I suspected an exhaust leak since it started popping a little a few weeks ago, but could not find the time to check it out and to tell the truth I liked the sound. Well this weekend my wifey and I went on a weekend ride with another couple, nice hot mid-texas day.A good ways into the first day my 01 RKdeveloped a sound that kind of sounded like noisey lifters at first. I checked the levels and all was fine. I keep thinkingI really need to give my bike a good once over when I get back. Well as we started out on the second day headingback home the noisey lifter sound got worse and all of a sudden there was a loud pop and then I know I blow a head pipe. I limped into the next town and then saw that I had blown a 2# piece of head pipe all most out of the left side pipe bend near the head. Well after some time I band aided it using some muffler repair stuff and was able to limp it home. Moral of this story..there are a lot of posts on here about popping and backfiring and most how know say it is an exhaust leak. Well I'd suggest DO NOT let this go, I obviously had a crack in my pipe (could not see with shield on and pos caused by a "minor" bang to the rear tail pipe, also covered in prior posts,another story). Why did I not think that if there was a crack or leak in the pipe that this would not only get worse. I feel like an idiot now. Now going with the B&E PERFORMANCE TRUE DUAL from e-bay since i have heard good things on here about them and it is the replacement piece I seem to need, now gving me true duals. I had the cut a freeze plug version up until now, did not know about the B&E's until recently. Just thought my experience would help others..

 

REAR HEADER Y PIPES ARE KNOWN TO CRACK.. I'VE CHANGED MANY ON MY OWN SCOOTERS OVER THE YEARS.. HD KNOWS THEIR IS AN ISSUE... BUT ????? YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY..

TIME TO REPLCE THE EXHAUST WITH ANOTHER AFTER MARKET PRODUCT. GOOD LUCK.