Modifying your bike exhaust with a new set of aftermarket exhaust pipes.
One of the easiest things to modify on a motor cycle is the exhaust pipes. It is probably one of the first things that are done by most riders. Mainly to improve performance as well as the sound of the bike. A quality set of aftermarket motorcycle exhaust pipes will drastically improve both of these things including removing unwanted weight from your cycle. On cruisers weight reduction is not a concern, however on a sport bike you want to shave as much weight as possible of your bike to improve performance. Because of this many of your aftermarket motorcycle exhaust pipes for sport bikes are made from lightweight material like aluminum, titanium or carbon fiber. On the other hand on cruisers you will find that most of your exhaust systems are made from stainless steel or some sort of chromed metal. The main focus on pipes for cruisers is sound, looks and performance.
These days motorcycles have become such a popular mode of transportation which has created a huge industry for makers of parts. Because of this there are many manufacturers to choose from when buying an aftermarket exhaust. Different manufacturers tend to be popular with different bikes. For cruiser bikes Jardine, Cobra, Hard Krome, Shogun and Vance and Hines are very popular. Most of these manufacturers of aftermarket pipes also make systems for sport bikes. Your most popular manufacturers for sport bikes are Akrapovic, Yoshimura, Vance and Hines, Cobra, Scorpion and Three Brothers. Most of these guys have been around for sometime and also make other accessories for bikes. Cobra for example not only makes motorcycle exhaust but also a large variety of other aftermarket parts like Light bars, Backrest, tachometers, freeway bars floor board kits and the list goes on and on. Then you have others like Akrapovic that are race bred and specialize in performance exhaust systems.
Really when choosing a aftermarket motorcycle exhaust you need to consider what you want out of the pipes. Do you want performance or are you looking for looks? Maybe a deeper growl is your objective. Because of the restrictions in stock systems using one of these systems will greatly improve the sound of your bike. It really does make a huge difference and will take a super quiet ride and turn it in to a screaming demon. Especially when it comes to v twins the results will be night and day.
Generally making this modification to your motor cycle is fairly easy and can be handled by yourself, however if you do not feel comfortable most shops will tackle the job for around $80-$150. Now you will usually have to remap your fuel injection system in order for your vehicle to run right. If you still have Carburetors then they will need to be re jetted. Remapping is usually fairly easy if you get a power commander because you can go to their website and download a new map for your particular bike, re jetting maybe best handled by a shop but if you are mechanically inclined is usually not a big deal. You will usually need a stage I or II kit to make your bike run right and get the most out of an aftermarket exhaust.
Our main location is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to deliver parts and accessories to all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., El Paso, Texas, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Boise ID, Atlanta GA, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Albuquerque NM, Huntsville AL, Fayetteville AR, Norfolk VA , Madison WI.
This article was published on Sunday 23 November, 2008.
