Delkevic Pipes

[Terry]

You must have some good eyes Dave or a better res monitor because I can't see any bend in hs sidestand...but, if bent as mine was when I bought it years ago it may not fit right, even with OEMs. I had mine heated, straightened and a steel rod welded to its back side so it is very straight and will not bend again. Find a good welder. BTW, I sent EMS' pics to Dave Fisher.

[RE5Guy]

Yep Dave it will fit better.

But that is not the issue really is it. before I bought the Delkevics I scoured the internet and read all I could about them, especially their own advertising. Whilst I read about the cross over pipe issue, no where did they say anything about compromising the props, nor the missing centre stand indent and doing a "one size fits all" solution (unless I missed is somewhere).

I guess what this thread has done is quite clearly document that there are differences between the Delkevic product and the originals. From here people can be more informed before they make any decisions.

Fair enough?

cheers

Tony

[EMS]

I guess what this thread has done is quite clearly document that there are differences between the Delkevic product and the originals. From here people can be more informed before they make any decisions.

Fair enough?

cheers

Tony

Tony, as I said above, I recall the Delkevics were announced as "perfect copies" of the 1979 "422" exhaust. This and knowing that the other exhausts are all different, indicated to me that they were not the ideal exhaust for all CBX models. But it always seems that the majority of owners thinks anything 79 has to be the best, because that model has the image of being the "high horsepower output" model. Actually, as the -469- is the least restrictive exhaust and the Prolink -MA2- makes the most low end torque, I always thought that any of the other exhausts had to be the better choice to copy. But what do I know.
What your input shows very clearly, is that even their original statement is not quite accurate. And if they can't even pattern the outside appearance, one has to wonder what the things look like inside.

[Terry]

Well Mike, you get the prize. From the letter below from Dave Fisher, Delkevic UK, it appears they modeled theirs after the 469s.

"Hello Terry

Thanks for the photo, could you just confirm if I have it correct:
From the top of the photo – 81-82 pro-link
Centre - 1980 ‘A’ model
Bottom – 1979 ‘Z’ model

We manufacture 2 systems, one for the pro- link as per the top photo, & one for the ‘twinshock’ which appears to have been modelled on the centre ‘A’ model. We have fitted the ‘A’ type to 79 models with no problems & this is first time that we have come across the earlier (twin round stops) type.
These systems have been available for over 12 months now & we are confident that there is no other system on the market that is close to what we presently offer, for these reasons I cannot foresee us developing a third variant
Hope this helps, & thanks for the photo
Regards
Dave Fisher"

[EMS]

I am going to make a statement that will probably cause a lot of controversy:

I can name, probably, 6 people in the world who, with their combined knowledge can answer every possible question you have about the CBX, the history, the statistics, the various differences in models, applications, parts etc, etc. With that, you will get 99.99% of everything that can be said or done about a CBX correct. Whether you try to find the right part, do the right job, find the right bike or write a book, for that matter You leave one of these six out and you will get only 90% right. Still a lot, but maybe not good enough.

[Terry]

[EMS]

Point is, they researched it and consulted CBXers, but probably not the right ones and this is why they came close, but no cigar.

[Terry]

Aah, got it. I also had never heard they made two versions before. Has anyone else? All their ads state they are a one size fits all version w/o a crossover pipe but similar internals?

My response to Dave's latest email,

Hi Dave, and yes the order in the pics is top to bottom,

MA2 for 81/82 B&C models is the top pic,
then the 469 from the A model 1980
then the Z model 422 from the 1979.

This is also the first I've read anywhere that you make two models of these pipes. All ads I've seen state they are one size fits all and that the crossover pipe had been eliminated with no tuning problems at all (for mounting on earlier models).

Also, we've read that the Dutch club has commishioned Sankei to re-make their old OEM sets. I've seen them advertised at about $100+ more than your sets.

Regards,
Terry Lawley

Too bad he apparently doesn't visit any CBX forums...

[EMS]

Aah, got it. I also had never heard they made two versions before. Has anyone else? All their ads state they are a one size fits all version w/o a crossover pipe but similar internals?

...

I did see before that they list them differently on ebay. Never knew why.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB ... ccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB ... ccessories

[Terry]

Sadly, looking at both ebay offerings listed hee, the pics they chose are identical, showing the long rubber stop on the left pipe in both ads.

[daves79x]

Just a little clarification: The replacement 422 systems from Honda (when they were still available) did have the long sidestand stops. The only 422 pipes that had the round stops for both were the original 422 ones from the factory. So outside, except for 422 or 469 stampings, the replacement 422 pipes from Honda, and the original or replacement 469 pipes looked the same. So it's clear Delkevic copied the long stop, which is mostly correct, but they still got it in slightly the wrong place. The Delkevic set I've seen in the box looked pretty well made, but it was not on a bike.

Dave

[EMS]

Just a little clarification: The replacement 422 systems from Honda (when they were still available) did have the long sidestand stops.
Dave

Didn't these also have the EPA "novel" stamped on them??

[EMS]

As I am in the shop, I pulled one of these replacement systems off the racks and sure enough: Dave is right So, we will have to eat crow

[RE5Guy]

I have a little more to add to this as well. Last night I had a look in my genuine Honda parts manual for a CBXZ dated 20 April 1978. In the exploded diagram for the pipes it has as seperate items the rubbers for the side stand and for the centre stand. The picture for the side stand rubber is rectangular not round. So even in 1978 Honda were thinking that this should be the norm not the small round stops.

I also looked in my genuine Honda workshop manual which isn't dated and it has pictures of the exhaust and you can see the stops are the small round variety.

[RE5Guy]

Hi all,

back again with another update. It has taken a while but I have the prop stands on the left hand Delkevic remade using my original pipes as the pattern.

Just some points for anyone who wants to go down the same route. Remaking the prop stands and physically replacing them was no real problem at all. The issue turned out being there is fibreglass material in the silencers (do the originals have this?) so the pipes cannot be re-chromed as is but need to be cut in half, the fibreglass removed, the pipes then chromed, the fibreglass replaced, pipes welded up and the weld painted with VHT silver paint. This weld and the paint is well hidden by the heat sheild so is not a biggy.

Now that they are on, I have done about 100km on them and the bike goes and sounds great. I have yet to do a back to back comparison of my two CBX's (so compare the Delkevics to the originals) but things look promising.

cheers

Tony