VFR750FK Exhaust (rear) Access

Hi guys,

Coming home from work last night I found out how loud and unsilenced V4 engine is as the downpipe from one of the rear cylinders of my '89 vfr unscrewed itself.

This must be a common issue when refitting exhausts on a V4 but, how are you meant to access this in order to put nuts back on the exhaust studs?

I have removed the seat tank and metal plate that is held on by the engine mounting bolts. Is this all the access you get or is there a trick to it?

I can just about get a spanner in and turn 1/8th of a turn at a time the downpipe above the front sprocket cover but I cant see/get at/get my hand into the inner stud to put a nut on it, let alone get something in there to to tighten it up.

On top of this the retaining collar had dropped all the way down the tube and now with the whole sytem still on the collar wont clear the studs enough for me to thread a nut on anyway. I think I'm going to have to take off the front downpipe and silencer to butt the exhaust on enought to get the thread started anyway. What a performance!!

Has anyone fitted an exhaust system on one of these? Can anyone save me having to drop out the engine to fit this downpipe?

Cheers,

Mark