Exhaust swap

I currently have stainless Scorpion cans on my bike. As its a black bike, the mahoosive 2 silver cannons just dont seem to sit right with me.

Since I got the bike a few weeks ago, ive found I cant ride without my moulded earplugs in as these cans around 4-6k rpm, make my ears ring. Yes I know... ride harder you tart! Truth is I use the bike for work a lot so im in traffic quite a lot.

Its not the decibel level as I think theyre really pretty quiet, even with the baffles removed. I think its the tone/pitch/boom?that just gets me. To reference it, my CB1000r has a Racefit Growler system which is insane loud, but that doesnt bother me. Go figure!!!

Ive seen a few high level exhausts on these and think they just look the spuds. Since seeing pictures of these, I know I HAVE to do this! I know a decent shop that can make me high link pipes, but im wondering if theres cans out there that will be less "boomy" but can be quieter or louder? The blue flame twin ports look amazing and I like the sound. Heard video of Quill too. They sound like theres not much boom?

Dont suppose anyone is in need of a swap or has the short Blue Flame or similar cans surplus?! Im not really looking to drop £500+ on cans as this has been bought as my commuter/mile muncher bike. I was gona spend nothing on it. Problem is ive fallen in love with it!

Not posted this on the wanted section, as im looking for advice as much as actual cans tbh.

Cheers!!!

It doesn’t answer your question but…my second Bird came with Micron carbon fibre end cans and they made a totally different noise to stock - more of of a ‘v8 burble’ at idle and a deep noise when revved. I despise loud exhausts and they worked well for me.

Also I would endorse trying different types of ear plugs - different plugs seem to work for different people - there are sellers on eBay (at least there used to be) that sell mixed sample to try. I too went down the moulded route and didn’t get on with them at all…found the big Orange soft foam jobs (EarSoft?) worked really well for me.

andyBeaker said:

It doesn’t answer your question but…my second Bird came with Micron carbon fibre end cans and they made a totally different noise to stock - more of of a ‘v8 burble’ at idle and a deep noise when revved. I despise loud exhausts and they worked well for me.

Also I would endorse trying different types of ear plugs - different plugs seem to work for different people - there are sellers on eBay (at least there used to be) that sell mixed sample to try. I too went down the moulded route and didn’t get on with them at all…found the big Orange soft foam jobs (EarSoft?) worked really well for me.

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Ill keep a lookout for Micron too then. Cheers!

With my Scorpions, only half the problem is the noise. The other half of the problem is the sheer mass of silver on a black bike. My eyeballs just cant deal with it!!! Wish I could unsee the high level setup but it just has to be done now!

Ill be interesting tryna fab a motech rack to take oem panniers, AND pass a high level exhaust setup without melting boots, boxes, or bank accounts!!!!

I get your point on the ear plugs. Im not a fan of any tbh but needs must!

I was pretty happy with the Pipe Werx blued titanium end cans I had on mine. Nice without being offensive. There wasn't much increase in sound with the baffles whipped out, which was good as they had a laser cut 'X' in each one.

PD75 said:

Ill keep a lookout for Micron too then. Cheers!

With my Scorpions, only half the problem is the noise. The other half of the problem is the sheer mass of silver on a black bike. My eyeballs just cant deal with it!!! Wish I could unsee the high level setup but it just has to be done now!

Ill be interesting tryna fab a motech rack to take oem panniers, AND pass a high level exhaust setup without melting boots, boxes, or bank accounts!!!!

I get your point on the ear plugs. Im not a fan of any tbh but needs must!

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ear plugs preferable to tinnitus!

Cougar377 said:

I was pretty happy with the Pipe Werx blued titanium end cans I had on mine. Nice without being offensive. There wasn't much increase in sound with the baffles whipped out, which was good as they had a laser cut 'X' in each one.

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Quite like them. I even think the baffles are pretty trick! Its the stainless I just cant handle. Obviously looks well on yours with the blue, but mine being black means I just need to hide the mass of stainless!

Ive even contacted a local company to price ceramic coating on the link pipes. (Headers im not arsed about. Theyre hidden and im not looking for power).

andyBeaker said:

ear plugs preferable to tinnitus!

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I have a medical every 2 years at work, including hearing tests so yeah very much so!!!

PD75 said:

Quite like them. I even think the baffles are pretty trick! Its the stainless I just cant handle. Obviously looks well on yours with the blue, but mine being black means I just need to hide the mass of stainless!

Ive even contacted a local company to price ceramic coating on the link pipes. (Headers im not arsed about. Theyre hidden and im not looking for power).

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Just had a look on their website. Can't believe how much they've gone up since I got mine.!
If you want black or carbon cans with a carbon end cap at a reasonable price then have a look at MTC.
The guy who started the company is ex Blue Flame. The wife's had a couple of cans for different bikes from them in the last few years and the quality is very good.

PD75 said:

Quite like them. I even think the baffles are pretty trick! Its the stainless I just cant handle. Obviously looks well on yours with the blue, but mine being black means I just need to hide the mass of stainless!

Ive even contacted a local company to price ceramic coating on the link pipes. (Headers im not arsed about. Theyre hidden and im not looking for power).

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Black Widow are also worth a look. The wife's got one of these on her Ninja 400. It's seen all year round commuting for the last 5 or 6 years and is not showing signs of wear yet.

Cougar377 said:

Black Widow are also worth a look. The wife's got one of these on her Ninja 400. It's seen all year round commuting for the last 5 or 6 years and is not showing signs of wear yet.

CBR1100XX Blackbird 4-2 Exhaust Link Pipes + 400mm Oval Black Stainless Carbon Tip Silencers

4-2 Silencer Kit Fits CBR1100 XX SUPER BLACKBIRD 1997-2007 Designed to fit the Honda OEM Downpipes and our own Black Widow Downpipes Fits and works

www.blackwidowexhausts.co.uk

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My mate has a 2001 fi model with shorty Black Widow cans and its LOOUUUUD!!!
Lovely note but you hear him in the next county!!!

Im trying to keep this bike fairly low key, but I do like a good exhaust tone. Best ive heard are the Blue Flame twin ports and the Yoshis so far. Info re the build quality on these is very interesting though, as they are priced pretty keen, and plenty of choice on black cans. I may see if they do a high level link pipe....

Ill keep my CB as my asbo bike!!!

What do you prefer on the CBR over the CB.??

Robbi said:

What do you prefer on the CBR over the CB.??

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Well thats took a couple of brews to mull over...!

The CBR has endless power. In comparison though it feels like "lazy" power, as the bike has rarely felt like its trying even when I was up at a fair old whack! 3 digits comes up quickly but feels like 50mph! Its butter smooth but an absolute missile!
The CB in comparison is immediate power and the front end comes up in several gears with zero effort! Thats partly due to all its mods though too.

I like the fact its a crazy amount of bike for the money. (I got a really good deal according to my local mechanic garage).

I love the fact this community is passionate about the bikes. The CB lot rarely post on the forum and dont seem too active or bothered.

I like a bigger tank and better mpg!

I dislike the weight of the thing, but ill get used to it, and the riding position is alien to me, but the vfr clipons I have mean it could be worse!
Oh and I dislike the look and sound of the polished scorpion cans. But thats being picky and im trying to fix!

Other than that, im totally sold on these things.

Nah then owd lad, first of all welcome to the madhouse, sadly most of us on here are too old & knackered to ride a Bird anymore, the good thing is most have been on here for years & know each other’s humour, it’s not just a Biker’s forum but a friend’s forum with little or no censorship.
Secondly, you have purchased the best bike ever made, the grin factor is through the roof however it would be very easy to lose your license due to the ease of speed, my advice would be to enjoy the bird for as long as you possibly can, anything you need to know about it you will find on here along with willing hands in your area….oh, that doesn’t read quite right, nobody wants willing hands in their area, what I meant was anybody on here living near you would probably help.
Don’t be shy, join in the banter, most of it is in fun.

When you get a chance ride a real bike and do a comparison. Here’s my 2nd Bird alongside my 5th Busa. Not got either any more, like most of the others on here they’ve gone to pastures new. And t’Norton alongside

. Great reply.

I'm now on my third 'Bird and I just love them, I love the great linear power that will take you to wherever you want

I've had the ZX12R, GS1200, 900 Hornets, Jotas, VN200 and I keep coming back to the' Bird, this is a 2002 injected one with 13,000 miles on it.

Just had new rear suspension fitted, reconditioned forks, cam chain tensioner, plugs, air filter, full oil service, new chain and sprockets, headlight protector, stainless fairing fixings, double bubble screen, power take off point, phone / Sat nav mount, tank bag mounting ring and bags, givi monokey rack etc...

Looking at a big European run this summer. ( well big for me. .) but off to the NW200 for the evening racing on the 9th May, burgers, chips and a beer at Joe's pub on the way back... . Doesn't get much better.

At 64 the older I get the faster I was but... Well, you know. I must have been very fast.

I ride mine regularly, it has after market cans, Jaws bar risers, comfort seat... And it's RED... obviously the fastest colour!!

Enjoy your 'Bird my friend.

derek kelly said:

Nah then owd lad, first of all welcome to the madhouse, sadly most of us on here are too old & knackered to ride a Bird anymore, the good thing is most have been on here for years & know each other’s humour, it’s not just a Biker’s forum but a friend’s forum with little or no censorship.
Secondly, you have purchased the best bike ever made, the grin factor is through the roof however it would be very easy to lose your license due to the ease of speed, my advice would be to enjoy the bird for as long as you possibly can, anything you need to know about it you will find on here along with willing hands in your area….oh, that doesn’t read quite right, nobody wants willing hands in their area, what I meant was anybody on here living near you would probably help.
Don’t be shy, join in the banter, most of it is in fun.

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Its appreciated pal cheers!

I do like the fact theres some good banter, but a wealth of knowledge on here. I can chip in with the banter 100%, but im lacking in any knowledge of these rascals at all at the mo.

In the next couple weeks im hoping to strip bike down a bit and go over it with a mate who has one (fi model). He rebuilt his after a spill and knows these pretty well. Plus as I start doing all the modifications, ill be in a position to chip in with things ive found, cock-ups I made, and things not to do (as im pretty good at doing them!).

Every day's a school day as they say!!!

PD75 said:

Its appreciated pal cheers!

I do like the fact theres some good banter, but a wealth of knowledge on here. I can chip in with the banter 100%, but im lacking in any knowledge of these rascals at all at the mo.

In the next couple weeks im hoping to strip bike down a bit and go over it with a mate who has one (fi model). He rebuilt his after a spill and knows these pretty well. Plus as I start doing all the modifications, ill be in a position to chip in with things ive found, cock-ups I made, and things not to do (as im pretty good at doing them!).

Every day's a school day as they say!!!

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Thank you for calling your inanimate motorised bicycle ‘it’ rather than ‘she’ or ‘her’.

Others please note.

andyBeaker said:

Thank you for calling your inanimate motorised bicycle ‘it’ rather than ‘she’ or ‘her’.

Others please note.

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I do sometimes refer to it as "she" but its very rare and usually only after its done something fantastic like not kill me at warp speed, or stick in a corner when it had no right to! I was talking to DEG5Y the other day about this. The centre stand scraped in a corner. A long, knee down corner. A footpeg scraping corner! The bike stuck but I filled my britches when it caught, stopped and whipped off the centre stand. The centre stand is currently in the Peak District. That day, the bike was a "she!"

Then again ive referred to my girlfriend as "that" before now (yes I got a slap) and I regularly call the kids "it" when im speaking to one of them about one of the others.
Oh and my daughters boyfriend is ONLY ever referred to as IT or THAT (until he proves hes worthy, but at 18yrs old itll be a while).

PD75 said:

I do sometimes refer to it as "she" but its very rare and usually only after its done something fantastic like not kill me at warp speed, or stick in a corner when it had no right to! I was talking to DEG5Y the other day about this. The centre stand scraped in a corner. A long, knee down corner. A footpeg scraping corner! The bike stuck but I filled my britches when it caught, stopped and whipped off the centre stand. The centre stand is currently in the Peak District. That day, the bike was a "she!"

Then again ive referred to my girlfriend as "that" before now (yes I got a slap) and I regularly call the kids "it" when im speaking to one of them about one of the others.
Oh and my daughters boyfriend is ONLY ever referred to as IT or THAT (until he proves hes worthy, but at 18yrs old itll be a while).

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Don't justify yourself to Beaker.
Bikes are female and only someone who is not allowed one would think otherwise.

PD75 said:

I do sometimes refer to it as "she" but its very rare and usually only after its done something fantastic like not kill me at warp speed, or stick in a corner when it had no right to! I was talking to DEG5Y the other day about this. The centre stand scraped in a corner. A long, knee down corner. A footpeg scraping corner! The bike stuck but I filled my britches when it caught, stopped and whipped off the centre stand. The centre stand is currently in the Peak District. That day, the bike was a "she!"

Then again ive referred to my girlfriend as "that" before now (yes I got a slap) and I regularly call the kids "it" when im speaking to one of them about one of the others.
Oh and my daughters boyfriend is ONLY ever referred to as IT or THAT (until he proves hes worthy, but at 18yrs old itll be a while).

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The well established forum rule is that it is only permissible to call a motorised bicycle “she”, “her”, “he” or ”him” if you have had sex with it.

Many, in fact most, on here qualify..