Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Exhaust Thunderbike pipers

In reviewing the past messages choice of exhaust seemed to be a personal preferance. Modification to the bike seemed to me as a non mechanically inclided rider, a lot of work, expense and not very effective. My question is, by using Thunderbike pipes would I not be increasing the horsepower easily to the bikes limit and getting a better sounding bike for a for little effort and cost on my part?
Pat, I know you have mechanical skills but chose the Thunderbike pipes. Did this make any changes that you had done to increase performance redundant? [list]

Pat's bike sounds fantastic and runs even better. The thunderbike pipes are the way to go if you have the cash. Me, I'm a cheapskate and I like to tinker so I drilled my own. The performance with a professionally designed system will obviously be superior to mine. I can live with that quite happily. If you want the best, go with the Thunderpipes. If not, try my Blunderpipes Holesaw.
Mike Sr.

Slipping a new set of pipes on is a ten minute exercise. I jsut went with Specialty Spares, they were only $400 (think Dale is now offering free shipping). Pull off one front clamp and the rear bracket is held on behind the peg covers, it slips right off. The only trouble you might encounter is removing the factory bracket from the factory pipes. Any aftermarket pipe will use the factory hangar bracket. One of my factory bolts was loose and needed a tack weld to hold it in place to remove the allen-head bolt. Specialty Spares sends a rejet kit with their pipes, but you could get away without rejetting. (just not realize their full performance potential) I had a hard time coughing up $400 for pipes and the Thunderpipes are even more expensive. The fit and finish of the SS pipes is superior to the factory pipes. I'm very pleased.

I installed the thunderbike pipes - the shorties - on my otherwise standard speedmaster. The improvement in HP was immediate and very noticable. My speedy revs out a lot quicker and sounds absolutely gorgeous.

While the cost of these pipes may be a bit more for you US residents for us Aussies the Thunderbike pipes are the only way to go.

Bear.

Post deleted by Grump

One common theme throughout all the pipe threads is (and I am not busting anyone's chops):

XYZ pipes are the best, they are the ones you should buy!

Feel free to correct me, but ALL these pipes will give you performance gains and that no one of them stands head and shoulders above the rest concerning these gains.

It all comes down to chrome or SS, short or long, and whether you like the look of them or not.

Not even talking about loudness, but that is yet another factor......

Grump, that is exactly what I am looking for, bang for the buck. I do not want to spend money, time and aggrivation installing Unifiler's and rejetting when people have had mixed results at best with this type of performance enhancement. Phil, I do hear what you are saying about all
pipes will increase HP and therefore see were choice comes in. Thunderbike pipes claim an increase of 28% or so. My thought is there is not much left in our bikes after that to improve. Would that be a correct statement?

from what people have done, and dynoed, these bikes seem to have potential to make some very respectable power for there size, and a bit more over stock. i have tbike pipes on my 05 america, but cant tell you what i think till i pick it up in april

Frank

Hi Stephen (or is it Steve?),

I just don't buy that pipes alone are going to get you a 28% gain on a stock setup. Doing the math, that would add roughly 15hp. The specs call stock hp at 54 so this would have to result in 69hp! Just for pipes? So what happens if you then rejet and add some free breathing air filters? Would you get another 5-10% gain?

I would like to see a controlled test of stock and then add the pipes and re-test. I am always willing to admit when I am wrong.

My thoughts are that if you open up the exhaust and the intake, jet accordingly, you will get about a 20-25% gain OVERALL. Or about 64-67hp. I've also heard good things about the TBS needles.

I have K&Ns, 160 mains, and Epcos and she runs like a demon. I finally found a dyno here and I will be there next week. I will most assuredly post the results. I think I have her fairly close to as much as I can get without some major change.

I guess I will find out exactly how good a wrench I am

If I had the bucks there would be a set on mine now.

phil,

looking forward to your dyno results.

cat

Fill fill fill,
How many times do we have to go over this?
Every motor made has a very specific valve timing, exhaust flow, backpressure balance point to achieve optimal performance and engine stability. The good folks down under in KiwiVille have found the exact sweet size, shape and design to achieve this highly sought after balance. You can still play with jetting and the such, but the basic balance in exhaust valve pressure and backpressure are constant, unless you start messing with the cams and valve sizes.
There really is a HUGE difference in performance from the various pipes. I tried several iterations and dynoed them all and the difference is right in front of you in black and white.
With that all said, in my opinion, I repeat in MY opinion, there are really just a few pipe manufacturers that worked towards this performance balance end result : Bub and Thunderbike being the top of the heap, D&D next.
I would love to find a dyno this May down in Ga and spend a few hours just swapping pipies with say open air boxes and 130 jets. A good medium point with just the different pipes and see actual printouts. That might make for a very interesting "Techno Talk" afternoon eeh guys? I wonder if a portable dyno could be rented for a reasonable amount, hey, with 20+ riders chipping in some $$ I bet it can be done.

Dinky, Dinky, Dinky,

Please don't tell me there is a HUGE difference as I don't buy it (btw, qualify HUGE).

For example, here's a post from a long time ago (there's more out there of the same ilk and NOT running any of these pipes):
-------------------------------------------
11/03/2002 | 14:02:24 | stevew

64 HP....Rear Wheel
I have been tinkering with my TBA and have come up with a set up that will work spot on first time.

138 Main Jets
Standard Pilots
Remove Air Injection System
Remove rubber chokers from inside air box(Two of them)
Open out top of air box cover to same size as filter.
Lighter Carb springs(FZR1000..Will do nicely)
Fit Sceptre type exhaust.

I ran the bike over the dyno with the above mods and came up with 64HP at the rear wheel at sea level air temp and pressure.
Really an easy set of mods to get quality power gains.
Cheers.
Stevew
-------------------------------------------

Now Stevew was not using TBs, Bubs, D&Ds, SS, or Epcos (or even the Freak for that matter). If I remember correctly, your latest dyno run got your 64.7 rw hp, right? If a one percent gain is HUGE then I guess I don't know the meaning of HUGE.

Dinky, perhaps you are drinking too much of your beer or you have finally succumbed to the cold?

Phil-up,
When I say Huge, I look down my pants to get a reference.
I guess we just gott put these suckers side by side and see what we all get.
See ya in May eeh?

Phil-up & Dinky,
Looks like the more beer consumed the more the numbers scew? So in both your infinite wisdoms, how do the Dresser Dogs stack up? BTW, I'm still sobber but it is early! You two kooks I will miss at the 05 Rally. Chy, Di, and Moe will keep you all in line!

Trumpy

Hey Trumpy, how's going over in Japan anyway? Stop in at Reed Hospital in Fukuoka if you get a chance, have a beer close by, I was born there.
C Ya Jimpo!

I don't buy Thunderpipes as the only way to go. In fact I think they are over rated and over priced. Of course pipes are a matter of preference and I think you can get varying degree gains with most all pipes offered for our bikes. I am getting convinced that the secret to performance gain is mostly in pipes. There are many offered out there and the best advise I would give is research. Gather as much information as you can and get out and meet up with people to listen for the sound you seek. See what your pocket book can afford then go for it. In the meantime you can always drill out baffles to get away from the sewing machine sound. Me? I got most gain for the buck with my JCWs at a fraction of TB pipes and would put them up against them anytime. But again that's just my opinion.

Geez guyz,
I guess the point I was making was that I just enjoy busting Phil's nads.
It wasn't meant as anything serious at all, just good old fashioned nutbusting.
The reason I think MY Tpipes are best is cause I paid for them and they are on my bike. If I had others, they would be the best...
To each his own, lots of choices out ther for us.
Izzit beer thirty yet?

Heh, heh,

I knew that.

Shoot, I have experienced this many, many times before here. Right, Pat?

Hey, are you going to have that big bore kit on by May? I'd like to see what that gets ya...

Yup yup yup. Dinqua right you are, I do think it's beer thirty.

the one thing i like about thunderbike is they are a factory dealer,with a dyno who test and test over and over to see what gives them the best results,the guys race bikes as well, so have a sound knowledge of what does and doesnt work,also i havent seen a lot of other pipe manafacturers dynoing their products and posting the results on there websites
p.s. they are also working on a twin r3 style headlight conversion for our bikes if anyones keen on that look

do Bubs dresser dogs give the same performance gains as Bubs slash cut?