is it smart t put on race cans on your bike
Discussion
I've had two different race cans on my ZX7R and i've rumbled past the Police many times - never had a problem. The opinion i've had from several Officers is that provided you're not bouncing it off the limiter past Miss Miggin's house at 3am, they don't have a problem with them. I've even had a bike cop look at me as i've come round a bend in a village, presumably note I was doing no more than 30mph and then very deliberately look away and feign interest in his bike!
That said, I don't believe the 'loud pipes save lives' mantra - but I do like the sound they make
That said, I don't believe the 'loud pipes save lives' mantra - but I do like the sound they make

My housemate has two straight-through cans cut down to about 8” long on his monster680. Hes been riding about with them for about a year now and has never been pulled over. It does seem that unless you ride like a loon the police don’t really care.
You do notice car drivers looking at you a lot more when you have loud pipes so if you follow the logic through:
They hear you – They see you – They don’t knock you off
Even though I cant offer any proof it is very possible that loud pipes do save lives.
You do notice car drivers looking at you a lot more when you have loud pipes so if you follow the logic through:
They hear you – They see you – They don’t knock you off
Even though I cant offer any proof it is very possible that loud pipes do save lives.
in my opinion if you have a loud pipe but everything else on the bike is in order, for example legal number plates, the lights work etc the police dont seem too bothered, i will be fitting a race can to my new bike,in fact i may well fit a full system as an inline 4 with a straight through Akrapovic system does sound lovely and funnily enough not that loud unless your opening it right up.
Just ridden two bikes back to back, one with one without, and filtering is far safer WITH.
cars hear you coming, rather than actually using their mirrors (which they don't, and shift position to let you through.
Its also handy for my missus to hear me coming home, get the kettle on, and bring a steaming mug of tea with her when she open the garage door. Thats because she can hear me on the dual garage way 3 miles before I get home
cars hear you coming, rather than actually using their mirrors (which they don't, and shift position to let you through.
Its also handy for my missus to hear me coming home, get the kettle on, and bring a steaming mug of tea with her when she open the garage door. Thats because she can hear me on the dual garage way 3 miles before I get home

Yes, I believe it is much safer having race cans on your bike. Following my last MOT I left the standard can on the bike and have found that it makes a big differance having the race can on. Over the last two years I have had the race can on, i have never once been pulled by the police (thats it now, I will probably get pulled next time I go out!!!!!!!!)
spdpug98 said:
i have never once been pulled by the police (thats it now, I will probably get pulled next time I go out!!!!!!!!)
Tempting fate here but I've been riding bikes (most of them loud) since 1978 and I've never been stopped for loud exhaust, I've had the Ducati nearly 8 years and it's fairly loud and although I've been pulled a few times for 'making progress' the cans were never even mentioned.
That's it now I've done it, next time out I'll get nicked for loud exhaust....

Loud pipes do make a difference when in traffic, for sure, however, when I used to ride my Ducati Superlight, I had race cans, my mates Supelight had completely empty cans, that was a bit too loud, I could not hear my bike when next to his. Accelerating in a narrow road in Paris would set of the car alarms all the way done the street! great fun but not very sociable! never got pulled though.
Mad Dave said:
provided you're not bouncing it off the limiter past Miss Miggin's house at 3am, they don't have a problem with them.
I agree
I've got race cans on my bike and my neighbours don't mind at all. I've also had conversations with people I pass regularly on the way to work. They have acknowledged that they look for me once they hear the cans. It's all good, IMO.
My experience of the plod has been very negative on a bike.....
I was pulled over for doing an average of 34mph....yes that's right....34mph and given 3 points and 60 pound fine. He also tried to argue that my tyres were too bald (even though they weren't as I'd just picked the bike up from an MOT and it passed), and I had an illegal can. Yes it was but it had a BS stamp on it
so that shut him up.
Overall though, I don't think cops are that bothered. I used to own a Buell XB9R with an XB race kit and if you thought the Ducati is loud, you should hear this thing!
Because I like showing off my old Buell: http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc
I was never pulled over yet I passed the plod regularly and it was more of a case of thumbs up!
Need to get another one
I was pulled over for doing an average of 34mph....yes that's right....34mph and given 3 points and 60 pound fine. He also tried to argue that my tyres were too bald (even though they weren't as I'd just picked the bike up from an MOT and it passed), and I had an illegal can. Yes it was but it had a BS stamp on it
so that shut him up. Overall though, I don't think cops are that bothered. I used to own a Buell XB9R with an XB race kit and if you thought the Ducati is loud, you should hear this thing!
Because I like showing off my old Buell: http://video.google.com/videoplay?doc
I was never pulled over yet I passed the plod regularly and it was more of a case of thumbs up!
Need to get another one

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