Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: JamesC5 on March 14, 2010, 01:15:39 am

Title: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JamesC5 on March 14, 2010, 01:15:39 am
Hey everyone!

My sports (upswept) silencer will be in my hands in the next day or two! So I decided to grab my condenser microphone and record the stock (UK) muffler, and then the same with the upsweep for comparisons sake...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e2RPyzV0zM

Once I've installed the new silencer I will set everything up the same and do another video, posting it here...

James
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Ice on March 14, 2010, 01:48:19 am
Thanks James, looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 14, 2010, 01:49:43 am
Good idea, I think you'll like the upswept sound.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Marrtyn on March 14, 2010, 02:30:53 pm
Bikes looking well James and hoping it is now trouble free.

Look forward to hearing the sports silencer.
Have looked on WS web site,and of all  the 3 silencers they offer, Sports , Gold Star and Classic Sports, it says "not suitable for road use" .
Now whats all that about?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Ice on March 14, 2010, 06:28:09 pm
Bikes looking well James and hoping it is now trouble free.

Look forward to hearing the sports silencer.
Have looked on WS web site,and of all  the 3 silencers they offer, Sports , Gold Star and Classic Sports, it says "not suitable for road use" .
Now whats all that about?

Ninnys.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: clubman on March 14, 2010, 06:59:50 pm
Bikes looking well James and hoping it is now trouble free.

Look forward to hearing the sports silencer.
Have looked on WS web site,and of all  the 3 silencers they offer, Sports , Gold Star and Classic Sports, it says "not suitable for road use" .
Now whats all that about?

I noticed that too. And yet they'll sell you the Clubman with the Gold Star exhaust as standard so there's nothing else to use when it comes to MOT time. For what it's worth there are no stamps for or against road use on the pipe itself.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JamesC5 on March 15, 2010, 12:55:03 am
I think it's just WS trying to avoid any blame if a copper decides to have an issue with it.

Pretty much ANYTHING can be illegal these days, hell even the camera mount I bought for the bike is "Not for Road Use".

I tend not to give a crap about what's "legal" and only what's "lawful". Common sense and consideration of others is what's right not the 30,000 statutes the EU comes up with a year, hell there's probably policy on how many times you can eat apples a day now :p

Got the silencer! Once I get home tomorrow I'm going to install it, can't wait to try her out!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JamesC5 on March 15, 2010, 01:01:30 pm
After some setbacks including having the bolt for the heat shield clip sheer off requiring it to be drilled out, joy, the sports silencer is installed!

And quite frankly, selling the bike with stock should be classed as criminal!! She's like a new bike and sounds so much better! Upon starting her up at first I didn't notice much in sound, however once its on the road and warmed up, wowza!

Throttle response seems way better, it sounds more like a real bike with some pops and pows now and then and less like a modern one.

One setback, I only have the main bracket installed at the moment, I'm guessing it requires the frame bolt pictured to be loosened and then placed in? or am I looking entirely in the wrong place? My crap spanner bent trying to loose the bolt so I was going to ride to a garage and have them loosen it for me...

Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: t120rbullet on March 15, 2010, 02:50:00 pm
There is a gas station near me that has racing fuel. On the pump it says "off road use only" on it.
It has a hose that is about 2 foot long and 4 poles around it so a car can't get close enough to use it.
My Triumph will slip between the poles and get close enough to fill it up.
So I pull up, fill up and go inside to pay and the guy behind the counter is screaming at me that it's off road fuel only.
I calmly tell him that I'm not using it on the road I'm using it in my bike and ask him if he wants my money.
I give him money, he gives me change and we both live happily ever after.
CJ
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Leonard on March 15, 2010, 03:18:10 pm
I calmly tell him that I'm not using it on the road I'm using it in my bike and ask him if he wants my money.
I give him money, he gives me change and we both live happily ever after.
CJ

CJ is the epitome of CALM.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Bullet Bill on March 15, 2010, 04:32:18 pm
T120rbullet:  "Now all you have to do is give me three and a half gallons of gasoline, hold the 10% ethanol, and you won't be breaking any rules."

Gas station attendant:  "You want me to hold the ethanol?"

T120rbullet:  "I want you to hold it between your knees."
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 15, 2010, 09:47:12 pm
James, yes you need to loosen the nut and slide the front mount behind it and tighten it all back up,  that upswept exhaust really wakes the C5 up dosen't it?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Cabo Cruz on March 16, 2010, 12:49:44 am
Br. James, do you plan to give us a video with the demo of the new sound?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JamesC5 on March 16, 2010, 11:33:12 am
Thanks Donnie will try and get that nut loose in a minute :)

The bike ROCKS with the new silencer, I guess I may notice it more than you guys as we were stuck with 2 cats not 1. Sounds sweet as pie!

Here's the video, just threw it up on Youtube, the condenser mic seems to pick up the audio quite well, youtube degrades it abit too much though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBfMa5o5qGk
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Rusty on March 16, 2010, 01:46:00 pm
Good to see you're back up and running James.

My C5 will be brought out of hibernation this weekend and I'll fit the upswept exhaust as well. My dealer has the WS item @£120 but there's also the Hitchcock option, do you know if they're the same exhaust?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Cabo Cruz on March 16, 2010, 03:47:44 pm
Very cool sound, Br. James!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Marrtyn on March 16, 2010, 04:52:14 pm
I like the sound James. Not too sure how that style of silencer will look on my G5 though.
I think its going to be a toss up between that one and the Gold star style.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 16, 2010, 09:22:20 pm
James it sounds great, thanks for the video.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: ace.cafe on March 16, 2010, 09:47:35 pm
They may have an issue with "road use" because there are no cats in the aftermarket systems.
Emission control, and all that.

But there's no doubt that freeing-up the exhaust system is going to "wake-up" the bike.
it's a great mod to do with nearly any vehicle.

I think the appearance is better with the aftermarket exhaust too.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Rusty on March 30, 2010, 01:26:23 pm
I went for the short straight sports exhaust in the end.

All I can say is that it’s criminal that these bikes come fitted with the cat equipped silencer. To be honest I didn’t think the stock set up sounded too bad until I replaced it with the Watsonian Squire item but wow what a difference, it sounds like it should now.

I’m not sure if performance has improved much, it’ll probably take a dyno run to prove it but I won’t be bothering. A nice grumble on the overrun, no popping or banging but every now and then the mother of all backfires, first time it happened I nearly jumped out of the seat.

Improves the looks of the bike as well without the overhanging exhaust.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 30, 2010, 01:38:32 pm
Rusty, you made a good choice. I love the look and sound of those mufflers. Got a pic?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Rusty on March 30, 2010, 03:37:11 pm
Rusty, you made a good choice. I love the look and sound of those mufflers. Got a pic?

Yes and I'll try posting a video via youtube.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 30, 2010, 08:08:37 pm
Looking forward to that video.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Rusty on March 30, 2010, 09:20:29 pm
Here's the video;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tYeLcexEL4

One thing's for sure, I'll never be in movies.

I think the short muffler makes the whole bike look a lot less elongated. It also removes about 2 kilos of weight from just where you don't want it, a long way from the CoG
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Cabo Cruz on March 30, 2010, 09:50:32 pm
Sweet, Br. Rusty... very sweet, indeed!!!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 30, 2010, 11:20:13 pm
Oh Yeah! That sounds right!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: josepharra48 on March 31, 2010, 01:41:34 am
The upswept exhaust that I installed about 2 months ago is rattling.  It started about 2 weeks ago and is getting worse each day. I do like the sound and performance but not the rattle. I pushed a wooden rod into the muffler while it was at idle and that stopped the rattle. Guess  I will have to contact Tim or someone else at RE and see if it's under warranty.

Richard
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: r80rt on March 31, 2010, 01:56:35 am
Let us know what you find out, a rattling muffler will drive you nuts!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: csbdr on April 02, 2010, 04:37:58 pm
WOW!!  that upswept sound is NICE!!  I'm sadly on backorder for one...about 3 weeks into a 2 month wait.  I DO wish certain items would be stocked better, whatever the reason for it is.
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JamesC5 on April 11, 2010, 10:43:16 pm
I rode up to Taunton on Friday (about 60 miles) to the dealer because my stop light switch on the front break had stopped working.

Got home to find something in my new silencer was rattling like mad, sure enough when I start her up now it's rattling like crazy, somethings obviously broken off inside, very annoying.

Need to call the dealer tomorrow, better be covered it's only afew weeks old  ???
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: oldairplanenut on April 12, 2010, 03:41:13 am
Rusty- what is the part # of that short straight sports exhaust you put on? I am ordering a C5 this week and would like to put that exhaust on it. I see they sell a couple of different straight ones. Thanks- Craig
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Rusty on April 12, 2010, 09:17:13 am
Rusty- what is the part # of that short straight sports exhaust you put on? I am ordering a C5 this week and would like to put that exhaust on it. I see they sell a couple of different straight ones. Thanks- Craig

Just checking the Watsonian website and it doesn’t seem to have a part number, only the description ‘Sports Silencer’ @ £99.95. The rear mounting bracket for this exhaust is different for the C5 & G5 models (they have different pillion footrest locations) so make sure your dealer knows that, mine didn’t. The front bracket is the same for both models.

The ‘Classic Sports Silencer’ is the upswept one and the ‘Goldstar’ is the one that doesn’t fit the C5.

My advice would be to run the bike in on the stock exhaust first. I know the WS aftermarket ones don’t need any adjustments but for that critical period I’d prefer to run the bike as it left the factory.

I need to sort out the occasional backfire so will be taking the full system off and making sure I eliminate any air leaks. At first I thought the odd pop & bang sounded quite good but every now and then it backfires with an almighty explosion. Don’t expect the chrome to last long, mine’s done 200 miles and is already starting to yellow at the tail end. I thought it was the heat of the cats that caused the yellowing but apparently not. Most of it’s covered by the heat shield so it’s not too much of a problem.

Enjoy the bike, they're good fun
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: oldairplanenut on April 12, 2010, 02:32:47 pm
Thanks for the info guys!
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: JesterNT on April 12, 2010, 04:45:40 pm
I’m thinking of having a custom cycle shop fabricate an entire exhaust for my C5.  1 ¾ pipe with a 12” glass pack.  No joint in the middle to cover will be a cleaner look I think. Then they will ceramic coat the entire thing with Cermakrome.  Has anyone replaced the entire exhaust on a UCE?  Advice/Warnings?
Title: Re: Stock vs Sports Silencer
Post by: Cabo Cruz on April 13, 2010, 12:26:34 am
Br. Jester, I am certain that Br. ScooterBob, has, in no uncertain terms and on multiple occasions, adviced against replacing the header pipe because the O2 sensor took up residence in it when the UCE lived on paper on an engineer's drawing board and on a vivid reflection in the vast lake of his mind.  (How's about those two phrases that bridge Engineering and Eastern Philosophy?  ::))

Then, again, my Gearhead qualification comes by way of the number of posts and not by way of my mechanical skills!  ;)