Just a quick note to let fellow VFR lovers know that Two Brothers Racing now has a left side exit exhaust system available for the '94, '95 and '96 (maybe) VFR's. It turns out that we've (TBR) had one available for years, it's the '90-'93 system and it bolts right on to the later model year VFRs. You do have to loose the center stand however, but we always have the service stands available for rear wheel/tire/chain work. So I guess that also means that our right side system will bolt directly on the '90-'93 bikes too... for those of you that purchased the then optional centerstand and want to keep it. Also we now have rear-set footpeg adaptors available. These billet kits relocate the stock footpeg brackets up and back about 1". tbrking@netvoyage.net (Craig Erion-Two Brother's Racing)

I purchased Two Brothers Racing's stainless exhaust system (not slipon) last spring. Total cost was about $450 if I recall correctly. The pipe is fairly easy to install but time consuming, just a lot of bracket removal and replacement, and header removal. It's probably a weekend day job. The pipe is louder than stock, less loud than most Kerkers and Supertrapps, and many people have commented that the bike sounds like a smallblock Chevy V8. I've mistaken it for a friend's Ducati 851 racebike. Looks are great. The system for the '90-'93 is a left-hand exit, which leaves the right side of the wheel uncovered (cool, because the swingarm's on the left also). You CANNOT have the stock centerstand, and can't modify the centerstand to fit. You've been warned. BIG NOTE: When you rejet the bike for the pipe, use the Factory kit, not a Dynojet kit. I tried for 3 months to dial in the DJ kit and never got it right. The Factory kit's default settings were only one clip setting off for my bike. 2 Bros will also recommend Factory instead of Dynojet for this particular pipe and bike combination. patl@onpmomma.isc-br.com (Pat Loughery)

I have a TBR stainless steel slip-on that I like quite a lot. When it was new the sound was verrry mellow and boomy without being loud. Now that it is a year old it has gotten louder. I guess it's time to order a repacking kit from TBR. If I had it to do over I would have gotten the carbon fiber slip-on, just because I think it looks neat (I've seen it on another '94 VFR.). That's my $.02 worth. dmoses@unr.edu (Don Moses)

Although I haven't ridden a stock '94+ model VFR, I test rode one fitted w/ a D& D carbon slip-on and one with a 2 Bros. full system. Both sounded great, though different. The slip-on was quieter and had a better overall sound - kind of a muted growl, but still w/ a LOT of bite. The 2 Bros. system, OTOH, was considerably louder and had more of a raw, visceral bark to it. In terms of performance, though, the full system definitely gets the nod. The 2 Bros. equipped bike revved MUCH faster, and pulled strong all the way from the bottom. The D&D was nice and had the better sound but felt pretty anemic in comparison (I rode both the same morning). Both bike were properly jetted, and the D&D was the actual prototype that the company did its testing on. While both pipes provide a definite improvement over the stock setup in terms of exhaust note and weight, you can guess which bike I ended up buying. s.tan@mail.utexas.edu (Simon Tan)

I own a 1991 VFR. I recently purchased TBR's new countermeasure 2 racing exhaust (Oval Canister). The thing sounds absolutely incredible, only problem is that the bike is running lean around 5000-6000 rpm (Noted by excessive backfiring). Anyways, the pipe added quite a few ponies (Noted by the close race between me and my friends ZX-7). The pipe cost me about $500 , aluminum canister and headers. Also side note, also mounted some new Dunlop SportMax Radials.. I am very pleased, the tires feel extremely stable at high speeds on tight turns. a169@huachuca-emh2.army.mil (Tony L. Skinner)

I'm extremely happy with a TBR carbon slip-on on my 95 VFR. Did not require re-jetting (no surging or backfiring and bro-in-law confirms it seems good, he's been into VFRs longer than me), great sound, seems to add grunt all-around, particularly at low to mid-range, and was easy to install. Less than 1/2 the weight of stock can, also. LIV2RYD@aol.com (Real Name?)

Being a confessed "desmo-addict" my second VFR purchase was a compromise. I loved the torque of the Ducks and that sound, that sound. But I didn't like the reliability as I prefer to commute on my bikes unless the weather is absolutely hostile. Long story short, I've tried the "other" slip-ons in my quest for auditory nirvana.

First was the D&D in aluminum, didn't like the sound. Reminded me of the noise a kid makes when blowing bubbles through a straw in his drink. Real anemic and let's not even mention the Freudian implications of the puny canister. I've seen 125cc GP racers with bigger canisters! Very aesthetically unpleasant. To be kind, the D&D made good performance changes that were useable on the street. Nice increase to the midrange and topend were the most readily apparent. I could finally do some small, but nonetheless, official hooligan wheelies with the D&D. The best change to the powerband out of all three systems I'm going to talk about.

Next, the legendary Staintune. Nice aesthetic high pipe with substantially increased size and diameter to satisfy most owner's Freudian shortcomings. Pricey. At nearly $600 a shot I expected a lot more. What I got was quicker throttle response, the same midrange and highend increase that the D&D gave me. Better sound, but not anything to write home about. All this with stock jetting by the way. Passed on the Staintune too. I wanted more. At this point I've become a pro on changing out slip-ons, or so I thought.

Enter Two Brothers Racing. While perusing the TBR website I caught a glimpse of a dual-exhaust system that was plastered on the bottom of their web page as a footer graphic. "Nice" I said to myself. But wait! Isn't that a single-sided-swing-arm!?! And that's a VFR tail section! I was instantly smitten. I had to have this exhaust canister on poser-points alone. Again, long story short. I saved up enough lunch money and received the important spouse seal of approval to get this thing. It was both joy and agony the day it arrived in the mail. Joy at the incredible quality of the canisters, I ordered the carbon fiber. Some of the best CF I've seen to date. The end caps were mirror finished stainless steel and substantial to boot! Both pipes with the stainless steel y-pipe weighed no more than a few ounces over the Staintune high-mount system. Not an official weight, just perception. Let's not forget the incredible difference in weight between the TBR dualies and the OEM exhaust also.

Mounting was a near nightmare if it wasn't for the beautiful components pushing me along, I may have sub-contracted this part out. Fortunately I already had the access slot cut into the rear fender assembly to mount the high pipe (left over from the Staintune). It was the lower mounting bracket that caused all the problems. The bracket mount into the stock passenger footpeg, just like the OEM canister. This bracket was too long and made contact with the front of the "upper" canister and caused much cosmetic damage once finally installed. The y-pipe would not fully seat even with a new crush-gasket. The second gasket took nicely and sealed like a charm! Probably just one of those things. I called TBR and spoke with Manny about my bracket problem. To his credit he insisted that I get him a measurement for a desired bracket length as soon as possible. He was really wanting to set this thing straight and fast! I went out to the parking lot and measured the stock bracket and took off 3/4 of an inch for good measure. Gave him the new total length, hole to hole. He had another one made the same day and Fed Ex'd to me! Just for the record, I could have just taken off just a 1/4 of an inch and been just fine. But I wanted some slop, just in case. As for the scratched upper canister, I have a standing offer from Manny and TBR to send it in any time to get it polished or replaced. I've decided to take advantage of the mild south Texas autumn and ride a little more before downing the bike while the canister makes the round trip to SoCal.

There you have it. A bitch'n looking system for only $758 shipped to my door! The sound? Nothing short of heavenly. Wait? Is that an RC45 you're riding there or just really wicked Mexican cuisine? You D&D and Staintune owners spouting, "...sounds like a small block or NASCAR!!!" Uh, no. Keep dreaming! THIS dual system is the sound you're talking about, not that Fisher Price tape recording when you pull the string on those "other" exhausts -G-!

Performance? Well, here's the rub. My midrange and topend flattened out noticeably. I'm going to get in contact with the other lister, Ed, with the aluminum dualies and share notes. I'll have to rejet, but I can still do wheelies (albeit smaller ones).......-VBG-! Questions? Write jnmdivar@csi.com.

I own a 98 VFR 800 and bought a Two Brothers slip on in 98. They just came out with a recently new exhaust. There older one sounded great but did no noticeable increase in performance. So they suggested their new VFR pipe and it to sounds great, not quite as loud as the first one, not quite as much pop in the sound but you should notice the performance difference. The pipe installs fairly easy and you don't use the exhaust gasket with it, so no gasket. But watch for wear the center stand meets the rubber mount on the exhaust close but not quite perfect. I have tried other exhaust like D&D sorry but no thanks, (Robert Embleton - vmax@megsinet.net)

Fitted the TBR dual aluminum oval slip-ons to my 95 VFR. The finish is great, the fit is crap. The fit was a real disappointment. The dual pipes seem quite a bit louder than the TBR single pipe. Re-jetted with a factory kit. Completely different bike now. A monster. (Ed Williams - edwardk@ptd.net)

I have just completed installation of a high rise, carbon fiber, Two Brothers Racing slip-on for my 1999 VFR800. The fit and finish are excellent, the sound is nice, and not too loud at low RPM's. No other mod's to the stock bike. The fuel injection seems to handle the change just fine. Expect considerable decibels as you reach for the redline. High rise is the only way to go, the rear wheel looks so good even my riding friends thought I had bought a new wheel. I believe you can remove the rear wheel w/o removing the TBR slip-on, an added bonus. I haven't tested this, but the clearance looks good. I bought this slip-on because cages couldn't hear me beside them on the daily commute, no problem now. I don't know about any performance improvement, they say there is some at the top end but you gotta have a dyno to find out.

The installation process took approximately 2 1/2 hours and required a drill with metal bit to bore a hole through the seat support for a hanger. In addition, you must notch the plastic seat cowl for this hanger to pass through to the support. Cutting plastic is not for the weak of heart as you can easily create a rip. The slip-on doesn't use the existing mount point on the right pillion peg. I had to replace the cylinder gasket where the slip-on extension pipe meets the header. This gasket is sometimes reusable, but get one just in case.

The written directions are minimal at best, leaving much to the imagination. For instance, the hanger could be installed in about 8 different orientations, and no diagram to show the preferred method. The gasket didn't quite fit in the extension tube, be very careful as you can damage the gasket easily. I tapped open the extension tube end, just a little, where there are expansion slots already cut. This allowed just enough room for the gasket. The carbon fiber rubs against the rear fender, that big ugly black plastic fender would certainly melt if the slip-on was not CF. I'm not sure how this is to be addressed as CF stays cool enough if properly maintained. I would assume you cut or replace the fender with something a little more streamlined for a hot slip-on. There are two diagrams on the instructions, one shows the seat support beams and the other is a faded b/w photo of a VFR with pipe installed. The photo is absolutely useless. The whole process however, is very intuitive so just about anybody can do it. Be sure to use a punch to start the hole on the support beam. Finally, packing replacements are readily available, although the slip-on caps are riveted on. INSPECT regularly, if the packing gets thin, you will quickly burn the CF, and that stuff smells real bad when burning, kinda like $450 going up in smoke.( Rick McDaniel - RMCD@chevron.com )

In January 2000 I bought a TBR high mounted alu exhaust in Rotterdam.(NL) I agree with others that the quality of the material is ok. Finish is good and the bike looks great! The only 'problem' I faced was that I needed some washrings to get some distance between the passengers footrest and the TBR. Make sure to get a new gasket before mounting the TBR. It is a rather delicate piece of rubber with some additives, and will disintegrate quite easily when peeling it of the 4-1 pod. I bought the VFR800 in January 1999, and the gasket was difficult to remove. The weight in comparison with the standard exhaust is some 6 kilograms! And as others say it looks great with the rearwheel showing off! In Holland the government follows the EU regulations concerning the standard size of license plates. It is now of a 'normal' dimension(14 x 21 cm).

With the former licenseplate it would be difficult to mount a high mounted TBR. Material costs? It only costs a bit of plastic located under the seat and one drillinghole (M8) to get the exhaust ring in place. It took me 2.5 hours to get it fixed. In my opinion the powerband comes in more smootly in all RPM's, and the engine has about 7 HP more. My topspeed (on the speedometer) was 265! With the factory exhaust the machine did not exceed the 245! jejose@worldonline.nl (Erwin Jose, chairman of the Dutch VFR Owners Club)

"I was tired of my lady...we'd been together too long,"; that sums up the latter part of my relationship with my vfr. I got mine in 1994 and as the years went by I was riding less and less. it got to the point where I started contemplating getting a new bike; I was kinda bored, you know? I ended up going to the NYC moto show and took a look at some of the two bros. carbon fiber exhausts. "What the hell," I thought. Several days later I ordered a high mount, "filament wound" carbon fiber pipe. Installation was fairly easy with only a few moments of trepidation. Thumb the starter after a few winter months of bikelessness and...COOL! What a cool sound and it looks rather stylish, if I don't say so myself. It was a good move and I'll be tinkering around some more. maybe some suspension bits, braking stuff, etc. Daddy's got a new act...and it looks, sounds and runs great! (James Eng - jameseng@hotmail.com)

I purchased a Two Brothers Racing high mount slip on pipe for my 98 VFR 800 recently. I got the carbon fiber C4 cannister (round), but TBR claims all of their pipes provide identical performance regardless of shape or finish. The slip on kit includes the exhaust can, stainless steel 'S' pipe to connect the can to your stock headers, and the springs & brackets to mount it. Build quality looks very good: the carbon fibre weave is even and very glossy, the 'S' pipe is good and thick, and the welds & rivets are cleaned up nicely. You have to provide your own exhaust header gasket (spend the money, buy a new one) and must transfer the rubber centerstand bump pad from the stock pipe to the new 'S' pipe. Be very careful...the pad breaks if you use too much force. Mounting the pipe requires removing the tail fairing, drilling a hole in the subframe, and trimming the black plastic fender under the seat for the bracket to fit thru. Nothing horrible, but it takes time and you want to do it right the first time. Results: I'm very pleased. The sound is deep and significantly louder than stock....not to be confused with obnoxious-loud, which it's not. Nobody is going to confuse the wobbling V-4 exhaust note with an in-line four anymore. Just don't crank open the throttle early in the morning, cuz it gets louder quickly. With helmet on I can hear the exhaust up to 50 mph plus, whereas wind noise drowned out the stock exhaust sound even at city speeds. TBR claims an extra 6 hp, plus you drop about 10 pounds. After a 45 minute ride to work the carbon fiber can was cool enough to hold, altho the metal endcaps were very hot. My opinion: I love it. (NATHAN VOLLRATH - NATHAN_VOLLRATH@fmc.com )

The next best thing to having an underseat exhaust system is having a right side exit carbon fiber dual exhaust slip on by 2 Bros. Racing. Other than the over-the-top pricetag for this baby there is no going wrong with the performance, quality, and style. The website parts411.com has this product among a slew of other accessories and modifications guaranteed to transform your stock VFR to a customized born again monster. Parts411.com makes the most outrageously priced sportbike equipment more affordable and even makes accomodations to purchase your old parts from you. One shot of the new VFR800 can make any bike lose its luster, however a 2 Brothers dual exhaust and a number of other discounted products from parts411.com can rekindle the passion you and your VFR shared when she was brand new. (Ramee Jaber - theramsta@hotmail.com)

I installed a Micron cannister on my brother-in-law's '93 VFR750F last week. These are just my impressions of the product and the installation procedure. I don't have any firm numbers to back up performance claims... Fit and finish: The unit arrived with a small scratch on the cannister, but fortunately was in a position where it was covered by the "MICRON" logo decal. I did not weigh the unit, but based on comparison it appeared to be half to two-thirds lighter than the stock can it replaced. The finish is uncoated polished aluminum, almost mirror like. A little simichrome polish brought it to a real dazzling brightness. The connecting pipe was finished in a shiny black enamel-like finish. Installation: Installing this thing was a pain in the butt. The pipe came with a short connecting pipe and a bag full of springs, washers, bolts, and tabs. The stock pipe disconnects at the collector, and the lead gasket is pulled from the boom box collector. Align the connecting pipe with the collector and determine what angle is needed _before_ pounding the pipe into the can... trust me. Bolt the spring tabs to the collector and turn to align with the tangs on the pipe. Pound the pipe into the can with a rubber mallet. Align the mounting bracket on the pipe with the stock mounting point on the right passenger footpeg bracket and bolt it on. Install the springs with the included spring puller and you are set. Of course this took me several hours, but once you know the tricks (I didn't) it can be done quicker. Performance: Since I didn't have any significant seat time on the bike prior to the installation, I can only go by the comments made by my brother-in-law. He immediately noticed an increase in midrange. Now that the pipe is on, he's planning on installing a K&N air filter and a jet kit to match the pipe. The pipe sounds fabulous - it has a crisp, deep, full sound and while louder than stock, is not obnoxious unless the throttle is wide open. A very nice and pleasant sound, and barks when opened. :) VFRdgz@aol.com (Donald Zielke)

After doing some research here and contacting a few people I purchased a Micron hi-mount oval aluminum slip-on exhaust, about $375.00. The ability to easily re-pack this can yourself is probably what sold me. I have a red 2001 VFR and I installed a Gold micron can. Yes, I was wondering why too. The contrast is fairly stark. People notice it right away and I think it makes a nice statement. Eaaaasy to install. I like that. After peeling off the "Not For Road Use" sticker I was ready to go. The fit and finish is really nice. Beautiful! Sound? Hey, if you DON'T like sound then DON'T get this can. Wah! This thing ROARS at 6K RPM. The May 2001 magazine issue of Performance Bikes compared all of them and Micron was the loudest. So if sound is an issue, stick with TBR. Passing is now called BLASTING! Forget about sneaking home unless your pushing your bike. (Richard Fuller - RichardF@westmarine.com)

I have an '87 VFR 700FII and last summer I installed a Yoshimura Zyclone slip-on exhaust. Apparently this exhaust is rather hard to find as it took me three mail order companies before somebody could find me one. I wound up getting it from Competition Accessories, and had it at my door for $250. This exhaust uses the stock headers, and connects where the original two mufflers connected. After removing the stock exhaust(not as easy as it sounds on an eight-year old bike!), the instructions tell you to simply install the new muffler to the stock headers. Since the Yosh is a single, right side exit piece instead of the sock dual mufflers, it employs a Y-connector to bridge the 4-2 to 4-1. However, this Y-connector is not detachable from the cannister, so you have to balance the whole thing at once. After struggling for a while trying to connect the new exhaust, I realized that I would have to loosen the header pipes so I could maneuver them into position. As you all know, getting to the rear cylinder header nuts takes some doing. After loosening up the headers, I finally got the connector to slide on. However, it is a real pain to get the crossover pipe to clear the rear shock linkage, and the cannister is extremely close to the rear axle nut.(Mine scraped a little during the first few rides.) What about power and sound, you ask? Well, as far as power is concerned, I can't really tell a difference. On a negative note, my bike began to backfire moderately on occasion after this modification, meaning that I probably need to look at the jetting. However, I am going to do a full tune-up(valves, carb synch, plugs) first, to see if that helps. I'd rather not have to mess with the jetting. On the sound front, it only takes one word to describe: LOUD. Whereas the stock bike is whisper quiet, this thing roars. It is a more pleasing roar than a similarly-piped inline-four, at least to my ears. I didn't weigh the new system before I put it on, so I can't say exactly what the weight savings are, but the stock system weighs a ton, and the Yosh was definitely much lighter. In sum, I would have to say that overall it is a good quality product, but installation takes a while, and it is loud enough to be an issue. I think Yosh now makes a quieter version(ZRS?) of the Zyclone exhausts to address this problem. howeed9@wfu.edu (Howe Edward Dehanne)

(Ed. Jon was telling me the results of installing a Yoshimura slipon exhaust when he mentioned that I should post them here) Well I got my results back. I only jumped three horsepower with the Yosh zrs slip on, but I jumped as much as eight ponies in the mid range. It's got a nice throaty sound, and does sound better than stock, but its not offensively loud. It looks great. Oh, i'm running just under 80 h.p. with the pipe. On the dyno the jet kit made the biggest difference on the graph, while just the pipe actually made less horsepower than stock at the top end. Was it worth it? I spent $220 on the pipe, $119 on the jet kit, and another $220 to have it dyno-tuned. I lowered the gears before I had it tuned, and I was running 6 grand at 65mph, but now I'm only at 5 grand at 65mph, maybe I wasn't catching 6th gear for some reason. I like the results, but I guess that if I change the baffling and make it louder I can get more hp., but I'm broke now so that will have to wait . --------Hey hows it going? damn hundred already. I went and had some progressive springs put on my 86' last week and love it. it's a harsher ride, but when you lean it into a corner it makes a world of difference. When braking hard the bike feels much more stable, especially when leaning into a corner. I spent $60 on the springs, and another $40 on seals. I highly recomend this addition to anyone with an older vfr. 127926@ef.pvc.maricopa.edu (Jon Christopher Gustafson)

I own the Kerker left exit pipe, purchased it about 2 months ago. I had a hard time tracking one down. It's more than just a slip-on. The header goes 75% to the front of the bike. You'll save A LOT of weight. Parts/Arrival Package: Big honking box, one main header, one small joint header, and pipe. A dozen bolts. One bolt was 1/8" too long that came with the package. Hardware store! Eyelets where one pinchbolt had to go through were at a slight off angle, and the bolt had to be "coerced" in. (read:big hammer) Installation: Pretty straight forward. The toughest part is removing 3 bolts where the header meets in the rear of the bike, behind the right footpeg. Get the right size extension, and you can do it... I swear! You'll have to lose/cut the lower fairing behind the kickstand. They give you a template if you want to cut around it. I just removed it... Performance: Haven't noticed any stumbles whacking the throttle on from any rpm range. It's louder than stock... noticeably. I find myself wearing earplugs more often. Note: It's no louder than the standard 2 Brothers left exit... I've "tested" it between 2 other VFR's with the "Countermeasures" at Alice's Restaurant. It backfires on deceleration, worse on some days, not too bad on others. It seems to be -slightly- stronger on top... above 7000rpm. I notice no loss of power anywhere in the powerband from stock. Looks: 100 times better than the standard 2 Brothers... the 2 Brothers looks dorky and homemade. The high exit 2 Brothers looks good, but then you lose the passenger peg. The pipe is pretty long, extends to be flush with rear of bike. The canister is narrow, kinda smallish. It runs higher than stock, and looks racier. It looks like an ass-kicker. Sounds: Other than being louder than stock, it rocks. It rumbles and turns heads. If you've ever heard another VFR with a pipe on it, you know what I mean. You won't be disappointed. Real life with the pipe: I noticed rust building around the joints of where the pipe connects to a header... note that I live in an apartment complex, ride in the rain nonstop, and the bike stays outside uncovered 100% of the time. For $330, it's a great investment. (My $10 rear brakelight project is a better investment). (Ed. this is on a 92 VFR) mcoustier@mindscape.com (Mike Coustier)

In March of 97 I installed a Vance & Hines slip-on muffler on my 94 VFR, the SS2-R. It has a great throaty sound and everyone who listens to it comments on how great it sounds. I recently had plugs and filters (K&N) changed and had a dyno check too. I'm running a smooth line up to 90 horses, so it hasn't hurt performance any. The unit cost me $298. I've been very happy with it. (Tony Nelson - ADNELSON@prodigy.net)

I bought a 98 VFR800FI September of 1998. It's a very pleasing bike. In December, I bought and installed a Vance and Hines SS2R Carbon Fiber Slip on. Installation was straightforward, but I would recommend ordering a new gasket with the new slip on, or purchase on in advance from your Honda dealer, as the new one didn't come with a gasket and I couldn't remove the old one without destroying it. So I had to wait 4 days until I could finish the installation because my dealer had to order the gasket. The canister sounds great, rather like a small block Ford or Chevy until it hits about 8000 rpm, then it just screams. Price is about $400. Mine is the low mount right side because I didn't want to lose the passenger pegs. Also, no re-jetting because of the fuel injection......!!!! I recommend it highly. (Jim Kelly - 711gt@duesouth.net)

The Erion Titanium Slip-On was very easy to install on my 99 VFR800FI and comes with good quality hardware. The sound of the pipe is excellent with a very throaty exhaust note that is forceful but not loud and obnoxious. The pipe sounds especially amazing at low RPMs when downshifting on compression and also provides a notable boost in the 4000 - 6000 rev range. The pipe was about $800.00 CDN and is well worth the money. (Keith Formosa - keithf@computerworkware.com)

Ok, the installation of the pipe was easy. The directions were clear and easy to follow. I am pleased with the appearance and sound of the pipe, It is not loud, it does emit a healthy growl especially when on the gas. The pipe seems to be well made, there is no packing to replace, the guts are all metal. The finish of the pipe was very good except in one area where a section seemed to have been scratched. It comes with all the hardware needed. That includes a spacer for the right passenger foot peg bracket so it will clear the pipe. It even comes with a nifty piece of carbon graphite as a heat sheld for the passenger's right leg. A word of caution here when tightening the nuts connecting the muffler to the pipe, the carbon heat guard is easy to crack. The pipe routes high over the wheel to display the single side arm or rather the absence of a swing arm on the right side. The pipe is French made, brand name DEVIL, I think I paid almost 500.00 for it. It depends on the pound, dollar exchange rate. That is high I know but no other pipe looks like it. I bought mine from SKIDMARK, a British company, phone 011-441-920-487547. This is the complete number to dial direct from the USA. The only diffecult part of the instilation was that you have to cut a small slot in the rubber mud/water guard for the bracket for the pipe, but this is not a problem for anyone. I installed this pipe and a Fram air filer and gained 5hp at the rear wheel according to the dyno. The midrange does feel much torquier. I hope I covered everything here if not drop me a line. Ed. Click here for a picture. Sbudo@aol.com (Steve Rodgers)

As soon as I opened the box I was impressed..Even the header pipe was polished unlike brand x pipes..I knew I couldn't live with single Exhaust on a dual exhaust bike. These Staintunes mean Business..It took aproximatly 2hrs to install with a little red RTV. Here's a tip Loosen the tail section plastic to gain access and slide it back a few inches. These pipes did not require remapping at an elevation of 600 ft AGL in Minnesota. The sound is fantastic and no raspy sound over 7,000 rpm like most aftermarket pipes for vfr's produce. Order the Factory Hard Bags and install the pipe at the same time. This bike is a giant 996. (James Hicks - flatsslam2@aol.com)

The Staintune slip-on exhaust system is designed for late model VFRs (I own a 1994), and bolts directly to the pivot joint where the stock muffler attaches to the rest of the exhaust system. Cost is high $495 (stainless muffler)(check the price) or $585 (carbon fibre muffler), depending on who you buy it from. I bought my carbon fibre model for $499 plus shipping from a dealer in California who gave a group rate to a bunch of us. Staintune is reknowned for their high-quality BMW and Ducati aftermarket pipes, and the VFR pipe shows their uncommon (some would say incomparable) attention to finish and detail. The pipe extending from the pivot joint to the muffler can is highly polished stainless steel, mandrel bent in a graceful curve, and is about 4 inches longer than the stock pipe. The muffler can is available in the same stainless steel or in carbon fibre. The SS advantage is that it never needs repacking (a permanent baffle) and it looks way awesome; the CF advantage is weight and looks it looks totally cool. One of the big advantages to the system as a whole is that you retain the centerstand while opening up the view of the Pro-armed rear wheel. Verrrrryyyyyyyyy tasty. The pipe moves upward toward the tail section and then turns rearward, where it slips behind the passenger peg and locates the muffler behind the peg bracket and parallel to the tail section, about an inch below. Mounting points are (1) at the peg, same as stock, bolting to the end of the exhaust pipe, and (2) at the end of the can, via bracket which bolts to the tail section at one of the factory (saddlebag) location points. To install, you move the tail section to reveal the tapped hole in the tail section, bolt on a small steel bracket, which hangs down and bolts to the muffler can. On the SS can the mounting bracket is welded on; the CF can has a round, highly polished stainless bracket encircling the can and attaching to the same point. Installation takes all of fifteen minutes, including opening the box and starting the motor for the first sounds--which you will not believe. Simply wonderful, small-block Chevy V8 rumblings. A very social muffler though, easily within acceptable sound limits for all who have heard mine so far. Appearance is factory spec--Honda might as well make this pipe now. (See archive photo). Factory dyno readings show small improvements in power across the entire range (up about 3-5 horsepower everywhere from 6000 rpm up, with a smoother band and torque up the same), and no jetting changes are necessary as long as you retain the stock air filter. If you run a K&N or similar aftermarket filter, the factory recommends going up one main jet size. Jetting changes may vary with your location and bike, I'm sure. A number of people on the VFR listserver have purchased this pipe and have nothing but the highest marks for the system. Staintune may be reached via email to [ jeff@cbtimports.com] dafeller@aloha.com (David Allan Feller)

If you would like to include an e-mail address for Staintune exhaust information and availability in Canada, our e-mail is: taylor@cadvision.com (Patti Taylor)

I just installed the new Staintune slip-on for my 98 VFR. The pipe went on with no problems (after I cut-off the old muffler's gasket, ahem) and looks and sounds great. It has a factory warranty of 3 years and never needs re-packing as Staintune uses stainless steel mesh rather than fiberglass packing material inside. $499 is a bit steep for a slip-on but, hey, it is all stainless steel. PS: I got the high right side pipe. fred_lewis@hp.com (Fred J. Lewis)

Since Staintune doesn't send mounting instructions with their Slip-ons, here are installation instructions for the high-mount system on a VFR800:

Remove the old cannister first. Spraying a little WD-40 on the joint where it mounts to the header helps. After removing the bolts to it, turn it out, away from the bike, pulling away from the header at the same time. It should come off easily. You do not use the stock exhaust gasket to mount the Staintune.

There is a part coming with the Staintune that is stepped with a hole at each end and a extension at a 90 degree angle with a hole at the bottom. This goes on the right side between the rear frame & plastic cowling, mounting under the right passenger handgrip. Remove the right passenger handle. Gently, slip the extention piece between the cowling & the rear subframe. You can wigggle the piece & bend the plastice cowling a little to have it slip into place. Take your time and it should slip through easily. Loosely mount it under the rear passenger grip. The other stepped piece mounts under the left passenger grip to keep the grips at an equal height. If you are using the rear sear cowling instead of the grips, you'll have to buy shorter bolts. I'd suggest using one long enough to also use a flat washer and lock washer. Remove the centerstand rubber from the old cannister & put it on the Staintune. Using contact cleaner to remove & remount it makes life a whole lot easier. Spray the slip-on with WD-40, put it on the header and gently twist it forward and towards the bike. It should go pretty easily. Line up the pipe with the footpeg mounting hole & loosely screw it in. Use the bolt & lockwasher supplied by Staintune to mount the rear of the slip-on to the bracket hanging on from the passenger grip. Line everything up, tighten all the bolts & check for leaks. Mine lined up & mounted perfectly on the first try. Good luck. I think you'll love it. It also sounds better & makes more power with the baffle in. It gives the bike a whole new, nasty personality which I have called GAGS (Growling And Gearwhine Syndrome). I swear, it's the neatest sound in all of motorcycling.

When you remove your rear wheel to change tire, etc, you will have to loosen the Staintune & twist it out from the bike or remove it. If you try to remove the wheel without doing so, the brake mounting plate at the bottom left will scratch your rear wheel. (Jack Roe - pjr@ithink.net)

Perfect fit, awesome finish & wicked sound. Buy one. high rise shows off single sided s'arm perfect. ("Steve" - howl99@fishinternet.com.au )

I ran my '98 VFR800 on a Dynojet Model 150 dyno today. She's a little tired with 14,200+ miles on her and still has the original spark plugs. I forgot to look at the air filter, though it was replaced at 10,200. I figure it should be OK. The chain was a little loose, but has a tight spot in it, and that's where the play was set. Otherwise, the bike was completely stock, no changes to the EFI. We ran both a 4th gear roll-on and a through-the-gears run for all tests. They were so close, the numbers you see here are averages. The results were really surprising, especially since Staintune makes no claims for increased horsepower. Two Bros. claimed 6.1 HP for their slip-on, and 9 HP for their full pipe without any fuel injection changes. Also, if the 4th gear roll-on HP peak is the same as the through-the-gears peak, it indicates your are jetted properly. If the 4th gear roll-on is higher, you are too lean on the main jet. If it is less than the through-the-gears HP peak, then the main jet is too rich. A moot point since the VFR doesn't have jets. However, the EFI either compensates for a change in the pipe, or it is broadbanded enough to accomodate significantly different exhaust flow. In all cases, the 4th gear roll-on and through-the-gears runs coincided perfectly, indicating proper fuel management (ie: the proper main jet if there was one). Here are the results:

Stock exhaust system----92.7 HP

Staintune high-mount stainless steel slip-on with the baffle in----93.6 HP

Staintune with the baffle removed----101.3 HP

Since Staintune makes no claims for HP increases, I was really surprised at these results. We're talking an 8.6 HP increase with only a slip-on. Eat your heart out Two Brothers! Pretty impressive, I'd say. The down side is that the Staintune is pretty loud with the baffle removed. Trust me for an extra 8.6 HP when I wasn't expecting any, I'll learn to live with it. I haven't had a chance to check out the throttle response with the baffle out, but with the baffle in, it was absolutely perfect. It was also perfect with the stock exhaust. I expect it to be the same without the baffle, especially since the dyno graphs showed virtually perfect throttle response in all three dyno runs. The Staintune is even better than the manufacturer claims. Now there's a switch! (Jack Roe - pjr@ithink.net)

I put a Laser slip on exhaust on my 94 VFR when it was about 1500km old. The note is fantastic; everybody comments on the sound and it also sits higher than the OEM pipe tucking up close to the ducktail exposing the whole rear wheel. The bike needed no re-jetting and runs much smoother out of corners,the other day a Honda mechanic rode it and commented on how sweet it runs. The bike also seems to have better midrange power as well,it will powerstand (wheelie) now,it did not before.. wayne@powerup.com.au (Wayne Winton)

I recently bought a '95 VFR with only 2000 miles. It was in excellent condition and all original with the exception of a Two Bros. Slip-on exhaust. The canister looked to be in near new condition. When I first heard it, It didn't seem overly loud and it had that robust sound that only a 90 degree V-four can make! But after living with it for a while I became more self-conscious about the noise, especially around the quiet suburbs near my home. It seemed to reverberate off the houses on either side of the street. I also felt that it was a beacon for every cop to home in on whenever I twisted the "loud handle". I looked into purchasing a stock muffler. A new one cost close to $500. A good used one was about $350 from commercial sources. I found a couple of exaust system evaluations in some magazines and decided on a Super Trapp. I shopped around and got the best price from Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse (about $200). It has a beautiful satin, stainless steel finish with a real look of quality. I installed it with 4 discs, the minimum number recommended. It comes with 8 discs and Super Trapp claims that no jetting changes are required with up to 8 discs. They also say that 4 discs is about equal to stock flow. Weight wise I'm sure that the Trapp is lighter than stock in fact it seems comparable in weight to the aluminum and stainless Two Bros. In the below 5000 rpm range it is still louder than stock but pleasingly so. It still allows that beautiful V-four music to come through. At freeway cruise it doesn't "boom" continuously like the Two-Bros. pipe. In all fairness, the Two-bros. cannister may need repacking but in my experience any muffler you can see through is going to be somewhat loud. Joelwolf@aol.com (Joel Wolf)

I have a 1989 VFR 750 FJ and have recently fitted a RENEGADE pipe, performance and acceleration have got a real kick in the arse and as for the exhaust note, well it's rorty as F*<£!! Well done Renegade Products, Brands Hatch Kent England UK. A right bargin at a mere £200 (thats 200 quid) for a Stainless system with a lifetime guarantee!! (Colin Parkinson)

A cage performing an illegal U-turn resulted in a multiple rib fracture, free morphine and a scraped bike ('97 VFR750). Luckily a bunch of motorcycle cops were rapidly on the scene (I was unconcious). They "read" the situation/position of the vehicles correctly. This ensured that the offender withdrew his 1st -wrong- account of how the accident happend and his insurance had to fork out.

This enabled me to purchase an high, right side, BOS Oval Carbon (HFL1,100/$540). It comes with a new hanger for the right rear foot peg. Fitting was done by the Honda dealer (Safe, Veenendaal, The Netherlands) so I cannot comment on that. Quality is impeccable, both the carbon and the stainless steel caps. You get what you pay for (An original Honda exhaust costs HFL1,450!!!)

No more original Honda sewing machine sound, this is a loud pipe. A deep rumble at tick-over, a deep roar when pulling away, culminating in a screaming sound. Being an absorbtion damper, I suspect it will require re-packing at some time and/or fitting the "DB-eater". This is a length of tubing that slides into the exhaust and fixed with a screw. (It is not fitted in the pictures). It is claimed to reduce by 3Db and I believe it. The jury is still out on whether I should fit it or not. It is not at the moment, but for events like the TT Assen Grand Prix and WK Superbike (where the cops lurge in the bushes...) it probably will be. (the -smaller than legal- sized registration plate doesnot help either..)

The engine has not been re-jetted or anything, straight bolt-on. There is minimal backfiring and no hick-ups at high speeds (200+ KPH). As the bike will go in for service soon, I will ask them to verify mixture (just to be safe). (Leon Dickhoff - Leon.Dickhoff@digital.com)

I don't understand all the talk on German web sites about the BOS mufflers being so loud (or even too loud). In my opinion, the sound is superb and not too loud, not with and not without the easily removable "decibel eater". The sound is dark, a bit like a V8 but louder, and I can't imagine how this bike could sound better! Still, the system is not too loud as long as you take it a bit easy in the city centers. As for the effect, I didn't have it tested, but it seems to me, which I would not have expected, that my bike gained some power at mid range rather than at top rpms. (BOS claim 5HP power gain at top rpms.) The power seems to come more even and not as much with a kick at the top as before, but this is of course difficult to judge exactly. Anyway, don't expect any power miracle, this pipe you buy for the sound and looks! By the way, the fuel injection automatically compensates for the new muffler, no need for any adjustments! (Max Schultz, Stockholm, Sweden - maxistockholm@hotmail.com)

A little FYI, the "M" stands for "Martin", family last name. Can you think of the name of the, several time, World Champion sport bike endurance racer?(currently retired) He also teaches the Team Suzuki riders school. (Marty Posinski - EUSRMPO@am1.ericsson.se)

The system takes twin silencers up under the seat of the bike much like a Ducati 916. There is no loss of storage space, no loss of pillion pegs or seat and there is a very useful 8 bhp power gain with no re-jetting required.

The system has been tested and approved by the VFROC in the UK and is very popular here. We believe the system is very reasonably priced at $995 US.

You can see the system at www.wolfracing.co.uk and contact me for more information at info@wolfracing.co.uk. (Peter Sorrell - info@wolfracing.co.uk)

Wolf Underseat Exhaust for Honda VFR800/750

I recently purchased of a Wolf under seat exhaust system for my 1998 Honda VFR800. First let me say that I was impressed with the prompt delivery of the exhaust system. I purchased the system on-line Thursday night from the "B and B Xtreme" web site, and it was delivered from England the following Tuesday morning. I was surprised by the promptness of delivery. However, my attitude soon changed after beginning the installation.

The installation is not easy. It requires the disassembly of the rear portion of the bike, the removal of the rear fender liner, the removal of the EFI computer, a few relays and fuse holders, and the battery box. My first disappointment came with the screws supplied for the new battery box installation. The metric screws supplied were about twice as long as needed. I had to make a quick trip to a couple of hardware stores to find appropriate replacements.

The opening on the "L" shaped exhaust pipe (where it couples to the factory exhaust header ) was so badly out of round, that it would not mate to the factory header. It took two hours of cutting and shaping to modify the coupling so that it would fit on the factory header. Also, it required a trip to the Honda dealer for a new exhaust gasket.

The installation kit comes with a black coated stainless steel replace fender tray. The fender tray was about 13mm short of lining up with the holes in the mounting bracket for the exhaust cans. I could push fit the tray, but it required flattening out the riser over the exhaust cans to the point where they rubbed on the back side of the cans. I had to do some reforming of the new fender tray.

The instructions with the kit say to re-use the bolts and nuts that held on the factory fender tray when attaching the can mount to the frame. Unfortunately, the nuts that held on the original tray are molded into the factory fender tray. Off to the store again to find some 6mm lock nuts.

The installation requires you to remove the EFI computer from its position in the tail portion of the bike. Kit instructions tell you to Tie wrap it to the side of the frame. Not likely! It's a poor solution at best. I cut a 6" piece of 12 ga. aluminum, and mounted it in the center of the rear part of the tray using 10 x 32 screws and lock nuts. By spacing it ½" off the tray base it acts like a heat shield. The EFI computer was fastened to the aluminum with Velcro. The computer now rests in a secure area, firmly attached to the bike. It's about one half inch from the bottom of the seat. In all fairness, I brought this solution to the attention of Wolf exhaust and they said they would look into the possibility of making this installation recommendation part of the kit.

The carbon fiber license plate mount is about 1" too narrow to fit a California license plate. I had to drill two new holes in the plate to get it to mount. Small problem, yes, but at the price of this system it should be addressed.

Once you remove the factory fender tray, here is no mount for the seat cowl at the rear of the bike. True, the six bolts towards the front of the plastic should be enough to support the plastic and they do. However, the rear of the cowl is cantilevered quite a bit without any visible means of support. And because of this, the plastic cowl shakes at speed or high RPM and causes a noticeable vibration. Also, if you remove the two tie-down bolts (rear most bolts) to remove the rear seat cowl cover, the plastic droops down and makes it difficult to re-insert the bolts. I made an aluminum support mount to alleviate this problem. It was a simple matter that should have been included in the installation kit.

Not including the time to drive in search of bolts and parts, I spent twelve hours installing this kit. Way too much time, when considering that proper design could have reduced the installation time to less than two hours.

I have to admit this under seat exhaust system improves the bike's appearance, and sound of the bike is beyond description. I am constantly asked about the exhaust system when ever I stop the bike. Is the kit worth the price? Good question. When I bought the kit, it sold for $1095. In addition to the sale price, there was a DHL shipping bill of approximately $79. A week later I was billed an additional $85 tariff. This pushes the bill towards $1200. Definitely a premium price although, in my opinion, the installation quality severely distracts from the overall value of the kit. However, with a little thought and consideration, I think the manufacture could make the improvements that would justify the price. If you are considering this exhaust, perhaps you should bring these points up to distributor or manufacture, and ask them what step they have taken to reduce the installation problems I've listed. I sent them basically the same letter you see here. Their response to me was that my problems were the first they'd heard. (Dave Ryskamp - dryskamp@earthlink.net)

Viffers Beware! While the Wolf Underseat Exhaust is unbelievably cool, beautiful and sounds incredible, there ARE downfalls. I found the system online and told my buddy about it.

First look, he ordered it for his 2000, for better and worse. First, the instructions are terrible, sometimes its like youre not even reading the instructions for the right bike. Secondly, fit and finish is not so good. Ovalized pipes that should be round (which leads to leaks), brackets and fittings that dont line up without a little "Macgyver-ism).

But probably the worst (and most expen$ive) is the part where you remove the thick black plastic underseat tray/mudflap/fender. This is to make room for the cans underneath. Unfortunately, you don't realize how much strength and rigidity this part gives to the tail section of the VFR until you dont have it. After all the smiles, oohs and ahhs of the look and sound of the new system, we took our VFRs (my 98 is equipped with the Wolf high mount race-spec can), I immediately noticed while riding behind him the the entire tail section body plastic bobs up and down and fluctuates with bumps in the road and at certain revs. I mentioned this to him and we pretty much instantly knew it was due to the strength the body paneling had lost.

Well, within a couple weeks, a small crack appeared, starting at the one of the holes for the solo-seat cowl bolt. By the end of the season, each side had large cracks from the bolt holes reaching almost to the bottom of the tail section. Aint cheap to replace and sucks to fix!!! I can assure anyone this is NOT from overtightening the bolts. There is no question this system needs to come with some sort of bracket to beef up where the fender/mudflap use to be. Wolf did a beautiful job with the appearance/sound aspect, but the fit and finish along with poor instructions are a bit of a let down, especially for the $1400 it cost. I wont even get into how bad the instructions were for my hi-mount system...oh yeah, i didnt get ANY instructions and ended up buying new hardware (clamps and bolts) because they gave too little of what was needed and too much of what was not. It was like a guessing game.

Anyway, take this with a grain of salt, and if youre listening Wolf, youre losing 2nd time buyers by not addressing these problems that i have heard from others as well. (ChfPontiac@aol.com)

I have owned THREE VFR's ('93-stock, '94-minor mods, and now '98-currently exhaust mod only). The '94 had a TBR slip-on. Nothing bad to say at all...great sound, good fit, nice build quality, and as others have stated...great customer support. My current mount is a sharp '98 and I've just added a REMUS high mount slip-on (Titanium). It is made in Austria, has stainless packing, so no need to ever repack, which can be very tedious! Amazingly easy install, even with directions printed in German!(I'm in California and speak NO German!). Took maybe twenty minutes. The price was extremely competitive for what I believe is a superior product. I found it through a site called www.MaxMoto.com .....your contact will be Knut, he's a fine gentleman, and very honest! Enjoy!! REMUS, REMUS, REMUS...! (Stan Saporito - suddenimpact@mindspring.com)

I have just fitted a Remus EC legal High level titanium can to my UK '99 800. Remus do not figure much in this list so for what it is worth, here's a report.

Instructions In German and the line diagram showed the bracket hanging straight down, when it needs to angle to the rear of the bike. But it was all fairly intuitive.

Finish Excellent. The can is a silky finish titanium with S/S end caps welded and finished to match the skin of the can. There is a welded S/S plate to keep boot heels off the connecting pipe. The bolts supplied are all S/S allen bolts, two to replace the footrest hanger bolts (spacers go behind the hangar to move it clear of the can), two to mount the can to the bracket and one as a pinch bolt to the collector pipe joint.

The inside of the can has baffling plates and varying length pipes, said to be stainless steel (but coated with some black material). The connecting pipe end has a large diameter perforated tube with absorbent material behind it. No additional baffling in the 54mm diameter elbowed connecting pipe (some Remus race cans and the standard mount VFR can apparently use 76mm tube, but with some baffling there).

The can itself measures (approx despite spurious implied accuracy!) end cap to end cap 460mm max width 95mm max height 123mm

How to do it

1. Remove seat and rear cowl.
2. Remove original can and throw away the gasket, which is not needed. Keep the original footrest/can mounting bolt with the old can, not needed for this installation.
3. Remove passenger footrest hanger, stow the original mounting bolts - no longer needed.
4. Cut a slot in the black plastic inner mudguard to allow the bracket to pivot to the rear. I used a craft knife - the material yields easily to a really sharp knife, and so do fingers, so keep them out of the way.
5. Put bracket against the rearmost footrest hangar mounting point, angled face pointing inwards, refit hangar using the longer allen bolts and the two S/S spacers. Sequence is subframe, bracket, spacer, hangar at the rearmost point, and the same but without the bracket for the front mounting point.
6. Slip the elbowed connecting pipe onto the collector. Or, in my case huff and puff, use lots of copperslip, and it will go on all the way eventually.
7. Wriggle can onto the elbowed pipe using lots of copperslip. Sounds easy, but like the elbowed pipe to collector, it was a tight fit.
8. Fit bolts from the inside of the bracket to the can. Attach mounting springs from the can to the elbowed connecting pipe.
9. Tighten all bolts, replace rear cowl and seat.
10. Transfer centre stand bump stop from original can.
11. Ride. Check bolts after about 60 miles.
12. I have an NWS hugger and found I needed an extra step as the pinch bolt at the collector was just touching the hugger.
13. Optional - Remove hugger, file notch to clear (works on grp, may be a problem if carbon fibre) and refit.

What they don't tell you. If you are not lucky in aligning the can mounting bolts it will be quicker to remove the rear wheel (and hugger if fitted). Otherwise you may find it takes a long time to line things up on the blind side.

What does it look like? Very neat installation, nicely follows the line of the bodywork. No visible mounting bolts on the can, and the bracket is mainly hidden by the can and the rear cowl. If you have a red VFR, the Remus sticker matches the bike.

What does it sound like? Mine was an EC Road legal version, so it makes no more measured noise than the OEM can - they say, and there is the paperwork and etched ec4 mark to prove it! But it doesn't sound like that at all.

A more noticeable bass beat at tickover, and while the OEM was near silent at low revs - drowned out by gear whine - this one is always audible, but not offensively so. There seems to be little difference at the top end, though perhaps the Remus screams a bit more. In mid range the Remus growls much more than the stock can. It is as audible with ear plugs in as the stock can was without.

My son noticed the difference in sound immediately. A friend I ride with and I were approaching the meeting point from opposite sides of the road this morning, and there was a high wall on his side of the road. As we both arrived to pull in on my side of the road, I changed down quickly, and he quickly looked round. When we had both stopped, I asked him why and he said he heard the sound of another bike bouncing off the wall and was looking to make sure it wasn't about to collide with him: then he saw the new Remus.

What does it go like? Remus make no performance claim for the EC model, but the UK Importers said I would notice a slightly improved throttle response.

I think that's about right, the bike picks up off the throttle at around 3-4k more smoothly - no stutter. It may have a slightly better mid-range response, but there is not much in it, if anything. But I have been caught out a couple of times looking for a seventh gear when just pootling along, it was that much smoother.

Oh, and it sounds so much better. And all-up weighs around three and a half kilos. So that's better too. Recommended.

Price in UK listed at £345, got mine for £312 delivered. (Peter Hawkes - p.hawkes@virgin.net)

The combination of a very quiet stock exhaust and high wind noise on my 96 VFR meant that I couldn’t hear the engine at all above 45 mph. After experimenting to try and reduce the wind noise by changing helmets (Signet & RF800) and removing the windscreen (I’m 6’ 4”) I found that it couldn’t be reduced enough to hear the engine. My goal in purchasing an aftermarket slip-on was to increase the sound level and improve the sound. What I was after was a deep V-8 type sound that was loud enough but without being raspy. I preferred not to rejet if possible. After much research I decided on the Laser slip-on.

Ordering
I received my exhaust canister from M&P Motorcycle Accessories (www.mandp.com) in the UK 5 weeks after my order was placed (I live in California). It was a special order and I was originally told that it would take 2 weeks. As far as I can tell there was some kind of delay getting the part shipped from the manufacturer Jama in Holland (www.laser-jama.nl) to M&P. M&P customer service responded immediately to my e-mail concerning the status of my order and my exhaust arrived sooner than their revised estimate. Cost was $335 USD + $60 shipping.

Packaging
Packaging (original Laser/Jama box used) I would describe as mediocre but it did it’s job. The canister was wrapped in bubble wrap. Some corrugated cardboard sheet as well as some Christmas wrapping paper took up unused space in the box. A separate bag contained the fasteners, band clamp, and hanger along with a parts list with an exploded view of the mounting. No scratches were found on the carbon fiber. There were a few minor scratches on the connector pipe as well as some marks that I believe were made by the tubing bender.

First Impression
After removing the stock muffler and discovering how heavy it was I had to get some numbers. The stock muffler with connector pipe weighs 12 lbs. The Laser weighs 4 lbs. It’s a straight through design with a perforated tube. The can is 4 inches in diameter and 16.5 inches long. The connector pipe and canister end caps are polished stainless steel. The canister is riveted together with a polished stainless band at each end. I was very pleased when I finally saw the exhaust as I had ordered it without ever seeing one in person (had seen some good pictures on the Australian VFR homepage).

This unit has a look and feel of quality. The carbon fiber is a standard weave with a clear coat. The forward canister end cap is welded to the connector pipe which means that this exhaust doesn’t need springs to hold itself together. I view this as a big plus as most people I know with spring type mounting have lost a spring or two. It also adds to the clean sleek look not to have spring hooks or springs. An oval, adhesive backed “Laser Deeptone Exhaust Systems” emblem is included in the box but not installed which is nice because I prefer not to have an emblem on mine. The rear end cap is engraved with “Laser Exhaust Systems”. Discretely hidden on the underside of the connector pipe bracket is another engraving which proclaims “Race Use Only”. The band clamp is stainless and has 8 3/4 inch holes. A rubber sleeve fits between the clamp and the canister to protect the carbon fiber.

Performance
I now have 3000 miles on this exhaust. The sound level and quality are exactly what I was hoping for. I can just barely hear the exhaust (with earplugs) on the highway at 75 mph. At low revs (below 4500) on acceleration the bike has a deep growl that some have said sounds like a V twin with aftermarket pipes. As the revs increase the tone changes to a higher pitch. It sounds awesome. On deceleration you get some nice low pitched burbling that makes you want to downshift through all the gears. Those who have heard my bike have indicated that it isn’t loud at all. Holland’s idea of a race use only sound level must be less than most others.

My seat of the pants feel is that the bike hasn’t lost power anywhere compared to the stock silencer. The dyno may say otherwise but it isn’t obvious. If anything the bike seems to accelerate harder than stock above 7500 rpm. On deceleration I had some slight popping which may have been there with the stock exhaust but couldn’t be heard. I turned the idle mixture screws 1/2 turn richer which eliminated the popping and gave me a more steady idle. Other than this my bike is stock (49 state) with air pumps functioning and the original air filter. Throttle response seems to be as good or slightly better than with the stock silencer.

I’m really pleased with my Laser exhaust. It sounds and looks great. The high mount design shows off the rear wheel and single sided swing arm. The canister tucks in close to the bodywork making the bike seem slimmer. I have no reservations recommending this exhaust to other VFR owners. I have included 2 pictures with this report.

Mounting
Mounting is a 3 point affair and requires removal of the rear half of the bodywork. The first two points are the connector pipe to header collector, and the bracket welded to connector pipe just below the canister to the stock silencer mount. Finally, the stainless band clamp around the canister body near the end cap which attaches to a hanger bolted to an unused threaded hole at the end of the subframe. The bracket welded to the connector pipe and the band clamp hanger have slots which allow for some flexibility in orientation of the exhaust.

I found during trial fitting of the exhaust without the band clamp or it’s hanger that mounting the exhaust at the middle of the connector pipe bracket slot yielded the canister roughly parallel to the bodywork. I then noticed that the canister was angled outward to the side more than it really needed to be as there was more than ample clearance between it and the rear fender. This can be seen in some of the pictures on the Australian VFR homepage.

I decided to place an 1/8 inch thick washer between the stock exhaust washer and the connector pipe mounting bracket in order to tuck the canister in closer to the bike. This did the trick. After removing the red reflector from the rear fender I ended up with about 1/4” clearance between the edge of the canister and the rear fender. At this point I removed the rear bodywork to install the band clamp hanger. I found that with the canister tucked in closer than Jama intended, I would have to slightly modify the hanger bracket. I lengthened the slot approximately 1/2 inch to allow the bracket to be slid up higher on the bike. The hanger is really stout (3/16 thick stainless) and bolts to the rear part of the subframe. I also had to decrease the bend built into the hanger near the clamp mounting holes and twist it slightly so that the band clamp would line up correctly with the can. After trial fitting the rear bodywork, I found that it made contact the clamp hanger. I solved this problem by filing a small relief into the underside of the bodywork to allow clearance for the bracket. This done, the canister is parallel with the bodywork with about 1 1/2 inch gap. The canister extends to the fender with a slightly turned down tip on the endcap extending past the license plate. Mounting is very solid for an exhaust this light. (Brent Lottman - brent.lottman@worldnet.att.net)

It's been a few weeks since I installed a Hindle slip-on on the 800 so I thought I write a review of the pipe.

First of all, the price is right ($350 Cdn or $230 US) for a race baffle carbon fiber oval high mount slip-on. Construction quality is about 7 out of 10. It is built to the quality of a pipe to be used on the track (such as Erion Racing). Looks, fit and finish isn't as good as Yosh or Micron CF pipes. But material used in its construction is excellent. Thick CF wrapping and thick gauge stainless steel high mount connecting pipe. The springs are strong and welding quality excellent.

Power wise, at part throttle, it removed the 6000 RPM power surge. Power comes on gradually. At 8000 RPM, there's more power than stock. The extra power lasts well into 12000 RPM when the rev limiter kicks in. So to sum up the pipe, I gained top end at the expense of mid-range. It is a bit harder to pass on the highway without the 6000 RPM power surge. But on back roads now the bike pulls very strong out of corners. Corners exits at full throttle used to feel so stable but now (with the new pipe) I can feel the 207 front tire sliding. If I snap the bike up straight in second gear and full throttle the front wheel just comes off of the ground. In mid-corner long sweepers (270 degree highway on/off ramps) throttle is much more sensitive than before as the rear tire tends to slide if I give it too much throttle. I really have to learn the bike over again with the extra power.

Installing the pipe is a snap if one knows the trick. Since the pipe didn't come with any instructions, I spent about an hour fiddling with the connecting pipe as it simply seems too long (pipe slides into the collector at the bottom - no need for clamp, and the top mounts to right passenger footpeg bracket). Initially, now matter what I did, the top mounting hole seems to be off by 1/8" so it wouldn't fit into the passenger footpeg bolt. I didn't want to cut the pipe either. Turns out lossening the passenger footpeg bracket and then installing the mounting bolt did the trick.

The pipe comes in two pieces. One piece is the cannister and the other the high mount connecting pipe. The connecting pipe slides into the cannister nicely and is secured with two springs. I put in some high-temp silicon sealant to help the seal.

I didn't know where to install the cannister clamp as there doesn't seem to be any place to mount it on the sub-frame. I would appreciate any insights in this matter. Otherwise, the cannister seems very secure so I didn't bother with the clamp.

During installation, I got several CF splinters in my finger. Clearly, the splinters weren't cleaned up thoroughly at the factory.

Sound wise, the pipe is fairly loud (also hear all the backfires too). To get an idea of what this pipe sounds like simply remove the VFR's muffler and start the bike. Now, imagine the same sound just a tad softer and with more bass. As the pipe ages (now a few weeks old), the sound gets lower and lower and the raspy sound begins to diminish. I like the note more and more. It's cross between Harley & TL1000 but with 4 cylinders instead of 2. Instead of "potato, potato", you get "popotatatoto, popotatatoto".

Overall, I'm satisfied with the pipe. If I can get it for $350, I would buy it again. (Wilfred Lee - chopstix@home.com)

I ordered this exhaust from www.parts411.com for $221 shipped. The product arrived in perfect condition. The exhaust I ordered was the show-and-go high pollished aluminum can (looks like chrome though, maybe it is). The sound is nothing but amazing. The wimpy exhaust note of the stock 94-97 VFR is gone and replaced by a very angry exhaust sound. I find myself revving up the engine alot more just so that I can hear the music. At speed it is a little bit more difficult to hear the sound due to wind noise, but make no mistake everybody will hear you coming a 1/4 mile away. I wish it was even louder. I know it will give many harleys a run for their money. (ErrolTazbaz - etazbaz@austin.rr.com)

I own a new Honda VFR VTEC/ABS (2003). Lovely bike with excellent roadholding and braking capabilities. But the factory sound needed improvement. Looking at the after market, I stumbled over LeoVince exhaust systems. Looking good, rigid quality, nicely polished aluminium, (in my case) and good fitting. It comes with all the bolts, nuts, springers and material you need to get it fitted. No holes to be drilled, and it's fitting is excellent. The rear now lookes like a Ducati?A hidden dream of the owner?

After mounting was done which took me one hour, the VTEC LV with DBKillers still in place was placed on a DynoJet bank for 3 testruns. Run 1 shifting through all the gears up till 12.000 rpm's, run 2 in the 3rd gear from 2000 rpm till 10.000 rpm and quickly opening and closing the throttle. Run 3 the same procedure but in 6th gear. The results were: 5 BHP more, 3,2 more newtonmeter and a very linear rpm line with no powerdip whatsoever. It also decreases the weight by 7 kilo's. Also the airfilter was changed and a BMC washable filter found its place in the airbox. During the normal driving the engine picks up very quickly, the response is more 'agressive' and the sound is lovely aspecially above 7000 rpm when the VTEC takes its place in the mechanical action.

A clubmember with a VTEC and LV exhaust was put on for a testrun without the DB killers. Suprisingly the results where diffterent: 2,3 less BHP, a dip around 9000 rpm and only 2,3 Newtonmeter extra. (Erwin José - je.jose@ICS.LeidenUniv.nl)

• VFR with Yoshimura Zyclone exhaust (WAV)
• VFR with D&D exhaust (MP3)