So far, I've listed sound, looks and weight savings as reasons people buy an aftermarket slip-on. Man, those can be a headache to swap!) You probably have all or most of the tools you need to do this in your toolbox, and the reward is pretty high, considering the minimal time investment you’ll make. (Except for some of the undertail-equipped bikes. Muffler installation is usually very easy. I love wrenching, but I love riding more. I already mentioned lower price, but one of the other things you’ll save with a muffler-only system is time. Photo by Lemmy.Īfter: The replacement sheds a significant amount of that weight. Again, this will vary based on the manufacturer and application, but it can be nice to shave several pounds off a bike, especially one that’s a more nimble mount.īefore: The stock muffler from a Ninja rings in it at almost 10 pounds.

Sometimes, the tortuous path the exhaust gases take through a factory muffler can also add a bit of weight. With many higher-end, sport-oriented mufflers, you also frequently enjoy a weight reduction, due to more exotic materials they often incorporate. (Although I must say, I have heard some mufflers that are nearly ear-splitting.)

The sound is probably the driving force behind most exhaust purchases, and a muffler-only system generally tends to capture a bike’s tone at slightly more sane volumes than a full system. I don’t care if you’ve got a pancake motor, a triple, or an old two-stroke screamer, mufflers tend to enhance the “voice” of your motorcycle, and plenty of riders find them a bit more visually appealing, too. Slip-ons usually offer great looks and killer sound when compared to an OEM system. Lacking a hazmat suit, he wrapped himself in plastic bags and put on a welding helmet as he distilled peroxide and other chemicals.Why you should buy an aftermarket muffler After checking out books from the library to learn how to make his own fuel, he set up a laboratory in a backyard shed and set to work on a rocket engine. In 1999, at 18, Beck did something most people would consider very stupid. “Eventually she would yell out, ‘You have to stop angle grinding and get to bed.’ ” “Mum would bring dinner down and set it on a bench for me, but it would just get cold,” Beck says. Beck’s parents, a museum director and a teacher, encouraged their son-within reason. At 16 he bought a rusted-out Austin Mini for $300 and refurbished it end-to-end, rebuilding the engine and suspension and fixing all of the body panels. At 15 he built an aluminum bike from scratch. He spent much of his youth tinkering in the family’s garage workshop in small-town New Zealand, amid welding and milling equipment. Peter Beck was more productive than most teenagers.

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