If you have are in love with your bike, chances are you will be very, very particular about what sort of exhaust pipes you use. The right ones can make your machine look and feel like a million dollar baby or make it a design nightmare.
The motorcycle exhaust pipe has a very definite role to play in the dynamics of a bike. It directs the gases that come out of the combustion chamber, away from the machine and therefore the rider. Where do these gases come from and why is it important that they be directed away?
The combustion engine in a motorcycle creates a series of explosions that propel the bike forward. Since we are talking of explosive combustion, we are talking of noise and exhaust gases. Now if these gases were thrown out straight from the exhaust port, you would have a problem on your hands. The front tyres would gradually melt under the heat and whats more, your machine would sound like a disgruntled missile.
That is why bike manufacturers design the exhaust pipes carefully. These pipes take the emitted gas away from the exhaust port, pass them through what we call a muffler or a silencer and then throw them away behind the bike, away from the...