Aftermarket Exhaust--Yes or No?

[tlwood28]

I did not find much discussion of this via the Search function, so wanted to see what the consensus was about adding an aftermarket exhaust. I am conflicted about replacing the stock muffler with an aftermarket version to improve sound, versus tampering and possibly damaging a great long distance ride experience.

I don't care about weight savings or claimed horsepower improvement. My only interest would be to improve the sound. I absolutely adore the bike, but the sound is well, just okay (my previous bike was a 1990 Honda VFR--wow, glorious music). Will adding an aftermarket muffler make a meaningful difference?

On the other hand, will I increase the volume or the character of the sound such that it will be an impediment to long distance touring? I would think bikes with louder exhaust have got to be tiring to ride after awhile, and maybe even a little increase in db will be wearing over several hours of riding?

I can only justify this mod if I find something on the used market pretty cheap since this would not be a functional change, and only if it won't detract from the long-distance-in-comfort mission.

In sum, if I find a system or slip-on exhaust on the cheap, should I go for it, or not bother?

Thanks for your opinions

[Dr. Strangelove]

just take off the can and get a tip. That may be just what you seek.

John

[TicTac50]

just take off the can and get a tip. That may be just what you seek.

John

The best solution plus beneficial to the full size left bag, for the long distance traveling.
The price of performance modifications from the OEM, always supersedes the benefits.
I personally only modify my bike for the comfort and conveniences.
Good Luck.

[sweatmark]

Removing the original equipment muffler to gain some exhaust note character and lose bike weight is the easy test. Well documented here on the board.

Going louder than OE muffler-less will negatively impact riding pleasure. I know, as my Rockster's Ztechnik aftermarket exhaust (includes y-pipe and muffler) is louder and more obnoxious than the sans silencer mode that Mrs. Sweatmark used for a couple years on her R1150R Roadster. The Ztechnik saves a bunch of weight over the OE catalytic collector and muffler combination, but I often wish for the quiet OE system.

Hard to make the oilhead boxer engine sound any better than flatulant with exhaust tricks - it's just not a "rich" sounding motor when compared with other configurations.

[ebincia]

I know, as my Rockster's Ztechnik aftermarket exhaust (includes y-pipe and muffler) is louder and more obnoxious than the sans silencer mode that Mrs. Sweatmark used for a couple years on her R1150R Roadster. The Ztechnik saves a bunch of weight over the OE catalytic collector and muffler combination, but I often wish for the quiet OE system.
.

+1 on what Sweatmark said. I have over 30K with the ZTech and there are very few benefits except the moxy of a titanium patina.

[Lean Angle]

Where I ride (Philippines), the noisier the safer, besides my flyscreen and noisy 8 year old schuberth concept one makes wind noise drown out the exhaust noise at highway speeds anyway. My Two Brothers Titanium cat eliminator round can has been on for 8 years with nary a problem. Friends call my beak "Thundercracker", I don't blame them . Weight savings is 7 lbs for the TBR system vs 28 lbs for the stock cat/can. Just did emmissions last month, passing CO was 6.0, my beak passed with flying colors doing 0.30.

[bikermeow]

Y-pipe and LeoVince carbon here .... there's a low growling rumble yet I am not embarrassed about firing the bike up in the wee mornings. Plus weight loss.

Cheers

[tlwood28]

Based on the comments here, and the search that the comments prompted, I will try removing the OEM muffler and add a $10 exhaust tip and see how that goes.

If this works, I will regret the purchase of my new bags, but for the cost of what the aftermarket system/exhaust would cost I can buy another left bag so I guess its a wash.

Thanks as always, and I will let you know how it turns out.

Tlw.

[tlwood28]

Another question: During the search, I found a post by CycleRob where he stated something about adding an 18" straight pipe in lieu of a short exhaust tip. There was a place for a picture, but it was deleted for whatever reason.

Any pictures out there of such a configuration? It might be a better solution for the passenger (no exhaust dumping right in front of my wife), and might look a little nicer than the short exhaust tip, especially with the left bag cutout.

Opinions welcomed!

Tom W.

[boxermania]

With due deference to my friend CycleRob I would advise you against the 18" straight pipe unless he knows something I don't. Typical exhausts are tuned to utilize the sound waves to assist with the scavenging of gases, straight pipes, unless they are sized correctly, act, in most cases as a deterrent .

A good example are the "shotgun pipes" for the hog types....they are loud as heck, however, run the bike on the dyno and you'll see that the HP is a few horses lower than the stock exhaust.

Try the short tailpipe, I think you'll like the sound and it wil uncover the beauty of the rear wheel. I believe some pictures are in order.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Pictures? not specifically of the can removal, but in context of on the road.

ok, tlwood28,

Here is a link to a ride report of mine that shows many pictures of Stella! without her can on.

I forget just how long the tip is, but if you desire I could measure it

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=425797

any of the links, will show other pictures of her.

Hope this helps

PS you don't need the tip to check it out. removal requires little muscle, but iirc a 15mm socket???
John

[tlwood28]

That red on your bike looks great Dr. S. And yea, the wheel looks sharp.

Ok, I'm convinced. I will take the exhaust off first chance I get. Dr. S, I would be interested in knowing what length exhaust tip you found that works if that's not to much trouble. I understand it needs to be 1.75" width but please anyone correct me if I have that wrong.

Thanks again for all the help!

Tom W.

[hank]

Here are some pictures of mine with the stubby. I have since removed the cat and fitted a Y pipe and refitted the stock muffler. I find this combination gives me a good sound without attracting unwanted attention. Removal of the cat also reduces the amount of heat rising from under the gearbox, which is a bonus when stuck in traffic. I got a local custom exhaust shop to bend a short pipe and make a bracket so that I can lower the muffler to allow the fitting of a full size pannier for touring, it takes about 10 minutes to switch the can between normal and low position.






Hank.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I would be interested in knowing what length exhaust tip you found that works if that's not to much trouble. I understand it needs to be 1.75" width but please anyone correct me if I have that wrong.

Thanks again for all the help!

Tom W.

Stella! is REALLY dirty, it's been cold and wet. My tip was made at a local Mighty Muffler. At first it was a little longer and looked too long. The sound characteristics change with the length of the tip and can change significantly. Better is shorter, I think, but ymmv. The bevel was done by sight. The bend is 45 degrees, iirc, but the bevel is right there in the bend.

I think the pipe from the cat is actually 1 7/8". The material they used was their standard aluminum/steel alloy that they use for muffler installation. To secure it I bought a band clamp from a Harley shop. It is stainless. I think I would have prefered Stainless for the tip, but that would have been much more expensive. They made the tip for I think it was $25, and I was prob ripped a bit, but it has worked just fine. Cosmetically, I didn't want chrome. There is no chrome in that area. I didn't mind the aluminum/steel alloy though because when it is clean it is the same color as the wheels, which it overlays visually.

I clean it with a bit of steel wool--when I do clean it--and it gives it a nice brushed luster.
I had mighty muffler cut a couple of longitudinal slits in the proximal (to the Cat) end, so it would slip on. The band hides those.

In short works just fine. Total length of the tip itself is prob 5.5-6" or therabouts.

[frankc]

I know, as my Rockster's Ztechnik aftermarket exhaust (includes y-pipe and muffler) is louder and more obnoxious than the sans silencer mode that Mrs. Sweatmark used for a couple years on her R1150R Roadster. The Ztechnik saves a bunch of weight over the OE catalytic collector and muffler combination, but I often wish for the quiet OE system.
.

+1 on what Sweatmark said. I have over 30K with the ZTech and there are very few benefits except the moxy of a titanium patina.

So what is it about the Ztechnik setup that contributes most to the increased dB? The replacement of the Cat with Y-pipe, or the Ztech muffler? Would replacing only the Cat with a Y-pipe and keeping the OEM muffer be much louder than the stock setup?

Frank

[AirForceDirt]

I have, for te better part of a year now, been running a full Remus on my RR (pictures abound hither and yon), and honestly have never noticed it being louder unless I'm stopped. I wear earplugs on any ride longer than around town, and most of the time have music in my head (no, I'm not really crazy, just musical earplugs) so I don't hear anything. I did a 6000 mile road-trip with my dad last summer (sans baffle in said remus can) and neither he or I noticed the noise. Its quite a bit louder than stock, and I'll be putting the baffle back in as soon as I figure out how to hold it in place again. I ran teh bike for awhile with just the Cat and a shorty-pipe, but didn't like the extra heat, and wanted to actually have a muffler in place. With the baffle, the remus is quieter than running it with just the cat, but louder than the stock set-up. I have videos around too of the bike running if you want to hear it, but keep in mind it IS a video and the audio gets crappy at times.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Extra heat with a short pipe? Have not noticed that at all. I have not burned my hands on the tip, but did on the oem muffler.

[owldaddy]

I have been running the short pipe like Hank for 4 years. It is louder but not obnoxious. The CAT makes a pretty good muffler. I don't think I'll ever put the can back on. After about 50 mph the engine noise gets drown out by wind noise, so if your running at speeds over that, then your not going to hear it anyway. One other cool thing about the short tip, you get an unobstructed view of that beautiful wheel. Why clutter the view? I got my tip at a muffler shop, it cost $15. oh and you loose about 15 pounds of weight.

[Dr. Strangelove]

+1 owldaddy

[jfslater98]

This tip cost me $8 at Strauss Discount Auto (formerly R+S Strauss).



Don't let that shiny chrome fool you though. It will look like Stranglove's tip in short order. But for $8, you can toss it and get a new one. Just keep an eye on those screws, one of them failed after 2 years.