F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are some of the questions we hear every day. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, please contact us.

Brand Specific
• Exhausts
• Tires
• Windscreens

General Tech ?s
• Q: What pipe has the best sound?
  A: That is up to the rider to determine in the end. Listen to other bikes. Try to find out who made the pipe on that bike that sounds so good. Also, many manufacturers' websites have sound clips of what their pipes sound like. Even if they don't have one for your specific bike, they may have one for a similar machine. All Japanese 600 in-line fours are going to sound pretty close, for example, so look around. We can tell you that as far as sportbikes are concerned, D&D is known for having the "Big Texas Sound", the loudest in the line. On the other end of the spectrum, Yoshimura is known for having some of the quieter race systems out there. Many other companies make both street and race core mufflers, offering the consumer a choice.
• Q: What is the best exhaust for my bike?
  A: This is the question we got the most often. There is no one 'best' exhaust for any motorcycle and all people. What one person thinks is the best, another will think is too loud, too quiet, too expensive or too common. It's kind of like asking what is the best bike? If you walked into a shop and they only had one pipe hanging from a wall, would you buy it? It could be the best pipe for you, but you want a choice, right? In the end, it is up to the person to determine what the best is, for them. The absolute best exhaust, in most cases, is a titanium full exhaust with either a carbon fiber or titanium canister-costing upwards of $1,000 and more and needing other modifications to perform properly. For many people, that is a lot of money and they don't need that much performance. They are just looking too add a little more of an exhaust note and make their motorcycle sound, well, like a motorcycle and not a sewing machine. That's fine, too.
• Q: What does F/S, S/O, B/O, CF, TI, SS and AL mean?
  A: F/S is short for full-system. It replaces the bike's entire exhaust system, "from engine to endcaps." S/O stands for slip-on. Along with the muffler, a short section of mid-pipe (also known as connector tube, S-bend pipe, or intermediate pipe) is included and connects into the bike's stock exhaust system somewhere between the collector and the muffler. A bolt-on (sometimes know as a flange-on) bolts onto the very end of the bike's stock exhaust-replacing the muffler only. These are held on by three or four bolts that mount directly into the muffler. These are designed for the few bikes that have the stock muffler mount in this fashion. In a couple of instances, a bike can take either a slip-on or a bolt-on. Some manufacturers will list their pipe as a slip-on when, in fact, it is a bolt-on. Slip-ons and bolt-ons are the most common style of exhaust system and does what most people are looking for-better sound and a couple of extra ponies. CF, TI, SS, AL is the material the canister is made of. Carbon Fiber, Titanium, Stainless Steel and Aluminum. See below for benefits of each.
• Q: What's the difference between aluminum, stainless, titanium and carbon fiber cans?
  A: Aluminum and stainless are the heavier and less expensive cans. They almost always have a polished "chrome" look to them, but sometimes will have a brushed or matte finish. Titanium is lighter and has a dull, matte finish that discolors under extreme heat. It is usually the preferred choice on race bikes. In actuality, titanium itself is a heavier metal than aluminum, but is stronger, allowing less of it to be used for the same amount of strength resulting in lower weight. Carbon fiber is also light weight and has a black weave finish. Another benefit of carbon fiber is that it runs cooler, making it less likely to burn a leg. Some bikes with high exhaust temperatures can deform carbon fiber, so it is not always a good choice. Virtually all of the pipe makers use the same core on all on the different finishes, so they will sound very, very close to the same, and make the same kind of power.
• Q: What is the difference between a muffler, a silencer and a canister?
  A: None. They are the same name for the same thing and yes, bikes need silencers in almost all circumstances. Just because it is referred to a silencer or a muffler does not mean it will be quiet. Some are very, very loud. We will usually refer to a silencer/muffler as a canister (or can) to eliminate this confusion.... More
• Q: What's a standard mount, high mount, race mount and high exit?
  A: A standard mount means the muffler is in the same location as stock. A high mount puts the muffler up close to the bike's tail section through a mid-pipe that is longer with sometimes extreme bends. These bends can sometimes actually reduce horsepower because it does not allow the exhaust to flow in a straight, unobstructed line. Some high mounts require the removal of the bike's passenger pegs while others include spacers that mount the pegs out past the muffler. A high exit (sometimes also know as a race mount) puts the end of the exhaust higher for additional ground clearance, but keeps the front of the canister in a near-stock location. They almost never come with hardware to keep the passenger pegs.
• Q: How much power will this add to my bike? Do you have dyno numbers for x?
  A: Dynamometer tests are the most common way to measure performance gains and they are not an exact science. A Dyno test at sea level at 100% humidity on pump gas will not give the same results as one at 4000 feet, 5% humidity on race gas. Some pipe companies will do other tweaking to the bike after installing their pipe to boost the numbers. Very generally, a slip-on or bolt-on will add 2-4 horsepower and a full system with re-jetting or re-mapping will add 10 or more. Check the manufacturer's claims, independent tests or word-of-mouth for your specific bike. Even if we are looking at a dyno reading on a pipe, we don't like to give it out because we will often hear back, "Well, I read in such in such that it does this and so-and-so said it doesn't." We just don't want to get in the middle of a 'he said-she said.'
• Q: Do I need to re-rejet / re-map my bike with this exhaust/filter/air-box?
  A: First: re-jetting is for bikes with carburetors and re-mapping is for bikes with fuel injection. The best way to make power is to get the most out of every bit of air and fuel you can get into your engine. Any mod that increases the air 'through-put' of your engine, should be tuned for by adjusting the fuel to match. The 'ideal' Air/Fuel ratio (AF) is 14.7, but most mechanics will suggest something closer to 12-13 for best power. Most S/O & B/O pipes will not change the AF enough to cause running problems or damage anything, but you're missing out on possible power. Full exhausts, especially with air filter/air-box mods, will tend to start having problems with running to lean. Fuel injected bikes will usually have a small range of adjustment made by the ECU, but it's usually limited by emissions regulations and hardware restrictions as to how far it can compensate for extra air. Carburated bikes; well there;s a few external adjustments, but you'll NEED to get those carbys off and apart :-(. There are a few other benefits to a well tuned fuel system: Driveability will be the best it can be, engine/exhaust temps will be cooler (lean AF is one MAJOR reason that chrome pipes will 'blue' over time, too much heat!), you'll usually get better fuel economy, and lastly, you won't have that exhaust back-fire (lean-pop/decel-pop) when you're engine braking or power-shifting.
  TL;DR: You don't NEED to adjust your fuel, but probably should.
• Q: Does this come with everything I need to install it?
  A: All of our slip-ons and bolt-ons come with everything needed to install them, i.e. mid-pipes, muffler hangers, clamps and instructions (when supplied by the manufacturer). Some of our competitors will have what looks like a really good price on a slip-on and when you go to order it, they will ask, "Now do you want a mid-pipe with that?" and try to tell you that they are extra with all other shops. DON'T BELIEVE IT! As far as full exhaust systems go, they do not come with cylinder exhaust outlet gaskets (that go between the cylinder head and the pipe), but do come with everything else to replace the entire exhaust system. Many times these do not need to be replaced on newer bikes, but should if there is a lot of miles on the bike, or it is an older machine. We sell these for most bikes for between $6-$12 each or they can be obtained from a local dealership for (what should be) close to that amount.