Akrapovic head pipes & stock muffler install

[LateApex]

It works, but it's not quite plug & play.  First, you have to toss the exhaust gasket.  You will have minor exhaust leaks.  On the other hand, the stock muffler leaks about as much through a weep hole in the bottom of it anyway.

  

Muffler weep hole

 

Exhaust leak at the clamp.  The Akrapovic spring loop prevents the stock exhaust from sliding on far enough to get a good seal.

 

Bend the little ear on the clamp that held the exhaust gasket in place up so it doesn't interfere with the Akrapovic header.  I put the ear in my bench vice & bent it open by hand.  You could cut it off with an angle grinder or replace it with a stainless t-bolt clamp as well.  I won't be keeping my stock exhaust long, so quick & dirty for me.

 

Once I had the muffler clamped in place, I found that the muffler hanger was off by about a half an inch.  You can see the wear marks on this picture after I moved the clamp.

 

You can't just slide the hanger clamp on the muffler as it is riveted to the can from the factory.  

 

1. Remove the muffler from the bike.  Drill the rivet out on & take the hangar clamp off the can.  This will make reinstalling the can much easier, you'll be able to rotate the can much more as you slide it onto the headpipes

2.  Remove the stock headpipes.  You can also remove the whole rear rubber mount from the frame that the stock headpipe hangs on.

3.  Install the Akra headpipes according to their instructions.

4.  Spray a little WD-40/oil/bacon grease on the headpipes where the muffler will slip on, this will make slipping it in place much easier.  Don't forget to put the clamp on first, tighten it down once the muffler is on as far as it can go.

5.  Slide the hangar clamp over the muffler from the end.  The Akra headpipes will point the muffle much closer to the swingarm than stock.  Pull the can away from the bike & position the hanger clamp correctly & tighten it down.