EX-XX

Lance, given the deadline for deposits on the first run is the 18th, can you please keep an eye out for the cheque I sent you. I also sent through tracking details via PM. Once the cheque is received, we'll need to discuss shipment options, as we are moving out of our place at the end of March, so if shipping is a 6-week proposition, I may have to provide an alternate address for shipment. On the passivation side of things, I might have to wear the PayPal ripoff (on exchange rate) to have that done.

What's the go with retaining the VTEC solenoid? To "fool" the existing ECU into believing it's still "driving" a 6th-Gen engine?

Bugger. Wishful thinking on my part, perhaps...

So...how'd the dyno run go (was going to be done on Tuesday, IIRC?) Inquiring minds and all that... 😉

I'm sure the "dutiable value" will be less than $1000 when shipped 😉

For that kind of money, you'd be better off swimming over there to collect it. Can you get mine while you're there? Thanks. 😉

Aus Post refers to a service called "ShopMate" for this purpose. I haven't used it, as I'd either have the person ship it direct, or use another service (Shipito etc.) for the purpose. Have any of the other Oz members used ShopMate for US-based purchases...?

Like (many) others, I'm pretty happy to see something like this looking like eventuating. It's taken a long time to be potentially this close (not for lack of effort on behalf of a number of people!) While I've put my hand up as interested in the headers themselves, "if" there is a full system eventually available with Carbon slip-on, I'd almost certainly be interested in the whole thing. (Will need to get a handle on shipping to Oz, though). Given that the $AUD is falling against the $USD, I'd also be very keen to pay for the header/system in $USD if at all possible. (I guess the question there revolves around methods of payment available).

You could be right about the non-linked brakes, I'll have to double check (i.e. go through pictures of the parts until I find some of the brakes etc. 😉 ) They were - apparently - produced from 2001-2008, and have a number of differences to the standard 5th Gen. "Ventilated" rear rotor (presumably for low-speed work with lots of rear braking), ABS, completely different instrument panel (all digital), and quite a few differences in plastics etc. given the intended (Police) use, plus some other stuff I've forgotten.

Coincidentally, I saw an RC49 for sale on the Japanese auctions last night. A cool $AUD24K (~$USD17500)...

Thanks for your input. No-one (least of all me) suggested that it should be a "race header". What I (and others - not quoted, BTW) was after was some kind of empirical data on the headers when actually fitted to a motorcycle. My comments weren't directed at Lextek. They were directed at BW which, as most know (and has been photo-documented in this forum in other threads), has had issues in terms of construction quality (particularly around merge welds etc.) The current (seemingly collaboratively designed) versions "appear" to have less than optimally placed O2 bungs, which may or may not have 00/01 bikes throwing codes/requiring spacers/fitting of O2 eliminators etc. So, I'd have thought it natural to want to see how the system tests on a bike, rather than simply buying it "sight unseen", wearing freight and exchange costs, only to (potentially) wind up with a system that's no better (and potentially worse) than the one I currently have. I'm not suggesting it would be. What I am suggesting is that I don't know one way or the other. I I also take umbrage at the comment about "people whinging about the product probably wouldn't buy it anyway". What would you know about what I would/wouldn't buy? All because I (and others) wanted to see a bit more rigour around the product's sale than "here it is, buy it". Good on them for (co)designing it. No issue there. If it turns out to be a decent system, I'll be more than happy to put my hand up for a set, noting that people here in Oz will wear (significantly) higher freight, and exchange costs, than will the UK and US-based people. (And likely pay a GST on top of all that). It won't be as "dirt cheap" as you suggest, by the time its landed here. But in BW's case anyway, I'd suggest that they have some goodwill to make up from the "SandyBike Spares" days...and some empirical testing on a bike would go some way to restoring that.

Probably why they're coy about releasing dyno data. In the email I posted an excerpt from, the BW salesperson was waxing lyrical about "how much better their new system would be than my old '99 one." Really? Prove it (with empirical evidence) and I'll consider a purchase. Genuinely not fussed one way or the other. My ceramic-coated headers will probably last the life of the bike, given that I live in an environment that doesn't experience heavy snowfalls/salt on the roads etc. So, for me to consider changing them out with something else...well, I'd need to be convinced that the "something else" was demonstrably better, wouldn't I? So...who on the forum is going to be first to grab a set of these things and "back-to-back" dyno test them against a control set of '99 headers?

Pretty sure that people here (in Oz), have 1997-plated bikes. I'm almost certain that, like you, I saw a 1997-plated bike (a silver one) at the end of 1997.

For those wanting Sandy Bike Spares/Black Widow dyno numbers, I'm going to paste an excerpt from an emailed response I had from them on this topic. " We do not release Dyno results on any of our exhausts as these can vary due to the age, mileage and set up of the bike, we are happy to post owners results as these are specific to their bike and are unbiased. Please see our Facebook page for owners results from some of our other designs, they are excellent. " Sorry, but that's crap. For the record, I asked for dyno comparisons between a stock, "catless" header, and their design. They refuse to provide this info. Also, not sure how relevant "seeing a Facebook page for owners results from some our other designs" actually helps one form an opinion as to the gains/design eficiency of this new header... Maybe I'm missing something...? Or not. No. I won't be purchasing either of these until I see empirical, back-to-back dyno testing. Same bike, same dyno, "catless" headers vs these new ones (obviously with the same slip-on fitted to both headers). Pretty simple, really. They either provide them, or they don't.