| Author | Message | ||
     Turbomustang |
I am in the market for a new exhaust... I took a look at the shootout and it looks like the Keda and the Barker are very close, but the Keda is more expensive. The Barker edged the Keda just a little, but on his site it talks about the tuning. Does anyone know if maybe the tuning on th race ECM was off a little for that pipe? Has Erik Buell Racing started offering tuning specific to the Keda? Thanks for the info!! | ||
| Xodot |
Has Erik Buell Racing started offering tuning specific to the Keda? yes - use the search featurefor a note from Dean last week on this topic good luck and enjoy | ||
| Froggy |
The difference between the pipes HP numbers are minimal, and not something you would notice in the real world. I have a Keda pipe, I love it. The Barker is mass produced, so it has better fit and finish, and lower price. The Keda is home made by a guy in his garage, so it had giant welds and other visual imperfections. Due to the hand built nature, it has a higher cost. I personally don't like the look of the Barker, but whatever floats your boat. You will be happy with whichever you pick. Or you can remain stock and not deal with the BS of removing the exhaust, excessive loudness, BS from cops, etc. | ||
| Brumbear |
I love the Barker so far but Froggy's pipe don't suck either. | ||
| Puzzled |
Turbomustang the pipes are very close. What one makes in a HP or two over the other, the other makes up in acceleration. Deans pipes have a very nice look to them, love the 4. Barker has a great price point with top notch machined parts. Erik Buell Racing has brand specific tunes for both pipes. Fuel Solutions/Twin Cycles has a Barkers specific tune also (Brumbear has it). Is this a street bike? Will you be racing it? Motor upgrades planned? | ||
| Smit3833 |
Barker does have the price point. Dean makes up the difference in customer service, hand made american quality, and a musical sound that can't be beat. Both are loud, but the RT series sounds amazing too. If your concerned with squeaking the most hp out for the buck, go with one of the Keda exhausts. Then go find a Ducati 1198 and see who makes more power. | ||
| Rt_performance |
"The Barker is mass produced" This is Not true. I have personally met Tim Barker and seen his design build shop here in Michigan. It is a small operation with 4 employees including Himself and his Daughter. Not knocking Keda he builds nice pipes and the Erik Buell Racing tune i am sure is as good as the one that was built off my Barker. One nice option with the Barker is the quite core. Not that i have or ever used one thats what ear plugs are for. | ||
| Froggy |
That would depend on how you define mass produced. Either way, Barker is a larger operation with more resources at their disposal. | ||
| Rt_performance |
Just wanted to make it clear that they aren't a huge faceless operation and think there not made in a small shop her in America. | ||
| Brumbear |
Yes both pipes are American made a rarity these days.I wouldn't say either are mass produced. I do have the Fuel Solutions tune tune and I like it better for the street than the Erik Buell Racing race tune, for racing I couldn't tell you but for street use I have run them both and I like the F/S better. I am a portly bastard and do not ride extremely hard and the F/S just seems much more user friendly while making quite a bit of difference in the original fuel setup. I do like that with either tune the bike seems to run cooler add a pipe and my temp's have dropped considerably. Dave | ||
| Jules |
You'd be happy with either, Dean is a cracking guy and has top notch customer service and I love the look of his pipes and the hand built apect. Tim is also superb when it comes to customer service, I'm in the UK and he still managed ot overnight a new pipe to me when I had an issue with mine. I have a Barker because I liked the look, liked the customer service and liked the price. One day I may well buy one of Dean's pipes as I think they have the edge in the looks area, but for now I am very happy with my Barker. | ||
| Mountainstorm |
If you like a one-off pipe Dean can work with you and has a number of options and configurations, and so can tailor your exhaust to your exact needs. You have to pay for that...and if I had the coin that is what I would do. But I chose Barker mainly because it is a great design, sounds right, and I could afford it. Being able to use different quiet cores (I have two) or run it "wide open" is nice, but I ended up just using one QC all the time. The Barker repacking kit is also a plus...priced right and easy to install. I still want a custom KEDA...but I am perfectly happy with the Barker after almost 10K miles. | ||
| Avalaugh |
Don't rule out APH either, my personal favourite just because how it tucks right up under the engine/swingarm recess    | ||
| Bextreme04 |
I went with the keda RT-3 and the matching Erik Buell Racing tune... still in afghanistan until june so i don't know how it sounds/feels yet but the pictures my wife sent me look great!! | ||
| Fatherfrenchy |
I just installed Deans rt-4 system and I have never heard anything like it. I went from being unseen on the road to turning heads every time I ride. I have the Erik Buell Racing racing tune for now and am planning on exchanging for the rt-3 tune that just came out. I cant speak for Barker but I can tell you Keda's is no joke. My only concern is that the pipe is louder than I expected. With that said I have found that it is safer to ride with a louder pipe , people know I am there and usually allow me to split lanes with ease. The sound that this pipe makes is pure hot rod. | ||
| Buell_rida |
I installed a Barker pipe, Erik Buell Racing ECM, and K&N filter last week. It's like riding a completely different bike. I took the QC out of the pipe, and it sounds like no other bike I've heard. Price was right, finish looks great, install was a little tough. Not the most difficult thing I've dealt with. Some on here have downed me for taking the QC out because of noise, but luckily most of my neighbors also ride loud machines. I can't make any comparisons to other 1125's w/ different pipes because I'm the only one in my neck of the woods riding one. | ||
| Bextreme04 |
FYI.. dean tried the RT-3 tune with his RT-4 and said it was not right... he suggested staying with the standard race tune until they come out with the RT-4 specific tune. Sorry for the thread jack | ||
| Tsnake |
what will happen if I use ebrracing ecm for barker's, but with the stock exhaust!? | ||
| D_adams |
Just a guess, it will probably run overly rich. | ||
| Mountainstorm |
I ran the Erik Buell Racing ECM with the original tune (I was an early adopter) and it ran good enough for me. Sounded deeper at idle so yed probably more fuel than stock. | ||
| D_adams |
You know you want one, but at this point, you're going to have to wait....  | ||
| Tsnake |
YOUR SYSTEM GOT MUSCLES! nice looking!!! | ||
| Finedaddy1 |
Ohhhhh.......exhaust porn! That looks so sweet. | ||
| Froggy |
Check out the cans on that one! | ||
| Finedaddy1 |
They look so natural don't they... | ||
| Jdugger |
Echeem! Echeem! Echeem! (sorry, old joke...) |
