VTR Exhaust Modifications

The OEM exhaust for the VTR is your basic 3-chamber, reverse-flow design as show in figure 1 below.  The reverse-flow chambers are numbered in the sequence that the exhaust gases flow through.  This is WAY too damn quiet for a nice V-twin.

Figure 1 - VTR Stock Exhaust

A cheap & easy modification to the VTR exhaust (that was originated by someone on the SuperHawk mailing list) is shown in figure 2.  This involves cutting a large hole in the rear baffle plate and extracting the whole attached inner pipe that goes all the way into chamber # 3.   This actually eliminates both the 2nd & 3rd chambers as reverse-flow, but the 2nd chamber is now a direct flow path to the exit.  This mod sounds pretty good, but is too loud for my tastes & the sound meter at Laguna Seca.  :-(

Figure 2 - Popular (& Easy) VTR Exhaust Modification

The Catfish-designed modification is shown in figure 3 below.  Here we re-insert the shortened output pipe & weld in a new rear baffle plate.  This is a 2-chamber, reverse-flow design now that gives a nice moderate sound & should be OK for track days at Laguna Seca.  :-)  As usual, this great work was done by Earl Minkler at Valley Machine in Livermore, Ca.

Figure 3 - The Catfish VTR Exhaust Modification

Last update; August 29, 2005

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