Straight pipes

[elfhazard]

I'm wondering if there is any disadvantage (or i guess what effects it will have at all) to putting straight pipes on a 77gs550 without changing the stock airbox. I was originally going to swap the airbox for pods but a guy at my local bike shop said the way the bike was designed it actually wouldn't get as much air with the pods as it would with the stock box. Does this sound true to you guys or is he giving me false information?

[andrewclaycomb]

The guys making the most power on this site seem to be running pods. They seem to be the ones who know how to tune really well also.

Most people stay away from them because of tuning headaches.

[doctorgonzo]

Pods are tough to get tuned right (unless you have the good sense to just buy the jet kit from dyno), but once tuned definite power increase, plus, I can pull my carbs in about 3 minutes (and put them back in), as opposed to wrestling with that airbox.

[Nessism]

Pods with a tuned pipe, on an otherwise stock engine, will provide about a 5-7% HP boost, if you are lucky. On a 49hp 550, that amounts to about 3 HP. I've seen dyno curves in different magazines testing 1000's with different pipes and most fall into this range.

Oh, and the engine will run lean with pods unless you rejet.

[doctorgonzo]

Pods with a tuned pipe, on an otherwise stock engine, will provide about a 5-7% HP boost, if you are lucky. On a 49hp 550, that amounts to about 3 HP. I've seen dyno curves in different magazines testing 1000's with different pipes and most fall into this range.

Oh, and the engine will run lean with pods unless you rejet.

That sounds about right. Pods maybe 5% or 6% and open exhaust maybe another 2% or 3% for a best case 8% or 9%. On a 1000 at 88 HP, that 8% takes you up closer to 95 HP which is nothing to sneeze at.

[AOD]

Why would you want to run straight pipes on one of these bikes? Do you like looking like an assclown?

Keep the stock exhaust on or buy a used performance pipe on Ebay if you want it to sound better (or louder). Louder is not always faster....or cooler, in my book.

~Adam

[BlackStar]

If by straight pipes you mean individual pipes with no collector, you will loose any power gain you get by installing pods. Individual straight pipes kill power. As stated above, get a 4-1 header with a baffle if you want power

[andrewclaycomb]

An open exhaust won't kill HP as much as low end torque. You can get a bigger top end with proper tuning but you will have nothing in the bottom RPM range.

[doctorgonzo]

An open exhaust won't kill HP as much as low end torque. You can get a bigger top end with proper tuning but you will have nothing in the bottom RPM range.

Which on these bikes is saying something. I don't have **** for power until about 4000 and it doesn't really start to pull until about 6000. That's with stock pipes plus pods. Pretty typical for these inline 4's I think.

[elfhazard]

Why would you want to run straight pipes on one of these bikes? Do you like looking like an assclown?

Keep the stock exhaust on or buy a used performance pipe on Ebay if you want it to sound better (or louder). Louder is not always faster....or cooler, in my book.

~Adam

as much as i love to be an assclown it's mostly because all the teenage girls in their jettas and on their cell phones don't seem to see or hear me and end up trying to drive me off the road without even realizing. so maybe if there hear something, them just might look first.

are there any decent mufflers or tricks to still get decent power while keeping each cylinder on it's own exhaust?

[doctorgonzo]

as much as i love to be an assclown it's mostly because all the teenage girls in their jettas and on their cell phones don't seem to see or hear me and end up trying to drive me off the road without even realizing. so maybe if there hear something, them just might look first.

are there any decent mufflers or tricks to still get decent power while keeping each cylinder on it's own exhaust?

No idea where the thread is, but there is a guy on here who runs headers... that's right, nothing but headers. I've seen the pics of his bike. I've also seen another who only had VERY short pipes attached to the headers, might try some searches to see if you can locate them and see how it's worked out. I know they said they were brutal loud.

[drhach]

as much as i love to be an assclown it's mostly because all the teenage girls in their jettas and on their cell phones don't seem to see or hear me and end up trying to drive me off the road without even realizing. so maybe if there hear something, them just might look first.

are there any decent mufflers or tricks to still get decent power while keeping each cylinder on it's own exhaust?

Just bear in mind that loud pipes do not save lives, they just make people hate you, some of whom are politically connected and have more money than GOD. Ride defensively and invest in a very loud horn. I ride in Chicago traffic. The best thing you can do is assume that nobody sees you or that they do see you but could really care less about you. I've had people swerve at me. I've had people try pass me in my lane. Loud pipes would not have changed any of those scenarios. Pay attention, expect people to do stupid things because they most likely will. Take an MSF course. That will help you more than any mod that you can do to your bike. Check the statistics on the number of people who don't "see" or "hear" ambulances with their sirens on. For every idiot proofing thing that you do, there is a bigger idiot to ignore it.

[AOD]

as much as i love to be an assclown it's mostly because all the teenage girls in their jettas and on their cell phones don't seem to see or hear me and end up trying to drive me off the road without even realizing.

You've gotta ride where they aren't. If you live in a busy city or suburb area, you the risk of dealing with crappy drivers each day. Straight pipes aren't going to change the behavior of other drivers one bit.

~Adam

[gerwintown]

i kinda think there is something really cool about a super loud bike...well at least for a few minutes....

[doctorgonzo]

i kinda think there is something really cool about a super loud bike...well at least for a few minutes....

Me too, especially the bigger of these japanese fours (like my 1000). I think they kick Harley's ass. It's down on priorties at the moment, but an only very slightly muffled 4 into 1 is in my future.