I had my dealer fit an EFI silencer at first service, 500km (300miles). When I arrived home after a trip of 160km, which included a couple of stops, I noticed the header was quite discoloured for the first few inches where it exits the head, mostly golden brown fading out to shiny chrome over a distance of twelve inches but with blue spots or tinges near the top and particularly on the under side of the first bend where it was pure blue. This surprised me because I am still in the break in period, conditions were cool ( winter in Australia ) and I was living within the guidelines. I did have a brief flirt with 90kmh for around 1-2 minutes because my understanding is that between 500 and 1000km, speeds in the range of 80-90kmh are permissible. I could have, no doubt ridden the bike gentler but I did not think I was giving it a hard time either. I know some discolouration is to be expected particularly given that the header pipe is single sleeved as opposed to the double sleeve of the stock pipe and also given that the pipe is bolted to the head using a flat flange kind of thing rather than the usual finned variety which assists in heat dispersal. Nonetheless I was surprised at the discolouration. If it had been summer and I had been fanging along at 100-110kmh for an extended period I would have accepted discolouration as being par for the course. Anyway I finally got around to putting a spanner to the header bolts yesterday during an idle moment (don't know why I did not do this earlier!) and found I could tighten them quite easily - not exactly loose but not tight and snug as I would have expected. So now my question is, has air been entering at this point influencing the oxygen level picked up by the oxygen sensor which in turn has sent a message to the ECU to burn more lean resulting in higher temperatures and hence discolouring. If this has happened have I compromised the engine given it has been running in this state for 3 or 4 hundred kilometres. ( I now have 880km on the odometer). The bike is running well, starts easily and feels good on the road. I would be interested in any feedback those more knowledgable would like to offer. I am filled with remorse that my eagerness to get the EFI muffler with its more characteristic sound has led me into a situation where I have damaged my pride and joy and also am berating myself for not taking to heart all the injunctions I have received and read about welding myself to a wrench and becoming best buddies with blue loctite!.
Das