Best exhaust for a Kat

[WildKat]

I've currently still got the stock Suzuki exhaust on my Kat. Yeah, Yeah I know, what am I thinking..but I just bought it about 4 months ago, and gotta save money back up again. But anyways, what do you all have for full exhaust or slip-ons, for your Kat.

Yosh, D&D, Micron ?

Open to suggestions as to what you guys think works/sounds the best.

[The CyberPoet]

There's a host of different opinions on what sounds best, and what gives you the best performance boost. Pre-98, post-98? 600 or 750?

KNOW THIS:
If you replace the headers with larger diameter headers or substancially reduce the back-pressure in another way (such as eliminating the collector in the stock set-up), you will need to adjust your carbs to balance the higher flow, and may need a jet kit to accomplish the balancing act.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

Its a 2000 Kat 750. I'd like to do the full exhaust, and that comes with including a jet kit. But just dont know if I have the funds available to do the whole system, but maybe Santa will be good to me . I've found some slipons by Yosh & Micron, that I really like, so I may just go that way at this point, unless something drastically changes. The slipons dont really add much HP that I know of, correct ?

Great info as always poet!!

[The CyberPoet]

Most slip-ons won't make any significant difference to your power (using a lower resistance oil will yield more performance gain than a typical slip-on), but many riders love the sound difference -- and that sound difference can give you a sense of more speed very readily

To put it a different way -- the engine has a set bore & stroke & compression ratio. Without altering those, the only power increases you can make involve how fast the engine can spin up (lightening the reciprocating masses or reducing the friction levels), how much the bike has to push (lighter wheels making the biggest possible difference), or how fast the engine can breathe (i.e. - inhale the proper fuel-air mix and exhale the exhaust from the detonation). The biggest choke point in the breathing cycle is the exhaust header, but moving to a larger diameter exhaust header drops the back-pressure, something which traditionally reduces the lower-RPM torque values (say under 7k RPM). This is why many "race" bikes use some sort of valve in the exhaust system (to regulate the back-pressure, so you get the best of both worlds). If you spend most of your time on the Kat in the peak torque range (6800 - 9300 RPM on our late model Kats), then it's worth considering a full system. If you spend most of your time tooling around at 5500k RPM (& below) in top gear (highway miles at 70 - 75 mph), then it really isn't worth the cost of the investment, IMHO.

Sidenote: I rode an R1 the other day, and I have to say the sound was mesmerizingly sweet -- I could listen to it all day... but that ride also taught me that an R1 definitely isn't the bike for me -- too cramped, too hunkered down, too purpose-built for a purpose that doesn't match my habit of eating hundreds of miles at a pop. K1200, I'm ready for a test ride!

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

Im sort of in the middle with my riding style as far as RPM's go, I try to reach up the numbers when I can, but I also spend a considerable amount of time just chilling around 5500 rpm world, due to the higher traffic (police-patroled also) routes that I take to work as I try to ride every day possible to and from work. Might just go for a slip-on now, and then get the full later, and if its not compatible, I can always sell it on ebay, or keep it for a rainy day or whatever. But things can change, so we'll see. But thats definately the next mod due up over the winter months.

I understand about the back pressure better now, after reading this thread, so thanks for the heads up on it.

The sound is definately mesmorizing, and I've been listening to alot of different slip-ons here of late, trying to get a feel for what I want to go with.

[Special K]

Yea, I agree with the poet on this one.

Slip-ons have no power advantage, just sound and look cool.

As for exhaust systems for your bike, I like the Vance & Hines SS2R, or for more sound (louder) go with the D & D. Be prepared though - it's about teh loudest out there! I like them, but a lot of folks don't.

The Canadian pipe Hindle sounds great, and I hear tell from several that the performance is high!

Micron looks and sounds very good.

Yosh? Only Ok in my book. The RS3 is actually just a pipe within a pipe........not very performance oriented as the actual pipe that the exhuast flows through is very small! The other Yosh's are better!

Just my H. O.! 8)

[WildKat]

Im looking for all the advice I can get on this, and so far, it's all good.. Thanks!!!

The Yosh I was looking at it, mainly due to the fact that a couple buddies of mine have em, and they seem to look good, and sound nice, and they nothing but good to say about them..but then again, they've got yosh stickers all over their rides, so I'll take that for what its worth..LOL

I know the D&D is excrucitatingly (is that a word? lol) loud, and my son might not enjoy it too much when I start her up in the morning..

I've been listening to some sound bites, from a dyno run on various different slip ons, while I was at work tonite, and Im liking the Micron more and more. So Yeah I didnt think there was much of a power advantage, but this stock can has just got to go by spring, wayy to quiet..LOL

[Mr. Clean]

I have the full D&D Chrome Show and Go system with a CF can on my 2002 600. It is loud but I think it sounds awesome. I had to rejet as well, there is no way around it unless you want your bike to run like crap. While I was at it I put in the K&N air filter. My roommate has a 2003 600 Kat. He went just with a Wilyco slip on. The Wilyco was extremely affordable. I think he spent $150 on it. You will have to paint the mid pie though, it comes bare metal. It is much quieter but it gives the bike a throaty mean sound. As for power comparison we had both bikes on a drag dyno tonight at the bike rally going on here. His 600 actually produced a little more torque than mine. But in over all speed and take off I beat him. It could be because I'm a better rider too. I'll post the numbers tomorrow because right now I need sleep.

[Anonymous]

I'm for the V&H idea because I like the sound + their economic price (I think?), just in case Santa turns out to be a SOB this year.

[Owlman]

Exhausts

Well, I also have the stock "silencer" on mine and the guys in Ottawa gave me a hard time during the rally...I was the stealth Katana. Mind you my bike still stood out amongst all the others 'cause it's the fastest color - yellow. Most of them had Hindle exhausts, and they do sound great. KitKat has a Yosh and it also sounds good, but not as loud as the Hindles.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with any of the above mentionned slip-ons. They're alllllllll noticeably louder that the stock silencer.

RightonQ (aka Owlman)

[The CyberPoet]

Oh, another note:

Aftermarket end cans need to be repacked every couple years with new fiber material (think glass matting). Over time, it breaks down and gets blown out (or sinks down) and the sound dampening gets reduced.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

Good point poet!! I had heard that also. How hard is it to repack it ?

[The CyberPoet]

Good point poet!! I had heard that also. How hard is it to repack it ?

Figure two to three hours max, including removal and reinstallation of the end-can. You need a drill, a rivet gun, about half a dozen rivets, plus the new matting material (usually $25 - $40, retail).

There's a good write up of it here:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/howto/122_0309_howto/

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Range]

if you get Hindle...your automatically part of the "cool gang"

Hindle is one of the only pipe that has performance gain to it in its slip-on form...part of this can be attributed to the fact that Lang Hindle is a former AMA champion.

The can comes in Carbon Fiber, Titanium, and Stainless Steel (not chrome) 18", 20" round and oval...stealth and supersport so you can "tailor" your exhaust to fit your preference.

Speede has CF, Junior has a 20" round, Jackal has an oval Titanium, I have an 18" round...and they are all relatively quiet...untill you unleash it...then its sounds ferocious

[The CyberPoet]

I have to say, I did like sound of the hindles at the rally... unlike my impressions of many of the other cans out there (such as the D&D's, which I really found so loud as to be annoying).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet