Is an aftermarket exhaust worth it? Or should I just rejet?

[GSProdigy]

I keep reading that an aftermarket exhaust is not worth it on the GS. I don't want my bike to sound like a rice burner or a sewing machine. Will I get a more "high performance" sound? I don't hate the stock sound. I just don't want to make it worse.

If I should get an exhaust...which one?

If I don't go with the exhaust I plant to just rejet.

[sotomoto]

Hei you can youtube...many many sounds...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNURd3gti1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx0y-Zf4FQU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZWFccVgHwA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2efIWY2QnM&feature=related

[ben2go]

Aftermarket exhaust is going to be loud because of the flow through muffler.Any exhaust and/or air filter upgrade will require a rejet.The stock bike needs a rejet to help with cold start and being to lean from the factory.

[BaltimoreGS]

If you want it to sound like a 4 cylinder sport bike, it never will.  I think a GS with a pipe sounds like a modified 4 wheeler.

-Jessie

[Suzuki Stevo]

By making your bike louder you will  attract unneeded attention from the wrong people (Leo's), leave it stock...you can zip around in Stealth Mode under the radar 

[ben2go]

If you want it to sound like a 4 cylinder sport bike, it never will.  I think a GS with a pipe sounds like a modified 4 wheeler.

-Jessie

Mine has a deep rumble when I'm just cruising around.When I really get on it,it screams like a super sport bike.I am running the right side muffler from a Hayabusa D&D aftermarket exhaust kit and a K&N lunch box air filter.Properly jetted of course.

[juicecustoms]

I used an aftermarket muffler for another bike for mine and with a rejet kit from "buddha" I only had $130 into the whole thing. You wont get much more performance but it is definitely a huge difference in sound and all I have gotten is compliments from everyone. Other motorcyclists seem to like it too.

[GSProdigy]

If you want it to sound like a 4 cylinder sport bike, it never will.  I think a GS with a pipe sounds like a modified 4 wheeler.

-Jessie

If you want it to sound like a 4 cylinder sport bike, it never will.  I think a GS with a pipe sounds like a modified 4 wheeler.

-Jessie

This is what I needed to hear.

I heard a ninja 250 the other day that sounded like a lawnmower.....




What exhaust did you have juice??

[gitarooman83]

I recently installed the Jardine full system.  I wouldn't say it sounds like an I4 sport bike at all, but it sounds pretty awesome.  It's a very deep, throaty sound and at least doubles the volume over the stock exhaust.  I would highly recommend it.

I started looking into exhaust initially because I live in a high-traffic area and I felt it was much safer to have a loud exhaust so the car riding next to me knows I'm there. 

I know the stock exhaust can't be heard by other vehicles because I couldn't hear it while I was riding the bike.

As far as performance goes, I've noticed more low-end power since the exhaust and rejetting.  I haven't noticed much on the top-end though; I would say it's probably about the same.

[ben2go]

I prefer Jardine over the other GS specific exhaust systems.I just can't justify the price.I have roughly $30 in my entire exhaust system.I bought another header instead of cutting my pristine factory exhaust.

[NickyNumbers]

If price isn't an issue, go with Vance and hines.  The small can exhaust provides a real raspy, throaty type sound.


I'm into my exhaust for 400 because I brought it brand new.  that includes shipping and new jets/exhaust bolts/gaskets. 



IMO, it was worth it although I'd probably do the suspension first if you haven't already.  Its cheaper and its a more important mod.

[The Buddha]

BTW the stainless pipes you buy in te hopes they wont rust are totally worthless. They will and do rust, just a shade slower than normal unpainted un galvanised un alumininsed pipe.
Why ? Stainless is nothing but low carbon steel dipped in nitric acid. For reasons not fully understood the thing forms a coating on itself that can be polished and it retains it and it repairs itself when its scratched.
OK so why does it rust on your bike ... excellent question. Repairs itself when scratched ... but not when heated past its sweet spot temperature. Somewhere near 450F.
My gramma had this SS bowl which was the one and only ss bowl in my house that ever had dark blotches.
Apparently she put it on the stove without a liquid in it. Obviously liquid that is mostly water will retain its temp to ~230-240F max. So the wall will barely get to 275 ... cos its very thin walled. One fine day she forgot and burnt it and it started rusting where it had got hot. Done. Your exhaust will do the same thing. Steel with aluminum coating is the best but sadly it looks like garbage. Thus painted or high temp powdercoated steel ... but that has to be refreshed every other year ...

I wonder if anyone will be making Ti headers ... OK yamaha did, but they still do ?

Cool.
Buddha.

[Toogoofy317]

I started looking into exhaust initially because I live in a high-traffic area and I felt it was much safer to have a loud exhaust so the car riding next to me knows I'm there. 

I know the stock exhaust can't be heard by other vehicles because I couldn't hear it while I was riding the bike.

I dunno but I hate this argument. Loud pipes don't save lives! All it does is aggravate the other people around you. They even did a whole South Park episode devoted to it call " F A G S" it was aimed at HD riders but it was because they were loud. If you want people to hear you put a loud horn on it! $39 at JC Whitney got me a Stebil 139db horn. If the don't "see" you they will darn sure hear you. I've used it twice on the Interstate and traffic that ordinarily wouldn't have moved at all was making room for me to get out of the person that was cutting me off because they heard it and was able to identify something was wrong. The constant sound of a "loud" exhaust isn't going to get people to notice you they drownnthat out by turning up the stereo.
Off my soapbox.
Mary

[The Buddha]

Yea harleys are very un attractively loud, I dont believe any other bike, even a jap big crioser is near 1/2 that bad.
Jap 4's especially of the mid80's early 90's sound so good. Like the maxims and nighthawk's and KZ kawi's or air/oil GS/GSXR's with pipes sound awesome. Not loud enough to irritate any one IMHO ... but still "present" enough to wake up a few of em.
Harleys make a ton of mechanical noise and that idiotic straight pipe "potato potato" ... idiotic.
Cool.
Buddha.

[adidasguy]

BTW the stainless pipes you buy in te hopes they wont rust are totally worthless. They will and do rust, just a shade slower than normal unpainted un galvanised un alumininsed pipe.
Why ? Stainless is nothing but low carbon steel dipped in nitric acid. For reasons not fully understood the thing forms a coating on itself that can be polished and it retains it and it repairs itself when its scratched.

According to other information, you are not correct in what stainless steel really is:

from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel

In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5[1] or 11% chromium content by mass.[2] Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as ordinary steel, but it is not stain-proof.[3] It is also called corrosion-resistant steel or CRES when the alloy type and grade are not detailed, particularly in the aviation industry. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required.

Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Unprotected carbon steel rusts readily when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (the rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure.

Passivation only occurs if the proportion of chromium is high enough.

[reload]

BTW the stainless pipes you buy in te hopes they wont rust are totally worthless. They will and do rust, just a shade slower than normal unpainted un galvanised un alumininsed pipe.
Why ? Stainless is nothing but low carbon steel dipped in nitric acid. For reasons not fully understood the thing forms a coating on itself that can be polished and it retains it and it repairs itself when its scratched.
OK so why does it rust on your bike ... excellent question. Repairs itself when scratched ... but not when heated past its sweet spot temperature. Somewhere near 450F.
My gramma had this SS bowl which was the one and only ss bowl in my house that ever had dark blotches.
Apparently she put it on the stove without a liquid in it. Obviously liquid that is mostly water will retain its temp to ~230-240F max. So the wall will barely get to 275 ... cos its very thin walled. One fine day she forgot and burnt it and it started rusting where it had got hot. Done. Your exhaust will do the same thing. Steel with aluminum coating is the best but sadly it looks like garbage. Thus painted or high temp powdercoated steel ... but that has to be refreshed every other year ...

I wonder if anyone will be making Ti headers ... OK yamaha did, but they still do ?

Cool.
Buddha.

That nitric acid dip is the "passivation" process for ss.  the acid (nitric or citric) helps remove free iron atoms from the surface, promoting a chromium oxide layer. the chrome oxide layer is what makes it stainless.

heating the ss promotes a really thick chrome oxide layer which results in that darkish blueish tint. i kinda like it sometimes lol. you can remove it chemically with more acid but don't bother if its going to be continuously heated

there are other alloying agents that will also help with the "stainless" aspect.

and yes ss can rust. it's just way more resistant to it.

[burning1]

I wonder if anyone will be making Ti headers ... OK yamaha did, but they still do ?

Of the big 4? Not sure... But there are a number of good aftermarket TI pipes on the market for the popular bikes.

[The Buddha]

Adidasguy: Got it thanks, its low carbon chromium steel.

Reload: The blue is typical of chromed steel, stainless does not turn blue (or atleast it hasn't in the few that have ss on my bikes)

Stainless rusts slower in most other uses. On an exhaust it is only slower than naked steel, it is much faster than aluminised steel and very much faster than high temp painted steel.

Cool.
Buddha.

[tb0lt]

Mine has a deep rumble when I'm just cruising around.When I really get on it,it screams like a super sport bike......

You are kidding , right? What kinda sorry ass "super sport bike" sounds like a mellow street cammed 500cc parallel twin?

[cbrfxr67]

I never cared about aftermarket exhaust hype, or maybe it was just the cost(!) of a new pipe, but yesterday I was cruising next to an r6 with a loud pipe in crappy Houston traffic and compared to my stock stealth pipe, he was definitely noticeable.  Here being noticed is worthwhile to keep from getting run over.  Ahead of me at a light the other day, a guy was waiting for the green and some broad decided she wanted his spot and plastered him.  Guy wasn't even moving, traffic wasn't even moving, and there was his bike leaking oil & coolant all over the place on its side.  How hard does a bike have to get rammed to bust the crankcase and the radiator?  wtf?!  So, I'm thinking of a louder pipe for that reason.  .02