CBH,, hasnt responded in a while,, maybe hes out listening to other mufflers, trying to decide wat kinda sound he wants.

Stock works,, its a quiet machine with the stock muffler on it.

Scott, I totally disagree loud pipes save lives, and yes there is some loss of torque with muffler tampering. Unless you know what to do.

Boofer wrote on 07/07/11 at 11:32:50:


Not trying to get into an arguement here but I don't understand that at all.

If you're riding down the road on your bike and have super quiet exhaust, the odds are that young guy in his mustang ain't going to hear you over his radio, or the old lady with bad hearing, or the average guy blaring his favorite song, or the average woman talking on her cell phone, or...I mean this can go on and on.

I'm sure it doesn't apply 100% of the time but if you take those same situations and enter them on the same bike but with straight pipes, it's going to be obvious. Especially at intersections where it's typical for bikes to rev a couple times waiting for the green light or before taking off. Everytime you rev that bike most people are going to look over to see what is making the noise. Sure they may look at me and forget me, but I'd be willing to bet them looking at me once is better than not looking at all.

Plus I feel it applies in other ways as well. Here in Idaho half my ride consists of in-town riding but, the other half is 65mph highway rolling through the mountains. Lots of wide open fields and wildlife. Deer, elk, owls (yeah, giant ones) just to name a few. Loud pipes scare deer, I've seen them run away from road sides because of bikes but I've also seen them dive out in front of shiny new Subaru's with quiet exhaust.

Recently I was moving from a small town in the mountains to a bigger town in the mountains. I had to drive a 20ft Uhaul down Highway 52 between Horseshoe Bend and Emmett, Idaho. Long twisty 2 lane that rides the river. I was coming around a corner with a loaded truck and I saw something gigantic in the road. I started slowing down quickly and the thing didn't move. I hit my horn a couple times and suddenly it threw out its wings and took off. The wing span on this owl was almost as wide as the windshield in that Uhaul.

The Uhaul was brand new, had like 5k miles on it and was whisper quiet. I'm thinking if I had come around that canyon on my bike with loud pipes that owl would've heard me coming and by the time I was hitting the corner he would've moved. Maybe he wouldn't have, but again I'd bet that my bike being slightly obnoxious will deter animals from coming near me. Catching a deer or giant owl at 65mph is going to suck no matter what gear your wearing.

I could be wrong, this is just my opinion but to me having louder pipes is just as important as wearing a helmet.

RidgeRunner13 wrote on 07/07/11 at 14:24:25:


I've seen deer standing on the side of the road watching traffic and then bolt back into the field when 2 bikes came around the bend. Perhaps it also depends on the animals and how often they are around people and/or traffic.

I too changed my exhaust for performance, weight reduction, and the stock sound wasn't cutting it. It's not straight pipe, nor is it ridiculous or obnoxious. I didn't do this just to be loud, if that was my goal, I'd run straight header and a beauty tip.

I specifically said that it wouldn't always be that way, there is always exceptions to anything. I too have been startled getting passed by a bike that I didn't notice but it was because it was a weird BMW cruiser/enduro/sport/thingy and it was super quiet. I think I scared him even more when I jumped and swerved away from him. Had that been a big bike with open pipes I can't imagine how I'd miss it. I like bikes, when I hear pipes I look to see what the guy is riding. I think most people do whether its to give a thumbs up or to grumble about the noise.

I guess we can agree to disagree but to me it's simple. Being audibly louder than most other vehicles on the road will make you noticed, you will stand out. As motorcyclists we are constantly in danger of crashing, anything that might help me be safer is worth a shot in my book. Plus, it just sounds cool!

CBH wrote on 07/07/11 at 06:53:43:



I got your PM, I've tried replying multiple times and everytime I do it pops up saying it wants to access my clipboard, whether I say yes, no, or close the window, I appear at the main screen and the message doesn't get sent. Email me at magickninja369@yahoo.com so I can send you pics of the muffler. I'm thinkin' $70 for it?

That  people get killed waring their seat belts or their helmets doesnt mean they are useless,, Just because you can show a time when loud pipes went  un-noticed doesnt mean that sometimes the factor that saves a biker from being run over is the loud pipe, making enough noise to get the attention of the idiot at the wheel..

When a very loud bike suddenly and unexpectedly passes me at WOT, it upsets me,......as in pisses me off ! They have no right to disturb the peace like that, and it is after all, illegal. But most the bikes around here are maybe noisy, but tolerable.
Myself, I like my drilled stock muffler,......just about right.