R18 Exhaust.
- Thread starter Black Dog
- Start date
chris
Member
Nah, I like the STD exhaust on the first edition. quite creative and unusual.
I like the shape of the stock mufflers, but the top & bottom seams are cheesy IMHO. I haven't even got my R18 yet (but I'm working on it!) and I'm wondering if the protruding seams can be ground down and tig welded. Unfortunately, that'll require following the welding with re-chroming. Or are the muffler bodies made of stainless steel, such that rechroming won't be necessary as long as the welds are machine polished? BMW does claim that the entire exhaust system is stainless steel. The concept will require some research into exactly what's inside the mufflers and how are they built? i.e. can the innerds stand the heat of welding?
How long will it be until a rider has swapped out his exhaust to an aftermarket system and is willing to donate the OEM mufflers to science or, at least sell them cheap? I'm a retired professional wrench & machinist and I'm dying to play with this idea.
The size/shape of the exhaust is a direct result of the noise regulations. There are only two ways to quiet an exhaust. Create a restrictive exhaust that utilizes many baffles and batting or create a chambered system that allows for adequate expansion of the gasses before expelling them. BMW chose the latter like Harley did on the VROD.
Personally, I'm OK with the sound of the R18. It's the "execution" of the muffler design that I feel doesn't match that of most of the rest of the bike that I take issue with. I've read a bunch of stuff recently about how BMW intended the R18 to be the Bavarian canvas that customizers will want to play with. Maybe that's why they gave the mufflers protruding seams that look like what the Japanese were producing back when we met the nicest people on a Honda.
Funny you say that, I was thinking the same thing. Especially considering that I am in the middle of a Museum quality restoration of a 1963 Honda Benley.
I'll be watching to see and hear about the results.