One of the first things most riders do when they first purchase a bike is to change out the stock exhaust system with an aftermarket motorcycle exhaust. If you have a sportbike you may just opt for some slip-ons. A cruiser will usually require a full exhaust system. The benefits of aftermarket systems is an increase in power as well as that it will improve the sound of the bike. When you get your bike from the factory the baffles usually restrict the sound of your bike so much that it can be barely heard as well as restrictions in exhaust flow are in place which restrict the horsepower. The other most significant factor especially on sportbikes is the weight reduction a full race exhaust system can offer.
If you are the proud owner of a Cruiser you are most likely to replace the stock exhaust system with an aftermarket system. There are many manufacturers available for cruisers. Cobra, Vance, and Hines, and Samson are just a few. Most of these will reduce the weight of the stock exhaust system by about 15 pounds, increase the performance of the bike, and will make it louder. A new system will run somewhere between 300 to over 1000 dollars depending on the system you choose. Cobra makes some nice exhaust systems at a very affordable price. If you have a V-Twin whether it’s an American or metric bike a new motorcycle exhaust will make the bike sounds ten times better than any stock exhaust. If you do decide to drop the OEM pipes and go with an aftermarket system you will need to adjust your carburetor or have someone remap your fuel injection system in order to accommodate the new pipes. If you do not you will find that the bike will not perform properly or it may even cause engine damage. If you have a fuel-injected bike you will likely need to buy a power commander to make the adjustments needed to accommodate the new exhaust. When figuring out the cost of getting a system make sure you figure this into the equation. I recommend that you have the system installed and the bike tuned by a reputable motorcycle shop.
OEM Exhaust Systems on Sport Bikes have become fairly decent, however many restrictions are still put into the OEM systems due to laws that have been passed. For a sportbike, you will tend to have a choice of just replacing the Cans or replacing the whole exhaust system. This is really a matter of how deep you want to get into it. Retuning is going to be needed, either way, the only real question is if you want to spend a few hundred bucks or a thousand or so. Usually, there is significant weight reduction by going with a full system replacement versus just the slip-ons. The Slip-ons are the cheaper way to go and still get the most bang for your buck. You will definitely need to get a power commander to remap the fuel injection. A lot of the newer literbikes that are coming out already have a full titanium exhaust system on them so all you need is to replace the cans to take out the restrictions. There are lots of manufacturers to choose from when picking an aftermarket exhaust for a sportbike. Here are a few: Cobra, Vance, and Hines, Two Brothers, Yoshimura, Jardine to name a few. Choosing one is just a matter of taste.
Remember no matter what system you decide to go with it is important that you get the bike tuned to it to get the best performance from your bike. It is recommended that you have the exhaust system installed and the bike tuned by a reputable shop.
