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Effects of pipes and air on VN 900

3919 Views 29 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  nukiaki
How does the installation of new exhaust system or mufflers and a high flow air system affect gas mileage on your bike. I would love to enhance the performance, looks, and sound of my bike, but how much of a hit do you take when doing this?

Stuart
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How does the installation of new exhaust system or mufflers and a high flow air system affect gas mileage on your bike. I would love to enhance the performance, looks, and sound of my bike, but how much of a hit do you take when doing this?

Stuart
I put a Kuryakyn Hypercharger, Fi200R and Cobra Slashdown pipes on my 2006 900 and went from 285km per tank down to 240km.
Pipes alone won't affect mpg much.No adjustments necessary, the O2 sensor will compensate. Big air kit requiers a Injection management system or you'll run lean. Yes you will use more fuel but get MORE power. I have not installed my cobra speedster longs and FI 2000 yet as I am out of town visiting family for the Thaanksgiving week but Monday night I will start wrenching after work and will post pics of the install procedure and the finished product. I also signed up for a you tube account so I can post video!. I currently get 50 MPG avg. I am doing pipes and FI200 first then the big air kit so I can track the mpg/performance issue I will be happy with 40 mpg with more power and sweeter exhaust note. With the big tank on my 900 I'll still have 200 miles per tank.
These pseudo-performance mods will trash your mileage. You do not have to read many posts here to realize that you get a little (more noise) and lose alot (10+ mpg). I am continually amazed by those who say "the performance increase is worth it". IMHO they are dreaming. Many equate more noise to more power. Why in the world should a 900 cc bike get 40 mpg? My 1600 has averaged nearly 46 during the 22K miles I have riden this year (just pipes). My wife's 800 averages 50+ and sees 60+ on road trips. Neither of us have had any problem keeping up with, or running away from, the "performance modified" bikes we ride with. A good recommendation is to add your pipes and leave the fuel processor alone. You will not need it and you and your bike will be happy. The "dangerously lean" crap that is bandied about on most forums is just a myth. Adding pipes will not make your bike run lean and you will not damage you bike by doing so.
Pipes alone won't affect mpg much.No adjustments necessary, the O2 sensor will compensate. Big air kit requiers a Injection management system or you'll run lean. Yes you will use more fuel but get MORE power. I have not installed my cobra speedster longs and FI 2000 yet as I am out of town visiting family for the Thaanksgiving week but Monday night I will start wrenching after work and will post pics of the install procedure and the finished product. I also signed up for a you tube account so I can post video!. I currently get 50 MPG avg. I am doing pipes and FI200 first then the big air kit so I can track the mpg/performance issue I will be happy with 40 mpg with more power and sweeter exhaust note. With the big tank on my 900 I'll still have 200 miles per tank.
The 900 does not have an O2 sensor, the bike can't adjust the mixture. Also, it's doubtful you'll still be able to get 200 Mi on a tank after those mods.
my 900 classic is running a hypercharger with center air induction with either a cobra 2-1 exhaust or now a roadburner lites exhaust and cobra fi2000r and i set the 2000r to:1-1-0 anything higher is smells like its runnung rich!this setting for my bike in my opinion is just about right,cobra tells you to set it at 4-2-0 ,,,not for my bike,,i will get back to you on mileage since i dont bother worrying about that,just enjoying my bike...
i also put on black fenders,,, with blue tank i think it looks cool but thats my opinion!
These pseudo-performance mods will trash your mileage. You do not have to read many posts here to realize that you get a little (more noise) and lose alot (10+ mpg). I am continually amazed by those who say "the performance increase is worth it". IMHO they are dreaming. Many equate more noise to more power. Why in the world should a 900 cc bike get 40 mpg? My 1600 has averaged nearly 46 during the 22K miles I have riden this year (just pipes). My wife's 800 averages 50+ and sees 60+ on road trips. Neither of us have had any problem keeping up with, or running away from, the "performance modified" bikes we ride with. A good recommendation is to add your pipes and leave the fuel processor alone. You will not need it and you and your bike will be happy. The "dangerously lean" crap that is bandied about on most forums is just a myth. Adding pipes will not make your bike run lean and you will not damage you bike by doing so.

+1.....I drilled my Original pipes about 8 holes in the Baffles I wanted a little more noise just to let People know I was around other wise the stock sound didnt really bother me....Is it My imagination,? but when I took it For a squirt it seemed to pull a little harder...and the best thing is my trip meter has just hit 310 KM and The warning light has,nt come on Yet. Before I was getting about 270/280KM per tank full as Ive only Rack up one tank full after the mods Im going to have to do a little more Investigating?Otherwise Im Very happy with the 900...great bike:smile:
i also put on black fenders,,, with blue tank i think it looks cool but thats my opinion!

Its those fenders that will kill your MPG everytime! :smile:
I have the Cobra longs with thunder air kit and fi2000r fuel processor all added in stages pipes first then later air kit and fi processor. Your gas mileage will go down about 10% once you get your fi processor set up properly. Once I had all the mods done my bike runs so much better with less effort hard to describe but even the highway running is smoother and quieter and yes there is a very noticable power difference.
fi2000 settings

Alf,

what settings are you using on the fi2000?
there was a thread about fi2000 settings that no a lot of ppl replied to, interesting why Cobra recommends so high values for stock set-up.....


thanks
i set my fi2000r to 1-1-0 my bike has a hypercharger and it had a cobra 2-1 hp pro exhauston it now it has a roadburner streetlites on it it runs good on the 1-1-0 setting
hey alf whats your fi2000r set up to?
With just a BAK added to my VN900 the mileage went from 45+ to about 43mpg. Stock exhaust and no EFI. You can see the dyno results in the Dyno sticky post in Aug. The BAK added about 6 more Hp and 6 lbs torque. There is a article in the recent Cruiser Magazine regarding adding "performance" pipes to bikes. What they have found out through testing is that in many cases it hurts performance compared to just a stock bike.
my bike is a 2007 900 classic
i will have to check that out rod2625 thanks for the info
Hey Nukiaki,

Where in North Jersey are you? I'm in Waldwick, just north of Paramus.
totowa cycodude,ooopps cycledude :-}
Alf,

what settings are you using on the fi2000?
there was a thread about fi2000 settings that no a lot of ppl replied to, interesting why Cobra recommends so high values for stock set-up.....


thanks
hey alf whats your fi2000r set up to?
I first used the recommended settings for addition of pipes only 4 - 2 - 0 when I added my air kit and processor I went to 4 - 2 - 2. Seemed to be running way to rich smelled raw gas at low speed so I started tweaking and riding and tweaking and riding finally wound up 2 - 1 - 1. Bike runs really nice now. I think Cobra's recommended settings are way to rich.
First mod to exhaust was different stages of the drilling process before eventually pulling the baffles. Never saw a mpg drop, always hung around 47 - 49 mpg.
Bought new pipes, added a BAK and FI2000R at same time.
Running stock Cobra settings of 4-2-0, too rich. After several settings, I've been running 2-1-1 for some time and get around 43 - 45 mpg, depending on my wrist control.
I also put on the front overdrive pulley the week before, but hadn't put enough miles on to check mpg before the exhaust/intake mod.
Definite difference in torque, throttle response. I didn't expect to gain performance w/out sacrificing a little economy.
Personally, the trade off is worth the 4-5 mpg hit. The 900 still gets 13 mpg more than my friends who ride a Honda VTX1800, and an HD Road King.
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