Heading for trouble?

[Dids]

I've been thinking of getting hold of some secondhand header pipes - one set for my R1200S and maybe another for the R1200ST.
The idea is to have them de-catted and see how they sound/perform.

I'm hoping it wouldn't be such a hard job to do the swap around.........

I've got reasonable spanner skills, but have always been a bit leery of tackling exhaust header bolts.
My worry is that, with all the heat & weather & stuff they may have become stiff/corroded and could break off with too much clumsy force.
Then I'd be in trouble

Any thoughts on how hard/easy it is to swap around header pipes?

Cheers

[dave the german]

My 12s headers came off OK. I coated the studs with Wurth brake grease and they've been fine. The BCR headers were another kettle of fish (search here and you'll find many tales of woe!!!). I got a local breaker/small bike shop to heat the nuts up to cherry red and they came off ok but looking at the studs without heat I'm sure they would have sheared

**BE VERY CAREFUL WITH EXHAUST NUTS ON AN 1100S**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mac47]

Hi, I did it on my old BoxerCup, in place of heating them up I used penetration fluid and covered my liberally everyday for a week. They came off without too much trouble.

Don't forget you'll need new header seals, putting the old ones back on caused me no end of problems

Mac

[Blackal]

Penetrating oil, and then use a socket on the end of a variable force hammer action battery drill.

Use low-torque to begin with and build up. The rotary vibration is the best - for freeing seized nuts

[boxerscott]

I understand the need to tinker with your bike... But , if it aint broke dont fix it. Many a would be collectable bike have been fcuked up with an owner knocking one off over a Billy Whizz after market catalogue.

Chris

[Dids]

Thanks for the replies.
Sounds like the R1200 headers might be easier to remove than the R1100s

I totally get the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" advice too.
Trouble is that I think there is a problem with the R1200ST.
When I start the bike it sounds as it should.
But......
After it's fully warmed up the sound of the bike changes.
It's a noticeable, sharper sound that happens especially when the engine is under load, at lower revs.
My wild guess is that it might be some kind of exhaust leak that opens up when the pipes are hot.
My R1200S doesn't behave like this, so I'm guessing there is an issue with the R1200ST - possibly an exhaust thing??????