4-Stroke Exhausts

A lot more than Hot Air: Motocross Exhaust Systems

Whether it's decibel levels or emission controls, motorcycle manufacturers have a challenging time designing exhaust systems. Trying to achieve the perfect balance between performance, fuel efficiency, increasing restrictive emission controls and a desirable exhaust note costs an incredible amount of R&D time and money. With so many boxes to tick, is it any wonder that Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) exhausts are often huge, heavy and make a motorcycle sound a lot like a portable air compressor? Riders change their motorcycle's exhaust system for various reasons. These may include a wish to adapt their bike's style or sound, a performance upgrade or as a result of an accident or damage.

Visually Striking

Aftermarket exhaust manufacturers aren't limited to using only cost-effective materials. For this reason, replacement exhausts often feature carbon, titanium or stainless steel.

Weight Reduction

When removing a stock exhaust system, the first thing you may notice is its excessive weight. However, a suitable aftermarket replacement can represent a weight-saving of around 50% over the stock version. This reduction applies to full systems and replacement silencers.

Damage

The need for an exhaust system change is often damage. Depending on how mangled the exhaust stem is, it may be possible to replace only the header pipe or the more popular upgrade of a new silencer.

Performance

24MX riders want every ounce of power from their motorcycles and a replacement silencer is a quick fix. Be aware, though, that going down this route will return only a modest amount of additional horsepower. Consider investing in a full exhaust system to unleash the maximum amount of extra power. This type of system will have the shape and diameter of the header pipe tuned to the silencer and will give you the best value for money.

Sound

Last but not least, our list of reasons for exhaust replacement is often sound. Of course, whether your bike feels any faster or lighter will depend on your skill as a rider. When it comes to whether a bike sounds better though, we are all experts. In the past, decibel levels have not overly bothered MX riders, but more courses are bringing in a 95-decibel limit. To check the sound levels of an exhaust system, always look at the manufacturer's specifications.

Brand Loyalty

As with every component on your motorcycle, you may prefer to remain loyal to a particular brand. For exhaust systems, some manufacturers focus on either performance, weight-saving, styling or a combination of all three. Whether you opt for the power and weight saving offered by an Akrapovic titanium race system or prefer one of Yoshimura's classic slip-on silencers, everyone has their favorite.

The Right Fit

To make sure you get the correct fit for your motorcycle, use 24MX’s drop-down menu. Here, you can find your motorcycle's make, model and year of registration, which is important as manufacturers can change header pipes or mounting points from year to year.