here’s a lot hidden behind the shine and style of a Samson pipe. What you don’t see and might not even know about is the quality of the materials and the level of craftsmanship that’s gone into the construction of that new exhaust. From the raw tubing to the “Quad Chrome” or “Sinister Black Line” finish Samson doesn’t miss a detail or scrimp on a step. You might not see it all but it adds up to a Harley-Davidson replacement exhaust that’s lots more than just the sum of its parts.
     Start with the raw material, the exhaust tubing itself. Samson uses a high grade/low-carbon steel that’s at once both softer for smooth, kink-free forming but actually stronger than the more commonly used 1010 grade. The material Samson has chosen is not as brittle as that 1010, either. It’s less likely to crack due to vibration and it accepts welds beautifully. The tubing can almost be rated as just one step below stainless steel. And in regards to that welding Samson uses a number of different shielding-gas mixtures during the assembly process of every pipe, muffler and full system. Different blends and formulas of Tri-mix gas are employed for different reasons depending upon the job and the material. For instance, if it’s a muffler that’s being assembled and a thicker mounting bracket is being fabricated one blend of Tri-mix will be used because the desired result here is a weld with deep penetration for maximum strength. On the other hand, if it’s a lighter bracket being welded onto a heatshield, both obviously thinner materials, a different blend of shielding gas prevents burn through or unsightly dimpling. The penetration of the weld is spread out over a wider area. Incidentally, Samson’s heatshield brackets are now 200-percent larger than they once were. They’re bigger, stronger, and they’re made from stamped and formed steel.
     No less attention to detail is spent on what you do see, the outer finish. Samson’s proprietary “Quad Chrome” process is, as the name implies, a four-stage plating–one more step and one more layer of finish than a standard triple-plate chrome. Quad Chrome is deep, it’s lustrous, it’s durable and it’s show-quality. The prep work involved in the new “Sinister Black Line” ceramic coatings is pretty special, too. Everything is polished and carefully inspected before getting an acid wash that’s followed with a phosphate dip to etch the steel and give the ceramic coating a much better “tooth” to adhere to. Samson’s Sinister Black Line isn’t just sprayed on and because of that it’s as dynamic and long-lasting a black finish as you’ll find on an exhaust.
     Riders have seen and known the Samson look and they’ve heard the Samson sound for quite some time. What they might not know, however, is what goes into delivering that look and sound. Samson exhausts are more than just a pretty face and a deep rumble. There’s real quality here, from the raw materials right through to the final finish and packaging. It’s something to think about when choosing a set of pipes or Slip-ons, and Drag Specialties has the whole Samson line. Take a look at the revamped Samson web site, too. There’s up-to-the-minute new product information here and a new FTP site for dealer access to high resolution images to help with promotional projects. Samson’s added some real specialists to the tech/sales team, too. All this adds up to the quality and increased support you’ll get from Samson this season. Check it out…