exhaust experts

[crazy steve]

...The special exhaust will bolt on to the standard. Has a different crossover pipe, & muffs don't go as far back as standard...

Unhh... no, the Special exhaust won't fit on a standard (well, a '81, but not the '78-80 models). The footpeg/muffler mounts are different and are too low for the Special mufflers. You can force it on there, but it won't fit right...

[natemoen]

I thought we put the german ss out of business in WWII

Haha! I was thinking the same thing when i typed it!

[GTXS1100]

4 to 1

Does anyone have a 4 to 1 Used thay would want to sell? Looks arent realy that important to me right now. I like the look of the mac 4to1 but i dont realy want to spend 300+ on exhaust right now. I need something tho cuz the Straight pipe thing that eveyone told me not to do is alot louder than i expected. I know should have listened. Does anyone have an old beat up header or even 4to2 they would want to sell. I have a 4to2 off an 82 xj 750 i was going to take off and see if it would be close but i think its too small. Oh i didnt tell you that my bike is an 80G. Any feed back would be great.
Greg

[New2Me]

Does anyone have a 4 to 1 Used thay would want to sell? Looks arent realy that important to me right now. I like the look of the mac 4to1 but i dont realy want to spend 300+ on exhaust right now. I need something tho cuz the Straight pipe thing that eveyone told me not to do is alot louder than i expected. I know should have listened. Does anyone have an old beat up header or even 4to2 they would want to sell. I have a 4to2 off an 82 xj 750 i was going to take off and see if it would be close but i think its too small. Oh i didnt tell you that my bike is an 80G. Any feed back would be great.
Greg

This sounds right up your alley. http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35286

I'd sell you my set-up but I dont have a line on the one I want right now.

[boots06]

Custom exhaust

I have a 4 into 1 headers and I cut a cherry bomb in half and welded a plate with a 1 and a half inch outlet hole. I don't know if it ups any power gains but damn does it ever sound good. Nice and throaty.

[BA80]

http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/q...cherry%20bomb/

[motoman]

The reports people make regarding gains from aftermarket systems is over stock so why would OEM be best?

Hearing and seat of the pants reporting at best. ALL the power ranges, OEM exhaust and intake are best and bike performs the best. That's just an already known. Anything you may do short of havin' some REALLY deep pockets is gonna negate any expected power gains. Likely will be an actuall loss of power on the bottom, the middle, or the top-end.........pick two....

[DGXSER]

Everythign I have seen and experienced would say this is correct. The OEM exhaust was tuned perfectly to the stock intake and the engine. Every one I have seen swap one or the other ends up losing either top or bottom end or both in some cases.

And I can vouch that the Standard pipe set up is not the same as Specials. I bought an exhaust that is obviously set up for the Standard, I had to make brackets to hang the exhaust off the rear peg mount brackets as designed. The Specials sweep up just past the front foot pegs. Standards are essentially straight back.

[tom clisham]

Difference?

the Standard pipe set up is not the same as Specials. I bought an exhaust that is obviously set up for the Standard, I had to make brackets to hang the exhaust off the rear peg mount brackets as designed. The Specials sweep up just past the front foot pegs. Standards are essentially straight back.

OK ,I know the standard & special exhausts are different.
But, to be unable to mount a special exhaust on a standard meansthat the 81 standard has different exhaust & footpeg mounts than the earlier standards. Is this the case?
I also know that the 81 standard exhaust is identical in every fitting to the special. So, is the mount different? 78,79,80 all same & 81 different?
Please let me know so I don't have to go down to the garage & try fitting the special exhaust to the 78 standard.

[crazy steve]

OK ,I know the standard & special exhausts are different.
But, to be unable to mount a special exhaust on a standard means that the 81 standard has different exhaust & footpeg mounts than the earlier standards. Is this the case?
I also know that the 81 standard exhaust is identical in every fitting to the special. So, is the mount different? 78,79,80 all same & 81 different?
Please let me know so I don't have to go down to the garage & try fitting the special exhaust to the 78 standard.

Yes, the standards have different exhaust and footpeg mounts from the Specials (with one exception). But that's not all; even the frames are different where the mounts bolt to the frame, so you can't swap mounts between frames. The one exception is the '81 standard, which does use the 'Special' style exhaust, so it's frame will only mount the 'Special' exhaust/footpeg brackets. There's six distinctly different frames for the US-model XS:

'78-79 standard are identical and will interchange.
'79 Special, one year only.
'80 standard, one year only.
'80-81 Special, these will interchange but do have one or two small detail changes. Technically, there's actually seven different frames.
'81 standard, one year only.
'81 Midnight Special, one year only. The same frame as the '81 Special, but with 'extra' brackets for the linked brake system.

This is why finding parts for these bikes can be such a PITA; all these variations (and corrosponding different parts) can be frustrating. Some of the differences can be worked around, some can't unless you fire up the welder. The XJ frame is basically the same design, but again has so many detail differences that interchanging it with anything else would be a nightmare.

[skids]

I was able to use a stock 81H exhaust system on a 78E. The mounting location is through the rear footpeg bracket. The center stand had to be removed as well. You can save the centerstand to work on the bike though.