Aftermarket Exhaust Upgrade

[Big TP]

Looking to upgrade my stock exhaust mufflers. Any ideas or recommendations? Not really interested in getting too loud but maybe a nice rumble. Would the bike need a computer upgrade or flash?:confused:

[taxfree4]

I personally recommend 2 Brothers, I had them on my F6B, here's a couple of videos I made.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HepKef_BalA&t=17s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3JGtuINTYEg

[Joflewbyu2]

Be careful of what you wish for. I had the Cobra Six-2-Six and the Two Bros Racing Comp S. Both proved annoying after awhile. It is a constant hum from the flat six and by no means a rumble like my previous Harleys. Kind of like the Asian cars with the aftermarket exhausts on them. If you listen to tunes, you will regret it. I sold my Cobra for the TBR and still wasn’t satisfied. Sold the TBR and went back to OEM. Radio volume went down from 24 to 15 and much happier when cruising with the silent exhaust. Plus fit and finish are superior on the OEM. T304 stainless steel canisters with chrome shields and heavy duty clamps. Everything fits like a glove. Aftermarket proved heavier with okay fit.

[Big TP]

Good points. I do like my tunes especially since upgrading the speakers.

[opas ride]

Good points. I do like my tunes especially since upgrading the speakers.

I have had the Cobra's on my F6B for almost 5 years now and the so-called "drone" is really not bothersome for me as I never listen to the radio when riding...I can see where it might bother some folks at highway speeds...If tunes are your priority over pipes, I would suggest you leave them stock...I think the "drone" is kind of like the infamous "ghost shifting"...Some have an issue, most don't.....Regards and ride safe

[taxfree4]

I have had the Cobra's on my F6B for almost 5 years now and the so-called "drone" is really not bothersome for me as I never listen to the radio when riding...I can see where it might bother some folks at highway speeds...If tunes are your priority over pipes, I would suggest you leave them stock...Regards and ride safe....

If you're going to go for between $600 + for exhaust then go the extra $300 and get Torq Loopz it'll eliminate the drone completely and let the bike breathe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4TTUAvvqpc

[F6Dave]

I have 2 old Valkyries and the exhaust sound is great on both. My 2016 F6B sounds OK at idle and low speeds, but now and then at some highway speeds I notice that drone some have complained about. I had a 2013 which had the quiet pipes from the regular Wing, and I liked those better.

Why couldn't Honda have made the F6B sound more like the old 1500 Valkyries? Maybe it has something to do with the exhaust routing through the catalytic converter.

[tenxxx]

I drilled one 5/16 hole in each muffler just above the outlet with tips off. Sounded good.
Even with tips on sounded good. With tips on, you just get the extra noise and the same flow.
Just enough noise at speed to hear the exhaust and the radio.
You can always patch the hole with a round metal wafer and exhaust putty.

[olegoat345]

I got a pair of RUSH from Value Accessories w/ the 2.25" baffle, they're not too loud. Lots of choices on tips, 3 choices of baffles. You can swap out baffles 2.00", 2.25" & 2.50". Fair price too. Beware, several RUSH venders sell the pipes cheaper but they don't come w/ tips. V.A. are honest & straight forward & their pipes come w/ tips.
If you don't have torque loops, you should give serious thought to putting them on. They'll get rid of the drone. Loops are a PITA to put on.

[TheWalrus]

I have had my Cobra '6 pack' for 2 years. I don't hear a drone, but can understand what people coming from a V-twin might think is a drone. It's just 4 more cylinders firing!

I have stock speakers and with the USB music I can hear clearly at 14-18 on the radio at highway speeds. Be sure to use the buttons and turn the auto volume control system on, it will slightly increase volume as your speed picks up. I have a BaggerShield windshield 11", which I look over, and can still hear the music from the speakers. I have bad hearing from my Navy days with tinnitus and still hear it.

[Big TP]

Great info and videos. Thanks. Taxfree video with the Two Brothers sounded real good.
I just upgraded the speakers to the J&M Performance XT.
Hate to negate my efforts with the wrong choice. Maybe stock the Tenxxx drill bit solution?
Heading to Daytona tomorrow so you never know what can happen.
What happens in Daytona never stays in Daytona:o

[TheWalrus]

Looking to upgrade my stock exhaust mufflers. Any ideas or recommendations? Not really interested in getting too loud but maybe a nice rumble. Would the bike need a computer upgrade or flash?:confused:

Big TP: I missed the 2nd part of your question. The bike doesn't need a reflash or upgrade for the exhaust change. I do recommend the ECM reset which is done by starting the bike from cold and allowing to completely warm up until the fans come on. ***Don't blip the throttle when you start the bike, just let the bike's EFI work from the beginning.*** [Note that this can take up to 15 minutes of idling, so be patient]

[olegoat345]

I was told by a Honda rep. NOT to reset my ECM, it was designed to do that itself, after installing torque loops & pipes. I did not reset it & it's running great. Took about 40-60 miles for it to figure it out but it's doing just fine. It was a tad rich at first.

[BIGLRY]

I was told by a Honda rep. NOT to reset my ECM, it was designed to do that itself, after installing torque loops & pipes. I did not reset it & it's running great. Took about 40-60 miles for it to figure it out but it's doing just fine. It was a tad rich at first.Yeap, my advice too. I run torque loops and a Jekill & Hide electrically controlled, adjustable, open exhaust system with no issues. The ECU reads all of the B's sensor's data as it is being ridden and will self adjust within certain built in parameters which you will never exceed by changing the exhaust system or the type of air filter used.

I know all about the great debate on resetting the ECU to stop cold stumble and some say it helps, but I have never had that problem on any of my EFI Hondas, nor noticed any difference after trying the generally recommended ECU reset procedure which I did for grins and giggles.

[opas ride]

Yeap, my advice too. I run torque loops and a Jekill & Hide electrically controlled, adjustable, open exhaust system with no issues. The ECU reads all of the B's sensor's data as it is being ridden and will self adjust within certain built in parameters which you will never exceed by changing the exhaust system or the type of air filter used.

I know all about the great debate on resetting the ECU to stop cold stumble and some say it helps, but I have never had that problem on any of my EFI Hondas, nor noticed any difference after trying the generally recommended ECU reset procedure which I did for grins and giggles.

I also tried the ECU re-set a while back after much debate on this forum....Noticed absolutely nothing changed, including the cold stumble, and all it did was use some fuel and time for nothing...My dealer guys said this procedure is a total waste of time and effort......Regards and ride safe

[broncsrule21]

I listen to tunes and in no way regret my TBR+Loopz combo. Its not loud at cruising speeds.

[Big TP]

Rode up to Daytona and back on Saturday, about a 200 mile day and saw more than a few F6Bs.
Most with stock pipes.
Enjoyed the tunes with my stock pipes and felt an aftermarket exhaust would not affect the quality too much as some have said. So I guess it's a 50/50 gamble depending on which mufflers I go with.

That being said... Is there any "noticeable" difference in performance?

[broncsrule21]

Rode up to Daytona and back on Saturday, about a 200 mile day and saw more than a few F6Bs.
Most with stock pipes.
Enjoyed the tunes with my stock pipes and felt an aftermarket exhaust would not affect the quality too much as some have said. So I guess it's a 50/50 gamble depending on which mufflers I go with.

That being said... Is there any "noticeable" difference in performance?

Not any performance gains that I can prove. But it does remove some weight. especially getting rid of the cats, if you do the Loopz.

[Big TP]

Does anyone know of any adjustments that can be made to the stock mufflers to get a deeper sound? Baffle replacement? Baseball card in the spokes?

[53driver]

Does anyone know of any adjustments that can be made to the stock mufflers to get a deeper sound? Baffle replacement? Baseball card in the spokes?

Some people have "drilled holes" of various diameters in the baffles.
I think that would be - literally - hit or miss.
I bought some of the black pipes from a '15 or '16 - they have a slightly throatier sound than the stock chrome '14 pipes.
Still have yet to install them - waiting on some non-riding time.

Cheers,
Steve

[olegoat345]

I must have done something wrong. I drilled holes in my OEM pipes & saw no, zero difference. Pull the tips, drill holes between outlet & outer wall, not rocket science.

[PapaJT]

My dealer said he'd LOVE to get some labor charges out of an exhaust change... but to forget it, the OEM pipes are the way to go. He said nothing will make it sound appreciably different. And to be brutally honest, I spent my first few decades riding bikes that had defective exhausts and shaking like they were gonna die. I really like not having that now.

[broncsrule21]

My dealer said he'd LOVE to get some labor charges out of an exhaust change... but to forget it, the OEM pipes are the way to go. He said nothing will make it sound appreciably different. And to be brutally honest, I spent my first few decades riding bikes that had defective exhausts and shaking like they were gonna die. I really like not having that now.

If you wanna stay stock more power to ya. But your dealer has is totally wrong if he said "nothing will make it sound appreciably different"... well he doesn't know what he is talking about. Check Youtube for TBR, Rush, Cobra, etc you'd have to be deaf to make that that statement.

[taxfree4]

My dealer said he'd LOVE to get some labor charges out of an exhaust change... but to forget it, the OEM pipes are the way to go. He said nothing will make it sound appreciably different. And to be brutally honest, I spent my first few decades riding bikes that had defective exhausts and shaking like they were gonna die. I really like not having that now.

Here is mine, compared to the stock "sewing machine" sound I'd say it's an improvement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JGtuINTYEg

[Big TP]

Here is mine, compared to the stock "sewing machine" sound I'd say it's an improvement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JGtuINTYEg
Taxfree,
Yeah, That sounds like a 911S Turbo :D

How would you compare the fit and finish to the OEM?

[broncsrule21]

I can only speak to the fit and finish of TBR. I think they are great. The torque loops took some time and patience, best with a second set of hands.
58305831

[tenxxx]

I can only speak to the fit and finish of TBR. I think they are great. The torque loops took some time and patience, best with a second set of hands.
58305831
You go to do the twist and shout!

[taxfree4]

Taxfree,
Yeah, That sounds like a 911S Turbo :D

How would you compare the fit and finish to the OEM?

The fit and the detail of the finish is superior to the OEM, the quality of the finish is incredible the carbon fiber tips are the icing on the cake.

[Xrider57]

What year is your bike? The 2015 and 16 have an exhaust that sounds pretty good. You can hear it at hwy speeds but not too loud.

[olegoat345]

taxfree = are you getting another B ?
What happened to all the "goodies" on your B the "texting" woman destroyed? You had some nice upgrades!

[Big TP]

What year is your bike? The 2015 and 16 have an exhaust that sounds pretty good. You can hear it at hwy speeds but not too loud.

Had a 15, now a 13. Just a slight noticeable difference. A take off set from a 15 to 17 would be fine..

[Joflewbyu2]

Taxfree,
Yeah, That sounds like a 911S Turbo :D

How would you compare the fit and finish to the OEM?


I had both - the Cobra and the TBR. Both are heavier than stock. The TBR has a slightly better fit and finish than the Cobra but both fall short of the exact perfect fit of OEM. They both have heavy chromed steel cases. The Cobra baffles are mild steel and will show rust at the outlets. The TBR has a T409 stainless baffle which will surface rust and also show rust at the exhaust outlets. Neither has the T304 stainless cases that the OEM has. After having both, I am glad I was able to sell them and go back to the 2001-2017 GL1800 GoldWing silencers. They are absolutely quiet while cruising and allow the engine to howl when ridden aggressively.

[Big TP]

I had both - the Cobra and the TBR. Both are heavier than stock. The TBR has a slightly better fit and finish than the Cobra but both fall short of the exact perfect fit of OEM. They both have heavy chromed steel cases. The Cobra baffles are mild steel and will show rust at the outlets. The TBR has a T409 stainless baffle which will surface rust and also show rust at the exhaust outlets. Neither has the T304 stainless cases that the OEM has. After having both, I am glad I was able to sell them and go back to the 2001-2017 GL1800 GoldWing silencers. They are absolutely quiet while cruising and allow the engine to howl when ridden aggressively.

Good analysis. Point-"Don't fix what ain't broken?"

[opas ride]

I had both - the Cobra and the TBR. Both are heavier than stock. The TBR has a slightly better fit and finish than the Cobra but both fall short of the exact perfect fit of OEM. They both have heavy chromed steel cases. The Cobra baffles are mild steel and will show rust at the outlets. The TBR has a T409 stainless baffle which will surface rust and also show rust at the exhaust outlets. Neither has the T304 stainless cases that the OEM has. After having both, I am glad I was able to sell them and go back to the 2001-2017 GL1800 GoldWing silencers. They are absolutely quiet while cruising and allow the engine to howl when ridden aggressively.

I had a very minor rust issue at the outlets at first...Drilled a small 1/8" drain hole under the pipe where the clamps are...Been on the bike now almost 5 riding seasons here in Michigan, and not one spot of rust anywhere, pipes look like new and sound just fine for me.....Cobra 6-2-6's....Regards and ride safe

[Joflewbyu2]

Your drilled hole doesn’t stop the mild steel case and baffle from rusting. They still rust and corrode inside. Hence the reason the OEM uses the much more expensive t304 non magnetic stainless steel case and baffle. Not only does it last longer but it weighs less too.


I had a very minor rust issue at the outlets at first...Drilled a small 1/8" drain hole under the pipe where the clamps are...Been on the bike now almost 5 riding seasons here in Michigan, and not one spot of rust anywhere, pipes look like new and sound just fine for me.....Cobra 6-2-6's....Regards and ride safe

[taxfree4]

taxfree = are you getting another B ?
What happened to all the "goodies" on your B the "texting" woman destroyed? You had some nice upgrades!

Yep I will soon as my future ex wife becomes my ex. I took all the goodies off, the adjuster said "take whatever you want we're totalling it". Helibars, RDL, MP3, INNOVV camera system etc.

[Big TP]

Yep I will soon as my future ex wife becomes my ex. I took all the goodies off, the adjuster said "take whatever you want we're totalling it". Helibars, RDL, MP3, INNOVV camera system etc.

What year and color would you be looking for?

[opas ride]

Your drilled hole doesn’t stop the mild steel case and baffle from rusting. They still rust and corrode inside. Hence the reason the OEM uses the much more expensive t304 non magnetic stainless steel case and baffle. Not only does it last longer but it weighs less too.

What pipes don't on most bikes???....If I wanted stocks, I would have kept them on the bike......Regards and ride safe

[taxfree4]

What year and color would you be looking for?

Black, year depending.

[Walcrow]

Black, year depending.

Yep, one of those....."Once you go black, you never go back" kind of guys.

Two Brothers is awaiting your purchase!