This article was written by Brent Lottman ('96 VFR750f) and he has graciously allowed me to post it here.
Brent referenced the name and part number of the Laser for easy reference. This is a review of Laser (Jama) Prof-Race high right carbon fiber slip-on canister P/N 96.1227.C for 94-97 VFR750F.The combination of a very quiet stock exhaust and high wind noise on my '96 VFR meant that I couldn't hear the engine at all above 45 mph. After experimenting to try and reduce the wind noise by changing helmets (Signet & RF800) and removing the windscreen (I'm 6' 4") I found that it couldn't be reduced enough to hear the engine. My goal in purchasing an aftermarket slip-on was to increase the sound level and improve the sound. What I was after was a deep V-8 type sound that was loud enough but without being raspy. I preferred not to rejet if possible. After much research I decided on the Laser slip-on.
Ordering
I received my exhaust canister from M&P Motorcycle Accessories in the UK 5 weeks after my order was placed (I live in California). It was a special order and I was originally told that it would take 2 weeks. As far as I can tell there was some kind of delay getting the part shipped from the manufacturer Jama in Holland (www.laser-jama.nl) to M&P. M&P customer service responded immediately to my e-mail concerning the status of my order and my exhaust arrived sooner than their revised estimate. Cost was $335 USD + $60 shipping.
Packaging
Packaging (original Laser/Jama box used) I would describe as mediocre but it did it's job. The canister was wrapped in bubble wrap. Some corrugated cardboard sheet as well as some Christmas wrapping paper took up unused space in the box. A separate bag contained the fasteners, band clamp, and hanger along with a parts list with an exploded view of the mounting. No scratches were found on the carbon fiber. There were a few minor scratches on the connector pipe as well as some marks that I believe were made by the tubing bender.
First Impression
After removing the stock muffler and discovering how heavy it was I had to get some numbers. The stock muffler with connector pipe weighs 12 lbs. The Laser weighs 4 lbs. It's a straight through design with a perforated tube. The can is 4 inches in diameter and 16.5 inches long. The connector pipe and canister end caps are polished stainless steel. The canister is riveted together with a polished stainless band at each end. I was very pleased when I finally saw the exhaust as I had ordered it without ever seeing one in person (had seen some good pictures on the Australian VFR homepage).
This unit has a look and feel of quality. The carbon fiber is a standard weave with a clear coat. The forward canister end cap is welded to the connector pipe which means that this exhaust doesn't need springs to hold itself together. I view this as a big plus as most people I know with spring type mounting have lost a spring or two. It also adds to the clean sleek look not to have spring hooks or springs. An oval, adhesive backed "Laser Deeptone Exhaust Systems" emblem is included in the box but not installed which is nice because I prefer not to have an emblem on mine. The rear end cap is engraved with "Laser Exhaust Systems". Discretely hidden on the underside of the connector pipe bracket is another engraving which proclaims "Race Use Only". The band clamp is stainless and has 8 3/4 inch holes. A rubber sleeve fits between the clamp and the canister to protect the carbon fiber.
Performance
I now have 3000 miles on this exhaust. The sound level and quality are exactly what I was hoping for. I can just barely hear the exhaust (with earplugs) on the highway at 75 mph. At low revs (below 4500) on acceleration the bike has a deep growl that some have said sounds like a V twin with aftermarket pipes. As the revs increase the tone changes to a higher pitch. It sounds awesome. On deceleration you get some nice low pitched burbling that makes you want to downshift through all the gears. Those who have heard my bike have indicated that it isn't loud at all. Holland's idea of a race use only sound level must be less than most others.
My seat of the pants feel is that the bike hasn't lost power anywhere compared to the stock silencer. The dyno may say otherwise but it isn't obvious. If anything the bike seems to accelerate harder than stock above 7500 rpm. On deceleration I had some slight popping which may have been there with the stock exhaust but couldn't be heard. I turned the idle mixture screws 1/2 turn richer which eliminated the popping and gave me a more steady idle. Other than this my bike is stock (49 state) with air pumps functioning and the original air filter. Throttle response seems to be as good or slightly better than with the stock silencer.
I'm really pleased with my Laser exhaust. It sounds and looks great. The high mount design shows off the rear wheel and single sided swing arm. The canister tucks in close to the bodywork making the bike seem slimmer. I have no reservations recommending this exhaust to other VFR owners.
Mounting
Mounting is a 3 point affair and requires removal of the rear half of the bodywork. The first two points are the connector pipe to header collector, and the bracket welded to connector pipe just below the canister to the stock silencer mount. Finally, the stainless band clamp around the canister body near the end cap which attaches to a hanger bolted to an unused threaded hole at the end of the subframe. The bracket welded to the connector pipe and the band clamp hanger have slots which allow for some flexibility in orientation of the exhaust.
I found during trial fitting of the exhaust without the band clamp or it's hanger that mounting the exhaust at the middle of the connector pipe bracket slot yielded the canister roughly parallel to the bodywork. I then noticed that the canister was angled outward to the side more than it really needed to be as there was more than ample clearance between it and the rear fender. This can be seen in some of the pictures on the Australian VFR homepage.
I decided to place an 1/8 inch thick washer between the stock exhaust washer and the connector pipe mounting bracket in order to tuck the canister in closer to the bike. This did the trick. After removing the red reflector from the rear fender I ended up with about 1/4" clearance between the edge of the canister and the rear fender. At this point I removed the rear bodywork to install the band clamp hanger. I found that with the canister tucked in closer than Jama intended, I would have to slightly modify the hanger bracket. I lengthened the slot approximately 1/2 inch to allow the bracket to be slid up higher on the bike. The hanger is really stout (3/16 thick stainless) and bolts to the rear part of the subframe. I also had to decrease the bend built into the hanger near the clamp mounting holes and twist it slightly so that the band clamp would line up correctly with the can. After trial fitting the rear bodywork, I found that it made contact the clamp hanger. I solved this problem by filing a small relief into the underside of the bodywork to allow clearance for the bracket. This done, the canister is parallel with the bodywork with about 1 1/2 inch gap. The canister extends to the fender with a slightly turned down tip on the endcap extending past the license plate. Mounting is very solid for an exhaust this light.
Hope this review helps someone make a canister decision.
