How much money is enough money for a good product? did I have this coming?

[mikelogan427]

Austin Racing CS GP3 side exit exhaust: total amount paid 940.00 US

Brocks Performance shortmeg exhaust: total amount 941.00 US

Akra Shorty SS: 1120.00 US

I went cheap on an exhaust because I didn't feel comfortable paying so much for one. Maybe I should have just paid 1120.00 for the akra shorty on motomummy.com

1/2 to two weeks with the austin gp3 exhaust system

Sounds awesome, the can looks good, but the sticker that stays "AUSTIN RACING" is peeling off! Who the hell puts a sticker on an exhaust pipe.....lol

So if you don't care about such things, as the logo peeling off, and if you don't mind getting knee deep in custom work to get this exhaust to fit, then go for it.

Here's the thing...The decal on the can looks good, especially compared to compeition; like, leo vince, akra's yellow, red and black decal on their cans, two brothers original decal on the cans.

So yes I could just pull it off as if it was a late model two brother system, but we buy things for the total package, and we pay good money and hope to receive quality work. A sticker on an exhaust pipe is not quality. They could've riveted a decal on the can.

Not pleased,...actually I would love a refund so i could buy the akra shorty, but I know that's not happening.

Good luck to you all making purchases, try to do as much thorough research as possible.

I'd like some feedback, just to see if I'm being way to anal about such things. I just had my rear rim scratched from a local motorcycle shop while getting a tired plugged temporarily. I warned the mechanic not to scratch my rim prior to him doing the work, because he has a bad habit of doing that and working to fast. I came back later that day to pick my baby (BMW) up, looked it over, chilled out for a bit and then went home. Once home, I detailed the bike and noticed touch out paint on the rim.....HE SCRATCHED IT, DIDNtT TELL ME, and TRY TO COVER IT UP - paint doesn't even match.

Whatever!

[S1000RR ROB]

had mine on for thousands of miles sweet as a nut..


and i wasnt quite knee deep in custom work either i dnno what u done lol...


sure you didnt pick the sticker lol...........


refund for a peeling sticker lol, and there foil stickers there ment for exhausts...


why not just take the sticker off or replace it ????????????


just too add i went to a dyno the other weekend and there was a bloke with an s1000 on the dyno before me with a akra shorty he got 195 RWHP then i went on the dyno 10 minuets later and got 201 AUSTIN RACING BABY woop lol...


sorry if i bummed your post but put your handbag away.......

[mikelogan427]

Originally Posted by S1000RR ROB

had mine on for thousands of miles sweet as a nut..


and i wasnt quite knee deep in custom work either i dnno what u done lol...


sure you didnt pick the sticker lol...........


refund for a peeling sticker lol, and there foil stickers there ment for exhausts...


why not just take the sticker off or replace it ????????????


just too add i went to a dyno the other weekend and there was a bloke with an s1000 on the dyno before me with a akra shorty he got 195 RWHP then i went on the dyno 10 minuets later and got 201 AUSTIN RACING BABY woop lol...


sorry if i bummed your post but put your handbag away.......

Handbag.....that's funny

Yes knee deep in custom work: when u have to cut exhaust pipe, remove metal mesh packing with a screw driver and hammer and use a rubber mallet to fit the exhaust on. I believe that is considered knee deep in custom work, especially when compared to just bolting on.

Take the sticker off? It's part of the design. Its the total package! But ur probably that guy that never washes his bike and spills gas all over theb tank when ur filling up. U have to take pride in things, what if ur bmw logo on ur bike was starting to fall off after two weeks? Would u still be saying, "just take it off" ...

There is plenty of fixes for the sticker, and I'm more than qualified to do the work. What happened to quality? Is my question, when did society decide that piss poor quality and high prices are acceptable?

Please think before u post, u just sound like a fanboy for austin racing...lol

[Recon]

AHHHHH, I was just about to buy the CS... not the side exit though.

[1000RR]

What was Austin Racing's response to the issues you've experienced?

[Recon]

Sorry, my last comment didn't add to the discussion. I think that when you pay close to 1k (you didn't pay shipping??) and spend that much time, there shouldn't be any half-assed logos, trim, decals, etc..

BUT! possibly the manufacturer wanted the decal to be easily removed. I know there are tons of s1000rr owners (including myself) that despised the sticker on the akra shorty. Once realized removable, not that bad of a gig. I actually took my s1000rr stickers off (I'd never remove the bmw logo, even if it's possible) and love the clean look of it.

I suggest contacting Austin and see if they can get you some more foil stickers, going by the previous poster's word, they probably shouldn't peel after use and maybe you got a sticker with a little less stick.

PS. sucks about your rim, I had a shop scratch my swing arm on my old 636... TWICE. maybe I should have learned after the first time, but I specifically told them to be careful (in a nice manner).

[S1000RR ROB]

Originally Posted by mikelogan427

Handbag.....that's funny

Yes knee deep in custom work: when u have to cut exhaust pipe, remove metal mesh packing with a screw driver and hammer and use a rubber mallet to fit the exhaust on. I believe that is considered knee deep in custom work, especially when compared to just bolting on.

Take the sticker off? It's part of the design. Its the total package! But ur probably that guy that never washes his bike and spills gas all over theb tank when ur filling up. U have to take pride in things, what if ur bmw logo on ur bike was starting to fall off after two weeks? Would u still be saying, "just take it off" ...

There is plenty of fixes for the sticker, and I'm more than qualified to do the work. What happened to quality? Is my question, when did society decide that piss poor quality and high prices are acceptable?

Please think before u post, u just sound like a fanboy for austin racing...lol

i am a fanboy i suppose and u couldn't be further away from the truth about washing n taking pride its a big thing to me aswell....

im just trying to argue both sides because u bought the exhaust and knew what had to be done to fit it thats just the way it is if u want to keep standard headers( witch i did aswell) what less could you expect...

and i assume u bought it in titanium as have i and how your complaining about quality is beyond me...

and forgive me if im wrong but im sure a lot if not most big exhaust firms use foil stickers (akrapovic) on there exhausts...

if a sticker makes the package for you then just put another on

im just arguing the point that the service the quality and the price for me for what it is and being able to do exactly what i wanted with the bike i.e using stock brackets and getting rid of rear hangers....

i just think ur making an unnecessary point about quality and price because of a sticker, again like i said put the handbag away

[Zug]

1. As 1000RR has asked, what was Austin Racing response when you told them about what happened? My guess is that you have not even contacted them before you posted this.

2. Knee deep in custom work? The only extra thing you have to do is cut the pipe which takes a whole 5 min and then remove the cat material. IMHO this is not even considered "custom" work let alone knee deep in it.

3. So just because a sticker failed, which is something that they and you can remedy very easily, all their work is "piss poor quality". Unfortunately it is something that can happen if the surface was not 100% clean when applying the decal, it can happen now and then.

4. I think you where totally pissed when you realised that your rim was scratched (which I would be really pissed off about as well). Direct your anger at the right person.

But about the decal, I think S1000RR is right, untie the knot in your panties put your handbag away.

[2000750]

Mike,

Is sounds as if the sticker is the biggest issue you're unhappy with?

Personally tt doesn't seem reasonable to request a refund for the exhaust due to an issue with a sticker peeling off. Sounds as if you basing the "complete package" in terms of quality on the basis of a sticker peeling off and maybe increased install effort? If not what else do you take issue with?

The action needed to install the exhaust is something you are made completely aware of before you purchase the exhaust. I can't see how this reflects the build quality unless there are poor welds or misaligned pieces. This is not build quality, it's AR's design. You can buy ingredients to make dinner or you can go out to eat, but if you don't like making dinner yourself it doesn't mean you bought bad ingredients.

If I were in this situation I would (if I wanted the sticker on the can) either request a new set of stickers, maybe a spare or two, remove the peeling sticker, prep the surface and install an new sticker in hopes that it stays put. Or (at most), request the exchange of your can for a new can. But to me even that seems a bit ambitious. The exchange or refund of a complete exhaust system doesn't seem appropriate to me.

I have purchased exhausts in the past and have issues with stickers. And I've removed and reinstalled stickers. Never did I say I wouldn't buy another Akrapovic exhaust because I had a sticker peel. They make a fantastic product!

Hey...after all....it is a sticker. Sometimes....stickers don't work.

[Godzilla]

To be honest I would be much more unhappy about the rim than the sticker.

However did AR not send any spare stickers? Have you asked them for a spare or 2?

I bought an ARCS system, I was not pleased with the overall quality of the exhaust (looks wise) and it was too loud for me. I bought an Akra and to be honest the quality is in a different league. Although I have been told there is a difference between the AKra's made in Europe and those from USA.