550 exhaust availability thoughts

I'm thinking months and months and months ahead, wondering about what I should do about my exhaust..nothing wrong with it now, but its starting to get pretty rusty on the pipes under the bike. I couldn't tolerate a 4-1 exhaust, it just looks..wrong..it looks "unbalanced". I'm kinda thinking about turn-out mufflers, and the whole system needs to be chrome..I'm thinking about the possibility of eventually hacking off my mufflers and getting the head pipes rechromed (and brazed if leaks develop) and welding on a set of chrome JCW turn-outs, but what I'm wondering, is whether the head pipes on aftermarket exhausts (such as mac, V&H, Jardine, etc) are larger diameter than the stock pipes, or if the improvement in flow is mostly in the mufflers. If its mostly in the mufflers, then putting on the JCW turn-outs should offer some small flow improvement, while maintaining some degree of sound reduction, and a different look..If the improvement is the result of larger head pipes AND a higher flowing muffler, then I won't have much of a performance gain, it'll be 95% cosmetic.

To sum it all up, are the head pipes bigger on aftermarket exhausts?

Is there a chrome aftermarket 4-2 exhaust availiable NEW from somone(company) for a 550 ltd that won't interfere with centerstand use and oil changes? I've looked over denniskirk, z1enterprises, and oldbikebarn, couldn't think of the other popular sites.

Chris:

In a nutshell, no. Aftermarket pipes do not have larger diameter 'head' pipes than OEM. The exhaust pipe has to be the same diameter as OEM to fit into the exhaust opening on the head. So, aftermarket pipes offer 'increases' in appearance, sound, and performance based on configuration and modifications of the mufflers. It may be that few (if any) current manufacturers are offering complete aftermarket exhaust systems for your late-model 550. If that is the case, you'll have to either pay close attention to eBay, or fabricate something:)

Of the few that out there on the market new, Mac is the olny one that will not interfere with the center stand and oil change. Campbells X-Pipe (pronouced: Ex-pen-siv) is a great exhuast, but I'm pretty sure the centyer stand has to go away with one. They claim oil changes to no be a problem.

One of the biggest things you can do to improve or worsen performance of your bike is to modify the exhaust. Though it may seem that more flow will result in some improvement in HP this is not always the case. You could end up with loss of power in certain parts of your power band. You also run the risk of having to re-jet your carb.

Unless you are willing to do a lot of tinkering on your custom made pipes/muffler setup or other mdifications to the bike then I'd recommend looking for a replacement stock set off of Ebay or go to findmypart.com and list exactly what bike you have as well as what you are looking for there. That site is subscribed to by salvage yards and dealers all over the country. Who knows you might get a nearly new one for less money than an aftermarket. I have had success using it and the price was 1/2 what I was expecting to pay, shipping was included too!

Good luck!

del

Have you looked at the Sito exhaust systems offered by Dennis Kirk? This Italian manufacturer has an original looking 4 into 2 chrome muffler system and crossover available for the KZ550's.

Well, I really don't care about original looking..infact I wan't the mufflers to look anything but original. I'm mainly concerned with staying away from 4-1 and painted/powdercoated exhaust. With the lack of widely availiable aftermarket systems, I'll probably eventually just get my pipes cleaned up and rechromed, and replace the still good-condition stock mufflers with baffled chrome turnouts from JCWhitney or other such company. They're supposedly somwhat louder than stock, but not as loud as baffle-less. Rejetting my carbs isn't a big deal, <$10 for Keihin small head main jets (direct replacement for TK jets) another couple sizes over what I have, and it might actually motivate me to shim the needles, which it kinda already needs. :blink:

Whatever I do, the stock mufflers will go in favor of somthing in a slash cut/turn out/turn down.

I was mainly concerned with knowing where the "gains" in an aftermarket system come from, and whether there would be an aftermarket 4-2 system widely available, both were answered adequately. Thanks.

I had the same issue. You will not find anyone that will rechrome used pipes. a couple of specs of carbon will ruin the whole chrome bath.
I pulled the pipes from an '81, cut out the brackets from my '83 M1 (shaft) and welded the brackets to the new mufflers. Good to go, and looking a lot better than the old ones. I've seen replacement T's and slip-ons, but no replacement front pipes. Don't do what I did on my originals - I sandblasted them, figuring to sand and paint with high heat paint. They became unusable (swiss cheese.)

Personally, I think the Mac, in black (since the front pipes are black regardless of the muffler) doesn't look bad at all. It's just a matter of getting used to seeing it that way.

Post edited by: pmarion, at: 2006/07/06 11:13

Mac is the only one currently in production(looks ugly). Kerker was bought out by Supertrapp years ago, and they no longer make a system for the 550's. Bassanni along with Vance & Hines, are others out there that have stopped producing the 4-1 system. Your best bet is to keep an eye out on ebay. Do your research on the ehausts before you bid. I believe the '81 is different from the '82-'83, and the '84 on up to '88 550 are how they are classified. Some systems might overlap, but there's still info on most manufacturers websites, or you could call them and ask for the numbers. Whew!!! :S

Good luck, and ask seller questions, and for numbers on the exhausts.

pmarion wrote:

I had the same issue. You will not find anyone that will rechrome used pipes. a couple of specs of carbon will ruin the whole chrome bath.
I pulled the pipes from an '81, cut out the brackets from my '83 M1 (shaft) and welded the brackets to the new mufflers. Good to go, and looking a lot better than the old ones. I've seen replacement T's and slip-ons, but no replacement front pipes. Don't do what I did on my originals - I sandblasted them, figuring to sand and paint with high heat paint. They became unusable (swiss cheese.)

Personally, I think the Mac, in black (since the front pipes are black regardless of the muffler) doesn't look bad at all. It's just a matter of getting used to seeing it that way.<br><br>Post edited by: pmarion, at: 2006/07/06 11:13

ive had plenty of stuff plated and replated over the years including exhuast systems never had a problem .the old plating is stripped off and the parts are cleaned and polished many times before they ever go back in plating tank.:whistle: