Author Topic: CB650 aftermarket exhaust (Read 888 times)

pekingduck · « **on:** February 17, 2023, 05:24:19 PM »

Can anyone recommend an aftermarket exhaust for the CB650 other than the Hindle? It's a smallish market, and they are well past their popularity peak. I know the CB650 exhaust ports are larger and the cylinder a bit taller, so expecting the CB500/550 to be unsuitable, but maybe not. Anyone use a 500/550 exhaust on a 650?

jgger · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2023, 09:54:46 AM »

Following, because I also have a red headed step child.

pekingduck · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2023, 08:36:35 PM »

Was going to go with Hindle, but saw how low it was to clear the sump and other areas.

fizzlebottom · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2023, 08:20:48 PM »

Ripple Rock Racers / Hindle it is. I think someone found another set, but I haven't heard anything about how well it fits or sounds.

Aside from the price tag, what's stopping you on this purchase? I installed the RRR pipes on mine and it sounds monstrous. The quality is great, and Kemp is super responsive if you ever need help. I think the only very very critique I'd have is that installation is finnicky. You'll need to use a little muscle and finesse to get pipes exactly where they belong. And probably a wood block & hammer on the header-to-spigot joints. I think I want to get a 2nd muffler with the stealth packing so I can quiet down a little.

They're pricey, but you won't have to buy another set ever again.

PeWe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2023, 10:29:32 PM »

The Hindle fits very well on a CB750 K6, really tight fit under engine making maximum ground clearance.

Hopefully same design for CB650.
You need a photo taken from the side of the bike to see.

Lots of parts have increased in price the last 2-3 years.

Hindle prices in Canadian $, right?

fizzlebottom · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2023, 09:56:52 AM »

Quote from: PeWe on February 19, 2023, 10:29:32 PM

The Hindle fits very well on a CB750 K6, really tight fit under engine making maximum ground clearance.

Hopefully same design for CB650.
You need a photo taken from the side of the bike to see.

Lots of parts have increased in price the last 2-3 years.

Hindle prices in Canadian $, right?

Yeah I'll gladly take some pics of mine if he needs.

Neuxstone · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2023, 10:04:53 AM »

I have a set that I never had a chance to install in my 650 that I regretfully sold...What a nice riding bike that was.
Anyway I have a brand new set I was going to check and see if they fit a 550 but I will consider parting with them.
Dave at Legendary-Motorcycles.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2023, 10:07:44 AM »

650 pipes won't fit a 550, nor will 550 pipes fit the 650...

Neuxstone · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2023, 11:54:36 AM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on February 20, 2023, 10:07:44 AM

650 pipes won't fit a 550, nor will 550 pipes fit the 650...

OK thanks, saves me the trouble of dragging them out...BTW the brand new exhaust set for 650 is surely for sale then.
I'll just keep my eye out for CB550 pipes then.

pangloss · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2023, 03:24:30 PM »

My CB500 fitted with CB650 motor using standard 500/550 pipes I made adaptor sleeves out of aluminium......as shown on drawing.....SURE.....there is restriction there but the bike works pretty well........

pekingduck · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2023, 07:19:48 PM »

Quote from: fizzlebottom on February 19, 2023, 08:20:48 PM

Ripple Rock Racers / Hindle it is. I think someone found another set, but I haven't heard anything about how well it fits or sounds.

Aside from the price tag, what's stopping you on this purchase? I installed the RRR pipes on mine and it sounds monstrous. The quality is great, and Kemp is super responsive if you ever need help. I think the only very very critique I'd have is that installation is finnicky. You'll need to use a little muscle and finesse to get pipes exactly where they belong. And probably a wood block & hammer on the header-to-spigot joints. I think I want to get a 2nd muffler with the stealth packing so I can quiet down a little.

They're pricey, but you won't have to buy another set ever again.

I don't like the way they hang 2"-3" below the frame rails and the sump, or the crossover connector. Just looks wrong. In the pic I first posted, you can see how low it goes.

pekingduck · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2023, 07:31:58 PM »

Quote from: PeWe on February 19, 2023, 10:29:32 PM

The Hindle fits very well on a CB750 K6, really tight fit under engine making maximum ground clearance.

Hopefully same design for CB650.
You need a photo taken from the side of the bike to see.

Lots of parts have increased in price the last 2-3 years.

Hindle prices in Canadian $, right?

Pictures of the CB500/550 and CB750 with Hindle exhaust do seem to tuck in tighter. The CB650 looks a lot "looser". This is a picture from their website.

pekingduck · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2023, 07:34:44 PM »

Quote from: Neuxstone on February 20, 2023, 10:04:53 AM

I have a set that I never had a chance to install in my 650 that I regretfully sold...What a nice riding bike that was.
Anyway I have a brand new set I was going to check and see if they fit a 550 but I will consider parting with them.
Dave at Legendary-Motorcycles.

I'll contact you tomorrow about them.

fizzlebottom · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2023, 10:00:39 PM »

BTW, that's a pic of the pipes on a CB650 motor sitting in a CB550 chassis.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2023, 12:40:26 AM »

650 has a deeper sump, requiring pipes to be a little lower. You aren't going to scrape them on the street and any parking lot that has speed bumps where cars would scrape, then you might need to take it easy.
You aren't going to scrape the exhaust and camera angles/heights affect perception of how low the pipes are...

Ask Hindle/Ripple Rock Racers for some photos...they took some when they did the design.

I'm picking up a 650 motor for my 550 and will need to use the 650 exhaust and only choice right now due to availability is the Hindle. The stock 650 pipes in excellent condition are rarer than hens teeth.

fizzlebottom · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2023, 08:46:35 AM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on February 21, 2023, 12:40:26 AM

The stock 650 pipes in excellent condition are rarer than hens teeth.

The worst part about it is that the mufflers are not rebuildable at all. Its like they were assembled with malice on the mind. My headers are in fantastic condition, but the mufflers have had a ton of #$%* rattling around inside. I ended up cutting them off with the hopes that I can maybe get some slip-ons in the future. When I got them off and turned them upside-down, the amount of rust that came out was unsettling.

I'll keep the headers around for when I get tired of the 4-into-1 look of the RRR pipes and want to switch back to 4-into-4.

pekingduck · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2023, 01:24:39 PM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on February 21, 2023, 12:40:26 AM

650 has a deeper sump, requiring pipes to be a little lower. You aren't going to scrape them on the street and any parking lot that has speed bumps where cars would scrape, then you might need to take it easy.
You aren't going to scrape the exhaust and camera angles/heights affect perception of how low the pipes are...

Ask Hindle/Ripple Rock Racers for some photos...they took some when they did the design.

I'm picking up a 650 motor for my 550 and will need to use the 650 exhaust and only choice right now due to availability is the Hindle. The stock 650 pipes in excellent condition are rarer than hens teeth.

I've looked at all the pics from RRR's site and what I could find online, and am aware that their engine is in a 550 frame. But because the crossover is directly beneath the deeper sump, it looks like they just lengthened the downpipes to clear, keeping everything else parallel to the ground.
I have stock headpipes and will use them if needed, as a last resort.

pekingduck · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2023, 02:00:06 PM »

Quote from: pangloss on February 20, 2023, 03:24:30 PM

My CB500 fitted with CB650 motor using standard 500/550 pipes I made adaptor sleeves out of aluminium......as shown on drawing.....SURE.....there is restriction there but the bike works pretty well........

That's a nice 650 swap - looks stock. I assume the 650 exhaust ports are 30mm, and the 550s are 28? It also looks like the exhausts at the back are not tipped up quite as much as stock. If so, is it possibly because the cylinder head is taller and the rear had to clear the pegs?

pekingduck · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2023, 02:08:47 PM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on February 20, 2023, 10:07:44 AM

650 pipes won't fit a 550, nor will 550 pipes fit the 650...

I'm curious about the reasons why. Is it simply because the spigot area is too large for the CB500/550 head pipes, or the height of the cylinders. I'm not looking for a stock system.

pekingduck · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2023, 02:36:21 PM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on February 20, 2023, 10:07:44 AM

650 pipes won't fit a 550, nor will 550 pipes fit the 650...

Is that because of exhaust spigot size or cylinder height? Or somehting else?

pangloss · « **Reply #20 on:** February 21, 2023, 07:40:57 PM »

Height of barrels/engine is negligible with regard to pipe fitting. All my attachment / bracket fittings are standard cb500... In my photo I don't have the rear pegs fitted so may look a bit different

pekingduck · « **Reply #21 on:** February 22, 2023, 09:18:56 PM »

I called Ripple Rock Racers (again), and they were unable to clearly tell me what differences there were between their CB650 exhausts and the one for the CB500/550s. They could not tell me if the spigots were different sized (they should be), or if the tubing were larger diameter, only that the system was lower to clear the pan.

They did say the spacing between the header pipes was wider, which I find hard to believe. They likely meant the exhaust studs were spaced differently, but they doubled down on the pipe spread spacing.

So, except for the oil pan depth, will a 500/550 header, like a welded-up, 1 piece, 4-into-1 line up in a 650 head? Anyone ever try?

pekingduck · « **Reply #22 on:** February 22, 2023, 10:29:53 PM »

Quote from: fizzlebottom on February 20, 2023, 09:56:52 AM

Quote from: PeWe on February 19, 2023, 10:29:32 PM
The Hindle fits very well on a CB750 K6, really tight fit under engine making maximum ground clearance.

Hopefully same design for CB650.
You need a photo taken from the side of the bike to see.

Lots of parts have increased in price the last 2-3 years.

Hindle prices in Canadian $, right?

Yeah I'll gladly take some pics of mine if he needs.

I have a question, since you have a Hindle on your 650. Does this piece go underneath, or completely around the oil pan?

fizzlebottom · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2023, 11:23:39 AM »

Here are several pics I took of the Hindle system on my 1982 CB650SC. I took several shots of the mid-pipe, though some are a tad blurry. They should show how the various pipes are situated.

pekingduck · « **Reply #24 on:** February 23, 2023, 03:28:06 PM »

Wow, fizzlebottom, thanks!! Those pics tell me what I needed to know. The big "horseshoe" has sharp bends to clear the centerstand, which I'm planning to remove.

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Author Topic: CB650 aftermarket exhaust (Read 888 times)