WSB exhausts question

[the pits]

Really enjoying the early return of WSB and the season promises to be a cracker. Haga, Bayliss, Kagayama, Toseland, Corser all on top form and Barros will likely be winning races before long. Hopefully my personal favourite the ever gritty Chris Walker on the new ZX10 will pick up a much deserved win this season too.

Just one question. I noticed the R1 and the new ZX10 have twin rear exhausts. I thought 4 to 2 into 1 was the best for power, as used by Honda and Suzuki. Surely there's no room for cosmetic frippery in the white heat of competition that is WSB? Can anyone explain?

[Andy Oh]

Don't know about the ZX-10 but I believe the left hand can on Haga's & Pitt's R1 is purely cosmetic and as they are titanium will obviously weigh next to nothing

[Waynester]

Don't the rules state that the appearance has to be as the production/shop versions?

[bully69]

The bike has to run bodywork resembling the production machine (they could run one silencer) because it does make better top end power 4 into 2 into 1, but they run a dummy pipe to mimic the road bike purley as a P.R exercise. Makes it look like the bike you buy out of the dealers !