Hey Moke, you were askin'........

[sarnali2]

....why I keep going back and forth with aftermarket cans and stock ones....Well as I was plugging along on my way to work this morning I gave it a think and this is what I came up with..

For all around riding stock ones work best. Factory engineers have to come up with the most power and torque out of each engine they build and they have to do it at the 80dba limit. Exhausts are factored in the fuel mapping, cam designs and airboxes to give an optimal performance package over the full range of operation. Also the exhaust on most bikes is a central design feature so it has to look good too, with few exceptions they accomplish this.

For example, the Suzuki Bandit. The stock can is larger but it's in proportion with the rest of the bike and exhaust pipping, the Holeshot or Yoshi can on the other hand is smaller diameter and looks odd. Same as a BMW K bike, the stock can looks wicked in a Germanic industrial kind of way and accents the bike. A Remus or Arrow blows the bikes lines out of proportion. This was also the case with my bagger, the stock can just looks right on there, while I love slash downs for the style the D&D was a smaller diameters and was aesthetically a sore spot, out of proportion with the rest of the bike.

Aftermarket cans on the other hand only need to make the most power or noise. most of them rob horsepower at lower engine loads where you spend most of your time on the street and in the case of Suzuki's the stock Tii unit is a work of art totally in proportion to the rest of the bike. True you may get a nominal performance enhancement from a Yoshi or Akro but we're talking about street bikes here. There's absolutely no way in West Hell you are using anywhere near a liter bikes performance limits on the street, since that's where a performance can works the best it's a waste of money for 99.9% of the street riders that buy them.

Of course we're all fools in one way or another. myself I keep falling for the sounds cool/ works better line. Off I go and buy a can, slap it on there and go for a spin. Initially I love the sound and it must be faster because it sounds cool.........but there's that annoying pop on down shifting.....well..I can re jet it...that means a new airbox or filter at least, then I'm into money and time I didn't want to spend for "improvements" that don't really suit what I use the bike for, so rather than go further away from the point, I just run them for awhile then after the cool sound has just become noise I go back to stock. The bike runs like a top, no more popping and the worlds a happy place once again, untill next time.

[pushrod]

Generally, I agree.

Specifically, not so much.

Fer instance, the "Off-road" can on my Sprint is the same size as the stocker, and doesn't change the look of the bike.

However, it is quite a bit less restrictive, probably only because the baffle isn't in it. The engine likes the free'd up breathing, and the sound is pure music.

But up in the 'general' category, there are a lot of folks that put aftermarket cans on the STs and they look weird, and are obnoxiously loud. And they pop a lot.

[The_AirHawk]

But I thought that popping was a good thing! Indicative of a well-tuned engine making the maximum dependable power!

[A Star Ride]

Well put sarnali2. I think pipes, cans, whatever ya want to call em are overrated. I'd rather have a drink holder, or GPS.

[sarnali2]

a drink holder would be nice. The only advantage to driving is I can get a latte`

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

a drink holder would be nice. The only advantage to driving is I can get a latte`

Your cigs aren't subject to "forced induction" in the car - that, and the recirculation of the sidestream-smoke makes your habit cheaper!