Question about making my Kerker 4-1 baffle..

[Guest]

So I recently bought an old, beat up Kerker 4-1 for my 1000G and since I'm not changing my jets right away and to quiet the exhaust up a bit I am going to make a baffle for it.

My question is, is it possible to make and install a baffle where the exhaust and header separate for installation? Basically right under the oil pan? it would be easier to make the baffle there because it is a more cylindrical shape and you'd never see it. But I have a concern that putting a baffle halfway through the exhaust is maybe not okay?

[Steve]

Why "re-invent the wheel"?

Just get a street version of the factory muffler.

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[nealhan]

Could you post a pic of what you are talking about? I just modified my baffle for my Vance & Hines 4-1. I haven't quite finished it yet (needs welding). I basically took that "cyclone" type baffle out and put a typical straight baffle in its place. It's a 1.5" OD pipe, so depending on how this it sounds/performs I may be making my own to accommodate a 2" baffle.

[motokid837]

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo199/Nathan_Catalano/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-02-10%2010.26.54_zpsrboz4ihk.jpg

Can I put the baffle where I'm pointing with the pink arrow? Where the exhaust separates into two instead of in the megaphone part?

Im making one because to buy a baffle, it'd be more than I paid for the whole damn thing!

[nealhan]

Um, what kind of baffle are you referring to? The typical baffle goes into the megaphone part. The only thing I can think of that you could put there is a screen that helps to prevent backfiring and flames.. I put one of these on my son's go kart.. However that will do nothing for noise control... You need fiberglass packing to absorb the noise. That screen worked well on my son's go kart but it was still loud as hell.

[Steve]

Im making one because to buy a baffle, it'd be more than I paid for the whole damn thing!

With that kind of an attitude, you may as well sell the bike and buy one that is LOT more expensive, because virtually anything you want to do is going to cost money.

Rather than think (and say) "that's more than I paid for the bike", think of it this way: "I saved SO MUCH by buying this bike very inexpensively, I can afford to DO THINGS RIGHT."

What is your design for a "baffle"? The baffle is part of the megaphone. In a "competition" baffle, it is usually straight-through, usually with a 2-inch or larger diameter. In a "street" baffle, there is usually an offset where one pipe directs the exhaust into a middle chamber, and another pipe will direct it to the back. The two pipes overlap, so the exhaust has to make a couple of U-turns in the process, which is why they are a bit more restrictive and a LOT more quiet. Anything you plan to add in the collector area will just be pure restriction.

I have not looked into what Kerker has to offer, but my son had to get a new baffle for his MAC on his 650. Apparently, what fell out was a competition baffle, we installed a street baffle. The cost was only about $55, which is not all that much. If that is going to break your bank, I would suggest getting rid of the bike NOW, because it is going to nickel and dime you to death while you try to pinch your pennies.

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[Carter Turk]

I have this one if it's any use to you for modifying the ends or what not

[motokid837]

With that kind of an attitude, you may as well sell the bike and buy one that is LOT more expensive, because virtually anything you want to do is going to cost money.

Rather than think (and say) "that's more than I paid for the bike", think of it this way: "I saved SO MUCH by buying this bike very inexpensively, I can afford to DO THINGS RIGHT."

What is your design for a "baffle"? The baffle is part of the megaphone. In a "competition" baffle, it is usually straight-through, usually with a 2-inch or larger diameter. In a "street" baffle, there is usually an offset where one pipe directs the exhaust into a middle chamber, and another pipe will direct it to the back. The two pipes overlap, so the exhaust has to make a couple of U-turns in the process, which is why they are a bit more restrictive and a LOT more quiet. Anything you plan to add in the collector area will just be pure restriction.

I have not looked into what Kerker has to offer, but my son had to get a new baffle for his MAC on his 650. Apparently, what fell out was a competition baffle, we installed a street baffle. The cost was only about $55, which is not all that much. If that is going to break your bank, I would suggest getting rid of the bike NOW, because it is going to nickel and dime you to death while you try to pinch your pennies.

.

You make a good point Steve, the main reason I try to do things the cheap way is because I'm currently in school and working part time, so I try to pinch pennies where I can, so if I can spend 20 dollars by taking time to drill holes in a 2" pipe, and wrapping it in fiberglass packing and putting a metal screen on one end to help create some more back pressure, id happily try that and see what it did!

P.S. I bought that bike out of a barn for 50 bucks last year

[Steve]

There is a LOT more to baffle design than drilling some holes and wrapping in fiberglass.

Trying to put some sort of baffle in a 2" pipe will have to neck it down to about 1" or so, leaving only about 1/2" of room between the necked-down part and the pipe. That will flat-out strangle the engine, there is no need to even try going above idle speeds.

The baffle that Carter Turk showed above is an example of a straight-through competition baffle, maybe a 2 or 2 1/2" size. I have one on my bike that looks a lot like that, but has a disk in the middle of the tube that requires all the exhaust to go through the perforations, to the outer chamber, then back through the rear perforations to get to the exit tube. Not quite as free-flowing, but a very nice sound.

Here is a shot that shows the MAC street baffle (on the left) and the competition baffle.



There is just no way you are going to be able to do anything reasonable to quiet the system in the collector, so just save your pennies and get one that is already designed properly.

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[nealhan]

Motokid, I'm going to agree with Steve on this one. There is almost no way to effectively fit any kind of baffle system into the collector. I imagine it could be done, but it isn't rational. It would be much easier to try and fab up something to fit into the megaphone, or spend $80 and get a replacement baffle with packing.. At least that's what it runs for the V&H replacements.. Good luck with your venture..

[chef1366]

I have this one if it's any use to you for modifying the ends or what not

I'd get this if it's for your Kerker.
Wrap it and install.
You still need to rejet. Kerker and Yoshi header & can pipes have a larger ID.

[blowerbike]

i never thought i'd hear mac and competition in the same sentence..
all the macs i sold over the years had the strange smashed pipe welded to another smashed pipe baffle.