BSM Vampire  Exhaust in Stainless Steel for the VX and the dB Killer.

Last Sunday my wife and I agreed on a list of stuff I needed to accomplish before her mother got in to town on Wednesday. You know the stuff, get the tools out of the living room, hang the door on the den,  and pick up the
turkey.

Easy enough!

Last Monday I came home and saw the much awaited box from BSM waiting to get in from the weather. The box contained exactly what I ordered with no COD or duty/customs expenses. Even the outside of the box listed the contents, BSM Vampire in Stainless Steel for the VX and the dB Killer.

The items were securely and protectively packaged. I made a dry run and assembled (without the bolts) the pipe and canister right there in the middle of the living room floor, next to my tools. My wife thought it would
never fit, too narrow in the engine compartment. MY concern was the clearance at the center and side stands. Both concerns were unfounded and time would soon tell.

I laid the scrap carpet I have down in the garage and put the new pieces/parts down on that, wouldn't want to get it scratched before I heard it. Got some tools (from the living room too) and a beer and set out to advise the list I got my pipe.

That done I removed the old pipe. The right side was falling off due to a poorly designed and constructed hanger tab. The left side is too falling apart. Both will be kept in the hopes of finding someone that can put them
back together. You never know when some person of authority is going to tell you to make it legal. Apparently is has something to do with proper wording on the pipe, the BSM only says "VAMPIRE".
<http://www.bsm-exhausts.com/english/exhaust_en.html>, except on my model, the pipes is on the left of the bike, so the writing is on the other side.

Most difficult part of the removal was separating the cross-over, that done the rest was a cinch. All bolts removed with ease and were reusable, if needed. I have Anti-Seize to thank for that.

I ordered the optional dB Killer which gets fastened to the business end of the canister. Simply drill a hole in the bottom of the canister extension and the product slips into the canister and gets fastened in with the SS
allen head screw, supplied. A real trick solution that BSM claims will NOT make the pipe street legal. BSM also claims a noise reduction of 3-5 dB and a power loss of less than 1%. I've left mine off for now, but will install
it for long rides.

Installation went without a hitch, amazing because I received NO instructions. They sent me a nice schematic complete with sizes and part #'s, but NO assembly instructions. Though they did mention it should be
installed by my dealer or a competent mechanic.

Oh well...After removing the old pipes, I cleaned all the tapped holes, bolts and nuts I'd be re-using, each one was then offered a liberal coating of Anti-Seize. I Also removed the springs for the center-stand.I started from the front and worked my way back, both front tubes went on without a hitch, except as someone previously mentioned, the allen head bolt was tough to get to on the left bottom flange. Both were tightened secure enough to allow just a little bit of movement. I reused the OEM gaskets because of someone being short-sighted on either BSM's or my behalf. I think they should have supplied some and they think, ahh, who knows. The old ones are not allowing any air slip by, so I guess it doesn't really matter in the wash...

Next I slipped the collector pipe onto the front tubes. I put Anti Seize here as well to attempt to make removal easier, heck, the stuff works everywhere else... It was also mentioned before, that the constriction slits in the collector tube were unevenly cut, in my case they are pretty much exact, and quite functional. Before assembly, I lined up the parts and
marked the maximum depth the front tubes could sink inside the collector tube, I did this to allow me to know how deep they went in before I straightened everything out and tighten it all down. Both tubes slipped in
to maximum depth without much of an effort. I left the bolts loose here as well.
It was at this point I knew I was going to have fun aligning everything, what - with the front tube on the left hitting the OEM engine guards (add on) and the collector wanting to touch the sidestand bracket and the
driver's foot-peg guard. It was the add-on that made this a trip to work with.
Removed the protective plastic from the outside of the canister mounting strap and put hi-temp electrical tape on the inside of the mounting strap in a effort to prevent scratching and increase hold.

Mounted the canister to the collector pipe with three nut caps. One of which was a great hassle to tighten, but a open end wrench helped out there.

Mounted the mounting bracket to the inside of the passenger footrest, where the OEM pipe hung from. Slid the mounting strap over the canister and attached the two.
Lined everything up, wedged rags where tolerances were small, and tightened everything, from the front back. Took the rags out, shined up the pipes from my grubby hands and called the wife.

Opened the garage door, fired up the bike and heard the most horrid sound ever heard by man. The incessant squealing, shrieking, and whining ever!
Shut off the bike and asked my wife to go outside where the manufacturing oils being burned off wouldn't affect her. She hushed and the VX started again...

Nice low rumble, throaty and solid. My, I can even here the engine separately from the exhaust. The OEM exhaust sound drowns out the engine sounds.

I feel no difference in power with exception of perhaps a boost at the 4.5 to 5 K mark. It's really noticeable. To help you know where it kicks, it's right where the sound turns guttural.
At speed the pipe emits a low tone that will wear on me on long straight rides, but I've only made a few of those and the dB Killer will be installed then. It's mucho fun going up and down through the gears and hearing the bike.

I now know why HD's rev while going through the gears as well as at stops, it sounds just so cool to make that sound with the flick of the wrist. My MPG will certainly drop. :)

I'm not making any changes to the carburetor or air filters. Mine is still OEM-setting. I WILL re-sync the carbs though.

Noise, nothing that's pissing off the neighbors, haven't had little kids covering their ears, and I got about 100 miles on the BSM so far. Rode to work on both Tuesday and Wednesday - rainy, foggy, chilly, leaves on the pavement kind of days, but really enjoyed it.
Got the door hung Tuesday after I picked up the bird. Had the Thanksgiving turkey fastened to the passenger seat. Can only imagine people in their cars and walking down the street, hearing me coming, seeing the bird, and
pointing towards me saying "hey, look at that turkey go."

Fit and finish of the pipe was perfect. Got a couple of BSM stickers thrown in too.

At this time the only things I would change are the time it takes to get the product, lack of instructions, and BSM answering their email. I WOULD order the product again and DO recommend it.

Thanks to John and BSM,

CJ

Christopher Jorss
Mount Vernon, VA - USA

CC: BSM