I'm exhausted

[DrTea]

Hi everyone, newbie here.

I own a 'Y' (2001) plate Dragstar 650 classic. I’ve owned the bike for 5 years - and love it.

I’m not the jealous type, however I do get exhaust envy.

I’ve trawled the interweb trying to find out what my options are on upgrading the exhaust, but I’m still not clear on what road legal options are available to me. I don’t have the inclination to swap the exhaust system every time I’m due an MOT and I’m not interested in trying to make the bike sound like a Sopwith Camel - I like my neighbours. I would like a solution that is a bit more ‘throaty’. Is drilling out the OEM exhaust my best option or is there an off-the-shelf solution that’s road legal and will give me the sound I’m looking for?

Many thanks for any advice given.

Dougie

[Alchemy Roy]

Hello Dougie,

Welcome to the forum.

You've got a few options available, but let me dispell a common myth at this point. When you take your cruiser in for an MOT, the noise is tested only by the tester's ear, so unless the exhaust has physically been embossed with 'Not For Road Use', it's often passed, albeit it little bit more fruity in the noise department (which is expected for a cruiser, by the way), hence it's not always necessary for you to change the pipes back to legal ones when you need to MOT it.

That said, you don't want a set of exhausts that are so loud, your ears bleed.

If you take a look at our website: www.alchemybikes.co.uk, then select Exhausts > your model, you'll see a range of them. Be aware that none of them are street-legal, as there's no demand for these, given their very high cost, but in varying degrees, they'll offer throaty rumbles-a-plenty and fit easily enough. SOme arelouder than others, but as a rule of thumb, the shortest are the loudest. Long exhausts are a distinctive look (not to everyone's taste), but you'll get a lot more of a hairy chest through these.

Two other things to consider:

1. Changing the carb jets: very improtant this, as yours is an older-design engine and as a result, it's run hotter with a free-flowing system, hence the need to re-jet. Some exhaust manufacturers will tell you that their exhaust runs without the need for re-jetting, but this is rubbish, as even if the spark plugs look fine after running just the after-market exhaust, I guarantee you that the fuelling's not right. A Dynojet jet kit should be fitted and if possible, set up on the rolling road for fine-tuning (albeit not essenial).

2. Free-flowing air out demands free-flowing air in and to this degree, you can fit a K&N lifetime filter that will allow significantly better air flow than standard. As an example, you're Dragstar's running up a hill with an orange in its mouth as standard, but with a K&N filter, it's like having 2 grapes (if that makes sense).

If you've got any questions on any of the above, or you want to discuss any of what you see in deoth, by all means get in touch.

Hope this helps,

Roy

[Ttaskmaster]

Ooh... an interesting question!!!

Most want FECKING LOUD pipes on their Cruisers... You and I are about the only ones who care about our neighbours, including my darling other half and her 'Spitfire Fly-By' pipes.

OK, errrrrrmmmmmm........

Option 1 is indeed to drill a few holes in the back of your stock exhaust. Right at the back, put 4-6 holes (but no more) in the disc holding the end of the exhaust pipe central. Sounds obvious, but start with just a couple, then start the bike and see how it sounds. You can always put more in, but you can't easily undo them.

Option 2 is to browse the internet and see what's out there. Any straight-through pipes will be FECKING LOUD. Ideally you want one where you can remove however many of the baffles you need to achieve the sound you like.

Highway Hawk and Vance & Hines are popular brands, I believe.

People will tell you not to bother re-jetting, usually because they never did and their bike is fine.

Every mechanic I know has cited not re-jetting as the main cause of problems on custom-piped bikes.

Who ya gonna believe?

[petercnm]

Hello guys,

just want to join in in this thread. I'm driving a '98 drag star custom, and also looking to change the stock exhaust.

From what i "hear" on youtube, the vance & hines cruzer sounds really good, plus you can choose to put in or let out the baffles.

Can someone explain to me what this re-jetting is all about?

thanks

peter

Ooh... an interesting question!!!

Most want FECKING LOUD pipes on their Cruisers... You and I are about the only ones who care about our neighbours, including my darling other half and her 'Spitfire Fly-By' pipes.

OK, errrrrrmmmmmm........

Option 1 is indeed to drill a few holes in the back of your stock exhaust. Right at the back, put 4-6 holes (but no more) in the disc holding the end of the exhaust pipe central. Sounds obvious, but start with just a couple, then start the bike and see how it sounds. You can always put more in, but you can't easily undo them.

Option 2 is to browse the internet and see what's out there. Any straight-through pipes will be FECKING LOUD. Ideally you want one where you can remove however many of the baffles you need to achieve the sound you like.

Highway Hawk and Vance & Hines are popular brands, I believe.

People will tell you not to bother re-jetting, usually because they never did and their bike is fine.

Every mechanic I know has cited not re-jetting as the main cause of problems on custom-piped bikes.

Who ya gonna believe?

[DrTea]

Many thanks for the very helpful replies.

Alchemy Roy, I'll have a look on your site and pop up to see you sometime soon. I'm in North London so it's easy to get up to you.

Cheers

Dougie

[Ttaskmaster]

Ah-ha-ha, crosposted with Roy

Can someone explain to me what this re-jetting is all about?

Well, there's Roy's explanation below:

1. Changing the carb jets: very improtant this, as yours is an older-design engine and as a result, it's run hotter with a free-flowing system, hence the need to re-jet. Some exhaust manufacturers will tell you that their exhaust runs without the need for re-jetting, but this is rubbish, as even if the spark plugs look fine after running just the after-market exhaust, I guarantee you that the fuelling's not right. A Dynojet jet kit should be fitted and if possible, set up on the rolling road for fine-tuning (albeit not essenial).

2. Free-flowing air out demands free-flowing air in and to this degree, you can fit a K&N lifetime filter that will allow significantly better air flow than standard. As an example, you're Dragstar's running up a hill with an orange in its mouth as standard, but with a K&N filter, it's like having 2 grapes (if that makes sense).

Your bike is set up to work with a balanced X amount of fuel and Y amount of air.

If you alter the pipes, it changes how much air goes into the system and the bike won't run so well. If it's too much either way, the bike won't run at all and you could break it. If you change the pipes, you have to change the jets to keep that balance.

As an example, my other half has straight-through pipes and she has not re-jetted.

The first half of her pipes have gone a burned blue colour.

[petercnm]

thanks, makes sense

So it will put me back an extra 100 euro or so, on top of the new exhaust....

Pfffff

thanks

Peter