Topic: Straight pipes... Problems?

[Elniniomuchachos]

So I want to have louder and meaner sounding pipes on my 550. But I don't want to damage or modify my stock 4-4.
Besides the possibilities of having to re-jet and all that jazz, is there any thing I should be concerned about?
Will this cause damage to the motor because of the lack of backpressure?
Will I loose compression?
   Power?

I was looking to do something similar to this (maybe a little too small pipe for my likings, but you get the idea).
basically straight 4-4 pipes.

[scottly]

Won't do any damage as long as the motor isn't too lean, but it might draw unwanted attention from law enforcement officers..

[BLUE71TURBO]

  COPS BIG TIME !!   
                             

[scottly]

LOL!!! Is that you, elnino?

[Elniniomuchachos]

  COPS BIG TIME !!   
                             

Aw hell, if those harleys can be as loud as they are, I'd like to have a word with an officer that decides to pull me over.

[scottly]

Stay out of Jerome! They have a noise ordinance.

[Elniniomuchachos]

So with the proper reconfiguration of the carburetors there wont be any damage... but what about loss of power or anything like that?

[scottly]

Not really an issue. If you want max power, replace the straight section with megaphones; of course, that will also increase the noise level.  

[Elniniomuchachos]

Not really an issue. If you want max power, replace the straight section with megaphones; of course, that will also increase the noise level.  

Hmmm... MAX POWER!!! 
Maybe I will find a not so good shape of stock 4-4 and gut them 

[scottly]

Just remember the part about unwanted attention!!

[Elniniomuchachos]

Just remember the part about unwanted attention!!

I'm not that worried about the cops.. they can pull me over, but the average officer won't have the right equipment to prove anything.

[BeSeeingYou]

Anything you should be concerned about.....
how about being lumped in with these guys.


"

[8 Track]

You may lose a little bottom end torque, but you may never notice the difference, either.  I swear my bike pulls harder when the baffle is out.  But man, you're not going to sneak up on anybody!  You're right, those noisy hd guy have got to go.

[Elniniomuchachos]

Anything you should be concerned about.....
how about being lumped in with these guys.


"

ha.. buh buh buh...

I don't want the attention or anything ridiculous like that, I just like the sounds of those straight pipes.

Thanks for all the help guys!!

[333]

It will do damage to your ears.

[8 Track]

No it won't, 333, just ask the harley crowd- the sound's all behind you.   

I always wear ear plugs, if anything, to cut down on the wind noise.  Open pipes are fun, but I can't stand the stereotype behind it.

[BeSeeingYou]

Humor aside in reality I think that it is just selfish and inconsiderate to run straight pipes.  You may think it sounds great but what of everyone else who has to listen to it as you drive by at midnight on a hot summer night when we all have our windows open.  You can be assured that many are rolling their eyes thinking what's this guy's problem? Compensation factor, wanting attention, playing the tough guy?  May not be the case in every instance but it is what many are thinking. 

[754]

 Your pipes are long.. maybe you got to get behind them, or have someone ride past you on it at WoT..

 I have ran straight pipes anf open 4-1s and they have  always been quite loud.. in fact my high pipe is pretty loud, even with the baffle in it...

[crazypj]

There is a major difference between max power and max noise.
 Open pipes on just about anything I can think of sound awful
 On a small capacity inline 4 they sound  tinny and farty, you can't make them sound good (too much high frequency)

Parallel pipes will lose power just about everywhere, even when correctly jetted
Or, to put it another way, they only make power over a very narrow powerband, 500~1,000 rpm, usually near max rpm (that's why they call them drag pipes)
 They come from a different era where less was known about exhaust design (and, were originally on aircraft which operate at more or less fixed rpm plus needed light weight)
 Larger diameter may look better but will lose even more power.

[8 Track]

It's amazing how much some of you seem to know about a bike you have never heard or seen run.
Some people have the ability to make stuff work. Some don't.

You're right, you got us.  I for one have never seen a real cb, or open pipes, or the phenomenon of uncapping headers and losing all bottom end torque, or cranking people out of shape, or being bent out of shape.  I'll go sit in the corner now.   

[BobbyR]

There is a major difference between max power and max noise.
 Open pipes on just about anything I can think of sound awful
 On a small capacity inline 4 they sound  tinny and farty, you can't make them sound good (too much high frequency)

Parallel pipes will lose power just about everywhere, even when correctly jetted
Or, to put it another way, they only make power over a very narrow powerband, 500~1,000 rpm, usually near max rpm (that's why they call them drag pipes)
 They come from a different era where less was known about exhaust design (and, were originally on aircraft which operate at more or less fixed rpm plus needed light weight)
 Larger diameter may look better but will lose even more power.

They do sound farty a poppy. I just replaced them with normal pipes and the megaphones lowers the frequency.

[crazypj]

It's amazing how much some of you seem to know about a bike you have never heard or seen run.
Some people have the ability to make stuff work. Some don't.

 After working in a Honda dealers when these things were new, plus being a motorcycle examiner at the time,(and for several years after) I've seen just about everything you can do to screw up a bike, (and not just CB 550)  
 I think I'm pretty qualified to make comments 
If you actually spend some time on a dyno, you'll see where your losing power and where your gaining  (if any gain)
 Most people think they have gained power because, 'it sounds fast'  
 If it aint popping on over-run, its probably running too rich, brown plugs aint right, should be grey


 BTW, avatar is 1977 CB550 with over 100,000 miles, mainly at speeds similar to shown in pic

[333]

No it won't, 333, just ask the harley crowd- the sound's all behind you.   

That's cause they think they travel at the speed of sound.

[Raef]

I have 2 550's a 74 and a 76 SS. I have a set of custom made 4 into 2 pipes that exit under the seat. I have been messing with these pipes for 2 years and I can not with any jetting configuration get these things to take gas between 1500 and 4000 RPM with out the baffles.

other mods ported and polished head, valve springs, matched and polished intakes Dyna coils, Honda man ignition box.

The bike runs great when ran hard just not cruising friendly

Mark

[8 Track]

That's cause they think they travel at the speed of sound.

Niiice!

I have been messing with these pipes for 2 years and I can not with any jetting configuration get these things to take gas between 1500 and 4000 RPM with out the baffles.

We can figure this one out...

[Elniniomuchachos]

haha, I knew this would stir some people up...

This was mainly just a topic of what problems could arise.
I will most likely use the good conditioned 4-4 set that I have, But I just wanted to see what would need to be done if I'm not particularly happy with the sound of those.

[Motoguy23]

I actually want to put straight pipes on my bike too only make it a 4 - 2 and then not as long as those.

[Grnrngr]

I was riding between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe (hwy 50) long time ago when the muffler fell off the 2 into 1 on my XS650. I was on the side of the road trying to figure out how to pick that hot SOB up when a cop went by, kinda slowed and looked, then went on. Got the muffler up but had no way to re-attach it, so I had it wrapped in something, put it on the seat in front of me, started the bike and started up the road. Sure enough, around a few corners, there's the cop sitting and waiting, as soon as I went by with open pipes, got pulled over and cited for excessive noise. In the woods way up in the mountains miles from the nearest town. It can be a problem if one of them wants to make it a problem for you and those are the kind of problems I try to avoid...

[Spanner 1]

Loud pipes on bikes are for loud people.... they go together, doesn't make the bike any faster, doesn't make the owners any smarter.....

[Elniniomuchachos]

Loud pipes on bikes are for loud people.... they go together, doesn't make the bike any faster, doesn't make the owners any smarter.....

not particularly true... I like the sounds and I hardly talk.

but I get what your sayin'   

[BobbyR]

haha, I knew this would stir some people up...

This was mainly just a topic of what problems could arise.
I will most likely use the good conditioned 4-4 set that I have, But I just wanted to see what would need to be done if I'm not particularly happy with the sound of those.

It is amazing how someone can ask a legitimate question and there are always quite a few people willing to help and offer what ever info they have to share pertaining to the subject.
Then you have these guys that don't have anything productive to add, just their pi$$y little know it all attitudes.
Their basic attitude is, I never seen it done, so it must not be possible.
No wonder they have such high post counts.
Bottom line is, they DKS!

I think that is a bit harsh. Everyone that has been here a while has seen all types of Mods. Some good and some not so good. Since the stock pipes rot away before your eyes, you will notice most bikes pictured have some non OEM system. A motorcycle engine is a system, you change one thing it effects something else. If you have a Dyno,time, and money you can dial things in. Chill a bit, people here like to have a bit of fun.

[754]

Scrapvalue, tell us more about your pipes. Do they have baffles? I know they are long, but if they are straight thru, I cant see how they could not be loud.. Which is not the same as being loud to you..on the bike.

[Grnrngr]

I kinda gotta go with what I got, at least until I can afford to do something different. The 2 into 1 that came on my '77 750A doesn't sound like it has baffles, it's a lot louder than my K2 750 with the muffled 4 into 1, but it's not nearly as loud as the fatboy with shotgun pipes...I wear earplugs and no one wants to ride behind me on that side. Out of respect for my neighbors, I roll out to the street before I start it at night, and kill it before I roll into the parking lot when I keep it here. Seems to me the back pressure thing would have been proven long ago by the development of expansion chambers on two strokes....tuned exhaust doesn't mean open pipes....just like you can't expect to throw a Holley 750 on your 350 Chevy and go win races.

[BobbyR]

haha, I knew this would stir some people up...

This was mainly just a topic of what problems could arise.
I will most likely use the good conditioned 4-4 set that I have, But I just wanted to see what would need to be done if I'm not particularly happy with the sound of those.

It is amazing how someone can ask a legitimate question and there are always quite a few people willing to help and offer what ever info they have to share pertaining to the subject.
Then you have these guys that don't have anything productive to add, just their pi$$y little know it all attitudes.
Their basic attitude is, I never seen it done, so it must not be possible.
No wonder they have such high post counts.
Bottom line is, they DKS!

I think that is a bit harsh. Everyone that has been here a while has seen all types of Mods. Some good and some not so good. Since the stock pipes rot away before your eyes, you will notice most bikes pictured have some non OEM system. A motorcycle engine is a system, you change one thing it effects something else. If you have a Dyno,time, and money you can dial things in. Chill a bit, people here like to have a bit of fun.

I like to have fun also. But I try to have fun by doing things a little different and helping others along the way.
How is it fun to rip on people and their ideas?
If you think that is fun, then maybe you need to get a new hobby.

If you have a working knowledge of how things work and some time ,it doesn't take a lot of money and a dyno to make things run right.
However, if you do not have a working knowledge,(or just real limited), of how these things work, then yes you need lots of money.

But even a lot of money is no guarantee of success.

I really have no problem with people doing what they like with their bikes. I ran straight pipes on my early bikes, did strange mods on my 60's cars. The guy asked if it would have an effect, yes it will. The motor is a system, and it has been designed to operate as a system. When you mod something within that system other parts of the system will be affected. You can offset these changes by adjusting things upstream and downstream of your mod. At the end it may be an improvement. It depends on how much effort a person is willing to put in, and if they have the time.

[jakecb420]

man is that south park episode funny!!!! i ran 4 into 2 megaphones without baffles after i shot one out cruising through town, my brother was behind me and picked it up. i took the other one out. it was so friggin loud it would set car alarms off in parking lots. it was hella cool for a few months, my dad hated it. i put the baffles back in and eventually got rotted out stock ones to weld up and put on. i guess too each their own.

[Rampage1967]

haha, I knew this would stir some people up...

This was mainly just a topic of what problems could arise.

Obnoxiously loud: Will drive your neighbors nuts.

Obnoxiously loud:  May drive you to need the services of companies such as http://www.miracle-ear.com/

Obnoxiously loud:  Will attract the unwanted attention of local cops.

The high pitched, tinny, crackling exhaust note generally sounds awful to everyone else but yourself.

Only runs well at a very Narrow & high RPM range.

If engine not re-tuned for open pipes, may burn up said engine from lean mixture.

Any reasonably quiet baffled exhaust system will outperform open pipes on the street. Due to smoother power delivery at normal street riding RPM ranges.  (A dyno will prove this)