Exaust systems

[BEAR]

So first off hi. I am new to these forums and actually new to Yamaha bike community. I am used to Hondas primarily. I came across a great buy on a xs1100 midnight special and it has already been chopped up a bit so I figure I will bob it. My problem is I have never heard one of these bike run! I have no idea how this bike sounds as the engine is not ready yet, so I went to youtube and well I was a bit shocked because it sounds like a sport bike... I am not used to that I am used to a good ole blub blub blub sound of older hondas or V-twins in general.

My idea was to run drags on it (yes I know thier loud) but I am not sure now what to do any suggestions and feed back would be appreciated.

[TADracer]

Yes, they will sound more like a modern sport bike than they will like a two-banger. Now if by 'drags' you mean something like a 4 into one header with open pipe, then it will be very loud. When I take the baffle out of mine it actually sounds alot like my old 1966 Dodge Hemi Coronet sounded. Very loud and very obnoxious. Gets alot of attention....some unwanted.

[BEAR]

Yep, but I was thinking more 4 in 2 open pipe. I have only seen one after market exhaust system by MAC but have not heard how it sounds.

[DiverRay]

MAC is the only one left building systems for these bikes. The 4/2 turnout systems DO have a baffle in them, but still sound NICE. I just got done working on a bike for a member here who has that on his '79 Special, and the sound is good, but NOT overly loud. Being a MAC system, the best thing to do is have it "Jet Hot" coated before the install. the chrome on the pipes will be blue within the first 200 miles.

[fredintoon]

Hi Bear,
it's your bike, do what you want with it but don't come crying to the list when your bobbing job has reduced your MNS re-sale value to a half of what a good unmodified one would fetch.
I'd say don't saw anything off and carefully save all the stock parts you remove so you can at least offer a future purchaser an easy return to stock condition.
Yes, an XS11 in good shape should sound like linen cloth being ripped. Don't let the engine lug, happiness starts at 5,000 rpm.
You don't say, what exhaust system does the bike have on it right now?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bear,

These engines are well balanced, so they don't really lope....unless it's a hopped up one from Dan Hodges!

A few years ago, a fellow had the Mac 4-2's with turn outs, and the baffles were removed. We knicknamed him Harley Dave, was very loud and deep sounding, not pingy at all. The problem with many of the Utube videos are in the quality of the equipment recording, and most cam corders microphones won't do a nice low toned machine justice! There was a recent thread about one that a fellow found that did sound nice and low toned and loud, a quick review thru a few of the recent pages should reveal it, or a search for like exhaust pipes or such!

However, you'll possibly have some tuning challenges with trying to run very open pipes, due to loss of backpressure can contribute to low end power loss and transition stumbles, etc.!

If you do radically mod the bike/frame, then you should be able to find many folks wanting your STOCK MNS castoffs!!
T.C.

[BEAR]

No worries there fred, I sense a slight cringe from you at the thought of me chopping up parts like a crazy madman....! While some would sugggest that the latter is true I say poppycock. I do cry though on ocassion... I took a rather nice drive today to one of two major motorcycle salvage yards here in az where I found plenty of headers and kerkers, macs and I think some jardines laying around, pretty nice place. The fella that owns the place uses these engines in his dirt track race car and he assures me that I don't know what loud is until you hear those puppies un muffled. So I am uncertain. In any which case I assure to yall that any parts coming off my bike you guys get first dibs before they roll on ebay. And I solemly swear not to chop good parts up ie exhaust.

[bikerphil]

The old style Kerkers with the wide collector have a nice deep roar with the baffle taken out of the can. I run mine like that.

[tarzan]

MY first SG had a kreker on it.I wish I had one on the one I have now.
I loved the sound of that header.I had the baffle out.
My bike now has a stock exhaust.Its like new,but I would jump on a kerker if I found one.

[bikerphil]

Those old kerkers are hard to find. Mine is over 25 yrs. old and still rock solid. The newer ones I've seen have a smaller collector and can.

[tarzan]

Yea I wish Supertrapp would do one more run of them.Didnt they take over the kerker line?

[bikerphil]

Yep. There was a recent thread with a link to thier site. I guess baffle parts are still available for the older Kerker cans.

[tarzan]

What brand is this?

Found it on the bay #250365435066.

[XSPastor]

Easier link to the mystery ebay exhaust.

[XSPastor]

MACs?

My guess would be MAC but I'm not sure. The Jardines I've seen have separate header pipes. The MACs I've seen are welded together at the collector.