A note on checking stock fasteners, pus new V&H Cruzers fitted :)

So i rode my new (to me) C800 80 miles home with the stock pipes on. It came with V&H Cruzers, and as its winter i thought i may as well do some mods/jobs i wanted (12v socket, polish and clean, tank pad etc). 
So the other day i decided to switch the pipes around too.
Took the stock pipes off to put the new ones on. Noticed the stock pipes felt loose as soon as i took the bolts out the exhaust flanges.
Removed them from the support bracket to find this:








As i pulled them off the bracket, a bolt dropped off and the bracket came with it. No other bolts were there. Which means the entire weight of the exhaust pipes were resting on ONE bolt on the bracket and 4 flange bolts. Whether the bracket has been removed by the PO once and he didnt torque them back to spec, or they just rattled loose from factory, i will never know. 

Anyway ordered new bolts from suzuki at the reasonable sum of £12 delivered. Painted some hammerite and cleaned the area, locktited the new ones in with blue locktite, and put on my V&H pipes. 







I'm just glad that remaining bolt held out. If it came off during my 70mph 90% motorway ride home, god knows what the outcome would be.
I'll be sure to keep an eye on them, and all other bolts periodically.

I have the same pipes Eazy & love them, certainly one of the best after-market pipes out there.
I run the V&H Cruzers stock most of the time, but when the mood takes will occasional add some extra quite baffles to give others ears a short rest. I do really like the sound of them but when I use to use the bike for early morning summer jaunts from the house I occasional think of the people asleep, not very often though. 
Good shout to anyone & everyone that all bolts should be checked, or the shit may hit the fan.

Good advice and nice new pipes.

Good shout on the bolts,the Cruisers are great had them on mine much better and lighter.

EazyDuz wrote:

I'm just glad that remaining bolt held out. If it came off during my 70mph 90% motorway ride home, god knows what the outcome would be.
I'll be sure to keep an eye on them, and all other bolts periodically.

Good shout Eazy, bloody lucky they didn't drop off   the Loctite blue will do a good job of keeping them secure for the future 

alfie92 wrote:

Good shout on the bolts,the Cruisers are great had them on mine much better and lighter.

Indeed, must weigh less than half the weight of those big old stock pipes.

Mr Intruder wrote:

I have the same pipes Eazy & love them, certainly one of the best after-market pipes out there.
I run the V&H Cruzers stock most of the time, but when the mood takes will occasional add some extra quite baffles to give others ears a short rest. I do really like the sound of them but when I use to use the bike for early morning summer jaunts from the house I occasional think of the people asleep, not very often though. 
Good shout to anyone & everyone that all bolts should be checked, or the shit may hit the fan.

Where did you buy quiet baffles from? I bet i'll be tempted to remove the stock baffles but would probably throw the mixture out of whack wouldnt it? Not sure how well the FI systems on these bikes can cope