Miss November XS2 tribute

How about a set of those beautiful reproduction 1976-79 long silencers bought by @beano and shown off in his thread the other day.

They are a bit spendy (600 quid) but they are pretty and, if they are anything like the originals, they sound sublime and are not too loud. I often have people tell me how much they like the sound of Lucille (1976 C-model) and several of the guys in the vintage bike club say that she’s the best sounding bike in the group.

...just a thought....

Pete
 
My 5 am idea today was to fit baffles into the present silencers.

On each side, the exhaust system has header, short link pipe, then the Triumph-style silencer or in US-speak muffler:

exhaust.jpg

The silencers/mufflers are straight through the middle, with annular expansion baffles in the wider part. But these don't do enough to cut the sound level.

The whole arrangement is held together with pipe clamps, two per side. I guess it was done like this because the silencers/mufflers are short and wouldn't reach to the brackets at the pillion pegs. But the extra piece gives an easy way to attach baffles.

The baffles would just be lengths of mild steel pipe with diameter to just fit into the link pipe, so just less than the i/d of approx 36 mm (about 1.42 inches).

Maybe about 12 to 14" long. Possibly with a washer welded into the exit end? And with holes cut to allow gas to expand into the annular baffles already there.

The 'technical' bit would be to get the number and size of the holes correct. If the pipes had a washer welded at the exit end and no holes, probably far too restrictive. But if too many or too large holes, then probably little effect. Is there anyone on this forum who knows how to work out what is needed?

I suspect that when exhaust manufacturers design a new system, they probably knock something up based on past experience, drill a few holes, run it and measure with a dB meter, then drill a few more holes if needed? But I'm willing to believe it really is far more technical than that.

If I approach the engineers in Galashiels they might well have a length of pipe of about the right diameter. Drill a few holes and ask them to weld into the link pipes. The silencers would simply slip over and be clamped as now. And it would be easy enough to remove the silencers and drill more holes.

Not very expensive therefore little to lose.

Whaddya think? Likely to be too restrictive? Or not restrictive enough? Mess up the carburation beyond all remedy?

BTW Pete, Beano has very kindly given me contact details for the Swiss chap who made his rather nice silencers. Plus a link to a more affordable source of XS2 conical ones.
 
Just a couple years ago I acquired a used set of "after market" BMW airhead mufflers at a motorcycle swap meet. (remember those events?)
Anyway, they were very appealing to try on an XS650 as the length was nice, the overall shape was nice, and the mounts were simple and about in the correct location. Inlet size was good too.
Like the parts trading fool you all know I am, I sold the set before attempting a try at em to a local BMW airhead guy for $100 bucks and have regretted that ever since... We XS650 riders have such poor choices for exhaust systems after all.
Raymond I would encourage you to consider a set of BMW "after market" mufflers you may have avaliable way over there in the UK ? You just may do us all a favor in knowing what you see and think about this?
Thanks, -R
 
Sorry, Machine, unlikely to go the BMW route - the silencers I've seen are too big and have an angle up so . . .

. . . if my cheapskate solution won't work, might go with Beano's suggestion of these:


roadster_07_jpg.jpg



They look right and certainly fit with the XS2 tribute image. Will try and find a review of how they sound.

Having exhausted that subject for now (sorry) the good news is Miss November and I had an outing today. Just the two of us.

A trip to Gala to buy essential supplies and petrol. Forgot the way home and ended up taking a longer route. The good news is that we've kissed and made up. Really enjoyed the ride. The problems with bumps+pillion+poor suspension just weren't apparent today. The noise issue also less of a concern - when the bike was working harder it made a helluva racket but at least it was really motoring. Which sort of justified the volume level.

Whatever. Fun & good times & big smiles by the time I was home.

Conclusion - makes a much better bike one-up than with a passenger.

Does Miss November have jealousy issues?
 
The mufflers Beano suggested are hand made replicas of originals and VERY expensive. The ones in your pic are what are called "Commando" mufflers, although they don't really resemble a real Norton Commando muffler much. At one time, this was one of the nicest aftermarket mufflers you could get. It was designed supposedly on a dyno by Hieden Tuning and sold by both them and MikesXS. It sounded great (not too loud) and performed well. Unfortunately, they've stopped making it. You can still buy one that looks just like it from MikesXS but it's nothing like the original internally. It's made by EMGO now, with their baffling. Personally I think they're junk. But, it was mentioned on the forum here recently that someone else is tooling up to make the original version of this "Commando" again. I really hope it happens because it's a wonderful muffler.

Universal, ready-made exhaust baffles are readily available and not too expensive. Maybe they'd help "tame" your current system. I'm considering trying them myself for the Norton Peashooters I put on my '83, they're quite loud.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-Motor...rand=Unbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
 
Maybe about 12 to 14" long. Possibly with a washer welded into the exit end? And with holes cut to allow gas to expand into the annular baffles already there.
A suggestion Raymond....
Instead of drilling holes, cut a slot with a hacksaw and use a chisel... common screwdriver or some such to depress one side of the cut. The depression would sit in the exhaust stream and divert gasses much more effectively than holes.
This is just a scrap piece of 3/4" aluminum tube.... but you get the idea.

IMG_20200602_164044.jpg
 
5 Twins: The Heiden/Lalonde designed mufflers are made and sitting in a US warehouse - 500 pc.@ $54.95 each. + Freight
These mufflers have the dyno tuned baffle, the reversed slider mount bracket, the doubled casing at the mount
and the baffle back pressure plug plus the stamped in Euro market Yamaha #. The Emgo muffler only looks similar.
These and another million dollars worth of inventory would be up already except for the virus and the fact that the A-Hole tasked
with making the site did not deliver a site only BS. Go daddy is on it now and hopefully they can get it done without delay.
 
5 Twins: The Heiden/Lalonde designed mufflers are made and sitting in a US warehouse - 500 pc.@ $54.95 each. + Freight
These mufflers have the dyno tuned baffle, the reversed slider mount bracket, the doubled casing at the mount
and the baffle back pressure plug plus the stamped in Euro market Yamaha #. The Emgo muffler only looks similar.
These and another million dollars worth of inventory would be up already except for the virus and the fact that the A-Hole tasked
with making the site did not deliver a site only BS. Go daddy is on it now and hopefully they can get it done without delay.
When they can be bought please post where.
 
This morning feeling a bit sick.

It's hard to account for people.

Yesterday, went to Galashiels to buy essential supplies - the only legal reason to ride during lock-down. While I was in the farm foods shop, heard the very last words you ever want to hear. 'I'm sorry, but I reversed into your motorbike and knocked it over.'

Put basket down and rushed outside. Bike lying in a heap wedged between the wall and a parked VW car - a second victim of the incident - in a rapidly growing pool of petrol.

One bystander asked if I wanted a petrol can to catch the leaking fuel. Well, I suppose he was trying to be helpful.

Pulled the bike upright and spent the next five minutes trying to deal with the woman who did the reversing, the woman who owned the VW and assess the damage to the XS.

After the initial panic, I tried to be very calm and reasonable. I don't think anything I could have said in that five minutes would have conveyed to either woman how I felt about the incident. The rusty old VW had suffered a front wing bent and partly ripped off by the weight of the bike. The woman was concerned about her car but also worried that the other woman might have damaged her Nissan car by hitting the bike . . .

To make it worse, she had recently spent £300 on the VW - body work and a new radiator. I told her I have spent more that £6,500 on the Yamaha in the past year but I don't think that registered with either of them.

I took the Nissan owner's name address and phone number and just to be sure made a note of the car's registration.

The immediately obvious damage to the XS was handlebar swivelled round, l/h mirror and clutch lever swivelled round, headlamp pushed back, number plate crumpled and folded. But I told the woman that I would need to assess if the frame is bent. I think she got the message that if so the repair might be expensive. Also, tried to explain it's not just a case of taking the bike to a main dealer and getting it fixed by the fitting of new parts. However, I think she might have felt a bit relieved that Miss November is just a forty-two year-old pile of junk . . .

But at least she said she was very sorry.

Since getting the bike home, have also found that the l/h silencer is quite badly dented where the centre stand has taken the weight of the bike and been pushed up. The rear light cluster has been pushed forward, distorting the (beautifully painted) mudguard. The paint on the headlamp shell has been cracked and rubbed. Thankfully, the fuel tank seems to have escaped damage. Not too sure about the alignment of the exhaust system, which looks a bit closer to the engine, and the back-firing has come back again. And I still don't know if the frame is bent. Peering along the line of the wheels, it looks as if the front wheel sits very slightly more to the left. But I need to do a more careful assessment.

Best way to check if frame is twisted?

5 Twins: The Heiden/Lalonde designed mufflers are made and sitting in a US warehouse - 500 pc.@ $54.95 each. + Freight

I'd sure like a pair of those - can you ship to UK?

Need to have a think about the best way to proceed. Because the incident does not fit the business model followed by most insurances, I might end up having to do all the work and pay for everything meself.

Might talk to my insurance company on Monday - fortunately, last year I moved to a company which specialises in collectible and classic bikes. Also on Monday, taking Kawasaki W800 for annual MoT inspection so I'll ask them about checking alignment.

As I said, this morning feeling a bit sick.
 
Awwwww...shoot Raymond. So, so sorry to learn about this turn of events.

Rest assured that folks on this side of the pond are here to help in any way we are able.

Perhaps alerting your solicitor and sending the other party a letter advising of a forthcoming claim might prompt a settlement offer to give you some cash with which to work.

Dammit.
 
Look what just arrived:


PICT2263.JPG PICT2264.JPG


Ordered from Brook Suspension on Saturday before the incident.

Not too bad a price for quality suspension. So I hope they are. No experience of YSS but they seem to receive generally good reviews.

These were more expensive than basic un-adjustable Hagons but cheaper than the ones with adjustable damping.

Almost bound to be a big improvement on the ones on the bike just now.
 
Raymondo sorry to hear of your incident, as sickening as it is, at least you are ok and that’s the main thing. The bike can be fixed.

Are those shocks the rd-220?? I’m looking into getting a set myself. By all accounts YSS seem to be a very good quality shock for the price.

EDIT: Just zoomed in on the picture and can see it’s an RE-302. Supposed to be a very good shock.
 
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Thank you, Beano. I managed to entirely escape injury by being inside the shop while the lady reversed into the bike. LOL.

As you say, the bike can be fixed. Not too sure about my plans for silencers just now.

Yes, the shocks are RE302-320-09 The 320 is the length and the 09 is some YSS code identifying which bikes they fit. No damping adjustment but reviewers say they have a good compromise setting. Progressive wound springs and threaded pre-load adjustment. Look well made on first inspection. Watch this thread and I'm sure to put some riding impressions.

YSS are in Thailand and I have wondered if they make suspension for Triumphs, which are made in Thailand these days?
 
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