Straight pipes

[AOD]

I'm running a V&H 4-1 with no muffler - just the headers on my 80 GS1100e right now and I'm loving it. It is pretty loud but it sounds good enough that its not obnoxious.

And those guys driving Honda Civics with giant fart can mufflers that still take 10 seconds to go from 0-50 WOT think their Honda's sound good, and not obnoxious, too.

~Ada

 

[northwoods]

I wouldn't mind a little rumble, but nothing loud. I respect eveyone's opinion here. Obviously this has been an argument that has been going on forever and will never have an end.

 

[Craig54]

Staight Pipes

Staight Pipes

There is a benifit to being loud/loudish and that is people who dont see you hear you.
As much as I wish I had a quiet system on my 1000g its definately safer

 

[Guest]

There is a benifit to being loud/loudish and that is people who dont see you hear you.
As much as I wish I had a quiet system on my 1000g its definately safer

shorts, T-shirt, no gloves and a $10 yard sale helmet(nice and legal like)......., loud pipes save lives.....safer? not one of your priorities....I call bullpoop

 

[GSBuilder]

If by straight pipes you mean individual pipes with no collector, you will loose any power gain you get by installing pods. Individual straight pipes kill power. As stated above, get a 4-1 header with a baffle if you want power

I run a straight pipe (4 into 1 header with a 9" turnout) and it runs just fine. Pulls better. I do feel like an assclown when I just wanna putz around town and it's as loud as it is. I definately picked up a little, but I do still have the collector, just no baffles. Once I ran it with a megaphone, no baffles. that was redonkulous, and did lose some power. I did, also, tune it for the straight out, More than just a jet kit, actually checking plugs. I didn't tune it when it was justthe megaphone. With the turn out I (should) still be benefiting from the exhaust harmonics... now I just need to go back to my books and determine the proper length for where I want the increase.

 

[uudfourty]

I really don't get the loud pipes save lives thing either.

I was cruisin down a frontage road the other day at the posted speed limit when I got the sh!t almost literally scared out of me by some douchebag when he came flying by me on the right side of my lane (two one-way lanes, nobody else on the road, he was just being a knuckle-dragging ****stick). It wasn't him riding by that scared me, it was his freakin pipes.

I saw him coming in my mirror at mach 3 and figured he would just pass me on the left and be alright, then BRAAAAAAAAAAAA a couple of feet away from me in the same lane and away he went like the cockface he is.

Fact of the matter is that I didn't hear him coming. Doppler effect keeps that crap suppressed past the point of usefulness. People only hear you after you've gone by or if you're standing on your patio trying to enjoy some iced tea, a burger and a Neil Young LP.

BALAALALLALALALLALLALALALLALALALALLAL might sound cool, but just admit that it's there for cool effect and nothing more.

It's analogous to me claiming that a mohawk is a safety feature because it keeps birds from landing on my head.

 

[gus33]

Good call Derwood. -Busted-...Also, how are loud pipes safer when everyone wants to kill you? .....Perhaps....

 

[80GS750]

i had straight pipes on my 750 and i couldnt get it over 2500 rpm without my mind rattling around in my head enough to give me a seizure.....

its way too loud... just try it and you will see

 

[Mark M]

And those guys driving Honda Civics with giant fart can mufflers that still take 10 seconds to go from 0-50 WOT think their Honda's sound good, and not obnoxious, too.

~Ada

Those things have managed something I didn't think was possible - they are obnoxiosly loud AND sound like crap. Every other type of hot rodded engine I have heard with a loud pipe sounded some version of good, but not those. They are just annoying.

I concur on their speed as well, all that noise and fury and no motion to go with it. Sort of like a Harley!:-D My GSXR1K does 0-100-0 way faster than the Civics do 0-50...:shock:

Mark

 

[TheCafeKid]

My 77 750 came to me with a LOVELY shiney VH 4into1 on it. It looked BRAND NEW, untill i pulled the baffle out and saw that it had been comepletely HACKED off, leaving only the end plate. You want to talk about LOUD! Wack the throttle open here in the city in third, and Harley ridders were covering their ears! I have since replaced the baffle, which has reduced it to the tamer VH roar.

 

[Guest]

You guys justifying your loud exhaust just because Harley's are louder are completely missing the point. Reminds me of a child that's been caught doing something wrong and then offers up the excuse that "Johnny did it too"?as if that justifies their own wrongful actions.

i'll second that :-s

 

[Clone]

I really don't get the loud pipes save lives thing either.

I was cruisin down a frontage road the other day at the posted speed limit when I got the sh!t almost literally scared out of me by some douchebag when he came flying by me on the right side of my lane (two one-way lanes, nobody else on the road, he was just being a knuckle-dragging ****stick). It wasn't him riding by that scared me, it was his freakin pipes.

I saw him coming in my mirror at mach 3 and figured he would just pass me on the left and be alright, then BRAAAAAAAAAAAA a couple of feet away from me in the same lane and away he went like the cockface he is.

Fact of the matter is that I didn't hear him coming. Doppler effect keeps that crap suppressed past the point of usefulness. People only hear you after you've gone by or if you're standing on your patio trying to enjoy some iced tea, a burger and a Neil Young LP.

BALAALALLALALALLALLALALALLALALALALLAL might sound cool, but just admit that it's there for cool effect and nothing more.

It's analogous to me claiming that a mohawk is a safety feature because it keeps birds from landing on my head.

Had a similar experience the other day, passed this guy on a cruiser because he was driving the limit#-o What is up with that?
So a little later I see him coming up on the right in my mirror, didn't hear him, saw him, BLASTS by me now doing at least 30 over and I am sure the vibration from his pipes after he got past me have destroyed any kidney stones I may have been developing:lol:

 

[Mark M]

Had a similar experience the other day, passed this guy on a cruiser because he was driving the limit#-o What is up with that?

You can do that? Doesn't seem possible to me...:-D

Mark

 

[flatblack850L]

I have been chasing a lack of power / rich condition for years, haven't ridden enough the last couple to worry about it. Today I hacked off my aftermarket mufflers that were yuck anyway and went for a good blast on the highway. Not only am I deaf now, but I ordered the V&H 4 into 1 system and thankfully fixed my lacking power problem. The crummy old mufflers must have been rusty and plugged up because my gs used to miss, it was flooding so bad on a load on the highway, no mufflers and wow, now I have gobs of power. So I am hoping for a good riding season with a few more fixes to the old girl. Trying to buy an '08 gsx650f, but we'll see how that flies later.

I don't post much but I love reading through as much of the forum as I can. thanks to everyone.
Jason

 

[FJman]

as much as i love to be an assclown it's mostly because all the teenage girls in their jettas and on their cell phones don't seem to see or hear me and end up trying to drive me off the road without even realizing. so maybe if there hear something, them just might look first.

are there any decent mufflers or tricks to still get decent power while keeping each cylinder on it's own exhaust?

If you think that being loud is going to make you seen, sell your bike.

You are going to get yourself killed. There will be posts about you got dead, RIP, blah blah blah.

You're a dumbass. Sorry, there isn't a better way to put it.

If you're riding a bike and expecting someone else to see you, you're wrong. If you think making noise (that can mostly be heard BEHIND you) is helping, you're wrong.

The lady who's turned half around in her minivan and yelling at her kids... she can't see you. She can't hear you. If you're in her path, you're dead, and it's YOUR fault as much as hers. Yes, she's not paying attention, but you're the one who isn't wrapped in 4500lbs of steel and aluminum.

If, at any time, you are putting yourself in a position where someone else's inattention can kill you, you're asking for it. I understand gambling with a couple bucks, but I don't understand gambling with my life.

The biggest killer of motorcylists is themselves. The second is probably booze. So, don't get drunk and vroom around. Second, don't get sober and vroom like you're Colin Edwards. You're not.

However, the biggest killer of motorcylists other than those is accidents with cars. Quick hint, a motorcycle vs a car... the car isn't gonna lose. So, ride like you're going to die to someone's inattention. That means staying out of blind spots, that means not running your blinding brights and getting drivers to fixate on you, that means slowing down at intersections when you see someone who's going to turn left in front of you.

Make all the noise you want. You can even take the header off your bike, then you'll blow flames out the exhaust ports, be loud as hell. And you'll be still just as dead. If you're not riding defensively, you're a dead man eventually anyhow, so you may as well make some noise when you go.

It's harsh, but it's true.

 

[elwaxoro]

The 550 I just bought has chopped mufflers. HATE IT! #-oThere is nothing worse than a small bike that isn't running well that has no exhaust. BRAAAAA*sput*aaAAAARRRRR*sput**pop* It's so bad that I'm almost embarrassed to ride it around. It's like those kids with their civics w/ "performance" exhausts and euro tail lights. Loud and annoying as hell.

On the plus side, my wife can hear me coming home from 5 blocks away and can open the garage door :razz:

PS: Nessism: Check is in the mail for the exhaust! Can't wait!

 

[Nessism]

PS: Nessism: Check is in the mail for the exhaust! Can't wait!

Mike,
Box is packed and ready to go.\\/

Back to the topic at hand...

Last year a woman in an SUV changed lanes into me (fortunately while in my car) on a fast moving, multi lane street - about 40mph. Side of the car was damaged. My car is smaller than the woman's SUV and she just didn't see me. In thinking about this situation, a loud exhaust might have helped. Not saying this to support those loud exhaust saves lives crowd, just trying to be fair - based on my personal experience.

I still hate loud exhausts but just saying...

BTW Mike, those L model mufflers are loud at low speed compared to most GS exhaust pipes - definite rumble to them. The E/standard pipes I just installed are like a wisper in comparison...

 

[49er]

If you think that being loud is going to make you seen, sell your bike.

You are going to get yourself killed. There will be posts about you got dead, RIP, blah blah blah.

You're a dumbass. Sorry, there isn't a better way to put it.

If you're riding a bike and expecting someone else to see you, you're wrong. If you think making noise (that can mostly be heard BEHIND you) is helping, you're wrong.

The lady who's turned half around in her minivan and yelling at her kids... she can't see you. She can't hear you. If you're in her path, you're dead, and it's YOUR fault as much as hers. Yes, she's not paying attention, but you're the one who isn't wrapped in 4500lbs of steel and aluminum.

If, at any time, you are putting yourself in a position where someone else's inattention can kill you, you're asking for it. I understand gambling with a couple bucks, but I don't understand gambling with my life.

The biggest killer of motorcylists is themselves. The second is probably booze. So, don't get drunk and vroom around. Second, don't get sober and vroom like you're Colin Edwards. You're not.

However, the biggest killer of motorcylists other than those is accidents with cars. Quick hint, a motorcycle vs a car... the car isn't gonna lose. So, ride like you're going to die to someone's inattention. That means staying out of blind spots, that means not running your blinding brights and getting drivers to fixate on you, that means slowing down at intersections when you see someone who's going to turn left in front of you.

Make all the noise you want. You can even take the header off your bike, then you'll blow flames out the exhaust ports, be loud as hell. And you'll be still just as dead. If you're not riding defensively, you're a dead man eventually anyhow, so you may as well make some noise when you go.

It's harsh, but it's true.

Spoken with all the fervour of a preacher, but very very true.

To stay alive on a bike, you have to treat all other users of the road as if they are incompetent, even other motcyclists. Under most circumstances, extra noise won't help. Besides, all motors perform better with some back pressure. Lower and midrange torque is severely hampered with open pipes. Maximum HP is nice, but torque is 'where it's at'.

The advice on alcohol and bikes is very relevant too. I have often had a small quantity before driving a cage, but never before riding. You really do need all your wits about you to stay alive on a bike.

 

[flatblack850L]

I hope the guy with the post finally gets the point on this one, you guys have had a lot of great input on this thread. I wrote about hacking my mufflers off for the sole purpose of driveability diagnosis. I found the bike ran way better but it sounded like crap and I was thoroughly convinced the cops were were going to lynch me. So long story short, I footed the bill and bought a Vance & Hines 4 into 1 system for my GS850L and best $ I ever spent on that bike.:-D Sounds great, with a little rumble. And totally fixed my driveability problems. Any input on why my bike would be running so rich? I don't think the mufflers were stock on it, they were the quiet megaphone design with a removable baffle, and my bike ran so rich under load on the highway that the thing missed and bucked. The new header and pipe actually made me like my bike. I might start a thread on my GS story, it's starting to have a happy ending, it had a bad start.

 

[Guest]

Spoken with all the fervour of a preacher, but very very true.

To stay alive on a bike, you have to treat all other users of the road as if they are incompetent, even other motcyclists. Under most circumstances, extra noise won't help. Besides, all motors perform better with some back pressure. Lower and midrange torque is severely hampered with open pipes. Maximum HP is nice, but torque is 'where it's at'.

The advice on alcohol and bikes is very relevant too. I have often had a small quantity before driving a cage, but never before riding. You really do need all your wits about you to stay alive on a bike.

Ride like everyone else on the road is trying to kill you and you will be much better off. Sometimes I feel like I have a target on my chest and my back.