Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Exhaust Better SS Pipes Video

Okay, that other video I posted was just a tease. Here is the real deal. I zipped out to a non-residential remote road after work today to do a quick recording of the pipes. As I mentioned, the audio on my digital camera isn't the best (i.e. the deeper throaty roar sound of the pipes is not picked up), but you'll get the idea.

The first video is revving the bike to redline several times. The second video is actually taking off and riding around with a fly-by. The videos require QuickTime 7 to play (free download here).

Man this thing makes me smile!

SS_Rev.mp4 (1.1 MB)
SS_DriveBy.mp4 (1.6 MB)

You like?

Very much so. You've got her right I'd say!!

Cool, nice work! Those digital cameras actually do a pretty decent job with video/sound.
Are those your modified pipes or the stock Specialty Spares? I'm out of town tonight and was going to experiment with removing a little of my packing tomorrow evening when I get back home.

They are modified. There is only about 25% of the fiberglass left. I HIGHLY recommend the method I used to repack the baffles. I used hardware cloth wrapped around the fiberglass to hold it to the baffle. I tried it the other way (just left it loose) and it all basically blew to the back of the baffle and sounded like crap within a matter of minutes. I pulled them the other day and they are exactly the same as when I packed them - perfectly held in place.

Follow the link in my signature and then click on "Modified Speciatly Spares" for more details.

I just read that post. Where did you get "hardware cloth", guessing a hardware store (Lowe's?). I was planning on using the same screen to hold the material in place (or is the screen what you call hardware cloth?) I have some leftover from a job with my gutters.

The "screen" is called hardware cloth. It's available at any Ace, Hardware Hank, True Value, etc.

Just ask for 1/4" hardware cloth (by the foot, I think I got 3' worth). It's only a few bucks, but they have to cut it for you so don't bother looking for it.

Thanks, I'll all set. I have a few sq. feet leftover from a household job. I'll starting paring packing tomorrow and post my results. I just want mine slightly louder and will proceed cautiously.

Hi Dan,

They sell this stuff at Lowes called gutter guard which is just galvanized hardware cloth. It's pre-cut to about 6x36" for a buck or two. Made a great grill backing on my truck after I sprayed it black! Oh yeah, it probably would hold baffle packing too!

I pulled about 30% of my packing last week and secured the remains with the hardware screen. Awesome sound, but not over the top loud. At first I thought it hadn't changed, than went up and over a mountain near my house - oh yeah they are definitely louder. Rode with the wife today up in the mountains of PA than in our town with narrow streets and tall buildings - lots of reverbations! Wife asked me if I did something to the bike it sounded louder. I said "nope" just those new pipes from January, maybe they are wearing in! (our secret!) I set off one car alarm at a nearby watering hole, told her I just got too close.

Wink wink...

Do you think you'll leave it there, or tweak it some more? That's the thing with infinite possiblities, we end up dinking around with it forever.

I stripped about 75% of the packing on my SS pipes like you, and I have been pleased with the results. I didn't think to re-pack with any reinforcements, but I sure will look into it now. Your bike sounds great.

R

I better not, or I'll be riding solo! Thanks for the tips on the modification.

Yikes, I bet they hear you coming Ryan! I would definitely add the screen around the remaining material. Your baffles must look like Paris Hilton's wardrobe: breezy!

I just ordered the SS Long Cannons with the new billet ends for my 05 Speedmaster. This is my first bike so all of this is very new to me. In one of your posts, you say the ride along video is before you tuned your carbs. The first thing I want to try is putting on the pipes and running it without rejetting and the AI removal (although I did have Dale send me both). Can I just bolt them up and go? I see posts about the motors revving really high or low - will I run into this if I don't make any adjustments? I'm sure I will bring the bike to the dealer and have them do the rejet and AI removal for me, just not sure if I need to have it all done together.

I'm glad I found this forum because evyone's posts are very helpful to a newbie.

Thanks, Brian

Brian:
Thanks for the heads up on the billet ends, didn't know they were available. You can run the pipes without rejetting but the bike will run far stronger and better with a rejet. I would remove the AI before you ride another mile and ruin those nice chrome header pipes. They'll turn blue & brown in a heart-beat which will require lots of work to get close to a new looking state. (see my photos when I bought the bike) It's a simple 30 minute job. Run the bike low on gas so the tank is easy to manuever off/on. Give this site a shout if you have questions or run into any difficulty.
You won't be disappointed in the pipes, I love my SS sound and looks.

Brian:
I still don't see the billet ends listed on Specialty Spares website, can you tell me how much they cost?
Thanks!

Brian,

I ran mine for half a summer with nothing done but the AI pulled and the pipes added, so yes you can do it. With the AI pulled I had quite a bit of popping before I tuned it, but I'd imagine the popping would be much worse without it. You can TOTALLY do the AI yourself, it's super easy! If for no other reason, you should pull the AI before your header pipes turn blue.

The first video I took (which is posted on my site) was taken before I modded the cannons while running 45 pilots, one shim, and stock main jets. Why that combo? Long story short... I pulled my carbs and rejetted the pilots. Next I went to do the main jets and noticed the new ones were the wrong size, they were actually *smaller*. I threw in the shim and waited for the new main jet. In the mean time I took the video. There is noticeable popping every time the bike slows down in the video. That was actually better than before I rejetted the pilots and added the shim.

So yes, you can run stock jets with pipes, but it's such a waste considering how much untapped power can be had for spending less than $10 on jets and pulling out your snorkel in the airbox. It's huge.

Ryan,

I bet if you take 2 minutes of your day and pull your baffles you'll find all your fiberglass blown to the back of the baffle in a little wad. This causes (or at least it did on mine) a more harsh metallic sound. I don't even know how to describe it, but it sound's so much better when the fiberglass runs the full length of the baffle. I'd spend a few dollars on the hardware cloth before you pull them because you'll want to fix it.

I hear ya, and this makes perfect sense. Anyone who has removed the baffle on the SS pipe entirely, knows about the "harsh metallic" sound. I'll take a look this weekend, when I am sure it will be raining.

Ryan

Dale sent me an email that he had the new billet tips are ready so I decided to get them. I should have them this Friday. Total price was $449, so deducting the price of $389 for the regular long cannons comes to an extra $60 for the tips. He said he won't have pictures of the tips on the site for another week or so, but I trust that they will be a nice addition based on everyone's satisfaction with Dale's products.

Is there a post or link you know of that details the AI removal?

I would like to avoid the blueing. Funny thing is my wife and I bought Triumphs as our first bikes about 3 weeks ago. She got the 05 America in Green/Silver and I got the 05 Speedmaster in Blue/Black. I have 350 miles so far with no signs of discoloring. She has 50 miles on it and one of the headers is already turning yellow and blue. Wonder if the two different engine sizes makes a difference. She finishes the rider course this week and I won't let her on the road till she passes it so it's just parking lot practice for her at the moment.

I'll post a picture of my bike with the new tips as soon as I get tehm installed, which should be this weekend.

Sure, Jenks Bolts has a nice downloads page for the AI removal:
AI Removal PDF
I saved all of my components in the worst case scenario they ever need to be reinstalled for vehicles emission testing. A few tips that might not be on this site for the America:
1. Remove the chrome dash cover and gas cap first.
2. Watch when you remove the tank for the vent line on the gas tank. It may be a little stubborn to remove. Of course having low fuel in the tank is a plus.
3. Some folks have just disconnected the lines to the AI and zip tied them in place under the tank.
4. When reinstalling the tank, carefully run the vent line around the rubber tank mount and be sure not to crimp this line (starves the bike for fuel)

I'd love to see pix of the billet ends, thanks for the effort. My bike has 1,200 miles on it when I purchased. My pipes were blue/brown and "Blue Job" only removed part of the discoloration. I removed the header pipes this winter and buffed on a machine. They're still not perfect and I guess they never will be.