Best muffler bargain

[GS750GUY]

GS750 Guy here again!
I'm considering replacing the mufflers on my 78 GS750EC.
Are the universal fit EMGO mufflers from JCW any good?
I don't want to spend $500.00 for mufflers but then again I want some form of quality. I read a comment somewhere in the site where someone bought a pair of universal mufflers and was not really happy with them because they were very loud (almost like straight pipes) and he said the chrome was only about one atom thick and started coming off within just a few months after installing them. However he did not say what brand they were. These I want to be sure to stay away from.
I would appreciate advice from all of you with experience in this area. It will be my first set of mufllers bought so I want to do it right.
Thanks!
GS750GUY

 

[JHawkins]

I just picked up a Vance&Hines 4-1 for my bike as the mufflers were shot. It was $269.00 shipped from Motorcycle Superstore. I figured by the time I got mufflers and got them attached properly it was just as sensible to buy a whole system.

 

[KCGL1800]

EMGO Universal Fit 26'' Mufflers

EMGO Universal Fit 26'' Mufflers

I don't know about the quality but the price of $77.99 each seems right for these:

http://www.cyclestuffusa.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=13676

I'll bet someone on this forum has some first hand experience with these.

Ride safe and often.

 

[ron bayless]

GS750 Guy here again!
I'm considering replacing the mufflers on my 78 GS750EC.
Are the universal fit EMGO mufflers from JCW any good?
I don't want to spend $500.00 for mufflers but then again I want some form of quality. I read a comment somewhere in the site where someone bought a pair of universal mufflers and was not really happy with them because they were very loud (almost like straight pipes) and he said the chrome was only about one atom thick and started coming off within just a few months after installing them. However he did not say what brand they were. These I want to be sure to stay away from.
I would appreciate advice from all of you with experience in this area. It will be my first set of mufllers bought so I want to do it right.
Thanks!
GS750GUY

I bought my 80 gs 1000 from a guy whod had taken some emgos off and went back to the original mufflers/exhausts.He thought the emgos looked like something you would find at a garage sale for $20.00.I would advise spending a great deal of money for a MAC or Vance and Hines system.They are exhaust people,especially V&H.The flow and head pipes are all designed to give maximum performance,good sound,and controlled back pressure so they will work with various jets, mods,filters,and I have been told their quality is very good.THe EMGO brand will probably look good but not perform well.Just my opinion based on rider reviews I have seen.

 

[GS750GUY]

Best muffler bargain

I just picked up a Vance&Hines 4-1 for my bike as the mufflers were shot. It was $269.00 shipped from Motorcycle Superstore. I figured by the time I got mufflers and got them attached properly it was just as sensible to buy a whole system.

Thanks, I have seen and am considering the Vance&Hines 4-1 and still have not ruled them out. They appear to have a high quality chrome job done on them. I just like the looks of the original more balanced look of the 4-2 better. I will probably have to go with the 4-1 system because of the cost of high quality 4-2 systems.

Thanks for your advice.
GS750GUY (Harold)

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

MAC finish is crap
You could try and talk your HD dealer out of a pair of mufflers

 

[koolaid_kid]

I try to avoid slamming any company, but I would hesitate purchasing mufflers from JC Whitney. The quality of the chrome would be questionable, at best.
If you do decide to go 4 into 1, be sure and investigate whether you can retain your centerstand. My V&H on my GPz allows it, but many brands do not.

 

[Gene]

I just put an emgo on a CB450 Honda. Decent looking and slightly louder than stock but not objectionable. Definitely not as quiet if that is important to you. I hoped it would be quieter.

 

[Jarrod]

what year is your GS I have the stock exhaust system off of my bike I
MIGHT sell...it is in super shape.
they are off of my 1977 GS 750 with 9,000 miles on them....

 

[argonsagas]

I don't know about the quality but the price of $77.99 each seems right for these:

http://www.cyclestuffusa.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=13676

I'll bet someone on this forum has some first hand experience with these.

Ride safe and often.

Take Lynn's advice. See an H-D dealer for take-offs and ask for a bargain....you may well get a very decent price. Someone a year or so ago posted a price of nil.....meaning free, as they have to get rid of them.


As to EMGO.....my experience with this brand has been such that it should read ME GO... AWAY...and find something better.

 

[duaneage]

I think MAC is terrible, I had a bad experience with a pipe from them and they ignored my request for another one. I would pay more money for V&H since quality matters in exhaust.

Suzuki pipes seem to have outlasted Honda and the rest but eventually they go bad.

 

[GS750GUY]

Best Muffler bargains.

Best Muffler bargains.

MAC finish is crap
You could try and talk your HD dealer out of a pair of mufflers

Thanks for the advice.
Do you just basically take whatever they have and use pipe adapters to make them fit?
GS750GUY

 

[GS750GUY]

Best muffler bargains.

Best muffler bargains.

Take Lynn's advice. See an H-D dealer for take-offs and ask for a bargain....you may well get a very decent price. Someone a year or so ago posted a price of nil.....meaning free, as they have to get rid of them.


As to EMGO.....my experience with this brand has been such that it should read ME GO... AWAY...and find something better.

Thanks for the advice regarding HD mufflers. Do I just basically take whatever they have and use adapters to make them fit?
GS750GUY

 

[GS750GUY]

Best muffler bargains

Best muffler bargains

I just picked up a Vance&Hines 4-1 for my bike as the mufflers were shot. It was $269.00 shipped from Motorcycle Superstore. I figured by the time I got mufflers and got them attached properly it was just as sensible to buy a whole system.

Thanks for the advice. Did these work with your center stand? Did you have to do any regetting to the carbs?
GS750GUY

 

[GS750GUY]

Best Muffler Bargains

Best Muffler Bargains

Thanks guys for all your help. I will check with the local HD dealership and see what they have to offer.
GS750GUY.

 

[JHawkins]

Thanks for the advice. Did these work with your center stand? Did you have to do any regetting to the carbs?
GS750GUY

I did have to rejet with the Vance and Hines, not too big a deal though. I have only replaced the mains right now, still need to get some pilots and change the needle. Even without the carbs fully done it is running far better than the old pipes.


I would definately check out the Harley shops though. I went to one locally to see if they had any. If they did have them they would have gave them to me for free, but they didn't have any. Someone fixing up old bikes had come and cleaned them out!

I figured if I could get the mufflers free then I would be ahead of the game even if I had to pay someone to make them work and do the welding and such.

Since I couldn't get any for free I decided to go for the Vance & Hines.

 

[JHawkins]

Thanks for the advice. Did these work with your center stand? Did you have to do any regetting to the carbs?
GS750GUY

Oops, missed the centerstand question. No problem at all with the centerstand, looks like no problem changing the oil filter either.

The installation of the pipe was simple. I had the old pipes already off, so it just bolted right up, 20 minutes and she was purring like a kitten.

I had no problems with the old pipes coming off. I had the bike warmed up real good, turned it off and shot some penetrating oil on the bolts while still hot. 5 minutes later they backed right out easy. Not everyone has the same luck, not sure if it was my technique, or just luck, but it worked!

 

[duaneage]

This is a MAC painted header after a single 20 mile ride:

Called twice right after this happened and was assured that they would send me another when they were back in stock. I guess authorizing a retailer to give me another was not an option. They basically ignored me.

Note the incredibly sexy and clean GS front end in the background. I love every part of these bikes.

 

[GS750GUY]

I did have to rejet with the Vance and Hines, not too big a deal though. I have only replaced the mains right now, still need to get some pilots and change the needle. Even without the carbs fully done it is running far better than the old pipes.


I would definately check out the Harley shops though. I went to one locally to see if they had any. If they did have them they would have gave them to me for free, but they didn't have any. Someone fixing up old bikes had come and cleaned them out!

I figured if I could get the mufflers free then I would be ahead of the game even if I had to pay someone to make them work and do the welding and such.

Since I couldn't get any for free I decided to go for the Vance & Hines.

After you installed the Vace & Hines and prior to rejetting, how well did the bike run without rejetting? Did you rejet just to get the maximum performance out of the engine, or was it a case where the engine would not even run wthout rejetting?
I also tried our local HD dealer for some take offs and the guy laughed and said he did'nt know what I was talking about. But then again this is a HD dealership that probably charges people just to walk in the front door.
GS750GUY.

 

[JHawkins]

After you installed the Vace & Hines and prior to rejetting, how well did the bike run without rejetting? Did you rejet just to get the maximum performance out of the engine, or was it a case where the engine would not even run wthout rejetting?
I also tried our local HD dealer for some take offs and the guy laughed and said he did'nt know what I was talking about. But then again this is a HD dealership that probably charges people just to walk in the front door.
GS750GUY.

Without rejetting it ran OK, not great, probably roughly the same as the old mufflers with no guts in them ran. Maybe better down low, and up high. There was definate lean popping around 4000 rpm though.

With the new mains in it, it ran really good up high, good down low, The midrange had a distinct dead spot though, and lean popping in the 4000 rpm range.

Last night I dropped the needle clips down a notch and it is running much better in the midrange and even snappier down low, but desperately needs a sync. It is much more responsive to throttle input, just not running smoothly because of the sync.

I have a feeling when synced it will be a significant improvement over stock.