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...