Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Exhaust Pipes for New Speedmaster

Hey Everybody:

I'm new to this site as I just got a 2008 Speedmaster. It's a sweet bike and a step up from my old Suzuki Savage.

I'm eager to replace the stock exhaust but I'm torn -- I'd like a deeper rumble but I got to admit it's kind of nice to have a quite ride with the stock exhaust. Also I'm leary about messing with the exhaust because I replaced the pipe on my Savage and could never get rid of backfiring on deceleration.

I think I may be leaning towards the Specialty Spares because what I've heard on sound clips is that they don't seem obnoxiously loud but have a deep tone. On the other hand, the Triumph Off Road seem appealing because I figure since they're sold by Triumph they would be the most compatable and the least likely to have poping problems. However, from what I've heard they probably would be too quite for my liking.

I'd appreciate some advice. Will I get poping if I put on an aftermarket pipe? How do the other brands...D&D, Bubs...compare on noise level with the Specialty Spares? Should I install it and rejet myself or pay the dealer to do it? I changed the exhaust and rejetted my Suzuki but I could never get rid of the pop...on the other hand the dealer wants $240. Is there a difference in noise level or other concerns regarding short vs. long pipes. Finally, does anyone know if any of this will affect my warranty?

Thanks alot...glad to be part of the club!

I think the specialty spares is an excellent choice. I have them myself, and they come with all the jets you need. I will not say it for certain (others can chime in on this one) but I think I have understood that if you change the breathing, i.e more open pipes and don't re-jet you get popping on the decell regardless of brand of pipes.

the sweet thing about the SS is that you can vary the amount of packing around the baffle so you can go from not-so-loud, to wide open pipes (I've tried that, it's looooooud!!)

I'm a complete noob when it comes the wrenching, I've just started out on this whole thing, but re-jetting was very easy and you could do it yourself. And it's alot of fun, you get that "did it all myself"-feeling wich as always good.. just take your time, that's it.

I love my Specialty Spares. They have a slightly throatier sound than others I've heard. They are not too loud (unless you remove the baffles which makes them LOUD) and sound great with my 904. Popping, as stated, is not a factor of the pipes but jet and carb adjustment. I also think the SS look better than the stock, TOR, or Bubs.

Hard to give good advice on pipes, everyone likes something different. I personally love my gutted stock pipes. Any change ion that area should be followed by jets and might want to do some intake mods at the same time,weather it be pods or drilled box or snorkel out or any other variation to take advantage of the improved exhaust.

With any less restrictive exhaust you will have some popping on decel if you are jetted right. You can get rid of it by making your mixture slightly rich but it will be too rich if you eliminate it.

Bub has a new set of pipes coming out specifically for the BA and SM. Don

http://bub.com/Motorcycles/Triumph/13-1034/13-1034.html

I have those pipes on my 07 America. Re=jetted, shims, and new pilots. No popping at all-bike runs great. They are not quiet at all. They rumble and I like it. Not too loud but if they were louder they might be! Friends have TORS and they sound nice but not nearly as loud or deep.

Read Dinqua's reply on the Bub vs TOR thread http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...e=0&fpart=2

I have the Bubs and think they are great. I've had a lot of people compliment me on them. They are deep sounding and bark when you twist the throttle but are not too obnoxiously loud. I've not rejetted (but I might later this year to see what happens) and have not experienced any real popping that others mention.
I'm really glad I did no go with the TORs. They just are not as deep as my Bubs. If I were you, I'd stay away from the TORs.
Like Dog said, everyone's got an opinion.

Welcome FolsomBrad. I'm set to pick up a left-over 07 Speedmaster this weekend and have the SAME questions as you do. I'm torn between the SS and Bubs at the moment. Has anyone heard them side-by-side? Looking for nice low rumble...not too loud at idle...and not obnoxious at speed. Simply would like the bike to sound like a bike. Are you planning on running stock first, or will you be making the modifications before you pick her up? Anyone know if the bike should be broken in as stock before these kind of mods are performed? Did you get an air injection removal kit? Are you planning on any air box mods? I was told by Dale at SS that his pipes are getting 65hp at the rear wheel with no air box mods required (simply a new air filter)? Any one running SS know this to be true? I too am interested in trying to do it myself...although I'm not much of a wrench. And I'm very interested in finding out how exhaust mods would impact my warranty. Anyone?

FWIW, I don't think you'll find a BUB owner who doesn't really like the pipes. Just the opposite. Everybody who hears the BUBS on my bike thinks they sound "just like a bike should".

Thanks for the advice...Captain Hilts - I've been riding the new bike stock, but really to see how I like the quite ride and to prep my wife for the next purchase, the pipes, rather than to wait until the break-in period is over. I'm thinking I'll also rejet, remove the AI, and just put in another filter rather than air box mods right away.

Any tone at all with the stock pipes? I've read some good things about Thunderbike pipes. They seem to offer what we're looking for...but they're EXPENSIVE.

Stock is very quite...you can hear a very, very tiny bit of rumble underneath the whine of the motor

The stock pipes sound very much like a sewing machine. I kept stalling mine out, wearing my ear plugs, because I couldn't hear the engine. Now, with my Bubs, not a problem. That engine is sweet music.

Do you know how loud Bubs are compared to Specialty Spares and compared to TORs?

Bubs are louder than TORs, and deeper/throatier. I love'em !! My neighbors have never complained, and I live in a condo development, so I don't think they are too annoyingly loud.

Zmilin has SS pipes and, to me, they sound similar to my Bubs. Originally, when I got my bike last summer, I was trying to decide between SS and Bubs. Unfortunately, I had a bad e-mail addy for SS and I was over in Bahrain at the time I was ordering my bike and bits & pieces. I could not just give SS a call. So I decided to go with the Bubs and have had no complaint. And like I said, they get compliments. Some people have said they like the sound of it better than a H-D! And I think Celt liked them also.

Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with either Bubs or SS. Oilleak has Thunderbike pipes, loud, pricey, and he has had some rust issues with them.

If you remove your stocks, save them, you never know if they may be necessary in the future. I'm thinking of taking the 1-day refresher bike riding course and I understand you have to have stock exhaust installed to participate.

thunderbike pipes are so far my favorite pipes i have heard. i have not heard scepters tho. only problem i have with them is for the money they should be stainless

Frank

I have heard Scepters and they sound very close to gutted stock pipes, just ever so slightly quieter. That is the Scepters that don't have any real baffles I guess they offer baffles now to quiet them down, do know that but someone told me so I could be wrong.

Well I ordered Bubs today...my weekend project -- I wonder how many beers installation will take.

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I wonder how many beers installation will take.

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I'm going with 3~~one for each side and then one to enjoy listening to the sweet new sound~~ BTW, i happen to like the short Tors on my ride~~after years of open pipes on my old H D, they put out plenty of "rumble" for me now 'course, i am an old f^#t~~to each their own

If you have to re-use the rear mounting tab/bracket, getting it off an older bike can be a chore. Be ready to hit it with some PB Blaster and an air-wrench. IF you break the stud loose inside the factory pipe, you can cut it off it not planning on reusing/selling the pipes. If you want to save the pipe, just have someone put a small tack weld on the stud to hold it in place. You just have to exert enough force to break the fastener loose.
Good luck, enjoy the new sounds!

I had to cut the ones off Wendys bike. I simply tack welded the insrets and used vice grips to get the rest of the bolts out and they are fine now.

Bubs have a welded on bracket. You re-use the stock rubber bushings.

Yeah, on your 08 the Bubs will be a breeze. I am definately not mechanically inclined and it took me about ten minutes on each side of the bike on my 07. Ditto to uncle charlie. bubs have the bracket and you just re-use the rubber bushings.

So just out of curiosity. On an EFI 08 whot other mods would be needed to get the most out of performance pipes
(regardless of brand).