Holes in Exhaust End

I'm expecting to take delivery of my brand new C800b (all black, pipes/bars etc) first week of February. I'll be drilling eight 12 mm holes in the back plates, to improve the sound. Any views/opinions please on whether I should wait (say) until my 600 mile service, for the engine to bed in just a bit, assuming I'm screwing up the back-pressure. This means 600 miles in embarrassing silence, or would it be safe to take the drill to my new baby right away ? Any opinions gratefully received. Oiler

Personally I would not do anything to the bike until after the 600 when any glaring warranty issues will have surfaced. As for the holes in the back, I don't think they look too clever and that's assuming you don't cock it up and space them a bit wrong. I would prefer a hole down the middle that no one can see and sounds just as good IMO. It's just that holes in the back plate look a bit DIY, especially on a new bike. I did it myself but if I had my time again, would not. There are those who say that if you spend several thousand on a new bike and want a better sound, spend a few more hundred and get  proper aftermarket exhausts. I did not at first but did in the end and wished I had done it first. Holes are ok but if you want a real cruiser sound cheaper, I think you need to debaffle. Just my views. Whatever you do, looking forward to seeing pics of your gorgeous new bike. 

Thanks Mr Bluesman, good point made (and of course it was your youtube that encouraged my previous bike's end-plate improvement). I found HH shorties were just too loud for me, hence the end-plate work. It's always difficult to tell from a video the sound volume. But, waiting 600 sounds good to me. Give my regards to Swansea, especially Ysgol Street, where I was born, and where my dad rode a 50cc Phillips Gadabout, wearing a helmet made of cork, how times change. we later moved to Manselton, where I got the bug by scrambling a Rocket Gold Star, or more accurately riding it on rough ground, as I was too young for a licence.

I would just get a long metal pole and beat it straight down through the center plates no I think, better sound withought the pepper pot look in the end plates

A quickie of mine with the stage 3 de-baffle mod.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ZE1c5ZROM&list=UUR0lEacbOwSyBXOVfV8lstA&feature=c4-overview

Jim.

oiler wrote:

Thanks Mr Bluesman, good point made (and of course it was your youtube that encouraged my previous bike's end-plate improvement). I found HH shorties were just too loud for me, hence the end-plate work. It's always difficult to tell from a video the sound volume. But, waiting 600 sounds good to me. Give my regards to Swansea, especially Ysgol Street, where I was born, and where my dad rode a 50cc Phillips Gadabout, wearing a helmet made of cork, how times change. we later moved to Manselton, where I got the bug by scrambling a Rocket Gold Star, or more accurately riding it on rough ground, as I was too young for a licence.

Yes my original video does show me all enthusiastic. W all go through a process with our bikes - some of it we are glad we did, some not so. As Crash says, bar down the middle is probably best. I agree with the HH being a bit loud. My C800 ended up with the middle gutted but the back plate welded back on. That was a very nice sound indeed, much deeper than stock, not to loud and looked like stock. I remember when I added the centre holes after the 8 back plate ones, the tone dropped a couple of octaves instantly. I'm pretty sure it's the middle hole which gives the deep tone and the outer ones add the rasp.

I agree, if you are looking for more noise without going very loud or spending any cash. Beat a pole through the 1 but preferably 2 plates that the pole would encounter when pushed straight up the baffle before being hit. Plus the bike still looks stock.

' Beat a pole through it '
Dave ...This seems a bit scary to a new owner. Is this as basic as it sounds ?
What size rod to knock in, does it need a point on it and what thickness of metal are we going through.
How far apart are the two plates ? would a long drill do it ?

About 1/2" or bigger if it will fit the pipe end, with a point. Drill a hole in the end to push a tommy bar through to help twist it out. Make sure you don't push the bike off the side stand. Dunno how far - the first one is as you can see and the next a few more inches. 3 foot bar should do it. I did it on a very new bike. The plates are pretty thin (2mm?). Go on you know you want to have a go  Rumbly exhaust for next to nowt! As for a drill, I think the shavings could be a problem - the bash just splays the metal rather than powder it but it would probably blow out anyway. 

 I've answered for Dave - he might tell a different tale.  

Bluesman i think there is a link here on the site to videos to do this so a look through the index will find 'things you have done' & it's on there somewhere ok.

in fact it is on page one of this very item page, have a look 1/2 way down aprox.

John wrote:

 I've answered for Dave - he might tell a different tale.  

  You were the fist person I "personally" new to do it, so you gotta be good to give advice.  
Just checked my notes on this and I had written down to use a 2ft x 3/4" pointed bar. The first plate is about 11" down & the second is about 15" down (distances only guessed) . Just use a set of mole grips to remove the bar, simply keep twisting & pulling and it will come out.

Here is a video with the 4 rather than 8 holes drilled in each end exhaust end plate. I would not free hand drill the holes as these guys did. It is much safer to mark the plate before punching the marks to create an indentation, before finally drilling. This way you are garunteed to get an even & exceptable looking rear plate.
To be fair though the center bar hammered through the plates, is what really makes the biggest difference.

Great info. thanks everybody....

I have a question. :what1:   If you have the holes drilled in end plate is there a way to close them off.

I would just make & spray two thin plates made up & fix them over the original plates, no one would ever know.

I had a local metal worker cut me 2 'donuts' for £10. I fixed them over the holes with black silicone (that stuff is amazingly strong at high temps.) I even tried to get one off with a lever but could not. Sprayed black I would defy anyone to tell the difference between that and stock.

John Did you just use Black Silicone adhesive and glued them in.

Proudtexson wrote:

John Did you just use Black Silicone adhesive and glued them in.

Yes that's the stuff Tex - high temp.

Gents,
Just thinking out loud.
For the stock exhaust, I thought you can remove the silencers from the pipes.
There's load of silencers on their own on sale.

Wouldn't it be easier to take the silencer off and punch/drill a hole from this end? I'm thinking more control over what you do etc.

Or are they welded on?

MarcinG wrote:

Gents,
Just thinking out loud.
For the stock exhaust, I thought you can remove the silencers from the pipes.
There's load of silencers on their own on sale.

See what your saying Marcin but its going to cost you an average of £120 quid + postage to get 2 secondhand silencers and the whole idea of this mod is to keep it cheap, that said it would be easier to do the mods with them off the bike so removal is an option to make sure you get it right.

Jim.

Alan wrote:

Dave ...This seems a bit scary to a new owner. Is this as basic as it sounds ?

Sorry for the late reply.
Yes it is very Neanderthal, as demonstrated by the video I have put in up a bit.   

Marcin wrote:

Just thinking out loud. For the stock exhaust, I thought you can remove the silencers from the pipes.
There's load of silencers on their own on sale. Wouldn't it be easier to take the silencer off and punch/drill a hole from this end? I'm thinking more control over what you do etc.
Or are they welded on?

I agree with Jim, they are welded in & would require a metal hole saw to remove them. Punching the two plates with a 2ft pointed metal pole is actually easier to do before the baffles are removed, due to the center tube of the baffle holding the 2ft pointed bar in the correct place.

Absolutely. If they are welded then it makes no sense at all to go this way.

If memory serves me right the end cap has to cut out with a hole saw & then you insert a suitable rod into the remainder of the silencers & waggle the silencer tube so it eventually snaps off the weld inside & then you remove the remains totally. At this stage you now have a totally empty silencer making it into a megaphone. The baffles cannot be reinstated etc so you're left with a knackered silencer which if you do not like the noise of there is no going back! Plus you then have to spend x £100's to get a replacement system so in my personal eyes I'd punch the baffle hole larger & leave it at that & if not happy save for another noisy system & sell the original one as someone will always want a replacement if there's has got damaged. Drilling holes will obviously let yet more noise out but not much.
Sorry rant over, not having a good day....

How much noise we are going to like is an old story retold many times. We change our perception too - sometimes going noisier then quieter in our perception. Sometimes we just enjoy messing with our exhaust. Often there is no final solution, just constant evolution. One thing I do know is that most of us who embark on the make it sound better kick, end up with an after market set of pipes which we in turn continue to modify. I'm at the 'stuff it - cruisers are best as loud as f**k' stage and probably will stay there. Whatever your route to exhaust note paradise, one thing remains clear in my mind, a deep resonant throb is what a V-Twin motor sounds at it's best. As for volume, the jury's out out on that one!

What? Sorry I can't hear you over the sound of how awesomely loud my exhaust is!    

As I have said in previous threads on the circular motion debate I am very happy with my original de-baffled pipes, three reasons 1) I have always liked the standard pipe style 2) its a nice sound when de baffled 3) its cheap !!!

Another thing is that the standard pipe looks like a great thick pipe until you get to the end and see the pea-shooter sticking out, remove the plate and baffle and the end looks how the pipe should look if you know what I mean......full bore.

Jim.

captain crash wrote:

oiler wrote:

Back-fires and burbles are made in heaven

Strange how some people hate it when they get it but I know of members on here and people I know else where that absolutelly love the affects and sound that this has on deceleration

These people are of course, in all other respects quite normal, being one myself, I felt the need to point it out.