[Mike R]

Bad idea, or...?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzKyBSUQfuw

[Sprinter]

What is this obsession in Australia and perhaps elsewhere in making the exhaust note louder on the Interceptor?
Mine sounds great. I have tried to fit some old Ducati silencers but only to reduce the weight  the sound with the standard silencers is great! Leave them alone!

[Starpeve]

In Australia,at least, it’s in part to make your presence greater to the dullards who are driving around in big steel boxes oblivious to all about them. We have a requirement mandated to us that our m/c’s have their lights hardwired on, for the stated purpose of road presence.I personally disagree to an extent, as I’ve always used my headlight flash as a warning to a perceived idiot action, which has been rendered less effective by this mandate.
Plus, they sound nicer...😁

[Heavy Duty Mick]

What is this obsession in Australia and perhaps elsewhere in making the exhaust note louder on the Interceptor?
Mine sounds great. I have tried to fit some old Ducati silencers but only to reduce the weight  the sound with the standard silencers is great! Leave them alone!

Personalising the bike to make it your own. That's a big thing in Australia.
Bit like fitting Ducati mufflers.

[gizzo]

Headlights on was repealed around '96 (ADR 19.02).

And because loud bikes sound awesome. If you like it quiet, that's fine. Some of us like a bit of a note. There can be too much of a good thing, though for sure.

[Haggisman]

Why are bikes in Australia still hard wired for headlight on while running?

[oldphart]

Why are bikes in Australia still hard wired for headlight on while running?

Because it's not worth making bikes specifically for our market, we just get models from overseas.

Incidentally, the hardwired law was repealed because it actually increased the number of accidents, ie, it made riding less safe. Australia is a very bright place, particularly in summer, and a single headlight (especially on high beam) just makes it harder to work out where a bike is and how fast it's going.

As for the exhaust thing - coz you can (albeit illegally) and it sounds cooler (to some people) and if you're not spending  your money on your bike you're wasting it on irrelevant stuff like food.

[Starpeve]

Cool!!! So if I can figure out how to un- hardwire my lights I can? Next project!  Anyone with tips feel free to post them😄

[Haggisman]

I too will have research this headlight off business, shouldn't be too hard

[Breaker Express]

How did we get to headlights  :-.
On that subject though I do not use the yellow flash button here in the US as people think you are letting them go and will pull out in front of you.

[Mav]

What has headlights got to do with an exhaust mod?? 

[oldphart]

Cool!!! So if I can figure out how to un- hardwire my lights I can? Next project!  Anyone with tips feel free to post them😄

Carry wire cutters...
and a roll of insulation tape for night time? 

You'd have a few things to consider.
The first is obviously an on/off switch. Neatness being your biggest issue.
However, because you like the lights off option for being able to flash your lights as a warning, you'd need to wire to that flash switch (existing) to work when you've got the lights set to 'off'.

You may have to decide whether 'lights off' turns off the dashboard lights. With my Himalayan, I'd suggest that having them on all the time is a good move for ease of viewing in all conditions.

For me, it'd be too much like hard work, but I'm not overly concerned about the headlight and am an incompetent fool when it comes to 'lectrics (I basically subscribe to the smoke theory).

But yeah. Give it a go and if you can provide some schematics, and are willing to share them, I'm happy to share them on the Australian Himalayan group page (unless you want to join and do it yourself).

[oldphart]

What has headlights got to do with an exhaust mod?? 

It's a motorcycle forum, relevance is accidental 

It came about when someone commented that hardwired lights were mandatory in Australia when, in fact, they haven't been for donkeys years. Yeah, a bit of thread drift there.

[Mike R]

I am set to do this "nicer bark" mod at some point today. I will drill out the back baffle plate with the mufflers off so I can tip the swarf/debris out of the exhaust.

[oldphart]

I am set to do this "nicer bark" mod at some point today. I will drill out the back baffle plate with the mufflers off so I can tip the swarf/debris out of the exhaust.

I personally feel that this is the best move. Give the bike a bit of ooomph, or dooof without making it obnoxiously loud. I'm tempted with my Himalayan but I have to start my bike at 6:30 right outside a neighbour's window and so I'm reluctant. But if you can go deeper without noticeably louder, I think you're on a winner. Twins do this particularly well.