Motorcycle Exhaust

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,102
772
126
Does someone make an adjustable exhaust?
We might move into a place that has noise restrictions.
A Jap bike would likely pass and a Harley likely wouldn't.

Does someone make an easily adjustable exhaust that could be opened up? IE: choke it off till you get off the property then open it back up.

I am not looking for loudness, just better power/economy than a choked off exhaust that restricts noise.
 

madeuce

Member
Jul 22, 2010
194
0
0
If you carry a pair of snap ring pliers with you you could do it with many aftermarket slip ons. A lot of them come with an insert that pulls right out and can be put back in. Kind of a pain in the butt though.

Even if you use the exhaust with the silencer in it, you are still going to gain a little performance due to the loss of weight vs stock exhaust.

The Arrow slip on I had on my 650r with the slip-on pulled out wasn't really that loud until I hit 4,000 RPMs. Tons of sound clips on youtube of different aftermarket exhausts w/ and w/o silencers.
 
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JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,544
924
126
Actually, Harleys are pretty quiet and certainly legal as sold from the factory. Unfortunately, owners seem to think that loud pipes are somehow a good thing.
 

superccs

Senior member
Dec 29, 2004
999
0
0
I had a loud pipe on my bike once. It was loud. All the time. Really annoying, so I sold it and went back to stock... which is only loud above 10K rpm.

But yeah there are baffles or chokes that can be inserted or removed on many aftermarket pipes.

Sure hope CA doesn't pass that stupid "stock exhaust only" legislation.
 

coxmaster

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2007
3,017
3
81
Places actually enforce that? Everywhere ive been LOVES to ticket loud cars, but loud bikes are ok because its "a safety thing"
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,102
772
126
Places actually enforce that? Everywhere ive been LOVES to ticket loud cars, but loud bikes are ok because its "a safety thing"
It's a senior community, they do.
Also no screaming kids or cars up on blocks. No boats in front yards or driveways. Everyone's yard is maintained, homes are all in good shape.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,760
6,182
136
Something comfortable. We'll be touring with it.

You're going to want the full package then, frame mounted fairing, touring bags, and that oh so comfortable passenger seat with floor boards and arm rests. The passenger seat on the geezer glide is the greatest piece of marketing in motorcycle history. Everyone who rides back there wants it, and "everyone" is usually the wife, who coincidentally is also in control of the Thursday night fun time.

This is what you want.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/road-glide-ultra.html
 
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MiataNC

Platinum Member
Dec 5, 2007
2,215
1
81
Does someone make an adjustable exhaust?
We might move into a place that has noise restrictions.
A Jap bike would likely pass and a Harley likely wouldn't.

Does someone make an easily adjustable exhaust that could be opened up? IE: choke it off till you get off the property then open it back up.

I am not looking for loudness, just better power/economy than a choked off exhaust that restricts noise.

You are not going to see huge HP or economy gains with an aftermarket exhaust.

Almost all aftermarket pipes are some variation on a straight pipe. This means less baffling and in the case of newer bikes removal of a catalytic converter. This is why the pipes are louder. Some pipes have noise reducing inserts that add back baffling making them slightly less restrictive than a straight pipe, but still louder.

Stock the engine is tuned for the back pressure in the stock exhaust, and as lean as possible for emissions requirements. When you swap out for an aftermarket exhaust you lean things out even more, because the engine will breathe better with less back pressure. You need to rejet bikes with carbs, or reflash the ECU on a fuel injected bike to run richer.

What you end up with is a bike that gets less MPG and is louder. You might gain 5-15 HP depending on the make/model, but bikes already have amazing power/weight. In almost all cases you you will lose some MPG, because the bike is tuned richer.

I dropped @15lbs from my bike with a low mount GP style pipe, and it is only marginally louder because I am using a baffled insert. I lost some low end grunt (due to the physics of shortening the overall exhaust run) and picked up some top end.

Right_Side_10-09s.jpg


2010-09-01s.JPG
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,544
924
126
You are not going to see huge HP or economy gains with an aftermarket exhaust.

Almost all aftermarket pipes are some variation on a straight pipe. This means less baffling and in the case of newer bikes removal of a catalytic converter. This is why the pipes are louder. Some pipes have noise reducing inserts that add back baffling making them slightly less restrictive than a straight pipe, but still louder.

Stock the engine is tuned for the back pressure in the stock exhaust, and as lean as possible for emissions requirements. When you swap out for an aftermarket exhaust you lean things out even more, because the engine will breathe better with less back pressure. You need to rejet bikes with carbs, or reflash the ECU on a fuel injected bike to run richer.

What you end up with is a bike that gets less MPG and is louder. You might gain 5-15 HP depending on the make/model, but bikes already have amazing power/weight. In almost all cases you you will lose some MPG, because the bike is tuned richer.

I dropped @15lbs from my bike with a low mount GP style pipe, and it is only marginally louder because I am using a baffled insert. I lost some low end grunt (due to the physics of shortening the overall exhaust run) and picked up some top end.

Right_Side_10-09s.jpg


2010-09-01s.JPG

I think the Triumph exhaust is sexy as hell. I have no idea why you swapped it out for that ugly short pipe.
 

MiataNC

Platinum Member
Dec 5, 2007
2,215
1
81
I think the Triumph exhaust is sexy as hell. I have no idea why you swapped it out for that ugly short pipe.

Funny you should mention that...

I removed the stock exhaust because there is a cat in the mid-pipe (below foot peg), and one in each can. It completely ruins the rip/growl of the triple sound. I got a great deal on the CRM low mount, so it was a quick fix.

Since then I have pickup up a straight y-pipe, and I have been watching ebay and the S3 forums for a set of cans (Leo Vince, CRM, Wolf, or Arrow). :biggrin:
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,544
924
126
Funny you should mention that...

I removed the stock exhaust because there is a cat in the mid-pipe (below foot peg), and one in each can. It completely ruins the rip/growl of the triple sound. I got a great deal on the CRM low mount, so it was a quick fix.

Since then I have pickup up a straight y-pipe, and I have been watching ebay and the S3 forums for a set of cans (Leo Vince, CRM, Wolf, or Arrow). :biggrin:

I like the high mount dual pipes. I think the Arrow is a low mount single pipe if I'm not mistaken.
 

madeuce

Member
Jul 22, 2010
194
0
0
That stock exhaust is probably one of the nicest looking stock exhausts out there. I bet that Arrow would sound great though.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
It's a senior community, they do.
Also no screaming kids or cars up on blocks. No boats in front yards or driveways. Everyone's yard is maintained, homes are all in good shape.


What's wrong with a boat in your driveway? Its a vehicle, on wheels (trailer), on pavement...
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,102
772
126
What's wrong with a boat in your driveway? Its a vehicle, on wheels (trailer), on pavement...
Boats should be used like women. Taken out and used then put away. Out of sight.