I've been looking for a stock exhaust for my Valk since the day I brought it
home. Some time during it's life a Cobra 6x6 was installed, which sounds
great, but it's way too loud for me, and I want to install a center stand or
a belly fuel tank, which won't work with the Cobra system.
I lost a couple bids on Ebay, one of which was $500 (that one wasn't stock,
but close enough). Good, but not great, condition exhausts have been going
for anywhere from $450 to $1,000. Fate seems to keep me at work and too
busy to monitor the auctions when they close, so I kept loosing the damn
auctions.
One system has been on Ebay for several months. From the look of the
single, poorly aimed picture, the exhaust looked like shit, with surface
rust and crud coating the whole thing. My one question, and another's
question, to the seller was answered in a polite, but meaningless way. The
auction description said this system would clean up nicely using Mothers,
which I assume is some sort of chrome cleaner or polish...which begs the
question; Why didn't he just clean it up and ask for more money? Oh, and
the price of the whole thing was $144, with free shipping.
I checked with a trustworthy shop, and I was given an estimate of $250 to
$350 for ceramic coating.
So, last week, after loosing yet another bid, I got pissy and just bought
it. With the low price, crappy picture, questionable description, and
non-answers to questions, I figured it was a gamble, just like sticking
money in the machines in Vegas. I figured if I were lucky, the headers
would be not terrible and the system could be salvaged. At worst, I would
have some parts for one of my Halloween projects. Mostly, it was just a
gamble.
Today they came in. They do, in fact, look like shit, surface rust and crud
and everything.
They are, however, pretty much dent free, which is a miracle considering how
they were packed (Good Job Fed Ex!). No road rash. No serious rust that I
can find. Most importantly, no modifications! It is next to impossible to
find unmodified exhausts for Valkyries, and they typically reach the $1,000
mark and above on Ebay. All of these modifications include cutting the
"piggies" off, which are small pipes that are easily exposed at the end of
the muffler. These are intact! Yeah!
Added bonus, they are for my model. Unmodified complete exhaust systems for
the Valkyrie Interstate are like hen's teeth. The other models share one
exhaust, and the Interstate is slightly different. These are slightly
different!
Again, Yeah!
So before the wifey came home from work, I unpacked the exhaust, stuck them
in the car, and disposed of the packaging.
Next stop will be the shop to see about getting these coated. I'd rather
not put these turds on my bike, which otherwise looks damn good.
I'm probably going to coat them black. I want to start blacking this bike
out, and this would be a good start.
CS
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