Hello,

I just got my '04 SW about 3 weeks ago. I also have an X9 500 and it has a lovely exhaust note compared to my SW Have any of you fit a performance exhaust that would produce a more sporty (and more noticeable / louder) note so that other people in traffic would hear me when I'm approaching? Thanks!

Loud pipes save lives? So do loud radios also save lives?

There are some options. Maybe Bernardo can point to some as I believe he has fitted an aftermarket system to his bike.

I'm not a fan but here is a LINK for 3 made for the Silver Wing.

I make sure when approaching vehicles from the rear to stay out of the blind spots, and get in line with their mirrors and watch them until they see you (side or rear view) that is assuming they use them to begin with

But if you put on one of those custom cans to open up the exhaust, does the engine fuel system have to be modded in anyway?

eggster:
Leo Vince makes a nice free-flow exhaust for the Silverwing. It will cost about $450.00 from Twisted Throttle. It sounds great (a throaty little growl) and paired with a K&N air filter, it will boost your horse power from 5 to 10 percent (roughly 3 to 4 horsepower). You may experience a bit of popping after you let off the throttle due to uncombusted gas exiting the engine. I plan to install a power commander this fall to lean-out my fuel mixture just a little, which should lessen the popping and improve my mpgs.

Have a look (and a listen!) to the following video clips for a comparison between my bike, and my scoot with a scorpion exhaust fitted. Note the exhaust is not made for the Silver Wing, but rather a Yamaha XJR 1300. Dave the mechanic and race specialist who has done most of the Mod work to my scoot fitted it by making a tailored stainless steel connection pipe, and simply fitted the scorpion can on the end...

Firstly my 14 year old Yamaha Diversion, 900cc inline 4 8 valve engine, stock pipes....

http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/willbernardo/?action=view¤t=MVI_5899.flv

Next the Silver Wing with the scorpion exhaust and baffles in


http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/willbernardo/?action=view¤t=MVI_5900.flv


And finally with the baffles out... The video starts with the baffle which has already been removed....

http://s410.photobucket.com/albums/pp188/willbernardo/?action=view&current=MVI_5901.flv



Just to point out here that without the baffles the scoot is er maybe not street legal..... But it does sound good don't you think? Also without the baffles the scoot makes another 2.5 bhp at the rear wheel... Acceleration feels a bit better, and that combined with the sound is a real rush when you ride. I went to London the other day and met up with asmall group from the maxi muppets, a UK maxi-scoot forum. On the way home I rode back through London with the baffles out.... It felt pretty awesome... And I have to say it seemed other folk did keep out of the way a bit more... In fact I'm still smiling now when I think about it...

99% of the time I ride with the baffles in!

Hope this helps with what an aftermarket exhaust sounds like on the S'Wing...

You mentioned that you ride most of the time with the baffles in. Can you just change them out? I am a little baffled about that.

Does sound kinda cool and it might be illegal but if you can put em in and take em out. There are places here I could ride and kinda be like the tree that falls in the forest that nobody hears.

Gary

Yep, and if a man talks in the woods and there's no women around, is he still wrong??

I see in the picture it looked like you had a laminated lip on your wind shield.
What kind? I made one out of an old w/s and works good on mine....
I did put the chrome exhaust extensions on my stock muffler though. Made them out of 1 and 1/4 inch chrome as suggested by someone on the Forum.
I like them...
Old Dave

Thomphoto, I can tell you are a wise man... and so young too....

Gary

Short video or series of stills would be great. Don't go to a lot of trouble, but if you do that, I promise to look at it or them.
Gary

Must admit im kinda tempted to go down the exhaust route ive done it with every other bike and it makes people look in the mirror as your coming up (most are ok noise wise if you slow down in villages etc)

OK. Here are a series of photos showing how the baffles come out. Note in the second photo, the end of my allen key is pointing to the one screw that holds in the baffles.. Once the screw is out, the baffles just slide out... You just have to remember not to do it too soon after the engine has been running...!

I know what you mean about spending money ive got my eye on a xt660x for next summer (if money is there)need enough to keep scoot and bike or i fear it may be just bike with mods (cant keep the child at bay)

Get the pipes because you like the sound or like the performance improvement, not because you want people to hear you coming. The only people that will hear you coming are pedestrians. Cagers with the AC on and the stereo on will not here you coming, they may hear you as you pass them, if they are paying attention and not yacking on cell phones or even worse, trying to text while driving. Just my $.02.

Ride safe!
Wes

When I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Riders Edge Course last year, the instructor said that some folks say that loud pipes are for safety. He also said if loud pipes made riding safer, the insurance companies would be giving discounts for having them. One of the major causes of motorcycle accidents are inattentive auto drivers coming from the opposite direction and turning in front of you, and they aren't going to hear you with their cell phones stuck in their ear and the windows rolled up. If you want to be loud, have at it, but with my quiet exhaust, I can actually hear cars/trucks approaching from behind sometimes, and they're the ones that worry me. Incidently, if you haven't taken one of those courses, I encourage you to do it. I started riding motor bikes(1947 Whizzer) 61 years ago and rode off & on through the years. It was amazing to me what I didn't know and what I learned during that course. It was two nights of classroom work, a full two days(weekend) of riding their course(they supply the bikes-Buell Blasters)plus their riding test, and then a two hour classroom review and the written test. Well worth the couple of hundred bucks it costs. Those Blasters are built by Harley and are tough. They are single cylinder with about 500cc's(1/2 of a Harley engine) and make a jack hammer seem smooth.

Im one for loud exhausts because they reduce accidents(only some)in heavy built up areas when filtering they make people look in there mirrors (again only some)but one is better than none..........I used to ride in London and found that a loud pipe and lights on were a life saver ...Now I ride more outside London theres less benefit except sounding good and more power(which are 2 good reasons)


Most loud pipes are only loud when riding hard so if your sensible you can still have and not offened

You could always get your favorite exhaust sound and play it thru a bullhorn...

too funny Dan! that sort of reminds me of that scene in the Movie "Apocalypse Now" when the helicopters are closing in on the cong village and they are blasting some symphony through loud speakers...

I think the funniest thing I've seen regarding the loud pipes save lives debate occured one morning after a PGR mission. We had stopped afterward for breakfast. One of the HD guys had been telling us all about his latest pipe mod and how it was much safer now that it was louder. He was interrupted by a car cruising past with all of its windows down and the latest hip hop pulsing through the air. One of the GoldWing guys just said, "loud radios save lives." Strange logic fighting strange logic - it was interesting watching the loud pipes guy struggle to find a response.

No debate cars are easier to see and if you dont 9 times out of 10 just an insurance claim if it saves one life its got my backing

[quote="Bernardo"]OK. Here are a series of photos showing how the baffles come out.

Just as a matter of curiosity... do/does the baffle(s) come out of the OEM muffler in a similar fashion?? Or not at all? Would a "straight pipe" exhaust harm the SWing operation??

I know this thread is almost 1 year old, but I'd like to add my $02.
When I had my SH150i, I thought the exhaust note was wimpy, to say the least. I put on a Yoshimura exhaust system. It sounded great to me for a while, and it did add power. My wife complained bitterly about the noise from the Yosh system. Being a passenger, she was closer to the "action". After driving and owning a new Swing, I not only love the power but it's also so quiet. A high performance exhaust is fine if you must have one, but think about the long term. They can quickly become annoying after a short time on the highway. Yes, they're loud and have a nice bark on acceleration, but at steady speed with a small throttle opening, they don't bark. They drone.

LOUDLY QUOTING OBSCURE PASSAGES OF TEXT SAVES BOOKS !

After riding lots of bikes withh different types of exhausts I like quiet. After riding my blackwing for 200 miles with out stopping it does not take half a hour to get all my hearing back. When I ride with the blackwing I can hear the road, birds and children playing loud. I think a 15 dollar vest from wally world is a better investment for safety and save your hearing for latter years. Just my opinion. Cars can not hear the fire trucks I drive they are not going to hear no baffles on a cycle.

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I rode a new Triumph Scramber yesterday at a test ride event that was equipped with an Arrow "silencer." WOW was it loud, but what a fabulous sound. Nice bike, too, but not for me.

Got me wondering about this old thread -- I've listened to the audio clip Bernardo posted of his Scorpion exhaust but I want something more of a straight bolt-on. Does anyone have a clip of what the Leo Vince sounds like on a Silver Wing?

I don't want anything obnoxious, I just want to be able to hear it. Got back on the SWing after riding the Trumpet and I wasn't even sure it was on...