Falco Exhaust Downpipes

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cmdrew · #1 Post by **cmdrew** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:15 pm

A bit of an odd one but I was in a local bike shop and they had a pair of Exhaust cans from an )4 RSV which look a lot better than my standard Falco stainless cans so for a very small amount of cash I bought them as they were clearing them out.

Got home expecting to have to move the mounting clamp to suit the Falco only to find that the downpipes are also a different diameter - the ones I have are quite a bit smaller than required for the RSV cans. Was inspecting my downpipes to see where/how they split to see if I could adapt them only to find that the N/S link pipe has a big dint in it about where the side stand folds up.

So my question is - will a set of RSV downpipes fit the Falco? I have the RSV engine already so that shouldn't be an issue but is the routing different also?

Dalemac · #2 Post by **Dalemac** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:09 pm

Did you mean RSV4 end cans?

The downpipes on the Falco are designed to have a dint in the pipe, without it the sidestand wouldn't flip up!

If you do have the standard Aprilia anchors on the back, then there is no link pipe. You just unbolt the exhaust hanger, remove the springs and slide them off.

You can probably get a set of link pipes made/adapted by an exhaust specialist. That will probably wipe out any savings made from the cheap cans though!

Not a clue whether RSV downpipes will fit, or of the pipes are the same diameter at the end (presumablt they are the same size at the cylinder head?

D-Rider · #3 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:36 pm

Assuming you mean a Gen1 RSV:

The rear cylinder downpipe is reasonably close and can normally be used. The front downpipe is a different length and takes a different route. The mid section is completely different (ending up with a bigger-bore single pipe).

The Gen2 is very different and uses a 4 bolt fixing to the cylinder heads rather than the 3 bolt of the Falco and Gen 1
The pipes from the mid section to the twin cans are also a different diameter to the Falco

.

I have a hybrid on mine - Falco downpipes but a modified Gen 1 mid section to meet the Falco downpipes, both link-pipe mods and (of course) single pipe out to a single can.

cmdrew · #4 Post by **cmdrew** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:23 pm

Odd - the cans I bought were labelled as being from an O4 RSV but there are 2 of them and they are black, oval and have Aprilia racing written on them. As I said though the pipe diameter of the end can is larger than that of the pipe to which it should connect on the bike. I did wonder about the 'dint' in the downpipe being for the side stand - it just looks like the pipe at that point would be only half of the diameter it would be otherwise. Daft question - do any RSV's have twin tail pipes or are these cans off another Aprilia?

Dalemac · #5 Post by **Dalemac** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:32 pm

A 2004 RSV is the 'Gen 2' version, with twin cans as standard.

I think the Gen 1 was only a single can as standard.

Falcopops · #6 Post by **Falcopops** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:45 pm

The Gen 2 Exhausts are different in both diameter and you've found out, but also the headers have an oval fitting at the head with 4 bolts, whereas the Falco has a round fitting at the head and 3 bolts.

The easy route is to get link pipes with a narrow diameter to fit the Falco midpipe section and opening up to fit the cans.

The harder option is to get header pipes from a Gen 2 and get the manifold connection cut off and a gen 1 manifold welded on. Dunno if there is then issues with routing and clearances, but I'm sure I've heard of it being done either on here or on the AF1 site.

Worth having a search

#7 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:05 am

cmdrew wrote:I did wonder about the 'dint' in the downpipe being for the side stand - it just looks like the pipe at that point would be only half of the diameter it would be otherwise.

That dint annoyed me so much I did something about it a while back.

https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=4569

But then I went and replaced the siamesed/balanced section with a full unbalanced/straight through arrangement anyway...

flatlander · #8 Post by **flatlander** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 12:01 pm

There are quite a few folks selling ready made sleeves to change diameters sorry don't have the links habdy

Dalemac · #9 Post by **Dalemac** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:04 pm

mangocrazy wrote:
cmdrew wrote:I did wonder about the 'dint' in the downpipe being for the side stand - it just looks like the pipe at that point would be only half of the diameter it would be otherwise.
That dint annoyed me so much I did something about it a while back.

https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=4569

But then I went and replaced the siamesed/balanced section with a full unbalanced/straight through arrangement anyway...

But would the weld lines not be equally annoying?

or did you level them off and then polish it up?

#10 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:33 pm

I actually don't have a problem with TIG weld lines - I think they look pretty cool. You don't see MotoGP teams polishing out TIG welds, do you? But the rest of the system looked a bit ropey so I had them polished, and with that done you can hardly see the weld lines. They don't stand proud at all - they're flush with the pipe sections.

fatboy · #11 Post by **fatboy** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:30 pm

A nice TIG weld run is a work of art !
Why polish away evidence of pure skill ?
You may be polishing away half the work you've paid for, if Mr. Blobby has not paid you a visit then leave alone,simples

#12 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:00 pm

I mean - you wouldn't polish these, would you?

Greg · #13 Post by **Greg** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:22 pm

Mango old chum...

I looked back at your post and saw at the time that you had an 888... do you still have it??

I almost bought one from my neighbour's son a few years ago - he'd left it in his dad's garage for almost ten years before deciding to ride it back to London from Wimborne (on belts that had been static for all that time..!)

At the time I saw it (about 12 years ago now), he'd started to disassemble it for some reason and had left it under a tarp outside his flat in Hackney. He didn't feel my bid of £1800 was enough for the bike, yet sold it two months later to a dealer for £1500.. The arse!

I bought a KTM 950 Adventure S instead, and pissed off to Morocco for a fortnight!

G

#14 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:33 pm

Hi Greg,

Yes, I do still have my 888 SP3. It's something I can't ever imagine selling, even though it gets very little use these days.

Your neighbour's son must either be a) very careless with money b) very dumb or c) has no mechanical sympathy whatsoever! Or probably all three...

Did the bike survive the journey with ten year old belts? That is absolutely asking for trouble. The recommendation from Ducati is to change belts (I think) every 3 years irrespective of mileage. Inactivity is worse than regular use, in fact...

Sorry to hear your bid was refused. He really didn't know what was best for him (or you!), did he?

Funnily enough I had a test ride on a KTM 990 SMT just before Christmas. I liked it a lot, but the low-down fuelling was very snatchy and I think the rear shock needed a full overhaul as well, as it was kicking me up the arse on bumps it should have floated over.

Now you've reminded me about the 888, I think I need to book it in for a service and belt change...

Greg · #15 Post by **Greg** » Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:17 am

Ahh. Mine was an old carbed one - perfectly fuelled even at 9000 ft!

The SP 3 ... Is that the super sporty one? I think the one I was after was 'just' an 888 but it had a.nice plate L888DUC as I recall...

I dread to think how much it would be worth now...