ES2 Peardrop silencer

Just going through this exact process for my '54 ES2. I decided to stump up the extra for the RGM. The Armours that came off the bike was admittedly 30 years old but the quality of the welds on the RGM is so much better. Also dimensionaly its different, thicker through and a longer inlet. I'm really happy with the the value. Plus for me in Australia I saved on shipping anyway.

I have no idea what current Armours silencers are like so in that respect my experience is out of date. Also be warned Armours pipes are 1 5/8"inlet and the RGM silencer 1 3/4"so not compatible without a sleeve. I ended up buying the RGM pipe as well, but I think its a Wassel and it hasn't arrived yet. Fingers crossed...

Chris

Having spent a lot of money buying two Armours Peardrop silencers for my M7 , then having considerable problems fitting them trying to achieve sufficient clearance at various points on the bike I am gutted to see that RGM now have them. I had no other supplier at the time...I argued with Armours they and the exhaust pipes were incorrect but they did not want to know saying we have never had any complaints from other buyers!!! and even more silly....it must be my bike that is wrong....so utterly stupid.

Straightaway I can see the that the RGM silencer profile is Identical to the originals (compare them to archive photos and images in brochures)....The biggest difference is the extended neck of the inlet on the RGM's whereas the Armours ones take the peardrop flare with its large seam weld right up to the inlet flange where this bigger dimension gets in the way of things particularly the primary chaincase...Oh well...I might be tempted to change them but what a huge expense...Thanks to Chris Hayward for showing his photo comparison.

PS: To be totally fair to Armours the weld flanges on my ones have been ground down and finished neatly unlike the zig-zag finish shown above.

Les

I argued with Armours they and the exhaust pipes were incorrect but they did not want to know saying we have never had any complaints from other buyers!!! and even more silly....it must be my bike that is wrong....so utterly stupid.

My B44 is 2" longer than all other B44's according to Armours. Hopefully the word is getting round that buying pipes and silencers from them is a lottery with not good odds.

I agree John, if only they would listen constructively...we are not trying to put them out of business...far from it. I suppose we should be grateful (?) that we have at least one source of supply. Suspiciously I reckon this known fact is what Armours seem comforted by and adopt the attitude..."if you don't like them then you know what to do"... because we are over a barrel so to speak.

The way I see it is: it is just as easy to make an exhaust system that has the correct bends or design template that fits the intended machine than it is to make pipes and silencers that are based on the wrong template and consistantly do not fit correctly. I don't think it's a case of having very wide manufacturing tolerances, I reckon it's that their templates are based on the wrong measurements and bend angles as descriptions you read of ill fitting items seem to echo over and over the same mismatch, therefore they are not one offs but simply following the wrong shape.

Les

As long as you can be sure that recently someone has bought and fitted a system from Armour's then go ahead but never be the Guinea pig . They seem to have stopped bending their own pipes and its now sub contracted, that may be the issue as the chroming will be done elsewhere too so not a lot left for then to do but stock and ship.