Basically, the balance pipe balance to exhaust airflow for cooling. BMW would have spent millions on R&D and they do it for a reason. Keihan (the best) and Akra keep the balance pipe but Remus don't but there headers are a larger bore to cope with the flow of exhaust gas.
To be honest, I'm sure you would find a difference on a dyno or if you were Rossi but I don't think us mortals would know.
If nothing else, the balance pipe just looks right
Thanks Chris.
I hav just been reunited with my 09 GSA,he had only ridden 2000 miles in 12 months.
He has now gone for something more practical [ his words not mine],a Harley.
So as its now got a Akra can i am thinking of changing the headers,if its worth doing.
cheers
Don't think the benefits are as great on a 1200 myself having done it on both. You save several kgs on a 1150 and hardly any on the 1200. There's an improvement on midrange for sure. However I ended up removing them again from my 12 because I didn't like the extra noise with an open pipe (OTT) and I felt they had a negative affect on the fuelling - cant explain why and maybe it was my bike but was happier when I got rid of them again
Having said that been thinking about it again on my twin cam
Remove the CAT and you will get a slight boost in power as the engine can rev better. The low down and mid range grunt is also improved and the bike will seem that little bit quicker on the uptake. With the standard end can you will also notice a slightly deeper exhaust note.
If you fit an aftermarket end can and want to run it with baffles out, you will need a Power Commander to sort the fuelling as the bike will be running too lean. Baffle in, no problem.
If the bike has standard headers and an aftermarket end can, you will have a much louder noise but no increase in power or torque.
However I ended up removing them again from my 12 because I didn't like the extra noise with an open pipe (OTT) and I felt they had a negative affect on the fuelling - cant explain why and maybe it was my bike but was happier when I got rid of them again
Your engine was running to lean with a straight through pipe and they don't like it. A power commander would have sorted that out. In my experience, you need some back pressure for the motor to run properly
Your engine was running to lean with a straight through pipe and they don't like it. A power commander would have sorted that out. In my experience, you need some back pressure for the motor to run properly
Yeah that sounds about right - I also didnt like the popping and farting. Just got an akro silencer on the twin cam makes ferk all difference but it looks oh so nice