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traffic exhaust????

By TexasXR650L,
in XR600R & XR650R/L

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TexasXR650L

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Here is the deal, I bought a 2005 XR650L about 2 weeks ago. It is not only a weekend trail toy but it is also my main means of transportation to and from work. I do however live in the #1 city in this nation for running red lights. We are the fastest growing metropolitian city with the worst highway and road system in this country. As part of these facts run through my head, I feel that I might need to be noticed more. I am installing a louder horn. But I feel that a lOUD exhaust will give me more security. I am looking for the loudest exhaust that will not harm my engine as again, its my main means of transportation. I would like to keep my engine as stock as possible, as i have heard that a free flowing pipe can harm my engine if I dont jet my carb. Id like to keep from jetting my carb also, but if push comes to shove, ill do it. Does the jet kit affect my gas milage? Make it less dependable? What suggestions can you give me? Thanx-Samuel ?

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michhub

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Most exhaust changes will require jetting/carb. changes...your mileage will go down and performance will go up....the L is very lean to begin with and 'Dave's mods' are a great start. Instead of looking for a loud pipe maybe something like the Mil Spec vest from Icon would work better to gain visibility...

MikeH

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goblin127

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By doing the carb mods your bike will get alittle worse gas milage ,but it will run cooler. Lean is hot ritch is cool some where in between is where you want to be. Honda sends us the lean bike so that it will meet EPA standards. You want a nice loud pipe try the XRs only one I've got the full system in stainless and its great.

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oilplug

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I can't comment on the traffic situation you face every day but I have done stints in Vancouver which is awful. Loud pipes direct 95% of noise behind you annoying everyone and leading to crackdowns. Only passing do they give anybody a heads up and most cagers are too stupid, or absorbed in drinking their coffee, talking on the cell phone, while thumb typing on their Crack-berry, driving with their knees, to notice you on your bike.

It's up to you to keep yourself safe. I found that riding in traffic is a skill, like riding on a racetrack or riding off road. Learn how to steer aggressively, use the brakes in panic situations (do you ever practice how hard you can stop????), use the throttle to find open space. ANTICIPATION is the key skill. Look for escape routes at lights. I found riding slightly faster then the flow of traffic and hitting the open spots to be the safest I use my high beam in traffic and highly visible and reflective clothing.

Loud pipes saves lives is a myth. Trust your own skill set or take the bus.

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Squash

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Don't let them fool you, loud pipes don't really save lives. Helmets, proper gear, and situational awareness saves lives. THe only comprehensive report on motorycle accidents (the Hurt report) we have clearly states that visibility is key, and also states that bikes with cruiser or racebike mods were over-represented. Which means, bikes with loud pipes were hit by cars more than would be expected given the number of such bikes.

Google it. I'll wait. 'hurt report summary'. Then ask yourself if 100db of directional sound pointed behind you is really going to alert the primary cause of accidents, someone in front of you heading towards you wanting to turn left.

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snaggleXR650

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The L, like most bikes, are shipped jetted lean even with the stock pipe. Any opening of the airbox or exhaust will only worsen the problem. If you don't want to muck around in your carb then don't, but don't waste your $ on an aftermarket exhaust either. As mentioned, you will get the best gas mileage sticking with the stock setup. However, as everyone will tell you, the bike won't be up to it's full potential in power either. As a commuter bike though, keeping it %100 stock will be fine.

Oh and by the way, loud pipes don't save shit, they just cost you $ and annoy others. If you want to be safe on the street, buy a reflective yellow/orange vest, drive with your brights on during the day, and be defensive on the road.

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justicedone

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You may want to use a Baja Designs type big round offroad light, to blind them suckers into submission. But deffinatly wear good gear and a high quality helmet, and drive defensively. I lost my favorite uncle as a kid to a left turner, but it never stopped me from wanting to ride. He used to put me on the back of his dirtbikes when I was 3...way back in the late 60's and I would hold on for dear life as he hit jumps.

Be safe, but live life, cause when your time comes...you cant stop it anyway.

I just lost a very good friends last Sat to a rollover accident on the freeway. He was coming home after bowling with some other friends, and swerved to avoid a stalled car in the #3 freeway lane, there was no alchohol involved..he didnt drink. Was a great basketball player and solid guy. He lost control in flipped several times. He and his girlfriend were killed and 2 others injured. RIP Mark Hall...his service is Monday and I am taking the day off work to say goodbye.

So be carefull, and use the proper equipment and riding skills to servive, but dont worry when riding. Enjoy the life you are given.

Sorry to be posting a downer reply...just been a rough week man. ?

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xr400rider1

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i really dont care what "other" people want, if they dont like it i guess they can turn their radio up. ?

hey TexasXR650L thanks for caring about the sport. on or off road its people with your mentality that cause all the riding areas to be closed and all the sound regulations and ? . the other thing is your not even doing it for performance you just want to be obnoxious. maybe you should just take the bus. :lame:

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TexasXR650L

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hey TexasXR650L thanks for caring about the sport. on or off road its people with your mentality that cause all the riding areas to be closed and all the sound regulations and ? . the other thing is your not even doing it for performance you just want to be obnoxious. maybe you should just take the bus. :lame:

first of all i dont ride on public land, i have my own personal land to ride on. i use my bike as a main means of transportation. second if your so worried about sound regulations, maybe you should be worried about the harleys with straight pipes that drown out any other muffler on the market ?

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InternalCombustion

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I agree with most of the posts, the best defense is proper equipment and proper driving technique. For me that translates to: always assuming that the cager on the street is going to do something that is going put you at serious risk. ALWAYS plan ahead and have an escape path / reaction plan.

When I ride I practice defensive paranoia. To keep it light I make it into a game:what if he turns right now? What if she can't see me? What if a deer jumped out right now?

Re "loud pipes save lives"? Dunno. All 4 of my bikes are loud. But I NEVER intentionally try to piss off or annoy anyone, I always try to respect the other guy.

What will save your life is staying alert and assuming no one else on the road sees you or knows you're there, then riding accordingly.

Ride safe.

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ghoti

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Here is the deal, I bought a 2005 XR650L about 2 weeks ago. It is not only a weekend trail toy but it is also my main means of transportation to and from work. I do however live in the #1 city in this nation for running red lights. We are the fastest growing metropolitian city with the worst highway and road system in this country. As part of these facts run through my head, I feel that I might need to be noticed more. I am installing a louder horn. But I feel that a lOUD exhaust will give me more security. I am looking for the loudest exhaust that will not harm my engine as again, its my main means of transportation. I would like to keep my engine as stock as possible, as i have heard that a free flowing pipe can harm my engine if I dont jet my carb. Id like to keep from jetting my carb also, but if push comes to shove, ill do it. Does the jet kit affect my gas milage? Make it less dependable? What suggestions can you give me? Thanx-Samuel ?

Welcome and where are you n Texas? I have 21,000 (mostly) commuter miles on my 04 L.

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HappyCurmudgeon

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I personally have never seen one shred of evidence that a loud pipe makes you more noticable. (I have seen alot of evidence against anything yammieboy says no matter which angle he comes from he gets torn apart)

I know from my own experience that i never notice a loud bike any more or less, until they pass me or go by at an intersection. It is then and only then that i hear the loud pipe. What good has it done you after you go by me? I simply cant fathom the reasoning behind this concept. I would think it would give people a false sense of security in that they may somehow think they are that much more noticable, when in fact they are no more noticable than they where before. ? If you "feel" safer, that is good i guess, but defensive driving and alertness would seem to me to be more of a factor than a loud pipe.

That being said, my exhaust is a little louder than stock that is true. But it isnt a straight megaphone that will blow the feathers off a bird at 150ft either. My bike runs better with the better flowing pipe & that is why i got it to begin with. Does it make me more noticable? I seriously doubt it. But to each their own, but be aware the more cagers you irritate, the less land we will have to ride on. Make sure the tradeoff you are helping to promote is what you want, you just may get it.

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