A few questions

[Idaho]

I posted this message in the M50 forum but did not recieve any replies...my bad, I probably should have posted it in here. So I will try again. A few questions:

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Hi, I will be selling my M50 soon and getting a new '04 VZ1600. I will miss the M for sure as it is a great ride. I got a good deal on the '04 (at least in my opinion) so I plan on making some upgrades as soon as I have it. My questions are: Is there any reason why I cannot make the exhaust/fuel/air mods immediately? Also regarding the exhaust...I would like to install either the Vance & Hines "Big Shots" or the Muzzys "Classic 2 into 1 megaphone". I like the "Big Shots" because they have a true crossover which seems to be what gives the best broad range performance (similar to a 2 into 1 pipe) according to what I have read. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these exhaust systems? Also how do you feel about the hypercharger versus other options? Thank you very much for your help.

[Uechi Kid]

I would wait until after you break the bike in before doing the mods. I have the hypercharger. It works great but it sticks out pretty far. I added new pegs with extensions, that solved the problem.

[Idaho]

Did you break your bike in according to the manual or hard? Just curious.

[cjjtulsa]

I have just under 300 miles on my 04 and I'm about to put the Cobra Speedsters on it - they also have a crossover. It's one of the reasons I went with them, and the V&H were high on the list for that reason as well. I'm hoping to retain (or maybe even gain?) a good portion of my low end. And another thing... you're going to be glad you did that trade - the VZ1600 is an excellent bike.

[Idaho]

I am so looking forward to riding the 1600. As I look around there are definitely other pipes with the crossovers. I must admit I sure do like the looks of the drag pipe style. I just don't want to sacrafice any performance. Sounds as if we think alike, I hope you get the very best in performance, looks, sound etc. with your mods. You are lucky to be in Ok., at least where you are you actually have springtime and summer comes on time. In this part of Idaho the months of March, April and May pretty much suck and June is often iffy. We will be butt deep in snow for a long time yet. Envious

[cjjtulsa]

Originally Posted by Idaho

I am so looking forward to riding the 1600. As I look around there are definitely other pipes with the crossovers. I must admit I sure do like the looks of the drag pipe style. I just don't want to sacrafice any performance. Sounds as if we think alike, I hope you get the very best in performance, looks, sound etc. with your mods. You are lucky to be in Ok., at least where you are you actually have springtime and summer comes on time. In this part of Idaho the months of March, April and May pretty much suck and June is often iffy. We will be butt deep in snow for a long time yet. Envious

I bought mine in November and have had the time to put those nearly 300 miles on it without trying. The bad thing is we haven't had a winter to speak of - maybe one cold spell of single digits - but we also haven't had much precip since the 1st of October either. The whole state is burning up. As for Spring in Oklahoma, it only lasts about a week until it's 110° again. Plus these dingleberries dump tons of sand and salt on the road when there's snow flurries, so you have to contend with dunes at every intersection. We have some serious dunes still from a snow we got in early December.

I just like the short pipe look, and want the bike a tad louder and deeper. I've read that the Cobras I bought can be a bit loud, so I pulled the baffles out today (just got the pipes from the Brown van yesterday) and wrapped them with some heavy fiberglass mat I "borrowed" from work. I'm hoping that will kind of mellow them out some, and I'm sure I could put the whole roll of glass on the baffles and it still wouldn't be as mellow as stock. I'll be glad to see that silly goat bag under the bike go, and have true exhaust pipes on it. I'm going to hold on a processor for now; I think it will be OK with just pipes, but in the future I'd like to at least put a K&N on it, and then it will be time to up the fuel. I might even before that just for safety's sake. It already doesn't come close to the old M50s mileage, so I'm kind of hesitant to do much, but then it isn't my daily transportation either. I think as far as modding it while still breaking it in you'd be OK, providing you don't have the urge to continually "enjoy" your new mods too much. I've been pretty easy on mine, but have flogged it a couple of times too. I mostly ride it like I'll ride it after break in - plenty of mild sprints away from stop signs, etc. . I babied my M50 and I don't think it ever quite had the power it should have. Not making that mistake with the 'Rauder. I don't abuse it though, either. The manual said not to take it over 3000 RPMs for the first however many miles; I rode mine home in a 30-40 mph headwind for about 40-50 miles, and I don't think the tach ever got much under 3000 for most of the trip. I've tried to vary the RPMs since then - I was just trying to get home without getting blown off the bike on that trip, otherwise I think it's best to "move the revs around". Didn't seem to hurt mine any, it runs great.

[Idaho]

Dunes?? Wow, talk about over doing the sanding! They sand here also, or at least they call it sanding. Since when does sand become rock? Answer: when these numb nuts (can I say that on here?) scatter it all over the roads mixed with salt and it is a nasty red on top of all that. It is so rediculous, sand...yeah right. More like 3/4" minus rock, big enough you can see it coming but not quite enough time to get out of the way. The windshield business does very well here. Enough of that. I suppose it is to be expected that the larger bike won't get the mileage the M50 did...oh well. Among other things at least when the manual suggests rpm ranges we have a tach to look at. The "goat bag" you talk about...is that the catalytic converter? Your fiberglass idea sounds good. Worried about setting off car alarms...lol?

[cjjtulsa]

Originally Posted by Idaho

The "goat bag" you talk about...is that the catalytic converter? Your fiberglass idea sounds good. Worried about setting off car alarms...lol?

Not too worried about the car alarms as much as I guess I'm just gettin' old. I used to like glasspacks on cars, now I've succumbed to turbo mufflers. Same with the bike; the drag pipe thing is just way too much for me. I like a good rumble and some sound, but not that ear-splitting, p*ss the neighbors off at 2AM (I currently work 2nd shift) assault on the senses. I also want to hear the bike at 60mph with a helmet on. We'll see how this works out. Yes, the "goat bag" is that appendage that is actually the exhaust system. You'll hear it called a variety of things; goat bag, goat belly, etc. In California and Europe (so I understand) it is actually a converter; everywhere else it is just full of baffles, so they say. I thought at first about pulling the stock system and taking it to a muffler shop and have them cut that abortion off and weld pipes in from the headpipes to the mufflers. Cheap solution and would probably sound good, but I liked the looks of the Speedster Shorts better. Plus I wasn't sure if the welding would blue the chrome up into the muffler bodies.

Once you get the bike, take a stroll over to the Kawasaki site - afterall it really is a Kawi, only better looking! Great people over there too, and some real good and helpful info.

[Idaho]

I do like the look of drag pipes, but I can't take the ear splitting sound as well. Hopefully I will find a solution that will be somewhere in the middle. Perhaps even go the same route as you, we'll see. I really appreciate your input, thanks again. Have fun, Michael

[Uechi Kid]

Here are a couple of pics of my M95 with mods. And I was a little agressive with the breake in. Pipies HK strippers.

[Fishpart]

Uechi Kid,

Your bike looks awesome the M95 certainly looks like a great beast.