Straight pipes/open headers

[scout48_imp]

Ok..new day.

First of all I want to apologise to scout for being less than welcoming. Not like me. I am usually one of the first to welcome any new members and have been since the day I joined which was day 1 for the forum. I think this is a very friendly and welcoming forum especially considering the wide and varied age groups this bike seems to attract. People on this forum are respectful, friendly, helpful, funny and very accepting imo. I have been on many internet forums in the last 15 years. This is one of the good ones.

We all have our hot button issues I suppose. Issues where you feel the need to say something. For some it may be ethanol, for others possible over heating, and I guess for me that issue is loud pipes. I actually have 3 hot button issues... Loud pipes, stunting on public highways, and using public highways for a racetrack. Maybe I am getting old. I find all three of those to not only be socially irresponsible, but damaging to motorcycling as a whole. I have a hard time believing anyone would think that doing any of those would be ok. I love motorcycling. One of the reasons I frequent motorcycle forums. Doing anything that threatens motorcycling as a sport raises my dander. Like I said maybe I am getting old.

Adult response. Seems like you may have come across shorter than you intended and I took it a little personally. I mod a few different forums for other interests and take mod comments to be representative of the desires of the folks running the forum. I am also kind of stickler on tech vs opinion posts. Ask me how rig a shocker to a seat when the left turn signal comes on and I will tell you how without asking why or if it is safe/moral. Guess it is one of my buttons. This forum seems looser on that. I suppose if I want to play in this sandbox, I wiI posted above about some possible cultural differences on how pipes are perceived. I will add another comment. I live in a very rural area. Trees and fields line the roads. Soft surfaces that kill sound. I have ridden with my group in a city. Buildings and pavement all around. It is amazing how much that changes things.

Anyway, my point is that I am sorry for taking it personally and we are square in my eyes.

Hi all. I am about a month away from a new bike and it will either be a CB1100 or a Bonneville. Grew up with and ride with Harley guys. My last bike was a shadow though. Really liked how darned dependable the thing was. Wife has it now. I lean toward the CB1100 because I trust Honda's reputation for reliable bikes and appreciate their much more developed dealer network. Thing is, test rode a CB with some buddies and can't hear it in the pack. I haven't liked the sound of most of the exhaust systems I have found, though the "Jimmy tune" stock mod on this forum is promising... I found a video of a guy removing his cat. while he had it cut open, he started it. WOW! even the monster CI harley dudes I run with raised an eyebrow. Anyone know of someone who has done a straight pipe or open headers with turndowns the right way to be sure they aren't screwing up fuel mixture and so on? I know it is loud and not some people's thing, but it is mine. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Scout

I'm the Jimmy of "Jimmy tune" fame and I agree with you, the stock exhaust is too quiet. Years ago I had a '99 Nighthawk 750 and I put a Vance and Hines exhaust and jet kit in it and loved the sound. It was loud but not obnoxious. I was hoping to duplicate that sound by modifying my stock muffler, and IMO I came close with almost no expense. I haven't touched it since I posted those pictures and the sound clip because for me it's just right the way it is now.

Much thanks for stopping by. That thread you posted in is what got me looking for modded stock exhausts. There I found this:

and drooled over the low end sounds this beastie made. it could use some refining and is louder than needed, but it is beautiful. So deep and savage. Two of my Harley riding buddies who had been ignoring me and my "rice fueled pursuits" while I googled exhausts snapped their heads to the screen and raised an eyebrow when that thing woke up. I have enough caveman in me to love that savage sound and enough IT guy in me to want a Honda. I really wish the guy who posted in the same thread as you with the straight pipe had done a video of his. He has me dying of curiosity.
P.S. The Jimmy Tune has forever made you famous to me. I could see what you were going for and liked how you went about it. A thinker on a budget. You have got to respect that.