Should I repack my stock exhaust pipes on my motorcycle?

Question

I have an 06 v star 650 and the it sounds like a scooter. I like the look of the of the stock pipes but I am looking for a better sound. Someone suggested repacking the pipes but I can't find much advise how to get started with that. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Yeah, all you have to do is open the muffler and remove the baffles. Bikes dont have to have them anyways.

Answer 2

repacking your mufflers is something that is still popular with dirt bikes. You can buy generic fiberglass from your local bike shops. The goal of repacking your pipes will make the quieter, which if you are worried about it sounding like a scooter, is probably not what you are looking for. Also stock pipes generally don't disassemble, so you can't repack them unless you are planning on cutting them open and then rewelding them.

If you want it to sound less like a scooter, a popular cure is to either drill holes around your stock exit hole, or to use a hole saw to make your stock exit hole larger. Each brand/bike has a preferred or a couple of prefered methods for this, you should check some internet boards that specialize in your bike type.

Opening the exhaust reduces backpressure, which can improve performance, but rarely does unless you change some other setting (probably carb jetting for your bike), as the bike it tuned to run with a certain amount of backpressure.

Also exhaust notes or noise is a highly subjective thing. Some people really like a certain sound, but me personally I don't like most of the modified stock pipes, usually a little tinny to my ear.

Answer 3

Are you an engineer? Do you know what you're doing? You run the risk of permanently damaging your exhaust system AND ending up with a bike that sounds like a cross between a leaf blower and a chainsaw. Once you start drilling, you can't put it back the way it was. Buy an aftermarket exhaust, or live with it as it is. I have nothing against somebody wanting a little louder bike, just do it right so the rest of us don't have to listen to your mistake.

Answer 4

I believe you have electronic igition. If you are running open then you are actually loosing power over gaining it. It has to be computer modual set. You should have the baffles in. I made the mistake of poping out the baffle caps and it sounded terrible. I took the pipes to a weld shop and they welded the caps back in and I will never modify another exhaust.

Make sure you take the bike to a shop and have them calibrate the ignition system for any exhaust changes.

Answer 5

My brother in law recently replaced the packing in his Yamaha exhaust. He found that a tighter wrap of the packing gave the note a little more "bark". I would experiment as well.

Answer 6

Buy a new exhaust system. re-packing is for dirt bikes. if you want a better sound codra makes pipes for that bike.
They are $322 shipped.

http://www.cyclemartusa.com/shop/productdetail.htm?productId=3988098&browse=23936&shopBy=4097&catalogId=652

Answer 7

they do sound like scooters. my buddy has one. take the muffler its self off of the pipe. remove the baffles in there. thats what i'd do.

Answer 8

Check out some of your options at www.denniskirk.com they have a very large warehouse with just about everything in stock.

Answer 9

sell it and buy a bike that is less pussycat, more lion. a tabby will never roar