quick, easy exhaust fun!

[DrogeN Omen]

i haven't noticed any difference apart from the sound.

although i haven't really riden my bike much since i did this. its under a sheet at the mo for winter... will bring her out again in the summer.

 

[Gertch]

Will someone post some pictures clearly denoting the location of this cable. Think I've found it, but don't want to make a noobie mistake and pull the wrong one. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Gertch]

Do you unhook the cable from around the cresent shaped actuator?

 

[Jon0341]

Ya just get some slack by pulling on the cable pull around cresent to relieve some tension then take some needle nose plyers and work it out

 

[BuellRider3158]

I unhooked the cable from the crescent shaped actuator and it literally made zero difference for me. My bike sounds and runs exactly the same.

 

[beaterbaja]

Gertch... This is the cable that is under the airbox cover, the box it is hooked too is the servo that actuates the exhaust valve, leave the servo electrically connected so as not to signal the "check engine light"

I rode around with this mod for a while and loved it,(finally got a hawk!), take off the airbox cover, unhook the cable, and start the bike. Pull the cable, and you'll hear the difference immediately. It is very noticeable!

Buellrider...did you pull your cable out, to open the valve, then cinch it open with the zipties? If you disconnected the cable and left it alone, it will not open the valve in the muffler. What we are doing is pulling the cable(the servo's job at certain times) with the ties to keep the valve open all the time. (helpful? If not let me know and I can get into better detail)
Ride safe!

 

[Gertch]

Looks like the cable is connected at two points forming a "c" shape. Do I disconnect this cable at the lower point or the upper point, then pull and cinch? Thanks.

 

[everythingwastaken]

I got the idea from doing the same thing to my 4wheeled vehicles, after 100 thousand whatever miles the throttle cable from the gas pedal streaches from normal wear. If you pull the pedal towards you a bit you'll see slack, add a couple zipties and you can feel a big difference when you floor it, as you are getting actual WOT again.

LOL, I was beginning to think that I was the only one that knew this trick! It only makes sense that that valve doesnt really do anything seeing as how the original Buell Racing exhaust didnt use it...

 

[eMBee]

Hey Guys,

I did this mod... just came back from the test drive, here's my result:

I've got an XB12X '06, no mods or other changes (yet)
The results on my bike are... remarkable, no... its AMAZING!
It runs a lot smoother... normally its a crime to do roundabouts in second gear (lots of hiccups en very jumpy)
Now you can easily take those slow corners and drive normal at low speeds through city or busy streets. (even in third gear)
The sound is GREAT, it gives a good roar from the beginning, especially when you pull on the throttle!
this is by far the easiest mod to get a good result!
and if it's not... you can easily undone

recommended by me!

 

[BuellRider3158]

I got this to work finally and it sounds and runs so much better then the normal stock. The only difference in what I did is rather then using zip ties, I brought new meaning to the term redneck engineering and I used duct tape.

 

[crxtasy169]

This mod is ok, but it deffinently took away a lot of torque. I have to clutch way higher to do wheelies and I can no longer do roll on wheelies w/o bouncing it.
As for the heat my fan didn't run at all until I shut it off. While riding though I felt a lot more heat coming from the exhaust but it is still bearable by all means.
The acceleration was a lot smoother and driving in the lower RPM's was much easier and smoother as it did not jerk anymore.Daily driving much more fun.
My question overall is: if I buy a Drummer Original does it keep the new and improved driving qualities(no jerkiness in lower gears) and give me back the low end torque? According to Drummer It is the only exhaust that improves torque throughout the entire range?
If someone with a Drummer could shed some insight it would be much appreciated.

 

[BuellRider3158]

crxtasy169 you have lost me. This mod didn't cause me to lose any torque or power anywhere in the bike. Mine ran pretty much exactly the same as before, just sounded way better.

 

[freak2180]

I got my bike with a race can already on it and i have never noticed a flat spot or loss of torque ....... i know its not the same as a stock can with the valve heald open b ut it its pretty close. If i remember corectly the race can is pretty straight through design and when opening the valve in the stock can all your doing is giving the exhaust a shorter path to the exit.

 

[crxtasy169]

Don't know what to tell you man but I lost several pounds of torque on the low end enough to make it harder to clutch up wheelies about a grand higher on the RPM's , but the driveability is badass so I'm going to leave it this way for a week or so and see how gas mileage fairs and if I like it better this way or not!

 

[hdstn]

Well I gave this a shot on the 'what the hell, why not, aint got nuthin better to do at the moment' (yes I even went 'redneck' on the grammer lol).

Haven't had a chance to ride it yet, be doing that shortly. There is however a very noticeably deeper tone at idle and when giving a little twist

Thanks for the idea baja! +1 rep for you[up]. I want to also note, on mine anyway (07 stt), that on the cable there is a slack adjuster right about the point the cable goes down past the frame. Found it very helpful to loosen it up a bunch, do the zipties then tighten it up to make sure the valve was fully open.

 

[DrogeN Omen]

I haven’t ridden my bike much since I did the mod but I instantly noticed a deeper sound while idling and revving.

I was told to ride around for about 20 or 30 mins and keep the RPM’s above 3000rpm as the computer chip recalibrates fuel and air mixture apparently in 2007 and newer models… don’t quote me on that though. Afterward it felt like it always did, lots of torque at usual rpm ranges as before. So no real difference really just that the sound has changed.

maybe try that. ride around with RPMS above 3000rpm in 1st gear. see if it makes a difference.

 

[crxtasy169]

I'll give it a shot man it's worth a try since mine is a 2009!

 

[beaterbaja]

got my Hawk muffler finally!! love it! here's a video of what doing this mod sounds like compared to open headers, then a Hawk!

 

[vanson1200r]

Well, heck. I'm going to go and try that now. I'll try to find a new way to hold it open just to be differnt

 

[lifeisafractal]

+1 for black zip ties! I did this and it seems to run fine just with a better sound. I also did the breather mod at the same time (just got my lightning) so I can t be too sure if the smoothness that came in the low end is this or the breather (I'm thinking its the breather).