced twice, as one was rusty and the other spot weld on the clamp had not taken properly.
The downpipes (headers) have gone a blackish colour, and no I do not leave it running on choke on the stand to overheat. If I am running for any length of time on the stand I have a fan to keep everything cool.
I will hopefully be using it on Thursday, to get to a driving course. The first time I have rode it since I tried to remove the top of my thumb last October.
It has been a long wait.

Cheers
Chris J.
sorry if this is a highjack, but the first part is an answer to a question.

[NobleHops]

It's no hijack, welcome content, totally relevant to this topic. The more the better.

I have the Delkevic on my '80, it looks excellent, fit very well, had no problems with the shields. No problem with the chrome. Mine was purchased in...2010? Not sure that's relevant. It includes the clamps, collets and gaskets (that I need), everything but the nuts. It's also ~$200 less expensive. I'm getting another. Very happy with mine.

N.

[Kool_Biker]

Hi everyone, 5 5c worth ...
I bought a brand new Delkevich from the UK in fall 2011. It arrived in Greece very well packed and seemingly with all goodies as Dave has mentioned above.
The system has been on the bike ever since and, give or take a couple of engine rebuilds (who remembers :)), have enjoyed quite a few Km riding around.

Am I happy with the Delkevic - NO. And here's why.
-First and foremost, I have never been able to make the two exhaust cans sit at the same height and location - see pic below. And believe me I have tried.

P1090640.jpg

-Second, the headers are not sitting as well as one would expect on the exhaust ports, and in the following picture you can see how the copper gaskets have been asymmetrically crushed (I remember this was first noted by Mike back then).

P1060959.jpg

-Third, they sent the wrong size exhaust gaskets which was annoying.

-Fourth I get slightly upset, every day, when I see the admittedly small but ever present spot welds mentioned by Dave.

And one more thing.. I have no experience whatsoever with the sounds of the original cans, or most other cans for that matter (you don't see many CBXs around here). But to my ears, the sound of the Delkevic up to around 5.5K RPM is boring, becoming heavenly once you go past this RPM. But let's face it I don't ride above 5.5K RPM 'that' often. In contrast my lowly and getting old Marshall has a magical sound from almost idle to red line. And let's face it chaps; the sound of our bikes is an important part of their personality and our enjoyment. Then perhaps the Delkevic has the same sound as the original pipes, in which case I rest my case.

Pipe dream (no pun intended): Now if we could organise a wonderful 6 into 6 Club purchase ...

Aris

[cbx1956]

Aris- regarding the spot welds I think Dave is talking about the Sankei pipes- not the Delkevic. Or do your Delkevic pipes also have spot welds which annoy you?

Dave H

[Z Grand]

Neither the Delkevic nor the Sankei system is going to be perfect. They are what they are, and to paraphrase Dave M., they are good enough for a ridden bike, and the prices are reasonable compared to good used or NOS systems (if any are even still out there). Although I only have personal experience with the Sankei system, from what I have seen the Sankei seems to be a little better constructed. If I had the spare cash, I would buy a second Sankei system just to have on hand.

[Kool_Biker]

Aris- regarding the spot welds I think Dave is talking about the Sankei pipes- not the Delkevic. Or do your Delkevic pipes also have spot welds which annoy you?

Dave H

Yes, definitely, at least back when I bought mine in fall 2011

[Phil]

So where does the group buy thing stand now ??? Just saw this post and would like a Sankei set for a twin shock `79.