My drifter came from western australia and was registered in that state. When the rego expired, I took it to a workshop for a road worthy certificate so it could be registered in Queensland. It failed on several counts but the most irksome was that on deceleration, it had a "crackle". Maybe this wasn't surprising because it is fitted with a Cobra exhaust which seems to be just a pair of straight pipes. Is this crackle a product of the exhaust system or is it related to valve timing.
The easiest way to rectify this seemed to be to use the original exhaust system which comprises the two headers feeding into an exhaust box which is attached to the frame. Then a fishtail muffler also goes into this box.
I suspect that there is a sequence which makes getting all of this stuff (4 bits) together easier. Without lifting the bike up on a chain hoist, even getting the exhaust box on is tricky.
Any thoughts on how to do this job the easy way?
If you are getting decel popping and want to keep the pipes, the easiest way to rectify that is to use a Power Commander, or similar, box to adjust the ECM. I had to do that with my pipe install way back.
https://www.dynojet.com/power-commander-6-for-1999-2018-kawasaki-vulcan-1500-pc6-17073/
These bikes are low to the ground, so getting under the bike to reinstall the "goat bladder" may be difficult without lifting the bike a bit for ground clearance. I would use a chain, personally. Assuming you have all the required bits and hangers, it isn't a very difficult job.
Make sure you check the right footpeg bracket. It "should" have been changed or modified to allow the aftermarket pipes to be rubber mounted. The OEM pipes didn't need that, since the goat bladder is rubber mounted. If the pipes are hard mounted. I'd re-do the mod, or revert to the oem pipes - if you have them.
Good luck, let us know how you progress. Cheers.
Easy way?
Just drill a coupla holes and fit baffles to the Cobra system.