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Exhaust Options

14K views 22 replies 18 participants last post by  joesedroid 
#1 ·
I have a wonderful '07 R12R and was kicking around the idea of changing the exhaust. What is the general consensus on this? Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
I'm sure there are a few threads on this Brian, but maybe not specific to your question.

My bike is the same year as yours.:)

I always have installed aftermarket exhausts on any bikes I've owned, mainly for the sound enhancement.

My BMW has a Remus 'hexacone' (model) shaped exhaust.

On my Guzzi, I have 2 'Arrow' exhausts.

Both bikes, the exhausts are not too loud, but emit the most individual sophisticated note.
I love listening to the bike engine when riding along, changing up, down, or when accelerating...I find this part of the joy of riding my motorbikes.

I definitely don't like subjecting a obnoxious loud, horrendous sound onto the general public.....this is why I don't choose the loudest exhaust options.
 
#3 ·
Exhaust Thread

:clown: Hey Brian, thanks for the chuckle. :clown:
Already spent the money, just haven't sold the boots yet.:surprise:
There is a full header and slip-on posted for sale here. :grin2:
Good luck with your sale.:smile2: Don't forget pics of the new plumbing.:)
 
#4 ·
I don't know why you'd want to, power increase will be minimal for the money spent and if you're not racing it's just a waste of cash. And if you are racing, there's lots better options for the track than the R. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I relish peace and quiet and no longer find the rumble of a motorcycle engine exciting, just plain annoying. It's your bike brother, go for it, as indicated above there are plenty of options in the marketplace, do a search on this site quite a few folks have done this.
 
#5 ·
Sort of agree with Newport. When I bought a Ducati Monster 1100 I didn't hesitate a second to upgrade the cans to carbon racing Termis with matching ECU and air filter (for a ridiculous $2,500). I'm not in a hurry to change my new '15 R's exhaust. Yeah it looks a little too big, but is it worth dropping $900 for a Remus or Akrapovic can - more with new headers (get rid of the cat) and a tune? Hmmpph, not right now. I'd rather give that money to my favorite charity.
 
#6 ·
Personal preference, of course-- to each his/her own & all that.

To me, the BMW opposed twin doesn't have an appealing exhaust note that makes a louder exhaust desirable. I've ridden an R1150RT with a louder can, and the drone in my helmet was obnoxious and annoying. Maybe if you don't wear a full face helmet, that's not an issue. Certain engines sound good louder, certain ones just don't. Factor in the very limited performance gains at the expense of increased emissions due to the cat being removed, and the high dollar cost of the systems just doesn't seem like money well spent in my mind.

Four cylinder bikes, on the other hand, sound awesome with a good exhaust system!
 
#9 ·
Aside from making the motorcycle sound better, my muffler change resulted in shedding 7 lbs of weight and typically look better that the "chrome fire extinguisher" OEM muffler. The Akrapovic is WAY over-priced, consider a WERX or HAWK (same company) made in the U.K., buys its components from same company as Akrapovic but charges about 1/3 the cost of the Akrapovic. A HAWK Titanium model can be seen here
 
#11 ·
I found a GPR Titanium slip on for my '07 on Ebay a couple of years ago. It was just shy of $300 shipped to the US. The tapered end cap is CF & looks great. I elected to not fit either of the 2 baffle/silencers & I think it sounds much better. Some of the purists on this forum might consider it sacrilege to attach anything red, white & green (Italian) on our Beemers (lol), but being a tight arse I elected to go with the GPR over the Akra or Remus. For me, it's been the single best farkle added to my R.
 

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#16 · (Edited)
Having read many adverse views on the OE zorsts on many BMW machines - referring to 'water-heaters' and the like - this following post of mine (dated July 18th 2020) from ANOther Forum (R9T) may not be entirely inappropriate. BOS is a Dutch company specialising in motorcyle exhaust systems for many bike brands - lookemup.

The new BOS zorst was installed today, not by me but by a mate who just happens to be a highly-qualified Motorrad Master Technician - he has the hoist to get the bike up to the right working level, the tools, and most important of all - the know-how and expertise. Took him about half-an-hour at most, and while waiting for the bike to cool down he fixed a minor issue with my new-ish H&B rear carry-rack, so no time was wasted. I must say, however, that it appeared to be quite a straightforward task, as everything including detailed well-illustrated instructions are included.

I know there are those who love the OE twin AKRA pipes on the R9T, but I don't, believing them to look too 'heavy' and quite out-of-place on the otherwise minimalist R9T. By comparison, IMHO, the BOS item looks neat, clean, and purposeful. I have read that BOS aftermarket zorsts are the #1 brand in Germany, which is good to know. I imagine that the German market is a large one, and German riders quite knowledgeable and analytical, so that adds another 'tick' to BOS for me.

On the ride home I noticed zero change to the exhaust note or engine performance.

In the pix below you'll note the black item running along the mid-section of the zorst, which BOS calls a 'scratch-protector'. It appears to be an easily replaceable part, which I guess would save minor cosmetic damage to the pipe itself should the bike topple at zero kph off the stand. And in a nice touch BOS supplies a number of different coloured inserts to match the bike - I chose a simple silver-white insert. You will also note in the pic of the end of the zorst that there's a small black rubber grommet on the lower lhs (arrowed at 7 o'clock), which when popped-out reveals a small screw, which can be used to remove the baffle(s) for a meatier sound - but stock is quite OK for me. The positioning of the BOS unit also gives much better access to the wheels studs.

So far so good, and on this basis alone I am very happy to highly recommend this BOS product. I'll update impressions, etc., as time goes on.

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#17 ·
My stock R1250R runs perfectly. I don’t have a problem with how it sounds. The Akrapovic carbon muffler looks cool but I’m hesitant to mess with the smoothness of the OEM setup. None of these mufflers are going to sound like a full Jardine exhaust on a Rocket III, which is a good thing, so what’s the point of getting a little more blappage out of it?
 
#18 ·
The reverse flutes in the exhaust tube, Lawrence, are reminiscent of those in the original Conti pipes on my 1978 SS900 Ducati (I hesitate to call them silencers). There were much fewer of them though, and they formed a spiral pattern up the pipe, such that when the bike was idling on a frosty morning, little bullets of condensation would appear with each pulse in a random position around a circle behind each pipe about a metre behind the bike. Quite mesmerising.
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#20 ·
I'm also active in a German BMW Forum where there are numerous threads about the best exhaust. I agree with LoS that BOS is a to quality, but I might easily been crucified for that. I have tried out on my 08R1200R the complete exhaust system from SR Racing, which is called the holy grail of exhausts. I had to weld a connection pipe because it was for the camhead roadster with the flapper valve. It has the catalytic converter in the rear muffler. The performance is better and the lack of torque around 4000-5000 rpm was almost gone. BUT the oxygen sensors and the spark plugs were white like a piece of chalk. The higher gas flow caused massive higher temperatures. So it would have required a different mapping to prevent the motor from burning out. If it is for performance reason you should always adapt the mapping to the exhaust.
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#22 ·
What is your objective in changing the exhaust? If you want to make your bike sound different or to personalize it you will meet the objective by changing the exhaust. If you're trying to get more power you won't be happy. From the dyno sheets I've seen, power gains will be minimal, at the top of the rev range, and probably be accompanied by a corresponding power loss at lower RPMs. You will, however, probably see a weight loss.
 
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