Aftermarket headers
 

I'm currently on a search for light weight headers for my hawk. I've been looking around and so far I haven't found any aftermarket headers. I'm assuming titanium would be the lightest material for this purpose. Can anybody give me some insight on this one?

These are getting harder and harder to find because they just don't make a lot of money on parts for the superhawk. Try to ask RCVTR he had a full system until he wrecked his beautiful bike, I think he's getting replacement cans and then selling.

Re: Aftermarket headers
 

two bros used to makethem, but I am pretty sure they were stainless steel.

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I think Akrapovic still makes a full system of about $ 1300. Moriwaki might still make you one too but it'll probably be special order and a wait. You gotta change your oil pan out for theirs too, another cost. One of the posters here is in Japan , I think. Signs in as Simonkobe-he might have some info. Keep us posted. Cheers.

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Thanks for the info so far, but I'd like to re-specify that it's light weight headers that I'm looking for. Also I don't need a full system, just the headers. The stock exhaust system is heavy and dropping any unneeded weight is very beneficial. I've tried looking up Moriwaki but I can't actually find any place that sells that brand. Where would I go online to find Moriwaki's stuff? Another thing I don't want to have to change out an oil pan just for new headers.

You don't have to re-specify.....unfortunately alot of aftermarket headers don't match up to the slip-ons. So if you do find one make sure you ask first. I just bought one on Ebay and the mid pipes were nothing like all the slip on mid pipes because the header pipe wasn't like the original.

I'm sorry did I sound like a wise ass in that last post......well I guess that's because I am a wise ass. :lol:

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Thanks for that info. I think I'll have to start looking into just making my own headers if I can find titanium pipe and such.

The only hard part would be the rear exhaust. there are some tight bends in that part under the bike. Look for a place that does mandrel bending, it doesn't put the kink in the pipe that a regular bending machine does.
Good luck!

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I have access to a hydraulic pipe bender and I've never seen it put a kink in any of the pipes that we've put in it before. Isn't mandrel bending done by a machine that pulls the pipe in with a motor?

By hydraulic do you mean it bends it with water or it's run by hydraulics? When I say kinks I mean the squaring of the pipe caused by the chucks that the bending machines use. I haven't bent any pipes in about 10 years so things could be different now. You want the pipe to be as round as possible to keep flo smooth but by the looks of most pipes you don't need to be too overly worried it just works "better" when it's smooth bends.

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By hydraulic I mean it has hydraulic fluid in it pressing the bender up. It's the same concept as a hydraulic bottle jack. It has three points that the pipe touches and they're all round.

Too bad... the water benders are supposed to be the best. If you've got free access to it then don't worry about it, the mandrel bending isn't cheap and if you look at the stock pipe Honda obviously didn't care about the gases bouncing aroud. :lol:

Re: Aftermarket headers
 

True about the stock headers. I've already took the drumel tool to the small opening at the right side can connection point. That's another reason why I want to replace the headers, I'm not sure if any other points in them are cutting off exhaust flow in the same way. When you say water benders are you refering to the hydra-flo method like Akrapovic I believe uses for there full systems?

Yep, it uses pressurized water to bend the pipe, cool and smooth but majorly expensive!

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Try Revolution Racing in the UK for Moriwaki stuff. I THINK they are a stockist.

Moriwaki make a Ti system for street use that does not require a modified sump.

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The US distributor for Moriwaki is www.bigvalleyhonda.com .

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if you are worried about weight, thin walled stainless steel is very close in weight compared to Ti for a header.
I had a Hindle Ti can with a thin walled stainless steel header(on my GSXR), and it weighed 8lbs total.
Muzzy's 4-2-1 full Ti system was 7lbs.

1 lb is not enough to worry about, and stainless is much cheaper than Ti.

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Not true, every little bit of weight you can take off helps. It's the power to weight ratio. If you could find a car with the same exact power out put as your VTR and you raced it, you'd shoot down the track much faster then it. It's the same reason a sport bike can fly off the line much faster then a high performance car.

I have the Two Bros headers with Staintune high mounts. They work fine together. The Two bros header is larger in diameter than stock and lighter (Can't remember exactly how much lighter or bigger).

Regarding Vitter's post... IMO, one pound isn't going to make much difference after all the VTR is not a race bike. It's admirable that you want to make it lighter, however, maybe your efforts would be better spent on suspension or something else. Personally I could go on a diet and loose more weight than the entire exhaust... :)

Take this comment just as an oppinion nothing more... It is YOUR time and YOUR money.

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Whilst the difference in weight between the Moriwaki Ti system I have and the stocker is huge, this weight is very low on the bike, and will make little difference in handling in my opinion.

If you are on a weight hunt, I would look at components higher on the motorcyle, as these will have a greater effect for you time and money.

Of course if you have already done everything else, then why not? :D

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I'm not worried about handling, do you guys not understand the concept of power to weight ratio? Think about this, I have a buddy that was able to take just over 100 pounds off his bike by removing useless weight and switching out to lighter parts. His bike is insanely fast off the line compared to what it was stock. Just imagine going on a run one day and then the next day you go on a run with a 100 pound back pack on. It's harder for you to get going. It's the same thing with an engine.

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"power to weight ratio"....huh?

Seems you may be onto something here :!:

:lol:

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so, you are saying with one pound extra your VTR will weigh as much a s a car? :?:
A VTR will weigh close to 485 with a full tank, if you reduce that weight by 9 or 10 lbs with an aftermarket exhaust, YOU will never notice the difference, and if you think you could you should be watching Valentino Rossi in your rear-view.

you would be better off selling your VTR and buying a GSXR1000/R1/CBR1000RR/ZX10.

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what kind of bike did he have?

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Wonder what the cost/pound was too? Weight can be shed but titanium and carbon fiber bits tend to be expensive. It would likely be A LOT cheaper to simply sell the VTR and purchase a late-model super sport I-4 such as the ZX, et al.

Also, it is cheaper (and better for you) to cut back on the cheeseburgers if you are serious about losing weight :)

Mikstr

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!

Going faster is more about improving the rider than the bike anyway.

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:oops:

I am touched!

Mikstr

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It does appear that the search for a lighter bike is in the rational of short straight line acceleration...like in a 1/4 mile run.

Considering that diets are short lived and stressful, the fastest way to over come the one pound weight difference would be to make your run with less fuel in the tank. Experimentation will be needed to ensure you have just enough to make it 1/4 mile then use a recovery vehicle to bring you back to the pit. You may find you save more than a pound.

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I'm sorry I wasted time out of my life to try and explain the power to weight ratio concept to you guys. I think it's rediculous that you guys think you need to insult me when you don't even know me.

On that attempt on a personal attack by mikstr with the cheese burger comment, I'm 23 years old 6'2" tall 180lbs. at 11% body fat and I can run two miles in 9 minutes and 57 seconds. So unless you expect me to be a competition body builder you need to keep your comments to yourself.

Vitter you asked what kind of bike my buddy has, it's a "YZF-R1 LE".

Well if you stick with the 1/4 mile scenario: Using a short wheel base/steep rake frame with a vtwin engine that requires fairing removal AND oil/coolant draining to change clutch plates as the basis for a drag bike needs a lot more thought! :-) Not to mention there is absolutely no aftermarket for drag racing VTR's......

A much better place to shave weight would be the wheels and all unsprung hardware. The less weight there, the less power required to accelerate/decellerate them.

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Thank you for understanding BirdofParadise. Although I'm not interested in a straight up drag bike. I use my bike for trips in which I don't need to haul things around and just for the fun of riding.

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Exactly on the light weight wheels superbling. I've actually got another post asking about lighter weight rims that are a direcct swap for the VTRs.

https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2638

You're on an incredibly expensive quest (even used parts). Good luck.

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BTW, my cheeseburger comment was meant as a joke, NOT as a personal attack.

Deep breaths.....

Back to the topic at hand, you are making things extremely difficult for yourself in picking a VTR for a weight-loss program (maybe you like challenges?). In economic theory, they would refer to it as having reached the point of diminishing returns so to speak. It would be MUCH cheaper and easier to persue your quest on just about any other motorcycle out there. All things considered, if you do wish to proceed all I can add is best of luck to you and let us know how you make out.

cheers
Mikstr

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It seems like a more practical "quest" then swapping out my front forks or swing arm for those off of another bike. Unless they're lighter. Also you just have to know where to look when finding cheap parts.

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Performance Machine (?) Blade wheels are what I used on my 92 FZR1000.
I don't know if they have anything for the VTR but they were significantly lighter than the stock Yama wheels and at $2500.00 they should have been. You will lose the cush drive on this type of wheel as it is solid mount.

I'm with Bling and Mikstr on the cost vs benefit thing.
These are great bikes but not really good for in your face dragging. You might actually end up upside down with a bad launch.

Some of us older (read...morning our 23 year old bodies) folks tend to joke about personal weight reduction since it is so near to our hearts. Clogging them too. If you stick around you will see the humor come through. I have yet to see any malicious personal attacks...well there was this one born out of a misunderstanding.

Anyway....welcome to the site and don't take things personally unless it is posted three times in a row.

In fact, those other suspensions are probably adding weight as they are bigger and beefier than stock (larger brakes/wheels too). Anyway, they (we) are after more rigidity, better compliance and adjustability (don't forget bling too) rather than weight loss.

My bikes been to Jenny Craig. :lol: I'll have to put it on the scales and see what the results have been, (without my cheesburg eating ass on it)!

Carnage... Lightness is expensive and we were trying to communicate this to you. There are lots of titainium this and carbon fiber that you could buy or have custom made. Regardless, your project will get real pricey. Maybe to the point that it would be better to purchase a different bike. I think that the collective wisdom here was trying to have you expand your thinking on where to concentrate your efforts.

Personally, to make my money go farther I'd look to lighten things that would have benifits in two or more areas. Like Superbling said, look at the VTR's unsprung weight. Not only will the total bike be lightened, the handling is also improved. Things like wheels, brakes, and........... A Titanium Axel. Oh yeah... A Titanium Axel. Ummm... anyone know where I can get one of these. :)

All the Best
Ron