Akrapovic Race Can 'not for road use' removal guide

[MattEMulsion]

Well today I have finished off the process of making my Akrapovic race can 'road legal' I do not believe in trying to dremmel or polish out the 'not for road use' because it never seems 100% successful and normally use can tell that it has once been there. My method involves replacing the the parts that are stamped with 'not for road use' for blank pieces. So here is a guide to help any other people out there with Akrapovic (or indeed any other makes of) race cans to do the same. Please note that on the Akrapovic race cans the 'not for road use' is impact printed onto the rear rivet band that runs around the outside of the can.

First of all you need to get hold of a blank replacement rivet band. For Akrapovic cans you can buy them from Performance Parts (the UK Akrapovic importer) who can be contacted on 0870 240 2118. They will supply you with the correct size band and the stainless steel rivets that you need to put it back together. Including postage it was just short of £13 for the lot for my bits. In case you think that you can just turn your old rivet band inside out you can't, the 'not for road use' shows right through.

Once you have your parts ready then you need to remove you can and drill out the four rivets holding the band on the can. Place your can on a soft surface and utilise an assistant to help you to hold it whilst you drill. Make sure that you don't slip with the drill, or scratch your can with the drilling swarf. Use the right size drill and drill right through into the can itself. Remember which way round the band comes off.

Once you have the rivets drilled out then you need to remove the end cap from the exhaust can to get bits of pop rivet out and swarf out. The Akrapovic end caps are real tight so if necessary tap the exhaust can gas exit bit with a rubber mallet to release the end cap. It may take some doing but it will come out. Once you have removed the end cap shake the bits of pop rivet out from inside the can. I do not advise you to remove the exhaust packing as it looks a git to get back in. Now replace the end cap and line it back up with the original holes.

Next you need to flatten out your old rivet band and place your new band on top of it. It is important now to remember which way round it came off because this is the way round it must go back on so that the holes line up. Centre punch and drill the holes in the new band so that they line up exactly with the holes in the old rivet band. Make sure that you drill them the right size and again utilise an assistant. Once all the holes are drilled make sure that there is no edges sticking up around the back side of the holes that you have drilled otherwise your new band will not sit flat on your can.

Now it is time to offer up your new band to the exhaust can. If you have followed the instructions and drilled everything right it should all line up a treat. If you have to make any alterations to the holes the now is the time to do it. Once you are happy then get ready with your riveter. Please note that the stainless steel rivets are very tough and you will need a good riveter to pull the new rivets in. I don't recommend that you use a normal hand riveter, use a pair of lazy tongs or an air riveter for the job. I also recommend you to use the proper stainless steel rivets because if you don't not only will your can look odd but they will probably rust as well. Obviously when you rivet the can up leave the ends of the new rivet band until last. Make sure that when you put that last rivet in where the band ends overlap, that the edges line up perfectly. If necessary use a drill to adjust the holes because you want it to look spot on at the end of the day.

And thats it, apart from refitting your can the job is done. You have now successfully changed your 'not for road use can' (£30 on the spot fine) to one that falls into the large grey area of unmarked exhaust cans. With the new MOT rules that state as long as your can doesn't have 'not for road use' on it and in the testers opinion that it is no louder than a standard can, it is perfectly passable. I have attached some before and after pictures below (although its difficult to see the 'not for road use' bit on the original) to show how untampered with the can still looks.

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/mattemulsion/R6akraharr2.jpg
The can originally with 'not for road use' stamped on the rivet band.

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/mattemulsion/AkraBand1resized.jpg
The can fitted with the new blank rivet band.

https://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/mattemulsion/AkraBand5resized.jpg
A close up picture of the can and its new rivet band. If you do the job well you will not be able to tell the can has ever been tampered with.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[fast_tzr]

That is very very well done, looks completely original! May have a crack at that when I get my race can, surely you could make a rivet band yourself?

[MattEMulsion]

Well you could try to make a band yourself but the Akrapovic cans/bands are Titanium. I don't think its worth the hassle unless you have access to the right metal/right thickness because Performance Parts have Akrapovic bands 'on the shelf'.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[colin1]

this thread is definitely the prefectionists approach
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Turbo Busa]

Why not just re-fit the original band inside out?

[MattEMulsion]

[Turbo Busa]

I didn't bother reading it all as we've now converted 3 simply by reversing the band. I've also changed 1 by fitting a new band which is fiddlier having to drill the holes, and I've seen a couple that have had the text polished out which was invisible afterwards. Plus if you know how you can actually order them direct without the text on the band in the first place. There's more than one way to skin this particular cat

[toughmat]

great looking can, is that a full system you have there or jus a slip on?

[Dazbo666]

[Turbo Busa]

[MattEMulsion]

[AcIdBuRnZ]

I polished out the NFRU stamp on my Micron and then used wet and dry to get it back to mirror finish - you'd never known it was ever there.

Just takes patients and elbow grease
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

[stinkwheel]

Well, looks like laser exhausts know their market a lot better than many.

My Deeptone pro-duro sports system looks identical to the street legal one other than the 'not for road use' stamp. This is handily situated on the collar that slips over the end of the header pipe, right where you put the stainless clamp.

The clamp is also handily stamped with an E-mark (presumably showing it conforms to the European standard for clamp manufacture).
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Sparky]

Well i say well done Matt, nice can and handy information too, thanks for sharing.

cheers.
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Previous zxr400 - Current ZXR636 late'03
*Who ever said nothing is impossible never tried slamming a revolving door!*

[MattEMulsion]

I did consider attempting to dremmel & polish out the 'not for road use' before I opted for replacing the band instead. After doing a bit of research and talking to a few 'experts', the common concensus was that the titanium would discolour with the heat generated by attempting to do this. Also with the 'not for road use' being impact printed in, it would have left a deep dent in the band where the writing would have originally been.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[AcIdBuRnZ]

[owdamer]

I dremelled out the "not for road use" on my micron can. It came out easily & you cant tell. It wasn't stamped in to begin with though. They engrave it so it wasn't very deep.
Take no notice of the state of the wheel. Thats all changed now.
https://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/owdamer/other%20stuff/micron.jpg