| Author | Message | ||
     Poplifedc |
I'm finally going to pick up my bike today. I did take it for a short ride this past Sunday with the stock exhaust. I got the race kit with the ECM upgrade and was wondering will there be much of a difference in performance and/or sound? | ||
| Dagwood |
Top end performance should be increased. You may experience a loss on the low end. The race kit will give you a better sound. When I bought my bike in May I couldn't afford any upgrades immediately. I view this as a good thing in that, I had the opportunity to experience the bike in its stock form and recognized even minor differences in sound and performance as I installed them. | ||
| Kootenay |
Hmmm... I'm still running my bike stock (bought it last January, put it on the road in May), and I'm humming and hawwing. I like the idea of a bit more bark, but I don't want a loud bike; I don't really care that much about top-end power (or I'd have bought a ZX-6R or something), since most of my riding is done in the midrange--I certainly wouldn't want to lose anything there. Are the advantages of an aftermarket exhaust worth it? The single best mod I did on my bike was installing Pirelli tires, playing a bit with the suspension settings (which is free), and working on my riding style and skills (also free, unless if you wanna pop for a few books). | ||
| Dtx |
You want mid-range...get the D&D. I think it is well worth it. The bike is more of a head turner with some good sounding exhaust. | ||
| Kowpow225 |
I really like the tone of the race kit pipe. Anything more and I'd have to consider earplugs on longer rides. | ||
| Glitch |
You may experience a loss on the low end. Opening up the air box will fix that. It'll also give you a nice rumble, not too awfully loud. You want mid-range...get the D&D. None better for mid-range power, only Kootenay don't want a loud bike. There are other pipes out there, and the good thing is, the less loud they are the less you tend to loose. | ||
| Kootenay |
There are other pipes out there, and the good thing is, the less loud they are the less you tend to loose. Thanks, Glitch. I was thinking maybe the Drummer "quiet?" The only reason I might wanna make some noise is to let the deer know I'm coming...dunno if that'd be a good thing or bad (might startle them into running across the road). I like the rumble of aftermarket pipes as well as anyone, but I don't wanna rattle the neighbour's dishes or turn the "wrong" heads, ya know? I did install a 12 airbox (an inexpensive mod) and frame bumpers (ya never know), but I'll stick with my suggestion of better tires being one of the best bang-for-the-buck mods on an XB... | ||
| Poplifedc |
UPDATE: Wow, what a difference in the race exhaust. It is louder but just under the threshold of annoying. The sound is much deeper and really sounds great. I like the slight popping when I let off the throttle. It sounds better than my V-Rod and sounds like what an american sport bike should sound like. I pulled up next to a yamaha last night, dude was zinging his bike. True it sounds like a formula 1 race car with a red line of 20k. I just blipped my throttle and it almost made me jump. I actually felt the ground under me shake. Dude looked at me and gave me a thumbs-up. In all, I'm happy with it. Come on 5pm!!!!!! | ||
| Glitch |
In all, I'm happy with it. Good to hear! I'll stick with my suggestion of better tires being one of the best bang-for-the-buck mods on an XB... No doubt. I love the M1s and the Diablos. I'm using Scorpion Syncs now, I've only been up to the mountains once with them, so the jury is still out. Come on 5pm!!!!!! Yeah come on!!! | ||
| Fullpower |
dont know about deer, but moose hate the sound of the DRUMMER, when i see them they are usually running away. | ||
| Firewhirl |
Race kit is loud. I ride with jap bikes all the time. You know it's loud because even the jap bike owners with loud pipes say my bike is loud. I do loss at bottom end. I'll open up the air box and see if that helps. | ||
| Xxxb9s |
Yes the race kit is loud, I had it in my bike for almost 2 months and I was stopped by cops four times...yes definitely I was getting too much attention. I also had to buy those hunting hearcaps (the one that cut off the bad noise and keep the ability to listen speaking frequencies). Of course someone think the prorace is quiet (compared to other mufflers). I have to add that it sounded really cool and I would have kept it if it wasn't for the cops. Now I ended to a different path, I've chosen the INTAKE SOUND, I fitted a FAST system and it sounds awesome. It is relatively quiet up to 4000rpm then it just barks above it. I gained also some hp and torque (dynoed with my "pants"  ). I also have race ECM, and I've felt a performance gain over the previuous setup (k&N prorace airfilter). I don't get any money if you buy a FAST but I advice you to do that. I think it's what you are looking for. I've stop looking for jappo-like sport mufflers (those that have a nice not-too-loud sound still being more open that stock exhaust) because I think the are not in the market. If you want a open muffler it comes loud (just for Buell) what a pity. Don't buy loud mufflers that have quiet inserts or db killers because they are basically Eddie Murphy's bananas (do you remember Beverly hills cop?  )}} | ||
| Ejiii |
I have the Drummer, race ECM and the F.A.S.T. intake kit installed. The bike really runs great. It runs the way it should have run from the factory. Smooth power off idle all the way to redline. Great general driveability. Not too loud. All around very nice. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
This is a scan of a Buell sales brochure from a couple of years ago that shows the race kit vs stock (wish I could remember if it was a 9 or 12). I could notice the Race kit's loss under 2500 and the dip at 4500 on my 9. I ended up selling the can on ebay and getting a Drummer.  | ||
| Tigerbythetail |
hi..............I ride an XB12R with NHRS Stage 2 heads, FAST.............and the DeepThunder from Hillbilly-Motors Motors. This exhaust system is certainly not loud at low rev..........but above aprox. 3500 RPM........the story changes..........my bike has got a unique sound and the name for the system is deserved. It has never caused a problem with the "race commission" - the German equivalent for the cops" DeepThunder is tiger sound!!!!!!!!!! The advantage of this system is that it is build for the race track works amazingly well with the DB Killers and is legal on European roads. The weight with 5 kg is pretty light due to the Titanium Cans. No more Problems with broken fittings/vibrations. All components are linked with springs and the pipes are beautifully made from stainless steel. So from my point of view..........if you are serious about getting performance.......its difficult to exclude the DeepThunder from your shopping list. Greetings from the lake of Konstance tiger | ||
| Glitch |
Jersey, that's a 9, 12s don't rev that high. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Right.... thanks Glitch. | ||
| Xb12rene |
I have to second the FAST and the Deep Thunder (soundfiles are somewhere in the archives).It is more expansive, because it is a full system, but if you are playing with the idea to change the internals of your engine too, it is the optimal system for you. Like Tiger said the Deep Thunder was built for racing, and is also perfect for the road. In my dealership, what is mostly your typical Harley dealership, everybody knows and loves the bike(especially the sound). Rene | ||
| Buellryder246 |
I have an XB12R that I ran stock for 2,000 miles, and then switched to a D&D pipe with the race ECM and desnorkled the airbox and added a K&N filter. Everything you read on this thread is true.....a high flow pipe set-up will provide more mid-range punch and make the bike sound awesome. But, I gotta tell ya, the noise factor can work against you. I do a lot of inner city commuting with the bike. In stock form, the bike is very quiet, and you can get away with most anything. With the D&D, you sound like you are going faster even when you aren't. The local police tend to associate noise with speed. I am much more vulnerable to getting pulled over with my current setup than compared to when the bike was stock. | ||
| Xxxb9s |
that's exactly what happened to me, terrible i got rid of the race muffler with no regrets...it was killing my wallet |
