Motorcycle Articles

When it comes to motorcycles, there are a multitude of products made to better the appearance of nearly any bike. However, few of these products actually deliver a sleek appearance along with safeguard benefits for riders. Fortunately, motorcycle exhaust wrap will be able to fulfill these two goals.

It is a given, that over a period of time, chrome motorcycle exhaust pipes will become blue from intense engine heat. Although this is normal, installing new exhaust pipes can be exceptionally costly. Exhaust wrap may be installed on these pipes and significantly help the appearance of nearly any cycle.

Most of the time motorcycle owners first remove their exhaust system prior to applying the wrap. This permits improved access to pipes which may be close to the motorcycle frame. The wrap is often moistened by soaking the rolls in water for a brief period of time. By using this method, the wraps become flexible and capable of conforming to challenging bends in the pipes. The wraps are routinely installed with .5 inch overlaps and are attached with a stainless steel clamp where the wrap begins and ends. In fact, this can be a quite simple process that can be performed by most motorcycle owners.

The advantages of motorcycle exhaust wrap extends well above appearance. By minimizing heat transfer, exhaust gases are going to flow throughout the pipes at a greater velocity. This offers enhanced horsepower benefits, that are particularly useful in off-road vehicles such as ATV’s. Even street cycles will realize better performance and improved gas efficiency.

The top reason why motorcycle exhaust pipes are wrapped is for safety issues. A high quality exhaust wrap can guard drivers from unintended burns caused by skin contact with extremely hot exhaust pipes. Even though exhaust pipe wraps will not remove the opportunity for burns, it will dramatically decrease the likelihood of a serious burn when accidental exposure does happen.

Motorcycle exhaust wraps are both easy to install and extremely inexpensive. For the money and effort, motorcycle exhaust wrap delivers numerous advantages for cycle owners. Regardless if the intended application is for street use, or offroad competition, a good motorcycle exhaust wrap can provide the operator enhanced safety and engine performance.

This author is a national motorcycle exhaust wrap specialist. Together with being employed at an automotive performance shop, he also drives an ATV which has been improved for safety.

If you have decided to replace the existing Original Equipment Manufacturer exhaust system on your motorcycle, then it is almost certain that you would have done enough research into the subject to know the basics well. Basics consist of the components of motorcycle exhausts, source of purchase, bike model etc. However, there is more to purchasing exhaust systems than just basics. The more you know and evaluate your decision the better the purchase you would be able to make. The following are four things that you have to consider even after you have taken the basics into account.

Budget:

1. The costs of aftermarket motorcycle exhausts can fall anything between just over 150 dollars to around 2,500 dollars. The low end exhaust system for bikes would be a basic replacement while the top end would be a full specification match, race condition replacement from an established manufacturer. Your budget will also direct the kind of material you would be buying. For example, titanium exhausts are much more expensive than similar exhausts made of aluminum. Furthermore, the number of silencers on your bike will also have a significant impact on your total budget. It would cost you almost double to replace the exhaust system of a bike that has two silencers.

Mode of replacement:

2. There are two ways you can undertake the replacement of motorcycle exhausts. One is to do it yourself with the help of the accompanying manuals while the second is to get it done from a professional mechanic. If you have never worked on your bike before then it is advisable to get it done from the mechanic as that would take away the possibility of mistakes. However, regardless of the method, you should always keep a hold of the exhaust system that you have replaced and ensure that there is enough clearance between the fairing and the piping.

Type:

3. Sooner or later, you will have to make the choice between slip on motorcycle exhausts and full system exhaust systems. Needless to say, the full system replacement is recommended because of the kind of performance improvement it can give to your bike. Slip on systems should be avoided if money is not an issue.

Legalities:

4. Every state or country has their own laws with respect to the noise limit from exhaust systems along with environmental control i.e. emissions. Resultantly, there are two types of exhaust systems for motorcycles. The first category conforms to all the laws and carries appropriate licenses and stickers while the second one does not. However, the second category will give your bike the maximum power boost as it is designed for racing bikes.

Finding the reliable aftermarket exhaust system seller can also be a pain as there are so many in the online market these days. Even so, a little research should make things simpler for you. Apart from the basic considerations, these four choices are also significant and must be considered before you go through with any kind of purchase of exhaust systems for bikes.

Biker Supply House offers a wide variety of Motorcycle exhausts. We carry the top selection of Vance and Hines Exhaust products and offer the best pricing on all Vance and Hines Motorcycle Exhaust. Browse our incredible selection now and see how Biker Supply House can help you save on the brands of Motorcycle Exhausts and Motorcycle Parts.

There are many people in the world whose love for their motorcycles borders on obsession. The reason for this lies behind what a bike has to offer to its owner. A motorcycle is a source of pride, a symbol of freedom, a medium of self expression and sometimes, even a way to impress. Owing to such love and devotion for motorcycles, many bike owners try to make it as effective and attractive as possible by modifying it. The first thing that any bike owner intent on modifying his bike would consider is the exhaust system of the bike.

Although the final reason is to make a bike more than what it already is, there are numerous reasons why bike owners look to replace the existing Original Equipment Manufacturer’s exhaust system with aftermarket motorcycle exhausts. Still, replacing the existing exhaust system with new ones is not as simple as it sounds. The choices between multiple motorcycle exhausts can easily stump the uninitiated bike enthusiast. The following is a list of things that a bike owner intent on changing the exhaust system on his bike needs to think about before purchasing any one product.

Agenda:

1. The prospective buyer needs to understand his own purposes for changing the existing exhaust system on his bike with new aftermarket exhausts. The reason for this is that aftermarket motorcycle exhausts are made with the final goal in mind. If the owner wants a lot of noise then he would go for a particular exhaust system, just like fuel efficiency will send him in another direction.

Material:

2. The exhaust systems of motorcycles are made from a variety of things. Materials from which bike exhausts are made of include titanium, carbon fiber, aluminum, stainless steel etc. The choice of the material depends on a number of things as well. The prospective buyer will have to evaluate the weight of the new system and its clearance from the floor not to mention the look that the new exhaust system will give to his bike.

Model:

3. Exhaust systems need to conform to the bike’s model. For example, any exhaust system will not fit a chopper. Therefore, there are specific exhaust systems for almost each and every motorcycle model ever created by man.

Noise:

4. Noise is a major consideration for many motorcycle enthusiasts. In fact, there are sects of bikers in the world who believe that a bike that does not make noise is not worth their attention. However, with the noise factor, the person will also need to analyze the laws of his state and country because many governments have legal regulations against bikes creating too much noise.

If the prospective owner is sure of what he wants from the whole exercise then it should not be a problem for him to find it online. However, in case the preferences are still not set in stone, then the prospective owner will need to do significant amounts of research as the multiple options available online will stump him.

Biker Supply House offers a wide variety of Motorcycle exhausts. We carry the top selection of Vance and Hines Exhaust products and offer the best pricing on all Vance and Hines Motorcycle Exhaust. Browse our incredible selection now and see how Biker Supply House can help you save on the brands of Motorcycle Exhausts and Motorcycle Parts.

If you are a fan of motorcycles and love the chopper or the racer that you have, then it is almost certain that you have at some point in your motorcycling life considered modifying it for some reason or another. The first question that every rider faces after having had fun with his new bike for a few months is if he should modify it to look cooler, be more efficient, give more power or sometimes even make more noise. Motorcycle exhausts are usually the first thing that any bike rider considers changing on his bike. The following are some reasons why.

Power:

1. Most motorcyclists would say that they love the power of their bike between their legs when they are cruising somewhere or even speeding on the highway. The rush of a motorcycle that shoots off the starting line is something that any motorcycle enthusiast enjoys. Acceleration is one of the most basic factors of a motorcycle for its owner. Replacing the existing equipment with aftermarket motorcycle exhausts can allow a biker to improve the peak engine horsepower of his bike. These are known as free flowing exhaust systems that usually give the exhaust a straight path without the hindrance of shape change, catalytic convertors, complicated mufflers etc.

Noise:

2. The vroom of a motorcycle is one of its most important aspects for the bike rider. In fact, many motorcycle enthusiasts even take the noise factor into consideration when they are buying a new bike. An Original Equipment Manufacturer exhaust system is designed to reduce the sound levels of the bike. However, some bikers have opposing views. These bikers use exhaust systems that actually promote the amount of sound that the bike makes.

Performance:

3. In contrast to the above mentioned points, there are also bikers who look for the maximum fuel efficiency and the least sound. These are motorcyclists who prefer more futuristic bikes in comparison to raw, animalistic, conventional exhaust systems with lots of noise and power. Using well designed aftermarket motorcycle exhausts can improve the mileage of the bikes as well.

Looks:

4. There is also the factor of looks to consider here because many bikers like to have the whole diehard, hardcore biker look. This is achieved by flashier and bigger exhaust systems that announce the presence of a traditionalist biker.

Maintenance:

5. Sometimes, the demand for the aftermarket motorcycle exhausts is nothing but simply the fact that the Original Equipment Manufacturer exhaust system needs to be replaced due to wear and tear. Aftermarket exhausts are used as some original equipment exhausts may be hard to find or too expensive to purchase.

There are many reasons why exhausts are changed by the owner in their bikes. Similarly, there are many sources from which you can purchase a new exhaust for your motorcycle. However, the best medium to do so would be online because you get a lot more options to choose from.

Biker Supply House offers a wide variety of Motorcycle exhausts. We carry the top selection of Vance and Hines Exhaust products and offer the best pricing on all Vance and Hines Motorcycle Exhaust. Browse our incredible selection now and see how Biker Supply House can help you save on the brands of Motorcycle Exhausts and Motorcycle Parts.

Every biker has some idea about the exhaust system that his bike has installed. However, what most people fail to realize is that exhaust systems are extremely important components of any engine, whether motorcycle or car. Despite the fact that the majority of motorcycle enthusiasts are not aware of this, the aftermarket motorcycle exhausts industry is prospering. The reason for this is that you do not need to know the intricacies of your bike’s exhaust system if you wish to change it. However, any serious biker would want to know as much about his bike as possible. Hence, the following are details pertaining to the major components of an exhaust system and changing them.

Headers:

1. Stock exhaust manifold headers of an Original Equipment Manufacturer exhaust system are made of cast iron and hence can restrict the flow of air. Furthermore, these are often also heavy which reduces the speed of the bike. Replacing the existing exhaust manifold with aftermarket exhaust headers can result in the optimization of the gas flow speed which will boost the power of the bike. There are four types of exhaust headers depending upon their configuration including the 4-2-1, the 4-1, short headers and the equal length headers.

Catalytic converters:

2. These are devices that are used for reducing emissions. The negative aspect of catalytic converters is that they create back pressure which results in the high end power of the bike falling significantly. Replacing or removing these depends entirely on the laws in your state or country.

Resonators, Mufflers and Silencers:

3. These are devices whose purpose is to reduce the sound coming from the exhaust system with the mufflers being more effective of the two. In the bigger picture silencers are said to be less damaging to the bike’s high end power as against mufflers which can lead to a significant reduction.

Exhaust pipe:

4. This is the piping that runs through the whole exhaust system connecting all the components together. The replacement of this depends entirely on the bike’s model and the new pipe being bought. In contrast to what most people believe, the width of the piping does not decide how much power the engine is going to have. Instead, there is a balance that needs to be maintained for optimum performance.

Motorcycle exhausts consist of all these components working together in harmony and hence need to be treated the same way. In order for best performance improvement, you need to change the whole system as it would not only boost the power of the bike but also reduce the total weight on it. However, having said that, if you wish to improve the high end power of your bike then, even though it is recommended, it is not imperative that you change the whole system. Individual changes can also make a difference. The online motorcycle exhausts aftermarket does offer each and every one of these components individually as some bikers do not prefer to change their whole exhaust systems.

Biker Supply House offers a wide variety of Motorcycle exhausts. We carry the top selection of Vance and Hines Exhaust products and offer the best pricing on all Vance and Hines Motorcycle Exhaust. Browse our incredible selection now and see how Biker Supply House can help you save on the brands of Motorcycle Exhausts and Motorcycle Parts.