Topic: Straightening the exhaust

[fretstain]

Hi guys!

I picked up a '78 cb400t last summer from a neighboor on is way out of town. She's in great running condition, but not much to look at for the moment.
The bike really isn't ideal for a cafe job, but I'm doing it anyway just for kicks.

I'm using the bracket for mounting the passenger footpegs to mount a set of rearsets, but I'm having a clearance issue with the Mac 2-into-1 exhaust system that the bike came with. Ideally I'd like to bend the exhaust pipe approx. 6º down, so that it runs horizontally and doesn't threaten to melt the rubber off my boot. I did a quick photoshop job to see what it would look like, and I think it really improves the line of the bike.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/fretstain/Before-Angled.jpg

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/fretstain/After-Horizontal.jpg

This is probably a relatively simple thing to do, but I'd rather not ruin a perfectly good exhaust with too much experimentation. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

-Fretstain

[ProTeal55]

1. Put the pipe in a vice (wrap the pipe first with tape or a cloth)
2. Bend ever so slightly
3. Put it back on the bike
If you can see where it was bent just headerwrap over it and call it a day ! 

[crazypj]

Easiest way to do it is to push it down as far as possible while still connected to cylinder head (not enough to break anything, just the 'spring' part), make a bracket to hold it in that position.
Ride it around for a couple of weeks so it gets heat cycled and bend it some more until its where you want it.
PJ

[fretstain]

Thanks for the suggestions guys; I love the fact that this'll give me a genuine excuse to use header wrap.