Motorcycle Exhaust Pipe Reviews

Tips for best Motorcycle Exhaust Pipes
so you keep Rumbling down the Road

Motorcycle exhaust pipes... Okay, we all agree a good exhaust system increases the bike's look dramatically. And yes, sound is a major cool factor. Come on... but I also realize that different bikes need different things. A wing with screaming eagle motorcycle exhaust pipes wouldn't do it.

To start with emissions (which have become stricter and stricter) exhaust pipes have incorporated a converter which handles the exhaust fumes to accepted levels. Attached to it you'll find a muffler which deals with the noise and sparks. The fumes coming straight out of the engine are lead away by cooling pipes. Cooling pipes get VERY hot and can easily burn you. I have the scars to prove it.

Messing around with the motorcycle exhaust pipes is done by many riders (incl. myself) and can have huge influence on the motorcycle riding ability. Sound is one of the major things influenced but often this has direct effect on emission regulation also. Plus watch out that you don't negatively influence the performance (especially on two stroke engines where combustion and exhaust are often linked). Don't assume you'll automatically get a performance increase.

Exhaust pipe positioning has a lot to do with the purpose of the bike. Trail and off road bikes want to avoid dirt and water getting in them so a high end pipe is fixed. Customs have a low setup (a low setup is also much nicer for passengers riding along) and street and race bikes are setup for the best driving characteristics.

Upgrading
Replacing the standard motorcycle exhaust on your motorcycle is one of the most common aftermarket upgrades. It's important to know why you want to change the stock exhaust to an after-market one, because it will affect the type of exhaust you upgrade to. Here are some of the most common reasons:


Changes
Even though it is more expensive to replace the full exhaust system of your bike, you will increase the performance by twice as much as if you had only replaced the end can. Go for the full exchange to really improve your bike's power.


Performance
More than 45 % of motorcycle riders around the world upgrade their motorcycle exhaust to get more power from their engine. As a benchmark you can expect a change of end is capable of producing about a 5% increase in your motorcycle's power output. A full system upgrade with enhanced air filtration and fueling could make that more than a 10% increase.


Appearance
Due to increasingly stringent motorcycle exhaust regulations, standard exhausts keep getting bigger and bigger. Motorcycle manufacturers are doing their best to hide the size of these exhausts, placing them under the seat or with stubby moto-gp style cans exiting under the bike. Still, many standard exhausts are very unattractive and detract from the sleek, modish lines of the latest bikes. If you really want to enhance the look of your bike, then an exhaust upgrade is a must.


Weight
Another reason to change your motorcycle exhaust is to save weight. Most performance exhausts are significantly lighter than stock exhausts. Some high performance materials, like ultra-light carbon fiber motorcycle cans, will mean greater weight saving than others.


Noise
Motorcycle exhaust change is also done to change the sound of the bike. If you’ve ever heard an engine fire with no silencer you’ll know how loud it is. Bike manufacturers are required by law to limit the noise an motorcycle exhaust emits, but in so doing they detract from the raw appeal of a tuned engine as fitted in most superbikes.


Silencers
If you have two silencers exiting either side of the motorcycle or under the seat, you can go with a two–into-one exhaust losing one of the silencers. This will significantly reduce weight but may affect the engine characteristics of the bike and its more likely a session on the dyno will be required.


Price tag
When you know how much you have to spend on an exhaust it will, to a large degree, dictate your options on manufacturer and material. Titanium exhausts for example typically cost more than the same exhaust made from aluminum. Another obvious consideration is how many motorcycle exhausts your motorcycle has!


Installation
Installing an aftermarket motorcycle exhaust is not a very complex task and practically all motorcycle exhausts these days come with detailed instructions. However, if you’re the type of rider who usually has your dealer handle your bike's servicing, then you might want to have a professional install the exhaust as well. If you're running a slip-on end, remember to keep the standard motorcycle exhaust and make sure the mechanic makes it easy for you to change between the two.


Legality
Another thing to consider when selecting your new motorcycle exhaust is which side of the law you want to ride on! Exhausts come into two types, those that are homologated for road use and bear the appropriate stamps and those that are technically for race use only. Those that are for race use will usually be louder and sometimes include enhanced power increases. Just know that if you use a race can on the road you may attract the attention of local law enforcement.

We really appreciate tips from other riders. If you would like to add a tip to this list, feel free to send it to us using our contact form.

Motorcycle exhausts pipes need to perform different jobs: It needs to export gas away from the bike. It needs to improve performance. It needs to adjust the sound. It needs to regulate the emissions.

The hidden secret to a good exhaust system is the fact that exhaust fumes and heat still contain a lot of energy which a good system reuses for your bike.

It's easy to screw up your exhaust system by using the wrong after market parts - today's pipes have been engineered to great performance on bikes.

Scavenger power is power which comes from your exhaust gases which run through your exhaust system and create an energy pulse which can improve your engine performance (when out of sync it can also downgrade the energy performance). For optimal performance exhaust systems need to match the engine that they are designed for.

There are two types of mufflers: absorption type (allow the gases to pass through a tube covered with fiberglass which absorbs the high frequency) and the baffled muffler (forces the gases through a series of welded-in baffles which blocks the low frequency). Good modern mufflers use both designs.

For optimal performance from your exhaust system your carbs. need to be properly jetted and in sync with your exhaust system. Modern mufflers produce less noise and more horsepower.

Consider this when buying mufflers - if you are just looking for a cosmetic upgrade of your motorcycle nearly any muffler can do. When you want serious performance improvement only a few options will be available.