need help installing slip on exhaust nw suburb, IL

[iamheero_imp]

Hate to revive an old thread but this one mentioned something that's come up on my bike too. '17 EX and I'm installing an Arrow slip on setup, there's no specific gasket either but like OP's Yoshimura exhaust, mine doesn't fit over the OEM honda exhaust gasket.

Any tips for removing the old gasket? I'm about to dremel through the thing since it's NOT coming off and I'm stabbing my hands on whatever is sharp in the vicinity. The service manual just suggests replacing (section 2-21 etc) but didn't mention how it's supposed to come on/off. Any tips would be appreciated, it's cramped down there so if someone's found a better way to get a stuck on gasket off it would be a big help! I see this post here: http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....ler+Gasket also mentions it but there's no way my slip on, which I've verified has the correct parts number, would fit over the silvery gasket/sleeve thing as suggested. I can see CaptainChris' also wouldn't come loose, not sure how he got the slip-on over it!

Update: I hit it with my purse (I used a hammer and flathead screwdriver to chip off the graphite and ripped off the gasket) and was successful in mounting the new slip-ons. We shall see re: exhaust leaks, getting the arrow slip-ons on was a pain, they didn't want to slide all the way down the old headers so the alignment with the rear footpeg hanger was difficult.