New dilemma with my 75. Not really but still....

[Vincenthdfan]

You know, I consider myself a purist when it comes to vintage stuff. I just absolutely love the lines and looks of this new to me 75 I just got.

The exhaust is so darned huge though and in such really, really great shape I was strongly considering removing the headers/mufflers to preserve them (dont want the dreaded bulging internal rust rings in mufflers) because I intend to make this bike a rider.

Problem is, the stock system, despite its huge size, sounds just intoxicatingly beautiful to me! What a lovely bark and nice overall tone it has....really sounds like an old well-tuned Bonneville to me.

So, in the spirit of experimentation, I removed the stock stuff and installed the XS650.com 1 1/2" headers and Commando mufflers. What a beautiful looking exhaust set up on the bike. As you all know, they really accent the overall lines of the bike. Really gave me a Peter Egan moment there...

But then when I fired them up...where's the sound, where's the bark? I know, I know...lots of you folks say they sound fantastic, but they don't seem much louder than my stock Special mufflers to me? Perhaps that intoxicating tone of the stock stuff spoiled me?

So, I've been doing exhaustive research (see what I did there?!)...tried wide mouth Dunstall copies, too deep, no bark. They don't have any packing in them though, so perhaps some stainless brillo packing would change that, not sure?

I also have a set of narrow mouth Dunstall copies I might pull off my first XS-1 and see how they sound?

For now, I put the stock stuff back on just to re-listen to the baseline again and yep...man, they sound good!

Any other recommendations from the crowd?? I know sound is a subjective thing, but I'd love to hear other's inputs.

 

[willis]

I might suggest a set of Cone Engineering Quiet-er core mufflers. While I’ve not heard them in person, I have a set of their 12” mufflers on my 75 and I love them. Plenty of bark with some rumble. The Quiet-er cores are a fair bit longer and supposed to breathe pretty well. They are a bit spendy, but their quality is top shelf.

https://www.coneeng.com/pdf/motorcycle/MC-finished-Mufflers.pdf

 

[Mikey]

I like my 75 as is it's not a show bike just a daily rider
It's the mufflers that came stock on the bike and you can't beat the original sound either

 

[jetmechmarty]

 

[jetmechmarty]

Whatever he’s running, I want.

 

[Vincenthdfan]

Reading his youtube description, those are traditional Norton Peashooters. Nice bark, not too raspy...

 

[Vincenthdfan]

I wonder...has anyone ever tried perforating or removing the aft wall/baffle (where the "optional" allen screw goes in) of those XS650.com Commando slip ons for a little more sound? Hate to ruin a perfectly good set of mufflers trying if someone else has already done it.

 

[Raymond]

A film with a good soundtrack but very poor characterisation and no real plot development . . .

I was going to post that the sound reminded me of my Norton Commando Mk II, but then @Vincenthdfan posted, so, uhm, Yes.

 

[Vincenthdfan]

I might suggest a set of Cone Engineering Quiet-er core mufflers. While I’ve not heard them in person, I have a set of their 12” mufflers on my 75 and I love them. Plenty of bark with some rumble. The Quiet-er cores are a fair bit longer and supposed to breathe pretty well. They are a bit spendy, but their quality is top shelf.

https://www.coneeng.com/pdf/motorcycle/MC-finished-Mufflers.pdf

Those 12's you're running...they arent the "Quiet Core" ones then?

Are yours super loud, or are they a nice vintage sound? They sure look great on your bike!

I know how wearing too loud of exhaust can get on longer rides...gotta find just the right balance.

 

[willis]

No mine are not the Quit-er cores. Mine are the 12" straight core. The Quiet-er core are 18" long. I have a couple of video clips, but mind you i have an intermittant misfire on the right cylinder at idle in the videos. Let me dig those up for you.

 

[willis]

 

[willis]

Mine are mounted to yamahaxs650.com 1-1/2” head pipes. Cone does offer various inlet sizes though so you could mount directly to your stock head pipes.

 

[Vincenthdfan]

Mine are mounted to yamahaxs650.com 1-1/2” head pipes. Cone does offer various inlet sizes though so you could mount directly to your stock head pipes.

Yeah, I've bought a couple pairs of the XS650.com 1 1/2" headers as spares (too cheap not to!). Also couple pairs of their Commando mufflers...just wish they were a little louder, not a lot but a little.

Those stainless shorties do indeed have a bark to them....look great on there.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Mine are mounted to yamahaxs650.com 1-1/2” head pipes. Cone does offer various inlet sizes though so you could mount directly to your stock head pipes.

Dime City/MikesXS have them.

 

[willis]

Yes, you can get the same products from Dime/Mike's/Niche. I bought mine years ago directly from Cone before the others started selling them too. Was lucky I got them before the prices shot up. I will say that Cone Engineering is a great company to deal with. They also offer materials to build your own as well as various hanger attachments. They will even weld on your mounts for a small fee. I've heard the owner will often offer up performance tuning recommendations based on what type/size of motor you are running. There are other videos on their website of their products on various types of bikes. A great company IMO.

 

[gggGary]

repo 70-73 muffs "the best sounding exhaust ever put on the XS650" They're well made and will only go up in value once Yamahaxs650.com sells out of them.
I value that they aren't overly loud.............

 

[Vincenthdfan]

repo 70-73 muffs "the best sounding exhaust ever put on the XS650" They're well made and will only go up in value once Yamahaxs650.com sells out of them.
I value that they aren't overly loud.............

View attachment 251696

I gotta agree, they do indeed sound just right.

Unfortunately, they are out of them. I know Mikes sells them when they have them in stock, for much more $$ of course.

 

[gggGary]

they are out of them

They're gone now? Bummer.

 

[5twins]

I have the Commandos on one of my 650s. I tried them with and without the baffle bolt and prefer them with it. The bolt doesn't quiet them down a whole lot but they are quite "raspy" without it. For that reason, I don't think I'd drill any more holes in their baffle plate, it would probably make things worse.

I have the Norton Peashooters on my other 650 and they were very loud, so much so that I added baffles to them. They are basically a straight through exhaust, hence the loudness .....

They weren't too bad at idle and lower RPMs but really barked at higher RPMs. You can hear that in those videos. But they do sound better at lower RPMs on that CX650 than they do on my 650. I'm going to probably play with the baffles I added a little more, maybe drill some more holes in them and eliminate the crossed bolts I added. I already pulled the solid end cap in favor of those crossed bolts .....

 

[Downeaster]

RE: the original CX video/sound...

I need a towel and a cigarette.

That CX I mentioned a while back is still sitting in the neighbor's yard. I have money set aside and am waiting in hopes that he considers selling it.