running straight headers??

any one know one this? just running straight exhaust header with no pipes??

Is this for a bike that's going to be a strip bike, or a bike that will be ridden on the street regularly?

I'm not sure where you're located, but with all the hub-bub over noise and riders with non-OEM exhaust equipped bikes being targeted by the local po-po here in So Calif, it's not something I myself would want to chance using on the street.

And aside from the noise factor, your bike isn't going to have any exhaust back pressure. Running headers only, and being that close to the exhaust ports, I belive there's a possible chance you just might burn an exhaust valve (or all of them:S ).

You can do it but it's loud as he!!. You will only offend people, and when in traffic it will be an annoying sound for everyone else.

I ran a Kerker 4-into-1 on a KZ1000 with the baffle but no packing (sounded great, not too loud), with a baffle stuffed with steel wool (sounded ok, didn't run great), and with the baffle out and the end-cap in place. the bike ran the best and had a great sound.

Frankly I think running open headers should be a ticketable offense - and that includes our V-twin buddies with drag pipes and straight pipes.

Your bike will run better with some kind of baffle, end cap or something.

both of mine are full length but baffle free. personally, i think it sounds great. really not that loud.

Up here in Canada you could run an open pipe on the street until you came across the first cop, then you would have to shut off the bike while he writes a ticket for noise violations. In our city there was a summer-long effort to curb the noises from the big modified Harleys and the net pulled in lots of bikes with aftermarket pipes for a closer look.

I would stick with a nice sounding pipe like a Kerker, if you can locate one. It might make a bit of a difference if you drill a couple of tiny holes into the end cap of your collector pipe where the baffle is.

Stay on the safe side and keep the pipe stock.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

Unless I misread kustompups question, it sounds to me like he's asking about running just the header itself and no pipes/muffler, not just a baffle-less/open muffler? :huh:

Post edited by: RetroRiceRocketRider, at: 2007/02/12 22:18

I got the same impression.

As for what performance gaines you'd get out of it....That's entirely dependent upon the state of tune of the engine. The more performance oriented the state of tune, the greater the effect of even small changes to the exhaust system. Also, you gain here and loose there....

Most 4-1 systems on most streetable KZ engines give best performance at full length with baffle removed and carbs tuned for that setup.

I recall wireman saying he used to run just a header without the megaphone....

You will loose Horsepower. And burn your vaules down the road. But the sound is GREAT.

did it by accident when i forgot to tighten the clamp.
not as loud a an empty megaphone but still loud.
for me the bike ran better low end but had a flat spot in the upper rpm range.
what i did when i bought my vance and hines pipe was to remove the packing and drill 6 1/2 holes on the backside next to the cap
problum solved.
backpressure the motor needs and the sound i do.
(just remember to re-jet afterwards)

Excuse me for sounding stupid. But why would low back-pressure burn your valves?
I was always brought up on lower is better.

I run an open header on my bike. I only use it at the drags. I run the carbs really rich and it works for me. As soon as I put new rings in it in a couple of weeks I'm sure I'll have to rejet. It is really loud and makes the girls jump in the pits at the track.