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New original style mufflers, what is the best option?

The place to discuss the R 90 S as well as the R90S Worldnet archives!
tobydog61
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:51 pm

New original style mufflers, what is the best option?

Post by tobydog61 »

hey everybody, new guy here. I have been working on, restoring, and just plain having fun with old bikes for quite some time. I recently sold off my last vintage Triumph and have decided it's time for a classic that was a very competent weekend rider and the R90S has always been at the top of my list. I bought one off ebay and pick it up this weekend. I never buy bikes sight unseen but got crazy and did it so we'll see if I get smoked.

My question is, I know that it is going to need new mufflers and I see Emgo repops on ebay for a few hundred $ and I see what appear to be what are supposedly accurate reproductions on Wunderlich America website. Wunderlich seems to have a lot of hard to find parts like switch gear and handle bars that I will need as well.

Anyway, can someone recommend a direction on mufflers. Are the Wunderlich mufflers which are close ot $500 worth it? I may get the bike judged during AMCA rallies that I sometimes attend so being close to original is important to me.

Thanks and I appreciate the help. I'm sure I will have a lot of questions.

Jeff
Jeff

khittner
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:45 pm

OEM Zeuna mufflers are still

Post by khittner »

OEM Zeuna mufflers are still available, so if you're wanting a knowledgeable BMW judge to give yours the blue ribbon, that'd be the way to go. On the other hand, a lot of the bikes that get rolled onto the field at nearby events, like the Gilmore's bike weekend, really aren't that well done.
Konrad

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RickR90s
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:54 pm

2nd vote on the Zeuna's.

Post by RickR90s »

2nd vote on the Zeuna's. EPCO's have sort of always been the cheap replacement muffler for older Airhead's.

RickR90s
MI
RickR90s

tobydog61
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:51 pm

Hey, thanks for responding.

Post by tobydog61 »

Hey, thanks for responding. So the Zeunas are the $500 ones Wunderlich carries?

The Gilmore show is my favorite of the season met but you are right, pretty wins over correct every time.

Jeff

Jeff

khittner
Posts: 369
Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:45 pm

The Zeuna mufflers can be

Post by khittner »

The Zeuna mufflers can be ordered at any BMW dealer. Wunderlich doesn't identify the maker of their offering, only saying that they're Italian reproductions. I'd guess that means that they're Sito pieces, which is probably (I haven't bought aftermarket airhead mufflers---still have the original Zeunas on my '84 RT) fine functionally and aesthetically, even if they're not "correct". The Zeunas are $680 for the pair on the MAX BMW fiche, so originality is pricey. You can get stainless (Staintune, Keihan, etc.) for about the same, or maybe less, and while they may be more durable than the Zeunas, and sound OK, you can usually tell from their color or seaming (or lack of seaming) that they aren't OEM. I don't think Sitos are stainless, so they may not last as long, if that matters.
Konrad

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ksiemon
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:21 am

I know that you said your

Post by ksiemon »

I know that you said your going to have it judged.......but the mufflers are most likely going to be the least of your problems.
The quality of the Zeuma's is there, but there is a big problem with the last new set I saw. All of the DOT crap, part numbers ETC. was stamped on the outside of the muffler for the whole world to see!!! Looks like Shit!!! Just like all of the Japanese bikes had on them forever! Big Brother is watching! All of the /6 and /7 bike mufflers had the part numbers on the inside buy the rear mounts. You couldn't see them. Then the 1981 on bikes had all that stuff stamped around the area where the exhaust came out, not a fan of this either, but it didn't stick out as bad as what's offered now. I did purchase a set of the cheep Emgo's that are going on a 1979 RS because of the stamping issue, and the Emgo's will work for the 38mm exhaust(R90S) and the 40mm that my RS has. No one cares about keeping a RS all OEM. They look good and from 5 feet back you can't tell what's on there.
If you were going to put them on you'd need new 40mm clamps as the 38mm (stock) clamps are to small to clamp correctly.
If you want a 100 point bike then you'll need to start looking for the correct mufflers. There is a set on ebay now for $750.
There getting almost impossible to find. The ones with the stamping around the exit come up every so often but are going to cost big bucks also. Mine are original on my 75 and I have another set hid out to last me. I do want the correct ones on.
FYI......I'm the original owner of mine. It's been in shows on and off over the last 42 years. The biggest problem with the people judging it is that they have no clue what there looking at. Good luck....if I can help drop me a line.

tobydog61
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:51 pm

ksiemon Thanks so much for

Post by tobydog61 »

ksiemon

Thanks so much for the heads up. The issue of data printed on the outside of the muffler is something I was not aware of. If that is the case, I would be better to go with the Zito Italian knock offs. Most judges won't crawl under the bike to see the stamp and my original ones have no stamps on the tail pipe, only in the area by the bracket.

Do you have a link to the NOS set on ebay? I do not see them when I search. Not sure I am ready to pay that much but it would be something to have for the future.

Thanks
Jeff

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RickR90s
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:54 pm

R90s mufflers

Post by RickR90s »

ksiemon

Thanks so much for the heads up. The issue of data printed on the outside of the muffler is something I was not aware of. If that is the case, I would be better to go with the Zito Italian knock offs. Most judges won't crawl under the bike to see the stamp and my original ones have no stamps on the tail pipe, only in the area by the bracket.

Do you have a link to the NOS set on ebay? I do not see them when I search. Not sure I am ready to pay that much but it would be something to have for the future.

Thanks
ksiemon

Thanks so much for the heads up. The issue of data printed on the outside of the muffler is something I was not aware of. If that is the case, I would be better to go with the Zito Italian knock offs. Most judges won't crawl under the bike to see the stamp and my original ones have no stamps on the tail pipe, only in the area by the bracket.

Do you have a link to the NOS set on ebay? I do not see them when I search. Not sure I am ready to pay that much but it would be something to have for the future.

Thanks

I don't recall the Gilmore show being a points judged event (like a Concours d' Elegance show), but rather a People's Choice judged event. So you're likely to "score well" based upon the perceived correctness of your bike.

Unless I'm totally wrong. :)

Also, the stock exhaust pipes on your bike are 38mm, which will use the stock 40mm clamps (the number 40 stamped on the clamps). No need to change them if they're in good shape.
RickR90s

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ksiemon
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:21 am

Yes they are still there. Go

Post by ksiemon »

Yes they are still there. Go into ebay and enter BMW Airhead in ebay motors. Then go into motorcycle parts / then exhaust. I don't know this guy but it looks good. With his shipping your looking at just under $800. All this is up to you and how much you want to spend to make your "S" really correct. There is so much stuff that some so called experts are looking for. Like I said I purchased mine new, and take very much pride in it. But it's mine and it gets ridden, has 60.000 miles half of that my wife put on. It was the best of show at the BMWMOA national rally in 98 and it still looks great. In 2008 at the national some "judge" was telling me all the stuff that wasn't correct. What he was bitching about was all OEM. No clue! Back to exhaust..... The Emgo's has the back bracket welded on, does look cheep but at $100 each......what do you want? Those Italian's look like the stamping is on the bottom and the rear mounts are bolted on, more close to the stock ones. I also meant if you were to install the Emgo's you'll need the bigger clamps. not with the stock 38mm ones. Those Emgo's have a insert to reduce them down to the 38mm. but if pulled out will work on the 40mm ones. That's whats going on my RS, thus the need for a bigger clamp if used on the big pipes (RS Bikes).

Good luck......be safe!

tobydog61
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:51 pm

You are correct, The Gilmore

Post by tobydog61 »

You are correct, The Gilmore is just a people's choice show and strictly for fun. The judges look for pretty but led and the appreciation for original has not taken hold yet. For judging I go to AMCA events like Wauseon. While not perfect, I always get a good idea of correctness through someone else's eyes. Everything they say has to be taken with a grain of salt. I have an Indian Chief that received a 99.5 score but judges paid no attention to it at the Gilmore, they are like fish, attracted to shiny objects.
Jeff

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