Sorry for the delay in getting back to everyone who posted; but I had a few other ideas to try before posting. I do realize some of my posts can get long but I really try not to waste any words in getting my thoughts across accurately.
First, Thanks Mauiki!
Next for Stu are the pictures I promised of the ratchet straps "in action". While this particular setup didn't provide the results I wanted, it did help a lot with the back holes and will give you a good idea of how I'm attaching the straps. Pretty much like BenelliSEI described above in this thread.
I used clove hitches on the pipes, up front, just ahead of the muffler and tried to avoid forming a choker with the ratchet strap hooks. Here you can see my overall ratchet strap setup...
Rear Attach Point for this "attempt"...
Front Attach Point... clove hitches...
EDIT: In this attempt I placed a slightly curved 3/16" steel shim plate between the #4 pipe and the brake pedal...In this attempt I placed a slightly curved 1/16" steel shim plate between the #4 pipe and the brake pedal...
The idea being when the rear was tightened up, the shim plate would provide the requisite clearance under the pedal. This didn't work because the pipe couldn't slide down and under the shim plate but rather just tightened up the shim between the two parts. Then when the rear was tightened, everything pivoted about the brake pedal interference point bringing the header pipe out and the rear of the muffler in... taking the connector tubes out of alignment.
I did learn a few things though and hope they might help others. First is, you don't need heat cycles for these pipes to retain a new "set". I believe just leaving the tension on the straps overnight will result in the some amount of spring back when the straps are released but a good portion of the newly persuaded positioning will remain.
Second there is a lot of tension involved here. Be careful and aware of what you're doing, how you're doing it, the stresses involved at your attach points, and what might happen if something comes apart!
I also learned, when tempted to pull against a portion of my lift table for better pulling alignment, that the tensions were high enough to move the motorcycle on the lift rather than make the pipe do what I wanted. In my case, I noticed the rear wheel was slipping in the table's "tire clamp" attach arms. Also, pulling straight down on a pipe to the table, I think, could put a large leaning force to buckle a pipe or pull the bike over. Be carefull out there!
Anyway, I think a large part of my problem, is the less than adequate cut out Busso provided for the #4 pipe to clear the brake pedal. Comparing the next two photo's, you can see the big difference between the shape and depth of the cutout of my Busso pipe and Rookster's Yamiya pipe.
My Busso #4 Pipe Cutout
Scott's (Rookster) Yamiya #4 Pipe Cutout
I can't say which reproduction cutout more closely resembles the original Honda #4 pipe cutout.
Can anyone else say?
As DonR opined, I doubt Busso would send out another #4 pipe let alone a new set of right hand pipes so another solution must be found.
To that end, I removed the #3 pipe and replaced it with a short 1/2" galvanized pipe nipple, the same length as Busso's #3 muffler 1-1/4" mounting sleeve. Then tightened the #4 pipe up against the pipe nipple, to get a clear picture of the best case scenario at the brake pedal. Here's what I found...
The 1-3/4" Maple block under the footpeg, doesn't quite move the pipe down far enough to CLEAR the bottom of the brake pedal. But I'm not sure the pipe and welded muffler seam can move any more inboard than it is right now. Unfortunately, as it currently sits, when the maple block is removed, the brake pedal is dragging on the dished out section on the muffler and/or the inboard side of the welded muffler seam.
I may try a thicker block and see if that helps but I'm also considering a 1/4" spacer... either between #3 and the frame, or between #3 & #4... to bring the #4 muffler outboard 1/4 inch... and let the brake pedal ride in the dished out section of the muffler with the welded seam outboard of the brake pedal bolt. This of course would make it hard to remove the brake pedal without removing the exhaust but hey, at this point, that may be the best solution.
As for taking a set, with everything relaxed now, the back holes line up nicely and I can push the rear mounting bolt in and out by hand through pipes 3, 4, and the frame. Now only to deal with the brake pedal clearance problem.
I have considered more pulling, or even cutting the header end, to move the muffler's cutout section aft to provide more clearance, but at this point that would also move the mounting holes further aft than they should be as well.
Comments, suggestions, and advice are welcome! ZT
PS: I may have to edit and correct this post as I'm not going to proof read it before pulling the trigger.
I hope all this makes sense and hasn't put you all to sleep.
ZT
