How to fit Hitchcox Motorcycle slip-ons to your Triumph Bobber

Fitment guide: Triumph Bobber (2025 Onwards) - Drag Pipes - Long slip-ons 

Fitting Hitchcox Motorcycle slip-ons is a straightforward upgrade with the right preparation. This guide covers the tools you’ll need, how to safely remove the stock silencers, and how to fit your new exhaust correctly. 

Before you start, check your model year, read through the steps, and make sure you have everything to hand.

Tools & kit you’ll need

• Metric socket set (8–17 mm), ratchet and extensions
• Combination spanners (10, 12, 14 mm typical)
• Torque wrench (recommended)
• Flat / Philips screwdrivers
• Rubber mallet (optional)
• Bike paddock stand or centre-stand + rear support (to keep bike stable)
• Heat-resistant gloves and eye protection
• Anti-seize (small amount), rags, and penetrating oil (if bolts are tight)
• Hitchcox slip-ons + supplied mounting hardware (check parts list)

Safety & prep

1. Park bike on level ground, engage neutral, and secure so it cannot tip. Let the engine and exhaust fully cool (hot exhaust = burns).
2. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery if you’ll be working near sensors or electrics (safer).
3. Read the Hitchcox product page for the correct version for your bike — Hitchcox explicitly distinguishes “Pre-2025” and “2025 Onwards” Bobbers (the 2025+ bikes have link arms welded to the catalytic converter). If you’re not certain which you have, contact
Hitchcox before proceeding. Hitchcox Motorcycles

Removal of the stock silencers (left & right — do one side at a time)

1. Loosen but don’t fully remove the clamp that joins the stock muffler to the catalytic collector. Many instructions recommend loosening the clamp only enough to slide the silencer off, because fully removing some clamps makes reinstallation fiddly. Keep hardware together.
Cone Engineering+1
2. Undo the mounting bolt(s) that secure the rear of the muffler to the frame (these are the support bolts near the pillion-peg boss area).
Leave bolts finger-loose until the muffler is supported. REM
3. Gently twist/slide the stock muffler off the collector. If it’s stubborn, apply penetrating oil, tap gently with a rubber mallet while protecting.
surfaces, or slightly rotate the collector by loosening nearby flange nuts (see next step).
4. If you need extra clearance, slightly loosen the header/head-pipe flange nuts (a small amount) — this will give more play; don’t fully unbolt the entire header unless you intend to remove it.

Important for 2025 Bobber: Hitchcox notes that for 2025 Onwards the link arms are welded to the cat; that can change exactly how the slip-on mounts or is removed. Double-check your bike and the Hitchcox 2025 product listing before cutting or unbolting anything permanent. Hitchcox Motorcycles

Fitting the Hitchcox slip-ons

Important note: please remember to use the stock gasket from the factory exhaust and put it over the front of the new pipes – this will ensure proper fitment.

1. Trial fit first: with the gasket in place, slide the new Hitchcox slip-on onto the stock collector/catalytic converter (or X-pipe if you use one).
Do not tighten anything fully yet. Make sure the slip-on aligns with the rear mounting tab on the frame. Many manufacturers advise leaving all bolts finger-tight during initial alignment. REM
2. Fit the rear mounting bolt(s) through the slip-on bracket into the original frame mounting point. Use the new washers/bolts supplied (or the OEM bolts if instructed). Finger-tighten only.
3. Make sure the slip-on is not touching the tyre, swingarm, or heat-sensitive parts. Adjust angle/height until clearances look good. If Clearance is tight because of welded link arms on 2025 models, check Hitchcox notes or use the bracket/adapter supplied by Hitchcox (or contact them). Hitchcox Motorcycles
4. When everything lines up, tighten the clamp at the collector junction securely. If the original clamp is the squeeze type, make sure it’s seated correctly — but recall many guides caution not to remove some clamps completely during removal because they’re hard to reinstall — ensure clamp is correctly placed and tightened to hold the slip-on firmly. Cone Engineering
5. Torque all fasteners to a moderate firm setting — don’t over-torque aluminium parts. If you have torque specs (from Hitchcox or Triumph),
use them; otherwise tighten securely but carefully and avoid crushing clamps/threads.
6. If your slip-ons are supplied with removable DB killers / baffles, fit or remove them per your preference (Hitchcox reverse cone options list removable DB killers secured by M5 bolts). Tighten those small bolts securely.

After-fit checks & final steps

1. Reconnect battery negative if you disconnected it.
2. Start the bike and listen for leaks at the collector/slip-on junction and header flanges. With the bike warm, check for rattles, vibrations, and ensure nothing is glowing or too hot against wiring or plastic.
3. After initial short ride (and when cool), re-check and re-torque clamp and mounting bolts — it’s common for exhaust fasteners to need a final tweak after heat cycles. Many suppliers recommend re-checking after 50–100 miles. REM
4. If the bike has O2 sensors / emission hardware, make sure sensors are connected and no fault codes appear on the dash. Some slip-ons change backpressure and may require an ECU remap or an O2 sensor adaptor — consult Hitchcox or Triumph if you see errors.
5. Legality & noise: confirm the fitted system complies with local noise and emissions laws for road use.

Troubleshooting & tips

• If the slip-on won’t sit because the link arms are welded (2025), stop and contact Hitchcox — they’ve made separate listings and notes for 2025 Onwards and can advise adapters or the correct procedure. Don’t cut or weld without checking. Hitchcox Motorcycles
• Keep the original silencers and hardware until you’re 100% happy and legal (useful if you must return to stock for service / MOT).
• Use anti-seize on bolts threads (small amount) to make future removal easier.
  If unsure at any point, a local Triumph dealer or experienced motorcycle exhaust fitter can fit in ~1 hour and avoid costly mistakes.

Useful references I used / that you may want to read

• Hitchcox product pages (2025 Onwards & Pre-2025 notes — shows fitment differences and that the 2025 bikes have link arms welded to
  the cat). Hitchcox Motorcycles+1
• Cone Engineering slip-on installation PDF for Triumph Bobber (practical clamp / removal advice). Cone Engineering
• British Customs / REM installation guides — good general slip-on removal & trial-fit steps (loosen flange nuts slightly, trial fit, then tighten). British Customs+1