Pipes/Exhaust

[Kiid-_-Buru]

Hey Y'all,

i'm writing this thread to see the opinions and what fellow riders have, i have an 09 ninja 250, and will be changing the exhaust, will be getting a slip on, debating between two bros, area p, and yoshi. i know there are more out there, i just would like to hear you guys opinions and thoughts.

My intention was to get a bit louder than stock (i'll be keeping it anyways), because some cagers cant hear this little ninja coming or if i'm nearby. Just for your information i am Deaf rider ha!

Do Let me know your thoughts and opinions

Appreciate it in advance !

[csmith12]

Hi Kiid!

First off and to get it out of the way, it don't matter how loud your bike is. Without getting into the debate of "loud pipes save lives", you must ride like they don't hear OR see you. Let's hope this thread don't degrade into that overdone argument. :\

As far as which of those is loudest; the two bro's is the loudest, then it's a toss up between the yoshi and areap. And I don't remember areap selling a slipon only, just full systems. Sure you could use one of their mufflers, but would need an adapter made to fit the stock header (differences in pipe size).

You may know better than all of use being a deaf rider and all, but seems like the yoshi would have a sound that would "carry" the farthest distance. When at the track (30+ bikes running), the areap and yoshi bikes have distinct sound that is different from the rest. Each of those two having their own sound. At least those catch "my" attention. Perhaps I just like the sound of those two more. lol

Oh! There is also, Leo V. some racers really like those too, but they get lost in the mix of other riders on the track.

As far as street goes, no bike really stands out imho unless they are doing something silly like hitting redline. Otherwise, they mix into the normal ambient noise of city traffic. Even HD's mix in to me, unless I am behind them then they are loud as hell but being behind them is a different risk level and kinda negates buying the pipe for "getting noticed" ahead of time.

[Kiid-_-Buru]

Csmith12, thanks for the reply im not trying to get into that overdone argument, just trying to see others opinions. haha yeah being deaf rider is fun and challenging i'll admit, i don't depend on others, i use my eyesight quite often, but some say a louder noise can make a small difference. i'm just looking in order to be more safer on the streets since its my only vehicle and everyday commuter haha. if yoshi can hear the farthest then its a matter of me deciding between those two, i mean i don't want others to say my bike sounds awful (not that i'll be able to tell anyways ha), but if it gets their attention then let it be haha. i appreciate your input and opinion, it'll help me in deciding wether or not its worth it. the intention was to get noticed ahead of time, but if it doesn't do that much then there isnt any reason to get it am i right?.

[cbinker]

[csmith12]

imho... and a bit of common sense tells me that a exhaust pipe with the business end pointing behind you isn't gunna be best suited to alert people ahead. Perhaps an upgraded horn is really want you after. However, while sitting at a light with the window down through a downtown city street, sound can reflect off buildings and can be heard from a block away under the right conditions, but I wouldn't spend money chasing it.

I literally just drove 1000 miles to FL and passed many bikes and some passed me. Inside the cab of my new car, I can't here them until they are right beside my door or in front of me. A quiet cabin is one of the features that I look for in a cage. Even once in front of me, I can't hear them for more than a few car lengths. This is how new car cabins are being designed. It is what it is...

Buy a pipe because you like the sound, or for performance reasons.

Not sure if I am helping you or not and I wish a few others would offer up their opinions or links to threads where this has already been somewhat covered. Although your perspective is unique due to not being able to judge the value for yourself, and after all... it's your arse on the line.

[NevadaWolf]

If you want just pure awful sound, not heard one worse than the MGP Growler. Had one on my bike when I bought it and it gave me a screaming migraine within 30 minutes riding it.

As far as what drivers around me thought? Dunno. It didn't stay on the bike long enough to judge.

[verboten1]

The carbon fiber yoshimura I had on my ninja sounded great, my buddies said it sounded like a race bike pretty much 100% of the time lol

[Aufitt]

Buy a 2bros,

your ears will bleed about the same time it falls apart a week later,
and you'll realize there is more important things in riding than making everyone angry at hearing a warbling parallel twin which is probably the worst sound on earth...

Like roadcraft to stay alive.

[cbinker]

In truth from my experiences, most people don't even notice a Fire Truck running hot until it is on their asses, and people think motorcycles need to be loud to be seen and heard.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Kiid-_-Buru

.......Just for your information i am Deaf rider ha!

Sounds have been very important for me to stay alive in traffic.
I cannot imagine how I would do it using only my eyes, my sense of balance and the feel of vibrations coming from the engine and road.
Would you mind explaining us what your personal experiences have been?

Regarding your original question, I would recommend a light modulator and a stronger horn and wearing light colors.
Improving your riding strategy is the safest way to reduce the risk of not being seen in traffic.

[greg737]

but some say a louder noise can make a small difference.

these people are spewing nonsense.

Regarding your original question, I would recommend a light modulator

I agree completely with Motofool.

I've got a headlight modulator on both of my motorcycles. The headlight modulator makes you visible to the people who wouldn't normally see a motorcycle. These are the people who otherwise would crush you and then tell the officer, "He came out of nowhere!"

[choneofakind]

Let's also not forget that unless you put a megaphone on a full exhaust header, these things really aren't that loud... Especially compared to a huge Harley with a straight pipe or a liter bike with a full exhaust. At idle, they're no louder than a car when you step 15 feet back. It's different at full song under load, but if you do that all the time around town, you're just coming off like a jerk.

[InvisiBill]

I put Sarachu slipons on my 500. They're slightly louder than stock (especially echoing around in the garage), but I specifically got something that wasn't too loud because I didn't want to annoy others or give myself a headache while riding. My non-scientific test has been to watch pedestrians while riding around in town. A few have turned to look at me, but most don't even seem to notice I'm there. The Sarachus give it a slightly deeper sound and weigh less than half of the stock mufflers though.

I have two stories about loud bikes. A while back, I was at a T intersection with a Harley (I was on the bottom leg, he was on the right). It was a nice summer day, so I had my window down. I turned left near the end of the light, so the Harley ended up right behind me when it turned green for him. A couple blocks later, I turned right to head home. With me turning and him continuing past me, his exhaust was basically pointed right at my open window. It was one of the loudest bikes I'd ever heard. Before that point, I hadn't even heard him.

On Friday, I was on a road with two lanes each way. I was in the Volt on battery, so there's no engine noise. I suddenly noticed the sound of a bike near me. He was next to my rear door, in my blind spot already. As he passed me, it seemed to be a typical Harley - not the loudest bike I've ever heard, but definitely not trying to be quiet either. I think he had to get close enough for his exhaust to reverberate off my car before I could actually hear him.

Just based on simple physics/acoustics, exhausts aren't very good for indicating where a bike is. Higher frequencies are very directional, so our ears are good at determining where the sound is coming from. However, most exhausts point straight out the back, so all that sound is directed straight back. It's great for letting the car following you hear where you are... Lower frequencies bounce off objects better so they tend to travel around more. However, the fact that they echo around makes it very hard for our brains to figure out where the sound is actually originating.

People do use sound to detect vehicles. My Volt has a special Pedestrian Alert horn (and other EVs have various noisemakers) because it's nearly silent in parking lots. I had one woman almost walk out right in front of me in a main traffic lane of a parking lot recently. A louder noise is going to be inherently easier to hear. However, a louder exhaust is just going to be an indicator that something is somewhere nearby. Don't expect it to let cagers instantly identify exactly where you're positioned. Like the experiences csmith12 and I had, I wouldn't even expect many newer cars to be able to hear you all that well anyway.

Making your bike annoyingly loud all the time, just to possibly have someone have a slightly better chance of hearing you in very specific situations, is a jerk move in my eyes.

[choneofakind]

Ever heard a biiiiiiiig Harley with straight pipe open it up and run through the gears? Holy **** you feel it in your chest if your car windows are down. That's just stupid loud.

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Ever heard a biiiiiiiig Harley with straight pipe open it up and run through the gears? Holy **** you feel it in your chest if your car windows are down. That's just stupid loud.

Heard and seen them set off car alarms. Obnoxious!

[Racer x]

I would go with the Yoshi full system.

[Somchai]

I guess no other exhaust in case of noise will beat the Totsubo

[Kiid-_-Buru]

Originally Posted by Motofool

Sounds have been very important for me to stay alive in traffic.
I cannot imagine how I would do it using only my eyes, my sense of balance and the feel of vibrations coming from the engine and road.
Would you mind explaining us what your personal experiences have been?

Sure what kind of experiences are you referring to? night riding day riding or just how i depend on eyesight only or ?

Originally Posted by csmith12

...Perhaps an upgraded horn is really want you after.....This is how new car cabins are being designed. It is what it is...
.Buy a pipe because you like the sound, or for performance reasons...

i can see multiple said that upgraded horn is what i need, i will start looking at it, and i agree with the cars being designed to block out noises and majority vibrations till its right next to you, and as for pipes for sounds that doesnt apply to me haha, and i love my 250 wouldnt want to mess up the performance maybe in the future, but as for how many things i can do, it's fine the way it is, just a matter of who's the rider and for me to take it beyond its limit.

Originally Posted by greg737

these people are spewing nonsense.

i'm starting to see that based on few replies. Just wanted to see what you guys had to offer that's all

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

Making your bike annoyingly loud all the time, just to possibly have someone have a slightly better chance of hearing you in very specific situations, is a jerk move in my eyes.

my intentions wasnt to make it obnoxiously loud, i mean it wouldnt affect me anyways, but i dont want others to be that obnoxious anyways, the entire purpose was for safety reasons, i can tell that that some pipes arent even worth buying just a waste of $$, those im avoiding, because the things i want are for enjoying ride, and being safe at the same time, because i have a disability isnt going to stop me from enjoying my ride, just means i got to be more aware than an average person.

[Proteus]

In my experience the only time cars will notice you based on sound is when you're right next to them. This could be helpful in stop-and-go traffic to prevent the car next to you from quickly changing lanes without realizing you're there.

I have noticed a few bikes in my car that I heard before I saw right next to me on the expressway.

[SMman]

I might sell my carbon fiber FMF from my 250. Its only been used for 1600 miles. I can get an actual picture if you are interested.