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Running without Cans

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6.4K views 36 replies 27 participants last post by  Nick D  
#1 ·
What would the potential problems be if i were to run straight headers and no cans on my bike? Would i break something?
 
#4 ·
Sucking cold air back into hot exhaust valves during deceleration can lead to valve damage, ie: warped valves.

Getting a ticket for running open exhaust will cost you $$. ;D Apparently only Harleys are allowed to run open pipes, not quite sure how they get away with it! <sarcasm>

I used to have a KZ650 a few years back, never had a problem with law enforcement. It was like I was invisible. Within a week of installing a 4 into 1 header, I got a speeding ticket. I prefer stealth mode!
 
#5 ·
Well i don't know for sure but i think that can be illegal in most areas??? Not sure though, plus that may piss a few neighbors off... unless that is what your going for..
 
#6 ·
My advice is do not do this.

There is a difference between a sexy-loud pipe that gets a little attention and "what kind of rocks is that fool smoking"-annoying loud.

Take your cans off your bike and ride it around and try it out. In a way it would be kind of funny.

If you have that kind of air flow and nothing to compensate for it you might end up running a little rich too (I could be way off on this one though - just my guess)
 
#11 ·
funny this thread came up, just this weekend I rode around yuppie Walnu Creek without pipes. I pulled them off to weld a broken support bracket and decided what the heck lets give her a run around the block. I've heard bikes much louder, I couldn't imagine getting into trouble for it... well serious trouble at least ;D
 
#12 ·
There was someone on here that ran their bike without cans while their wife(?) filmed, she was getting pretty annoyed, and he was hardly revving at all.

who was that btw?it was a funny vid :D
 
#17 ·
I thought it sounded pretty narley... I wouldn't ride like that normally but I thought how many chances am I going to get to hear an open header ex500... not many i figured. I would have never tired/known if I hadn't broken that support bracket by the passenger peg = )
 
#18 ·
I had the header bolts back out at 700 miles and that was loud as hell for the three seconds it took me to shut the bike off after I realized what had happened but I got it fixed real easy by tightening the bolts back up only burning my fingers like ten times because I was in a hurry to get riding again.





^Now that's a run-on sentence ???. lol... got bored ;D
 
#19 ·
people need to quit saying all sorts of dumb stuff on these without cans threads

it will do 4 things

be louder

sound less refined

give you less power down low, no backpressure

give you a little more power up top probably, no backpressure

assuming the bike is tuned properly. i wouldnt know enough to say if they need to be retuned a/f wise to run perfectly without cans, id guess since its a small motor its fairly sensitive. ive run all sorts of bikes without cans, its not a big deal. my cb750 runs a vance and hines 4-1 with no baffle, its the loudest motorcycle ive ever heard. the exhuast is just a big straiught pipe in a horn shape. it runs fine, always has. tons of bikes run without cans, personally i like to hear my engine. but i also have a gs500 i run with stock pipes because i commute on it and dont want attention. whatever
 
#21 ·
bluesinged said:
What would the potential problems be if i were to run straight headers and no cans on my bike? Would i break something?
oh dear. . .
i tried this out for the hell of it on a two-stroke 50cc and nearly shattered windows. it's not the same as a loud pipe... it's just rediculous and NOT GOOD for the motorcycle. it's not even a question of earplugs or not.
 
#22 ·
whateverwhatever said:
NOT GOOD for the motorcyclIST.
Fixed.

It won't hurt the bike at all. Worst case scenario running the stock header and nothing else is going to puff a little carbon onto the swingarm, wheel, etc. It probably won't even do that. It might hurt some ears, though - yours, and anyone that follows you. With the KZ when I used to take longer rides on it I'd get a headache after a good day of riding. On the freeway people would just plain stay away from the rear of my bike (still do). The EX isn't THAT loud (that I can remember), but I ran it around the block w/ just the header and about peed my pants when I ripped on it. Back on went the cans.
 
#24 ·
sin-d said:
My husband took the cans off my bike, just for S&G, i liked the way it sounded. But i did today, order some D&D slip ons. Hope i like them.
If you liked the throaty sound of the bike with no cans, then the D&D slip ons will be a big improvement over stock cans

:-X