Exhaust mod.

[PhredValk]

I've seen several types of exhaust mods on here, from just tips, piggies, drilling and glass packs. I've been wondering if anyone has just cut off the cans behind the front baffles and put on a truck stack. I wonder if using a glass pack is all that necessary. I'd like to know if anyone has tried it, and how it turned out.
Fred.

[Flat6Valk]

exhaust back pressure is good for your bike.  I think some sort of muffler is important.  The less muffler pressure equals the greater need for rejetting.  That is just my opinion. 

the stock exhaust mods or glass pack mod seems to be the overall best way to noise it up for the money.  the cobra pipes and the Mark T options will give the best sound according to most.

Im stuck on the exhaust mod I did on my stock pipes at this time.  they are quiet at idle and almost perfectly louder under throttle.

Search the options, make a decision, search again till your satisfied.

Good Luck. 

[Ricky-D]

Upon a thorough inspection of the stock exhaust system you will find that each individual exhaust has a very small diameter pipe for quite a bit of distance originating from the exhaust port of each cylinder.

My own feeling about this is that the pipe itself will suffice when considering all the questions regarding needed pressures and scavenging characteristics.

If you look at all the aftermarket pipes, they usually have a large diameter pipe running right from the exhaust port. This will definitely affect the performance characteristics of the motor, mostly in a detrimental fashion. (read this as requiring more additional work for a positive outcome)

Some modify the existing stock system just as you propose with no ill affect to the performance of the motor. I don't think any claims of better performance are substantiated making theses modifications either, although some will claim differently, especially the manufacturers.

So what you are considering doing ought to work out without any adverse consequences except a more noisy exhaust, or quieter depending upon the final configuration.

***

[X Ring]

My first exhaust mod was the cans cut off and a truck stack with the front baffles installed.  By changing the position of the baffles in the stacks you can alter the sound.

Marty

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

On my first Valkyrie I modified the Stock Exhaust by cutting the rear of the canister off and marking it so I could weld it back on. I removed all of the baffles and the Y Divider ,removing everything in the canister,then I welded the end cap back on and shortened the Piggies.This way I had the look of the stock exhaust but had a better sound and I gained some Horsepower.It really made a difference and pulled harder when I shifted through the gears at higher RPM's.A friend of mine and I both had Valk's and before the exhaust mod we ran the same(DRAG RACING),but after the mods I could pull him about a bike length every time we shifted gears.So there are some mods that you can do to the stock exhaust to gain Sound and Performance.

[Alien]

I've seen several types of exhaust mods on here, from just tips, piggies, drilling and glass packs. I've been wondering if anyone has just cut off the cans behind the front baffles and put on a truck stack. I wonder if using a glass pack is all that necessary. I'd like to know if anyone has tried it, and how it turned out.
Fred.

That is exactly what I did to my bike.  20K miles later and it still sounds and runs great.  It was my intention to make glasspack inserts for the truck stacks, but I prefer the sound without. 

[moreira72]

I've seen several types of exhaust mods on here, from just tips, piggies, drilling and glass packs. I've been wondering if anyone has just cut off the cans behind the front baffles and put on a truck stack. I wonder if using a glass pack is all that necessary. I'd like to know if anyone has tried it, and how it turned out.
Fred.

I just did the mod you ask of.

I cut 7 1/2 inches off the rear of the can, (which eliminated the rear baffles) and then slammed the truck stacks on. I also bought the silencers from MarkT.

Here are two videos of the sound without the silencers

Honda Valkyrie 4 inch Truck Stack Exhaust Mod silencers removed	powered by Aeva

and with the silencers installed

Honda Valkyrie 4 inch Truck Stack Exhaust Mod with silencers	powered by Aeva

[rmrc51]

I personally like then "with" the silencers. 

[MarkT]

Why OEM exhaust mods improve performance:

Mods to the stock exhaust that reduce the excessive backpressure of the OEM muffler, and change it's configuration from 6-6 to 6-2 which adds scavenging, produce significant and dyno measurable, butt-dyno noticable performance improvements, regardless of unsubstantiated opinions to the contrary. This is not opinion - it's fact, measurable by dyno and repeatable.  The stock headers alone provide sufficient backpressure for the engine for optimum torque - and removing and/or replacing what's downstream of the headers, will not affect mixture sufficiently to need rejetting - especially with the addition of a header collector to provide the scavenging effect, which also improves breathing some.  Glasspacks absorb much of the noise that used to be handled by the muffler, but without wasting engine power pushing against all those baffles.  This is where most of the performance improvement comes from - recovering the energy that was previously wasted. The silencers I "invented" - or more accurately adopted from the OEM rear baffle set, when that baffle set is used as silencers, a "mixing chamber" exists upstream of the baffles, so each exhaust pulse goes through all 3 baffles instead of the original one-to-one relationship - so flow is much better than in the original design.  Still blocks the sound waves pretty well, but with much less energy wasted pushing against backpressure.  

[BF]

I've seen several types of exhaust mods on here, from just tips, piggies, drilling and glass packs. I've been wondering if anyone has just cut off the cans behind the front baffles and put on a truck stack. I wonder if using a glass pack is all that necessary. I'd like to know if anyone has tried it, and how it turned out.
Fred.

PM fudgie.  I think thats what he did to his. 

[Tropic traveler]

I agree with MarkT. The concepts he laid out are tried & true hot rodding & racing principles. Where most of your aftermarket pipes lose performance is through the huge increase in primary pipe size which kills torque.
The 3 into 1 effect of a glasspack mod using stock head pipes has all the right principles combined. Proper factory designed primary pipe size {notice the contoured transistion & smaller i.d. of stockers vs. Cobras} & the scavenging effect of the collector are the key to increasing performance. 
For my taste stockers are too quiet & Cobras baffled or not are too loud. That's why I love my glasspack mods. 

[photochaser]

Has anyone followed this procedure? If so, what were your findings?

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/pipes101.htm

[Gavin_Sons]

I've seen several types of exhaust mods on here, from just tips, piggies, drilling and glass packs. I've been wondering if anyone has just cut off the cans behind the front baffles and put on a truck stack. I wonder if using a glass pack is all that necessary. I'd like to know if anyone has tried it, and how it turned out.
Fred.

PM fudgie.  I think thats what he did to his. 

This is what I did to mine.  Cut 10 inches off the cans and tig welded my stacks on. They were too loose without welding. I need to get some silencers for longer trips.

[Chrisj CMA]

I did the opposite, extended the piggies and it made the engine smoother and quieter.  Added bunches of horse power too  

[photochaser]

OK. I got the "official" viewpoint of my passenger - my wife. "Don't make it louder."

So is there anything I can do to make the sound better, but not louder? Pipes 101 says just cutting off the piggies will do that. Any other opinions?

[MarkT]

OK. I got the "official" viewpoint of my passenger - my wife. "Don't make it louder."

So is there anything I can do to make the sound better, but not louder? Pipes 101 says just cutting off the piggies will do that. Any other opinions?

No it won't.  That's where "drone" comes from.  And why folks keep buying my piggy plates. Which repair the cut off piggies.  Sooner or later I'm going to run out of them.  There will be NO source for them then.

Luis Cajiga - the author of Pipes 101 - is wrong on a number of points.  He also, personally, didn't subscribe to what he wrote about making the exhaust louder but was a year 2000 customer of my trombone glasspacks.  The "Ragnar Mod " is probably the WORST exhaust mod ever conceived for Valkyries but it lives on thanks to being propagated by Luis's article on Shoptalk.  There have been far more exhaust systems ruined by that idea than have liked it, and I've made a TON of money helping folks back out of that abomination.  The Pipes 101 article should be filed in File 13.  Yesterday.
EDIT. I note the link to the page about the Ragnar Mod is gone.  Thanks to the staff for recognizing the mod created more problems than it helped.

You can make the sound better but not louder if you do the glasspack mod, while saving the silencers and insert them into truck stacks downstream of the glasspack.  You will have a deep rumbly, pleasing sound that's only a little louder than stock, and you can muffle it more by inserting a large wad of SS wool between the glasspack & silencer.  AND you can pull the silencer and have larger, deep rumbly sound you can enjoy when mama's not there.  Not to mention you will make noticably more power and torque and have a custom look and sound.

The above is not cheap compared to whacking off the piggies, but it's not a mistake either.  If you are a DIY guy you can save money.  Or if not, I happen to know the world's Foremost Authority on Valkyrie Exhaust Mods who can do it for you.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Valk_Products/M2W_Exhaust__System/m2w_exhaust__system.html

[Valkorado]

Agree with Mark on cutting the piggies.  Just don't.  That drone will reverberate through your helmet and drive you bat sh!t crazy!   

[photochaser]

OK. I got the "official" viewpoint of my passenger - my wife. "Don't make it louder."

So is there anything I can do to make the sound better, but not louder? Pipes 101 says just cutting off the piggies will do that. Any other opinions?

No it won't.  That's where "drone" comes from.  And why folks keep buying my piggy plates. Which repair the cut off piggies.  Sooner or later I'm going to run out of them.  There will be NO source for them then.

Luis Cajiga - the author of Pipes 101 - is wrong on a number of points.  He also, personally, didn't subscribe to what he wrote about making the exhaust louder but was a year 2000 customer of my trombone glasspacks.  The "Ragnar Mod " is probably the WORST exhaust mod ever conceived for Valkyries but it lives on thanks to being propagated by Luis's article on Shoptalk.  There have been far more exhaust systems ruined by that idea than have liked it, and I've made a TON of money helping folks back out of that abomination.  The Pipes 101 article should be filed in File 13.  Yesterday.
EDIT. I note the link to the page about the Ragnar Mod is gone.  Thanks to the staff for recognizing the mod created more problems than it helped.

You can make the sound better but not louder if you do the glasspack mod, while saving the silencers and insert them into truck stacks downstream of the glasspack.  You will have a deep rumbly, pleasing sound that's only a little louder than stock, and you can muffle it more by inserting a large wad of SS wool between the glasspack & silencer.  AND you can pull the silencer and have larger, deep rumbly sound you can enjoy when mama's not there.  Not to mention you will make noticably more power and torque and have a custom look and sound.

The above is not cheap compared to whacking off the piggies, but it's not a mistake either.  If you are a DIY guy you can save money.  Or if not, I happen to know the world's Foremost Authority on Valkyrie Exhaust Mods who can do it for you.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Valk_Products/M2W_Exhaust__System/m2w_exhaust__system.html

MarkT,

Thanks for keeping me from the bad exhaust mod. What stopped me originally was my neighbor (motorcycle mechanic at a BMW/Triumph dealership). He said he had heard some Valks that sounded like "two four-bangers in a fight". Not good.

Looking at the info on the site, I'd be looking at $499 to do just the glass packs on my pipes. Is that right?

I appreciate all the help!

[MarkT]

Sell price on stock pipes - $250-$600 depending on condition.
Just the glasspack mod from me using your cores, put back together with stock covers, $499 + ship.
Other options, depends on what you want, the numbers at the above link are current, kinda don't want to make this a sales post. Roughly twice the above number for the description in my previous post.  You can go higher with crossover, Organ Pipes, 5 inch stacks, or if you need me to provide cores.  You get a priority if you send in your cores (meaning your bike is down). You can also find cores at ebay, Craigs list, classifieds here, and have them shipped to me making your bike not down - and then sell your stockers once your custom pipes arrive.

[Tfrank59]

I have the stock exhaust on my girl and that's the way I'll leave her.  I think the only real difference mods make is the sound--okay, maybe a few more ponies (like the bike even needs it!), depending on the mod and then there's rejetting, etc.--but in the case of Valks, Honda didn't really make the stock exhaust such that the bike is all constipated, like for example my 09 Triumph Bonnie stock exhaust was.  Had to open those up--that bike was ready to explode with that EPA junk on there holding her back!  But my 98 Valk doesn't have that problem, and my simple mind says leave it alone, unless you feel real adventurous and don't mind spending lots of time and money for a meager result.  Just my 1.5 cents
Tom

[Gryphon Rider]

I cut off my piggies and drilled the rear baffles years ago, and am happy with the mildly increased sound.  If they drone, I've gotten used to it and am not bothered by it.  YMMV.

If I had money laying around for modifications to my Valkyrie, a MarkT system would be on the list.

[h13man]

Piggy's cut & 12 1/2" long slash cut tips. Nice mellow throaty sound not the "tinny/whiney" sound using the stock tips. Also running a K&N with no lean condition. Between the pipe mod and the K&N @ 4000 rpm and above The Fat Gurl  (akaAdelle) sings with  a pronounced baritone voice.

[Flat6Valk]

I did just that on my IS.  I like the sound but I like the sound of Two Brothers exhausts better.  I have that set up on my standard.


Greg
Flat6Valk