Exhaust Question from an Old Fuddy-duddy

[phpaul]

Between a Corbin seat, Higdonion crash bars, radiator guard and a couple of smaller goodies, I've already spent well over $1000 on mods to an $11,000 bike.  
 
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but my question is this:  If you set aside appearance and sound (I'm fine with the stock system on both counts) what is the actual gain from dropping another grand on an exhaust system?  The only thing I can think of would be a horsepower/torque gain with an appropriate ECU flash (there goes another $300...).
 
Am I missing something?
 
 

[britelitebob]

Between a Corbin seat, Higdonion crash bars, radiator guard and a couple of smaller goodies, I've already spent well over $1000 on mods to an $11,000 bike.   
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but my question is this:  If you set aside appearance and sound (I'm fine with the stock system on both counts) what is the actual gain from dropping another grand on an exhaust system?  The only thing I can think of would be a horsepower/torque gain with an appropriate ECU flash (there goes another $300...).
 
Am I missing something?
 

    Pissing off your neighbors?

[norcal616]

You can start with an ECU reflash, will work pretty good with stock exhaust, removing EPA approved engine killing fueling, no speed limiter, still get a nice little bump in power, etc im sure i for got a few things...ECU reflashes are free(not including shipping) after the 1st one from 2wdw...if you want more sound and a little more power buy an exhaust and send the ECU back out... 

[phpaul]

Between a Corbin seat, Higdonion crash bars, radiator guard and a couple of smaller goodies, I've already spent well over $1000 on mods to an $11,000 bike.   
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but my question is this:  If you set aside appearance and sound (I'm fine with the stock system on both counts) what is the actual gain from dropping another grand on an exhaust system?  The only thing I can think of would be a horsepower/torque gain with an appropriate ECU flash (there goes another $300...).
 
Am I missing something?
 

    Pissing off your neighbors?

 
For at least one of my neighbors, the simple fact of my existence has that option covered!

[hailwood]

You drop a nice bit of weight without the converter down there, otherwise it's primarily sound and appearance.
 
Mostly I did it because this is my main hobby, and it makes me happy.

[phpaul]

You drop a nice bit of weight without the converter down there, otherwise it's primarily sound and appearance.  
Mostly I did it because this is my main hobby, and it makes me happy.

A perfectly valid reason, not that you needed my approval...  
Hadn't thought about the weight, it's ALWAYS good to be able to pare some weight.

[betoney]

what is the actual gain from dropping another grand on an exhaust system?  The only thing I can think of would be a horsepower/torque gain with an appropriate ECU flash (there goes another $300...). 
Am I missing something?
 

The price for a full exhaust is similar to a nice suspension upgrade.  Exhaust is at the bottom of my upgrade priority list.  Only one of my bikes has ever had a aftermarket exhaust, ALL of them have had proper suspension set up though.  YMMV.  If it makes YOU happy, then it is money well spent.
 

[Cruizin]

I had an M-4 exhaust on my FZ-09. It felt an sounded so loud, I loved it. At first...
 
then, my neighbors started complaining. And, I started getting speeding tickets and the cops would say "i heard ya from two streets over".
 
I got sick of it really fast. And then i remembered something important.
 
Free flowing exhaust doesn't make you faster. Any 2 hp gained is usually only at a very high rpm level, and how often are ya really running at the highest rpm levels? In fact, sometimes you lose low end torque. It doesn't make you a better rider either. Yes, cars might hear you, but so do cops two streets away and they will come investigating in my town.
 
TO me, the best upgrade for a rider, (besides very good gear) is in suspension upgrades. Tweaking the bikes sag for your height and weight, changing the springs to match height and weight, these upgrades make you a better rider, makes your bike handle better, and unless you only have perfectly straight roads, it makes you a much faster rider and allows you to enjoy twisty and curvy roads to their full extent.
 
The FZ and FJ are short bikes with high handlebars, with pretty generic forks. The FJ-09 is slightly better than the FZ-09 but suspension is where Yamaha cut some corners and skimped at bit to make the FJ-09 so competitive in price. Well, that and skipping cruise control.
 
But, if you want FJ-09 Exhaust upgrades, CLICK - FJ-09 exhaust options
 
 
 
 

[Cruizin]

I sometimes think that I should make a carbon fiber keyfob, stick a little Akrapovic symbol on em and sell em for $89 and see how many are ordered. I could advertise how areo dynamic they are, how light they are and how wind tunnel tests in my back yard (me farting on test key fobs in my kid's barbi tent) prove to make bikes .001 tenths of a second faster in 0-60 mph runs.
 
PT Barnum would have loved the motorcycle accessory business.

[britelitebob]

When I was a kid a custom exhaust didn't cost nothing, all you needed was a hacksaw.
And even if it didn't make your bike any faster it damn sure seemed like it was.

[adjuster]

Some guys like women with big butts, some with skinny, and others like other guys...
 
LOL
 
Exhaust systems are sort of like that... It's a personal choice, but on the FJ, there really appears to be very little gained by the change to another exhaust, and the ECU flash makes more power even on the the stocker.
 
Opening up the stock exhaust has proven to be simple or complex, depending on who does it. (More flow is easy, just drill holes inside the exhaust tip, at the bend, and then through the first wall where the cat dumps out inside the "Scrotum" box.)
 
Or cut it open, and fabricate to your hearts delight, or just buy the aftermarket of your choice.
 
Or leave it stock?
 
I'm a healthy badonkadonk man myself, those curvy ladies with real boobies are always better than most fake ones...

[duhs10]

@phpaul if you have the ability to weld you could do this for virtually no cost...
 
OP of that thread claims power gains on stock ECU settings. Im actually going to give this a try at some point.

[redfjniner]

Between a Corbin seat, Higdonion crash bars, radiator guard and a couple of smaller goodies, I've already spent well over $1000 on mods to an $11,000 bike.   
I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but my question is this:  If you set aside appearance and sound (I'm fine with the stock system on both counts) what is the actual gain from dropping another grand on an exhaust system?  The only thing I can think of would be a horsepower/torque gain with an appropriate ECU flash (there goes another $300...).
 
Am I missing something?
 

I have been waiting to say something about this for awhile now.  I am so very happy with the way Yamaha set up the FJ.   The existing headers are absolutely beautiful and better looking than any of the aftermarket straight pipes, IMO.  The exhaust muffler and CAT are hidden well and low for good weight positioning.  That's a million dollar design, which you don't get with aftermarket.  The engine is tuned for great mpg, long life and current emission standards.  Change any of that and you are most likely breaking the law.  Sound exceeds US law.  Altering the ECU for street is not legal.   I like the way I have my FJ set up, without engine mods.  Ya Yamaha for getting as much as they did out of the triple and still comply with our standards.

[Cruizin]

I still recommend the ECU flash for Americans. Just simply because the FJ-09 we have here in the USA, like many other bikes, is not the way it was designed for the rest of the world.
 
I like my bikes to be just as good as what the folks in Europe/UK/Aus get to have.
 
But, I definitely respect the opinion of those who don't agree with me on this.

[phpaul]

I sometimes think that I should make a carbon fiber keyfob, stick a little Akrapovic symbol on em and sell em for $89 and see how many are ordered. I could advertise how areo dynamic they are, how light they are and how wind tunnel tests in my back yard (me farting on test key fobs in my kid's barbi tent) prove to make bikes .001 tenths of a second faster in 0-60 mph runs.  
PT Barnum would have loved the motorcycle accessory business.

Bwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha.  That's some funny stuff right there! 
I was a little worried I'd tick some folks off with my fuddy-duddyness, good to see a sense of humor on the subject.