MODERATOR please can you change the heading to DUCATI FRONT HEADER PIPE ...EPIC FAIL. Well after a spirited ride back from High Wycombe in the heavy rain my MTS1200S started making a god damn awful racket. This together with a backfire started my feeling of dread (leaking heads etc). Clearly I was leaking exhaust gases somewhere up at the front. All I could hope for was a popped exhaust gasket or that the bolts had dropped out. No, it was worse. After a quick inspection the header seemed firmly attached and no signs of leakage. Took off the lower offside sump guard and found a large hole in the exhaust. I stood amazed for a few seconds then realised what it was (note the O2 sensor had made its way to the rear of the oil filter). Due to some faulty welding (only 0.2 - 0.4mm thick) the oxygen sensor and mounting eye has left the main Ducati exhaust header down pipe. Before anyone says "Mr. Gorilla....blah blah blah..." I just undone the sensor from the "weld / clinch nut" with a normal 150mm long 17mm spanner and a set of mole grips. Not tight at all. REMOVED "Decat supplier"....thanks for feedback :/
Surely the picture you have posted is of the OE Ducati header pipe ? I fitted the LV de-cat pipework about a month ago and it certainly didn't come with an oxygen sensor mounting lug. So far from your arguement being with BR Special Tuning, it should be with Ducati. Andy with acknowledgement to AndyW for the picture.
B*llocks.....you're right....thank you. At least I only look like a total prat on the interweb...and not on the phone on Tuesday.... MODERATOR please can you change the heading to FRONT HEADER PIPE ...EPIC FAIL.
Btw good to see a bike which is highly maintained, cleaned and generally looked after looking a shitty underneath as mine, albeit mine is 8 months and 4500 miles old
Ride it...not wash it. For the record the machine is regularly cleaned once a year, whether it needs it or not.
OK...header pipe is finally off after a couple of hours of swearing that would make a drunk sailor blush. Now my Stainless Steel welding is officially coded at "Mr. Pigeon Poo" level...so lets see how I get on.
The pipe is so thin (around 0.4mm) I'm chasing the weld away. Nearly get it done, then got to fill in a small hole only to open it right up. Only using 25-30Amps!! Reminds me of my old Capri and not being able to afford a new exhaust, so always repairing the old one...great fun upside down and near the fuel tank! I'm going to order another one and keep trying to fix this.
OK. Fleabay 2nd hand at £36.75 shipped and a new gasket £4.72. Should be back on the road for next weekend. I hope that this is a one off and not a weakness in my lovely bike.
That's a nice clean round hole. I would be interested to know if fitting that SW Motech guard adds to the heat build up around the header pipe. I don't quite understand why Ducati didn't fit one or perhaps more likley charge extra for one. Maybe there is a good reason?
If you think about the construction the rear header pipe must get a lot hotter, especially in traffic as it has very little airflow. Not sure if it melted, more like hot then cold (loads of rain n puddles). May be fatigue? Ironic if my adding a guard caused the failure! Let's just hope this is a one off on a high mileage bike.
No idea if i am right but it just seems odd that Ducati didn't fit one or as I say, charged extra for an accessory part. It always looks to me like they deliberately decided not to fit one and there is something missing.
Replacement Ducati Header pipe arrived from sussexmotorcycleparts. For some reason they had removed the sample port plug (to sell separately??). I can understand selling the Oxygen sensor as a separate part, but the sample port plug? The Ebay photo was a weird one - Caveat emptor...Good job I've got one on the failed exhaust pipe. Just waiting on the new exhaust gasket.
Glad you're sorted pretty quick..............it'll be interesting to see if this is a one off or there are more to come as the bikes age! I'll change the thread title as soon as I can.......need to speak to Rob as there's no way I can see to do so right now! (@Rob / @mattmccabebrown ;-)
Quite apart from having a large hole in it, that exhaust is rusted to buggery. I can't remember any Ducati I have owned having an exhaust that looked like that. I don't get this. Ducatis are still expensive (perhaps even more so now) bikes, yet the build quality doesn't seem to be anything like what it was, judging by various threads. What is going on? Don't they make the entire exhaust systems out of proper materials any more? They now seem to resemble British Leyland exhausts from the 70s. Gun Gum will soon be back (if it ever went away for old bangers). You will notice the rather nasty looking collector box on the photos of the brand new MV I was testing a few days ago, so it's not just Ducati. Top end bikes shouldn't have a finish like this. Thoughts?
Its just surface tarnish. All stainless of this grade does this outside. If you want shiny then you'd have to use something like 316; but that's too soft for the exhaust. Perhaps titanium would hold a finish the best? Its not a new thing. My 11 year old 998 did exactly the same. Chrome don't get you home!
