It seems people have got the Alba thing fairly straight - you are getting good modifications done to your machine before you buy it, those modifications are being done by someone who has done the exact some mods before (which means less screw ups etc due to extra experience) and it will perform better than a stock machine. However you aren't getting any kind of 'miracle deal,' you are paying for what you are getting. The only way to get a miracle deal is if you can bargan it out of them; which I could not when I was buying my machine & they wouldn't go low enough that it was worth the drive for me to go pick it up. I'd say if you have the money to buy a nicely modified machine then you should give Alba a strong look, and see if you can find someone who has dealt with an especially good salesperson as they can make all the difference. The person I spoke with was somewhat lackluster - I would have hoped for someone who was more excited to be taking my $7400 OTD for a stock 2001 DS650.

 

how good is the alba pipe?

 

The Alba pipe is ok, better than stock, but after talking to several engine guys and actually testing other exhaust systems there is some room for improvement. The real problem is the header is too big...if it were on a modded motor it would work the way it should but on a stock DS w/K&N and re-jet the diameter is too big, the stock headpipe flows plenty. Of course, maybe they did it that way in case you wanted to beef up the motor. Myself, I had one and switched to a Graydon mid-pipe and silencer and I love it. So if you get the Alba Baja, then hey you get it included with their kit, but if you just want the pipe, then I suggest going with another. There is better performance out there for comparable money.