[magnum_5150]

Just want to see what kind of pipes others have chosen to improve performance on their EX500 bikes. Let me know what the cost was and if rejetting was required on not. How much HP gain can I expect?

TIA-

Magnum

 

[Narcisse91]

I'm also wondering about this. Are there any full replacement exhausts that are not 2-1? I like the look of the dual setup.

 

[enos79]

Hate to reiterate- but I also am very interested in aftermarket pipes for my 88 EX500. I'm not partial to single or dual exhaust, but simply wondering if anyone has any advice for best bang for the buck...?

 

[Freakinout]

No full dual exhaust systems, you can do slip-ons but those have a very low performance increase. Any full exhaust system will be 2-1. Vance & hines makes one, D&D, Muzzy, Jardine, and a few others. Take your pick, one will perform as good as any of the others.

With slip-ons you can get away w/o rejetting, but a full system needs rejetting otherwise you'll be running lean and can burn up the valves. Depending on if you do a K&N replacement filter, stock filter, or K&N air pods depends on the stage of rejetting you do. Stage 1 for stock filter/full exhaust, stage 3 for the others.

 

[enos79]

Hey thanks for the advice! I'm still not sure if I should even spend money on it, it's my first bike and although it mechanically great, it's been down a few times. So I'm at the point where either I do nothing and ride it for a year or so and then buy my new bike, or decide to really fix mine up now. I suppose the more I ride, I'll know more what I like and if I really want a new bike with more power or not. I'm in love with the new Kawasaki Z1000.......

 

[Narcisse91]

I read that the Muzzy requires you to remove the center stand, while the Vance & Hines doesn't. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[spencer500]

i jusy bought my ex500 today.
it has a vance and hines exhaust.
it's a 1991 and doesnt have the center kickstand.
it's too loud for me. my roomate has some some 1987 700 yamaha and his also has a vance and hines exhaust only his is much more quiet.
i would assume that all the pipe is vance and hines as well? (all pictures i found had the dual exhausts)
anyone know if there is another muffler i could put on that would be quieter without going to the oem dual exhaust?
i've looked around on the internet, but cant conclusively find out what the deal is or even a good place to buy from. any suggestions/info would be great.
i dont even have my motorcycle liscense yet and i put almost 3 miles on it going up and down my driveway all night. this is my first time even riding a bike. i tried to ride my roomate's 700 and it felt MUCH heavier.
sorry for the off topic banter.

 

[ZX-2R]

AFTERMARKET PIPES

Aftermarket pipes USUALLY have a replacement filter that goes on the bafffle inside the pipe/muffler. When you remove the baffle it should have fiberglass on it and it should have a piece of stainlee steeel wire wrapped around it...what happens is that the Fiberglass burs out eventually an dyou have to order the kit (which is a couple pieces or one long one that you wrap the baffle with and then use a piece of wire to tightly hold it in place so that yo can reinstall it...To be a little quieter just wrap it with some fiberglass insulation and use Stainless Steel screen material like your window screens use, instead of the piece of wire by itself. It will sound really nice afterwards. SOME of us prefer NOT to have a centerstand. When you park the bike with the sidestand down you ALWAYS put the bike in first gear, so that it WILL NOT roll forward and collapse the stand. I hear the question..."how do you lube the chain then?'''...You put down some newspaper lube the chain, then roll the bike forwards and lube the rest of it. But why remove the centerstand? ...because it serves only to hold the bike up and you already have a side stand...and it could drag going around corners, AND it weighs quite a bit...for some of us it's dead (parasitic) weight. If you weighed the difference between the stock mufflers and pipes versus the replacement pipes and single muffler...big difference there as well. A big difference can be felt when you change the tires and go to a serious performanc tire that is stickier and especially with a lower profile (lower sidewalls.) If you are tall you can put a replacement windshield on your bike and gain some speed (less drag with a 2" taller one), and even some fuel mileage. Gear ratios can be changed for more power or if you are on the OPEN Highway most of the time you can change the gearing and drop your cruising RPM's. Ther are many mods that you can do...

 

[03SSgt]

I put the D&D show and go on my 04 500 (2-1). The carbs, I did my own jet kit, with new main jets (#132.5) and 2 shims on the needles. Also put in a K&N air filter. I must say, it feels like a whole different bike after that.

pipes - $300 or so
jets - $4
shims - $2
K&N - $40ish

feel and sound - priceless

 

[ZX-6RR Ninja]

You got jets for four dollars?!?!?!?!?! I bought a full K&N Kit with the four stages and it cost me over 150 CDN!! Nice deal though!

 

[RadioSilence]

I read that the Muzzy requires you to remove the center stand, while the Vance & Hines doesn't. Can anyone confirm that?

Technically I guess it's true, but the center stand becomes ABSOLUTELY useless with the V&H. Either it will interfere with your chain, or it will be too tight to move.

Also here are my experiences with the Vance & Hines on an '01 500R

http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2031

 

[rlovrin1]

Now I just got a V&H Super Sport on my '02 500R and I've had now probs with the centerstand. The only prob I"ve had is the shop that installed everything majorly messed up the rejetting.

 

[03SSgt]

You got jets for four dollars?!?!?!?!?! I bought a full K&N Kit with the four stages and it cost me over 150 CDN!! Nice deal though!

I bought just the jets from cyclegear.com. I supplied them with the part numbers and size I wanted, and they only charge like $2 a jet. Thats why I didn't buy the kit, they give you alot of stuff you won't use. :wink:

I am still screwin with the set up of everything right now, I'm getting some unwanted backfire when the engine is decelerating. I have #132.5 main jets installed right now and no shims on the needles. The wheelies come easier, but the popping is annoying :x

 

[Anonymous]

ZX-66 dude, I'm pretty sure that that pic is of a R1. I thought the gixer's speedo was on the right, not left of the tach.

 

[Freakinout]

The jardine exhaust lets the centerstand be completely useful, but you either have to deal with that awful muffler or spend even more money for a new can from somebody else.

I currently have the Jardine header (I believe D&D actually makes these) and a V&H SSR2 carbon fiber muffler (it was supposed to be put on a buell). I had to fabricate a bracket, but that was about it.