| Author | Message | ||
     Vospertw |
All, Don't want to start a pissing contest over which one is better, but I'm considering a different exhaust (currently stock exhaust on 09 XB12Ss). My goal is not so much power or sound, but to eliminate complexity and weak points - specifically eliminate the exhaust cable system and the OEM muffler straps. Looking at the XB Exhaust Shootout, it appears that my options would be D&D, Jardine, and Micron - is that true? I'm not crazy about repacking the Jardine - I'm assuming you could go 5000 miles between packing? That would be once a year for me, which wouldn't be too bad. I'd also lean toward something quieter than louder (have great neighbors... like to keep them). Any info on options that eliminate the cable and straps - hell, any advice at all - would be appreciated. | ||
| Nillaice |
d&d is deafening, jiardine is barky, and youre lucky to find a micron for sale | ||
| Krueger08xb12s |
The interactive exhaust valve works great and proves beneficial for added low end power, so why are you looking to eliminate it?? What's your beef with the straps?? | ||
| Vospertw |
Krueger - not really a "beef" with it, but it's one more thing that can fail, needs adjustment, etc. As for the straps, I broke my first one at 2000 miles and sounds like front straps break somewhat frequently and (from personal experience) aren't always available immediately. I may well end up sticking with the stock exhaust - I've never switched to an aftermarket can on any bike - but wanted to see if there was anything out there that was simpler and not ridiculously loud. | ||
| Sifo |
Jardine is LOUD! The quite tip baffle makes it OK. Many complain about rivets popping and the can falling apart. I think it's mostly the aluminum ones. My CF one has held up for about 28K miles now. There is no support at the front of the chin spoiler and mine broke at the front bolts on both sides. I don't think this would have happened if it had front mounts like the stock can. It is an economy set up. You often get what you pay for. | ||
| Vospertw |
You guys are making me think I will be save the exhaust money for track days and stick with the servicing sked. Appreciate the info. | ||
| Blackm2 |
Todd, the Drummer eliminates the cable but utilizes the original straps. Not obnoxious by any means but a very nice rumble. Deciding to keep it awhile? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZWYzSXgcI | ||
| Vospertw |
Dave - yeah. Finally wised up! Thanks for the link. | ||
| Froggy |
Most aftermarket exhausts use the stock straps. The stock straps work fine when installed correctly. (60k combined over two XB's, several different exhausts and no breaks) Unfortunately all the aftermarket pipes are too loud in my opinion, especially the Jardine and D&D. | ||
| Vospertw |
Froggy - maybe I had a bad strap or something, but as you probably remember, my front strap broke at 2000 miles. Quick question for you - what's the proper way to check straps already installed? Can you simply back off the front strap a bit then re-torque to spec? Or do you have to do something similar to the installation sequence? I haven't had a chance to actually hear any of them except for a Special Ops - which was louder than I would like but not bad. I'm perfectly happy with the stock pipe, but always looking for ways to make the bike more bullet-proof. | ||
| Sifo |
IMO once the strap is over-torqued it is damaged. Backing it off and re-torquing it isn't much better than just leaving alone. | ||
| Vospertw |
Sifo, are you saying that they don't really back off and loosen if they are torqued correctly the first time? If so, better to use the low end of the spec? | ||
| Sifo |
What I'm saying is that once they are over-torqued they sustain damage that can't be fixed by loosening them. I would think the low end of the spec would be best if you hope to reuse them, especially the front one that they tell you to not reuse. They're not much more than a glorified hose clamp, don't expect too much from them. Personally if Erik Buell asked me to engineer a muffler mount I would like a different solution. I learned computer programing instead and never became an engineer for Erik, so...  | ||
| Odie |
I have some inserts in testing by myself and a few other customers. So far so good as far as durability and it quiets the pipe down enough for most folks. | ||
| Vospertw |
All - I might not be communicating my main question very well either. As a general preventive maintenance practice, I normally go around the bike whenever it's on the lift and check fasteners. When I do that, I normally back the fastener off (loosen it) and then re-torque to the proper value. I've found this to be a better method than sticking a socket on something and giving giving it a twist because 1. on fasteners with a lot of torque, it may feel tight but not be torqued to spec, 2. there's a tendency to over-torque the fasteners over time. Getting back to the front strap. I walk up to my bike and all seems ok - strap is not loose, etc. Can I back it off a bit and then re-torque to spec to ensure it's correctly tightened? Second situation - if I walk up to the bike and find the front strap loose - can I simply re-torque to spec? Sounds like you guys are saying "don't re-torque a loose strap, replace it" in this situation. Clear as mud? | ||
| Sifo |
I see what you are saying now. Mind you this is all just my opinion and I haven't wrenched anything professionally since 1982. What you describe of backing off and torquing to the correct value is far better than just tweeking it tighter as a check. IMO the "best practice" on this would be to not be rechecking the torque. I'll give my reasoning so others can scoff as they see fit. It's basically a worm gear drive sort of a thing. It's pretty darn difficult to get the worm gear to unscrew itself even with vibration and tension. A more likely scenario is that it just skips off the worm gear. This will loosen things up quite a bit, probably to where you can get a bit of movement upon inspection. The strap is damaged at this point and good for nothing you care about. Given that Buell recommends not reusing the straps, and loosening and re-torquing in my mind is the same as reusing them, I wouldn't do it. One last thing is to ask yourself what is the price of a new strap and what are the consequences of having one fail while traveling at stupid high speeds (or even the speeds that I ride). I hope that adds some clarity to the mud that is my mind. | ||
| Vospertw |
>...while traveling at stupid high speeds... Would that be the same as "Ludicrous Speed?" The young guys won't get that movie reference. Sifo - copy all, and makes sense to me. | ||
| Brightbuell |
The straps are really supposed to put on with a torque wrench. they break if you over tighten. im sure froggy can tell you the exact pound to tighten them to. I did have one break, after i found i had over tightend it and now no problems at all. Any mod exhaust will require stock strap. A mod is just short for modified, so any modified exhaust will still use the strap, and any aftermarket pipes will be to loud for you by the way your talking. Good luck (Message edited by brightbuell on August 12, 2010) | ||
| Borrowedbike |
I fought Front strap issues for a long time, turns out it was a loose screw between the headsets and I was over tightening. Torque to the low end of the spec, while you have a jack under the front jacking mount with a little tension on it and walk away. It’ll be fine. If it breaks... Ride home and put a new one on. It's not like the exhaust will drop off and catapult you over the bars, even if you're running at "Plaid." (Guess I'm dating myself) | ||
| Hootowl |
-even if you're running at "Plaid." That's ludicrous. | ||
| Fast1075 |
| ||
| Hootowl |
I wish I could have seen "waiting to exhale" at that speed. I may not have had time to vomit. | ||
| Brumbear |
thats what I looked like when I hit the Honda civic a couple years ago on rt 15  | ||
| D_adams |
Would that be the same as "Ludicrous Speed?" No, but it's close. Spaceballs for those of you wondering what movie it was. | ||
| Vospertw |
Nice work Fast. BTW... I kept them both. Hootowl - now THAT was funny. I'm sorry you had to go through that. | ||
| Niceguyeddy |
Raspberry's, they are jamming us (or something like that). | ||
| S10darkascanb |
spaceballs at ludicrous speed sounds a lot like a nerdy kid alone on the internet on a friday night with a bottle of lotion, just saying that audio is......  |
