anyone running open pipes and pods? what jets are best?

[bikerdave79]

Well I'm not sure how it will run. I'll put the extension pipes back on if it effects it negatively. As far as the noise I live in semi rural Pennsylvania everyone has loud pipes on motorcycles. Nobody cares

[bikerdave79]

I have two other bikes with open pipes. A kz650 and a vstar. Never been hassled. And they run correctly. Countless Harley's around here running open pipes too. I should be ok

Hey Dave- I have a buddy, and fellow forum member who ran open pipes. It was so loud, UofM Police told him to muffle them or face a ticket. Secondly, it ran like poop.

[bikerdave79]

You cant just hack your pipes off you have to open up the intake. Free flowing exhaust requires more air. More air requires more fuel hence jetting. You have to do it all or don't touch it. That's been my experience. You halfass it, it won't balance and won't go right

[crazy steve]

If you get yours to run as well as one with proper exhaust, it'll be a first. It's been tried by multiple posters, none have had any real success.

As to the Harley's running open exhaust, every one of them has lost power in the low/midrange; I know, I own Harleys too...

[sail4free]

If you get yours to run as well as one with proper exhaust, it'll be a first. It's been tried by multiple posters, none have had any real success.

As to the Harley's running open exhaust, every one of them has lost power in the low/midrange; I know, I own Harleys too...

==========
Not to hijack the thread but my '79 Special has the OEM exhaust and I notice a *lot* less exhaust at the back end on the left compared to the right. Feeling around under the left, I'm losing a lot under there somewhere. No time to dig into it right now but I suspect *that* issue must be resolved before this beast will ever scream again? That alone could explain how quickly she went from a good running sync to not running well at all? She's backfiring and all kinds of funky stuff I don't remember -- only rolling on the gas a little reminds me of her former glory.
JIM P.
==========

[sail4free]

If you get yours to run as well as one with proper exhaust, it'll be a first. It's been tried by multiple posters, none have had any real success.

As to the Harley's running open exhaust, every one of them has lost power in the low/midrange; I know, I own Harleys too...

==========
I'm committed to getting my stock carbs right but I wonder, "Has anyone had any success with retro-fitting non-CV carbs to these engines?" For example, somebody makes a special manifold for Gold Wings which permits the use of a single VW carb -- any loss of performance *might* be offset by the simplicity of it?
JIM P.
==========

[DiverRay]

On wide open, I'd probably start at 3 sizes up on mains, and 1 up on pilots. You may have to change the air jet in the intake bell as well, one size up.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[jetmechmarty]

==========
I'm committed to getting my stock carbs right but I wonder, "Has anyone had any success with retro-fitting non-CV carbs to these engines?" For example, somebody makes a special manifold for Gold Wings which permits the use of a single VW carb -- any loss of performance *might* be offset by the simplicity of it?
JIM P.
==========

Here you go. http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ht=speedmotoco

[Rasputin]

You cant just hack your pipes off you have to open up the intake. Free flowing exhaust requires more air. More air requires more fuel hence jetting. You have to do it all or don't touch it. That's been my experience. You halfass it, it won't balance and won't go right

Cool! Good info that we have never heard of! Once you are done halfassing it twice let us know how it goes.
As many of us have tried and a few of us have owned these bikes since new, or own multiples of them do not know how to "do it all or don't touch it", I for one am looking forward to your progress.
Personally I would love to see a dyno run and a performance run, (before and after if you please) of this lovely horsepower you are gonna make.
As many of us do have to deal with neighbors and such we have to be a bit more respectful than you.

[motoman]

Cool! Good info that we have never heard of! Once you are done halfassing it twice let us know how it goes.
As many of us have tried and a few of us have owned these bikes since new, or own multiples of them do not know how to "do it all or don't touch it", I for one am looking forward to your progress.
Personally I would love to see a dyno run and a performance run, (before and after if you please) of this lovely horsepower you are gonna make.
As many of us do have to deal with neighbors and such we have to be a bit more respectful than you.

Rasputin, I have to say you DO always seem to chime in when necessary to 'drive the point' home.

[IanDMacDonald]

Hey Dave- I think the point is, there are some who have tried it who are no rookies to this machine. The bike was designed around the OEM pipes. If ypu read through all of the exhaust threads, you'll find there is always give & take with any aftermarket system. I believe Jardines were found to come close to stock setup. I, for one did not necessarily mind the performance from the Mac 4-2 system. However, I prefer the sound of the stock mufflers. As-long as you're willing to give a little on the performance, I think you should do as you please. But, before you do what you do, have a look at some of the recent threads regarding backpressure, etc. Good read!

[bikerdave79]

Running open headers kills your exhaust scavenging which yes will effect low end performance but I've found that by installing a piece of perforated steel into the pipe affects the back pressure very little and improves the low r scavengin. It's worked on several other bikes I've built. I don't see why this one should be any different.

[bikerdave79]

Also gotta say, some if you guys aren't too friendly here. I don't mind constructive criticism. But no need to get nasty. Also don't forget. I'm reconstructing a wrecked bike, building a fun bar hopper. Its not meant to be a highway rocket or touring bike. You should appreciate that I saved it from the scrap heap which is where it was headed when I got it.

[IanDMacDonald]

Hey Dave- You know how it works. Some people have good intentions in their words, it's just how they say it (which in your interpretation comes-off a little coarse). And, they may be the case. However, we have a lot of new members who come on here, STATE what they think will work, try it, fail, and come back on here asking why their bike runs like poop.

I'm curious about your perf. metal mod you do. You say it has little effect on back pressure? From my understanding, you want to re-create the back pressure of the OEM exhaust system. Keep us posted on the tuning of the bike.

[bikerdave79]

Ian that's the idea. Bikes rely on exhaust scavenging to clear the cylinders, at low speed so running straight open pipes reduces the gas velocity and back pressure. Good for sound, and high end not for low. What I'm basically doing is welding in a very simple diffusion baffle that does really nothing to decrease the noise, and retains the drag pipe look, but increases the exhaust flow and retains some of the scavenging effect. Much like a 2 cycle expansion chamber but using a larger diameter pipe over the stock head pipes (see picture) I have the same setup on a Suzuki gs850 that I built. And with some carb mods and opening up the intake you can negate a lot of the negative effects of reduced scavenging. Does it effect the low end, yes. Enough to notice not really. The throttle is a tad lazier with the CV stack carbs but this can also be negated by trimming the return springs slightly loosening them up. The question was not the how if I can do it. But has anyone done it. If not I'll be sure to update everyone as I go