The Moriwaki experience

09/13/02

The Moriwaki Experience is over
(Or maybe it's just beginning )

As it turns out there are only 2 sets of White Ti Moriwaki cans in the US & another member of the Yahoo Hornet Group ended up with two right cans so it was deemed that a swap was in order. I shipped my extra left can to Big Valley honda & he dropped his extra can off their shop at which time they promptly shipped it to me. I am very impressed with Big Valley Honda's diligence in getting this issue resolved & can with confidence & in good conscience recommend them to anyone! The issue as a whole was a pleasant experience that could have happened to anyone & I made a new friend in the process. Life is good & it gets better.

I finished installing the can on the bike yesterday evening & upon starting it for the first time completely forgot any disdain for the previous shipping error. Being that I am an RC51 owner & heavily involved in that arena worldwide I have many times taken alot of flack for commenting that I hate the sound of a v-twin & only ride an RC for the distinct advantage it gives the rider in the twisties. For me the sound of an inline 4 cylinder is auditory nirvana & the Mori cans on the 919 invoked that feeling once again.

The power delivery is noticeably increased in the lower rev range so much in fact that it wheelied off the throttle viciously at about 5500rpm when I hammered on it, something it would not do previously. Top end power is pretty much the same I mean it's obviously more powerful throughout the entire rev range, but it is most noticeable in the low to mid-range which only makes sense anyway. The bike as a whole is much smoother & more willing to rev now plus it shifts smoother too. I'm working out some fueling issues with a new mw9195 map & this is certainly going to take some dyno time as a great many things have now changed with the addition of the cans. If I wasn't right smack in the middle of my busy season at work I would have taken off today just to do riding and/or see if I could get some dyno time... Oh well maybe I can squeeze it in before the end of riding season.

09/06/02

Ok so I get my Moriwaki cans in today actually paid UPS Next Day Air charges to insure that I would have them for the weekend. Now banking on Moriwaki's reputation & the fact that I have used their products in the past & they have always been premium quality I bought these cans sight unseen, I never even saw so much as a picture of them before placing my order.

Today after picking up the box with my Mori's in them I get these pictures sent to me

So now I'm looking at these cans thinkin my god those things stick out a long ways from the tail section, they should have tucked those in or something & how the hell am I gonna fit my saddle bags on there???

Anyway, I get home & start to unpack the box to take some pics, I've always been amazed at how well Moriwaki organizes & packs their products. Every thing comes wrapped in it's own ziplock bag or heat wrapped to a backboard & the cannisters come wrapped in stretchwrap inside a bubble bag inside cardboard sleeves.

Ok so I start the installation & this is going in typical Moriwaki fashion, their exhausts are superb, but they are a total pain in the ass to install unless you are a mutant with 3 extra hands. You have to glue the rubber strips into the tiny bands then install the tiny bands onto the cannister while you are trying to line up the entire cannister with the mount bracket & you can't tighten up anything (the mid pipe, mount bracket or either cannister band) until everything is in the correct position & getting the bands clamped together while putting pressure on the screw & threading the nut on the back is quite an experience. Even though I have done this no less than 8 times in the last 3 years it is still a challenge. They also give you a neat little tool that is designed specifically for holding the bands together, but A. it is hard to work with it in place up that close to the framework & B. when it is in place you cannot easily move the bands up or down the cannister which you will need to do to get it properly positioned.

I finally get the left side done first & proud of my quick & precise job hastily start on the right side. I get no more than 3 minutes into this effort before I realize that they sent me 2 left cans!!! Now remember I paid next day air charges to get this shit here... Anyway Big Valley Honda doesn't have any more of the white Ti sets so they can't steal one & get me going. Looks like I'm going to have to either wait for some more to arrive from Japan or go with the Rainbow look which I really don't want to do... Depending on how Big Valley Honda handles this situation will be the determining factor on whether I ever buy Moriwaki Exhausts again. Even the best exhausts in the world won't do you any good if you can't get customer service for them when you need it. Granted it's not really Big Valley's fault, but I do expect them to take some kind of action so I'm not waiting for some parts on a slow boat from Japan LOL

I'll keep you guys updated, but I'm willing to bet that somebody somewhere has two right white Ti cans in a box...

The only good news is I have figured out a way to move the cans in much closer to the stock fender by cutting down the supplied spacer by 17.55mm.

really bad pics, but you can get the idea of how much closer I can bring them in by reducing the spacer

normal

closer