I was on the Delphi Road Star Riders forum discussing Cobra Speedsters. A member posted that he actually scraped the exhaust on right turns. Can anyone else shed light on this? It seems odd that Cobra would design the pipes with such a low clearence. I have included the members comments.

The pipes are fairly low to the ground, just over 5" from the ground to the bottom of the tip. This is with the bike stood up straight. Then add the weight of the rider and they get lower. Factor in the distance that they are away from the tire and it didn't take a real hard right turn to scrape. The farther away from the tire the less lean angle you have before they touch. Don't know if you could shorten them because of where the mounting bracket and the hole in the muffler match up. Might take some work to get them to match. Now fill both hard saddle bags add a good sized T bag filled and put a passenger on the back seat and it all gets lower.

I was afraid that if I had to make a real hard right turn I would put enough weight on the pipes that the tire would loose traction and that would not be good.

I even put a shim washer between the mounting bracket and the frame to bring the pipes closer in to the center line and lifted the pipes as high as they would go in the bracket and still had scrapes. Even adjusted the shock. I loved the sound, performance and looks of the Cobras but not enough to be worried about the scraping. Maybe look into speedster shorts.

I have installed V&H Powershots. I now have over 8" clearance fron the pipe to the ground. Don't think iI will ever scrape those pipes. Hope this helps.

Post edited by: FL_rider, at: 2007/07/06 13:30<br><br>Post edited by: FL_rider, at: 2007/07/06 13:31

On my 06 midnite star my Cobra Longshot speedster drag, whenever I really get down on my .right running board.I have redrilled the support plate, changed pipe angles and raised them higher. Lengthy converations with Mr. Allen (incharge of sales at cobra) were of no help. He said it was my fault for going around corners to far over . Cobra inspite of their own poor design will do NOTHING.... They talk all of that guarantee garbage. It is simply NOT true..... D Grizz Grizzly Flats Your Stuck DO NOT by any more Cobra products......

I have the Cobra Lowboy shotguns on mine, it has been lowered 1 1/2 inches with the Barons lowering link, and I have the Barons tips on the pipes making them another 5 inches longer. I have installed the Barons 930# spring and I have not had a problem with pipes dragging when riding two-up. I don't even get close when riding solo.
I just went out in the garage and measured the clearance since you got me wondering, with the bike upright it is 6 1/2 inches. The guys having the problems with scraping must have done the suspension link flip (lowers the bike almost 3 in.) and be riding on the stock spring. I don't understand how they can hold Cobra responsible for this.
When the bike was at stock height there was almost 8 inches of clearance. If your riding on a bike with stock suspension there is no way you will drag these pipes.

Same here slowpoke...cobras on mine also, and even two up.. stock spring.. it never has scraped.

With my rear shock at max tightness, bike at stock height, and with forwards (the key here, me thinks), it is Nothing for me to drag my Roadhouse 2/1 in a fast/tight righthander. It's a bummer, as it is a serious curb feeler at 600 clams. But, you guys were talking Cobra , so I'll go now. BB

I NEVER drag my pipes!

Yeah Curt, but your pipes are crooked!

i have the longshots as well...i lowered my bike 1.75 with longer arms and another 1/2&quot; with a progressive spring....at 220lbs she only scrapes on steep declines and a heavy right hand turn like a driveway near the curb...NOT cobras fault at all..at stock height it wasn't even close..floorboards yes, but I didn't bitch at yami ( i bitch at the dealer for other things ) when I stiffen up the spring it never scrapes..and it's only the tips anyway....besides if you lower the front as well with a progressive set-up and gold emulators....it will be even again and no scraping..that's what I'm gonna do when i chrome the front end! I love these pipes..and if you put the big city thinder baffles in them.....as Slowpokw would say YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAA...
J

Thanks to everyone who commented. As I suspected, you have to have an extreme condition in order to scrape these pipes. This solidifies my choice.

Ride Safe and have Fun!!

Smart ass no they arn't they are just badly bent!