"Tangerine Dream" / Glemseck - KZ750

[beachcomber]

Looking good, TJ. Personal taste is personal taste and you've gotta build your bike the way you like it, but for what it's worth, I think the system you have pictured there looks really killer! If it were mine I don't think I'd change a thing. I've always been a sucker for the high scrambler pipes like that anyway, but in my opinion doing an under seat exit is moving things into a different design era. Build on, brother!

Yes - I'm torn between 2 wrong eras !!!! Although there is precedent for high level pipes / meggas on Manx and G50's I think it's the turn down "snail" end that's worrying me.

Ditto an underseat "Ducati" style would also be totally wrong. Plan at the moment [ in my head ] is to snake the exhaust inside the frame and up the left side [ chainwheel ] and keep it pretty well hidden underneath the bottom of the seat level and the side frame rails.

I've invested in another 180 degree mandrel bend that once it's cut and shut [ 1 cut - 1 weld ] will form an S bend.

I'm going to put the seat back on and check for clearances before any hard decision is made.

 

[ridesolo]

I think it's the turn down "snail" end that's worrying me.

Maybe turning it 90 degrees clockwise so that it points OUT rather than DOWN?

 

[pidjones]

Maybe turning it 90 degrees clockwise so that it points OUT rather than DOWN?

Or 45 degrees down & out?

 

[beachcomber]

Tried all of the above boys !!!!

Rotated it through a full 360 - nothing "grabbed" me. That said, both out and out and down looked better. Straight up looked a bit Steamboat Billy !

I had a very neat reverse cone megga on my Laverda Jota ex. proddie racer that was about the same length as this one.

The trouble is all the modern versions are very cheaply assembled with rivets or screws holding the reverse cone - cheap and nasty. There's a place in the South of the UK called "Armours" who replicate classic and vintage silencers and exhausts in stainless. They made a true replica Goldie silencer to fit my Kay Cafe Racer a few years back. I might give them a call. Won't be cheap, but I won't be treading this path again.

I haven't given up on using that position yet .... I WILL also mock up the inside frame version.

It won't be the traditional "underseat" exit, more just to the left of the tyre.

 

[teazer]

You are exactly right. That turned down muffler tip is designed for situations where the whole pipe is at an angle and the down turn flattens it out. It doesn't look right with a level muffler and downturn tip.

Somwehere recently I saw a pair of those that the OP had sliced off the end caps and fabricated simple straight reverse cones. What is exactly what this puppy needs.

 

[beachcomber]

You are exactly right. That turned down muffler tip is designed for situations where the whole pipe is at an angle and the down turn flattens it out. It doesn't look right with a level muffler and downturn tip.

Somwehere recently I saw a pair of those that the OP had sliced off the end caps and fabricated simple straight reverse cones. What is exactly what this puppy needs.

Yep I hear exactly what you're saying Teazer. I'll give my pal at Armour's a call tomorrow and see how much a shortie to my specs will cost.. I'm not giving up on the inside system either - still open minded.

HOWEVER - again you are right ............ my plan would be to run the megga up at an angle of around 30 degrees so that the outlet runs parallel with the frame rails / seat.. It might mean removing the cross tube [ non OEM ] that the PO welded in when he "chopperised" the original bike to give me enough packaging space ............. we'll see.

 

[Maritime]

Yep, it's just the turned down end. I think a reverse cone would look great in the same place.

 

[beachcomber]

Close - but no cigar .............. I found this with a welded / polished end as opposed to the rivetted units which don't do it for me.

16" long and heavy duty. ALMOST a reverse cone !!!

Trouble is I know EXCATLY what I want and can't find one anywhere. I'm waiting for a call back from Armours to get a costing from them.

The other issue is that because my knees no longer work too well, the silencer in that position will force my leg out further. That's not the problem, but my knee won't articulate sideways to get my foot back to the peg - well not in comfort.

I'm going back round to my pal's garage in the week and we'll address all the possible issues before deciding.

Hopefully I can mock something up with foam lagging tube and gaffer tape to get a visual !!!

Any of you older guys remember the shortie oval OEM silencers used on 50's Matchbox and Ajay twins?

 

[beachcomber]

like this

 

[teazer]

No, no no. AMC didn't employ the greatest stylists. Apart from the 7R/G50 and a few other race bikes, they hit everything with the ugly stick IMHO. Oops. is my prejudice showing again?

I'd go with a reverse cone. The reverse megaphone shape is consistent with the look you are going for, so see if you can get something made or modified to represent that look if possible.

It doesn't have to be as fat as a 7R mega, but that shape should work best I think.

Or sweptbacks and long Dunstall shape megas would also work, but not after so much work went into that high level 2 into 1 system.

 

[unclerob]

Another silencer coincidence TJ! I put one of those on an A10 I did a couple of years ago... I got it from Feked, down in the New Forest, near Armours.....some of the stuff they sell is imported and not great quality but some is UK made by a firm called Dorset (or maybe Devon) silencer co.... at least thats what the box said!

 

[beachcomber]

Thanx for your ongoing interest and input guys.

I'm off to my pal's tomorrow and taking the seat [ again! ] to check out how much room I have between the megga and my leg and in turn how far out that pushes my foot on the footpeg. That MIGHT be the deciding factor as to inside / outside.

Yes Feked - they seem to have a reasonable range but I've seen the same items cheaper on e-bay. Armours have made a load of one off and modified stock stuff over the years and not been silly expensive and always top quality. NICE BSA BTW Uncle.

Teazer yes again [ fugliness ] - I DID see a roadgoing Manx with an oval "megga" in the day - could have been one of those with the end lopped off ! The sort of RC megga I have in mind is the same as I had on my Laverda .... that was slim / short and was beautifully made [ stainless ].

I think tomorrow may give us the nod as to the final choice. I think the leg / foot situation may be the deciding factor.

 

[beachcomber]

Sorry guys - the original high level position is a non-starter,

With the megga in place outside I just can't articulate my leg / foot sufficiently to get a comfortable / safe position for my foot on the footpeg .

The connector pipe / megga will now have to go inside the frame. It will all be hidden by the side panel apart from the last 6" or so of the megga outlet.

I'll need a heat deflector shield above the megga at the back where it's close to the GRP.

Fortunately everything else clears and all I need is one 180 degree bend which can be fabbed into a S shape.

In turn that means some of the squitter I was going to "lose" in that area will now have to live inside the fairing and belly pan.

 

[Maritime]

that's actually not too bad, as long as the tire doesn't hit it.

 

[beachcomber]

that's actually not too bad, as long as the tire doesn't hit it.

Yes that was my first concern - clearance all round.

My main concern [ after tyre clearance ] was the proximity of the fuel filler in the back of the seat. The bends are alloy and silicone connectors so no issues there. Obviously have to be careful of any potential fuel spills when filling up !!! The megga is hard over to the left against the frame giving max clearance to the tyre as well.

Probably the best compromise I could achieve - with the side panel in place you will only see the snail end and about 4" of megga. It's not obvious from the mock up, but the outlet ends up almost horizontal to the ground. I'll probably fab up a heat shield to ensure no excess heat gets to the GRP / paint.

 

[Maritime]

Yep, you have to able to ride the thing and this compromise for function has not bad form, the megga just peeking out and now being level at the tip makes it look alright.

 

[beachcomber]

Yep, you have to able to ride the thing and this compromise for function has not bad form, the megga just peeking out and now being level at the tip makes it look alright.

Not my original vision .... but as you say .............. alright !

There's a bit of final fettling to do that hopefully will make it look more aesthetically pleasing. I've ordered the stainless 180 degree mandrel bend to create the "S" to get the pipe inside the frame - looks straightforward.

Next job will be the rearset hanger plates and making up the foot controls. The pattern is being transferred into plywood and I'll get the alloy water jet cut - it's 12mm aircraft alloy - not even going to try to attempt to cut that by hand !

 

[beachcomber]

Upholstery collected .... spot on !

Here it is just laid loosely in place - when the seat is painted the upholstery will be pushed into place and will follow the contours of the base.

The Metallic Silver code is AB-832. As soon as the weather warms up I'll spray the seat to see if that IS the colour.

It will need breaking up - especially on the fairing and belly pan. I'm thinking Manx style coach lines in Red / Black - and maybe a front to rear Red stripe with Black outline ... jury is still out on that one !

 

[Maritime]

I like that TJ!

 

[teazer]

Nah mate. Not feeling it for some reason. It looks forced rather than a natural solution to my old eyes.

If the original vision was high level and the problem is that ypur leg will touch teh pipe, how about ducting the pipe inside the first downtube and then back out again so the muffler stays outside but you have leg clearance. You could mock it up with pool noodle or pipe insulation - whatever you can get your hands on.