Staff bikes: XR1200X - How to fit Remus pipes and Powercone silencer

Before you start, the soft finish of the engine paint marks easily so remove watches, rings etc. When you reach the point of removing/replacing the header pipes use rags/bubble wrap to protect engine cases.

Removing the stock pipes
1. Unclip and disconnect the lambda wiring from both downpipes.
2. Remove seat (press in the two tags underneath the seat pan front) and pull off the pillion pad (from the rear)
3. Undo the five 7/16th bolts that secure the seat tray. Three under the rider seat two under the pillion pad.
4. Lift seat tray and remove the two Torx bolts that attach rear exhaust steady to subframe (v.tight! use penetrating spray and be careful not to round off), remove stay.
5. Remove bolt from pillion peg mount and slide silencers away from header pipes.
6. Remove down pipe mounting clamp bolt situated under the front pipe.
7. Undo header clamp nuts (these shouldn’t be tight but the bottom front nut is difficult to get to. Use a ring spanner from the rear/underneath. A ¼inch drive with a thin walled ½ inch socket is essential for the other three nuts).
8. With header clamp nuts and front pipe clamp bolt removed, the downpipes should easily pull away from the engine. CAREFUL at this point not to touch downpipes on engine cases. Cover engine with rags just in case.
9. To aid removal of the Lambda sensors take off the large shield (attached with two jubilee clips) and carefully clamp the pipes in a soft jawed vice.

Fitting the Remus pipe
1. Fit the Lambda sensors to the Remus downpipes. The Lambda sensors use crush washers to achieve an airtight seal but these can be successfully reused.
2. Remove the circlip style rings from the Harley downpipes and slide off the clamps. Refit both rings and clamps to the Remus downpipes. Take note of which way round the clamps fit.
3. Mount the entire exhaust loosely on the bike. There are no gaskets or clamps, the headers are tapered. Springs holds the pipes together at the joints.
4. If you don’t have a spring puller you can use a loop of electrical wire (use a reef knot) and a screwdriver or spanner through the loop to aid pulling. Don’t use pliers or Mole grips.
5. Once the pipe is on the bike make sure all the joints are seated by ‘wiggling’ together.
6. Tighten header clamp bolts evenly making sure both front and rear pipes are seating properly in the cylinder head. DO NOT over tighten.
7. Finish by tightening both front pipe mounting bolt and rear silencer mounting.
Reconnect both Lambda sensors making sure the wires are clipped away properly.

Take the bike the bike for a test ride, let the engine cool and check tightness of all fasteners, especially the header clamp nuts.

Note: The Remus pipe doesn’t use the rear exhaust stay but you must replace the  subframe bolts.

Further reading:
Staff bike blogs | XR1200X blog