CBR650F Akrapovic melted my fairing on two places

[Perza]

So I bought Akra for my cbr650f 2017, model S-H6R13-HEGEHT, was installed by a service and after a few runs I notice the lower fairing has been melted on two places.
I kind of dismiss improper installation since you don't have much to mess here, so is this a design problem? Anyone with similar experience? Thank you for your replies.

 

[miweber929]

I’d say Akra is a better judge than us of a proper install, but I’d be surprised if it’s a design flaw, they are usually VERY particular of that kind of error. Maybe look through the instructions and see if there was a spacer missed or something like that.

You have a 17/18 bike, correct? And that pipe is for the 17/18 model?

Has your bike ever been down in that side? Even a parking lot top over could cause a bend in the fairing mounts.

 

[miweber929]

Just to add, I quick checked install instructions and don’t see anything that could have been missed, however there are a lot of pipes coming together at one spot and if the installer didn’t line everything up and adjust the position as needed it’s really in them. They should have never let a bike with bodywork that touches a pipe out the door because it could start a fire. I remember shifting mine around a bit to get everything to lay in there tight, but I have plenty of room on my ‘14 with the older style pipe.

Good thing is it looks like an easy area to simply cut out some of the melted bodywork to give yourself sone clearance and it should look factory.

 

[Perza]

@miweber929: Yes, the bike is 2017/2018 and the pipes are 2017/2018. The bike has never been down at least not from me, it was bought brand new from the dealership. If i’m correct you can’t adjust the muffler’s position and one melting spot is at it as you can see...Don’t know about the pipes how much leverage you have...So my plan is taking off that lower fairing and cut a bit of those two parts out.

 

[Jerry]

Sorry to be off-topic here, but I'm not seeing the pics. Just a large white space where the pics should be.

 

[Perza]

Pics:

 

[miweber929]

@miweber929: Yes, the bike is 2017/2018 and the pipes are 2017/2018. The bike has never been down at least not from me, it was bought brand new from the dealership. If i’m correct you can’t adjust the muffler’s position and one melting spot is at it as you can see...Don’t know about the pipes how much leverage you have...So my plan is taking off that lower fairing and cut a bit of those two parts out.

You can slightly adjust the positions but would have to take it all apart to do so, or at least loosen everything up.

I'd just cut the melted areas like you planned to do, it should be fine after.

 

[ADIOS600]

I would not be happy cutting a fairing after paying a £1000 plus English pounds for that exhaust. Its a shame it had to melt the plastic to find the issue.

 

[Perza]

It is what it is now. What I want to do now is remedy this situation as quickly and efficiently as possible since the season just started here in my country.

 

[GoaCBR]

Have you spoken to Akrapovic about this? They are pretty good and I'm sure would be interested. Would have thought they would pay for the repairs (and amend design) or give you some backup to point the finger at the installer.

Had mine on for 2 years and nothing but praise for it and them.

 

[ADIOS600]

Just as it should be.

 

[Road Hog]

If it was mine i would take it back to were you had it serviced.Get them to cut the area of the fairing that needs to be cut
and find some high temp 3m tape in black to put around the aera. Remember it's only going to get hotter in summer. You
could blame Akrapovic or the service shop but they will both blame each other,for sure ,and where does that leave you.

 

[Somchai]

I'm very surprised. Akrapovic is renowned for its build quality and precision. Like @miweber929 said, it's most likely an installation error.

So sorry to see a brand-new bike being messed up like that.

The cutaway is a good interim solution, but I would also take it up with the installer and claim damage compensation.
In the unlikely case of a design or fabrication fault, the installer should at least have notified you about it instead of just letting you ride the bike.

 

[Perza]

So I took the lower fairing off, you can see the burnt plastic on exhaust. Cleaned that off using a fine sand paper, cut the fairing at the places of contact and also put heat resistant tape on the inner side. A few pics: (will post the final work, my friend is currently making a new screw which will distance the lower fairing about 5mm from the exhaust muffler)

 

[Perza]

I also have a question for those who installed akra themselves, since the muffler is screwed on an included plate with four holes, is it even possible to adjust the position of the muffler? It seems to me it’s fixed on one location without any possible adjustments...

 

[miweber929]

I also have a question for those who installed akra themselves, since the muffler is screwed on an included plate with four holes, is it even possible to adjust the position of the muffler? It seems to me it’s fixed on one location without any possible adjustments...

Yes, the muffler is on a plate, and the plate goes through a mounting hole in the frame but the plate can be adjusted slightly, the mounting hole is rubber lined and can be moved and the rest of the exhaust is slip fit with springs holding them together so everything can move slightly. It doesn’t take much, a bit here, a bit there, move this over, etc to give you a few millimeters clearance.

The instructions state to keep everything loose until you get it all in place and adjusted then final tighten, my guess is the shop didn’t take that extra time.

Have you contacted Akra at all? They may have some tips or other thoughts.

 

[rustyeyed]

1. Header pipes not slotted in, sometime they need to be wriggled to slot in correctly at the header port.
2. Pipes bent

 

[Perza]

How about the muffler touching the fairing? Anyway, finished this “project”. I found out that even with the spacer my friend made, the fairing was only about 2mm away from the muffler which I wasn’t satisfied with so back to the cutting tool. Will also contact Akrapovic about this and post their answer here. Thank you for your replies

 

[ADIOS600]

You have made a nice job of that. I see you are on the later style AKRA.

 

[Perza]

Thank you, I’m pretty satisfied with this fix also, practically doesn’t show any modification. As for the akra, it’s their latest titanium exhaust with a carbon covered muffler and stainless steel pipes. I really like the sound and when it gets warmed up properly it growls like a pissed off tiger I contacted Akrapovic today and I’m waiting for their reply.