[cmills5767]

Has anyone had success in drilling out the pipes on the VTX 1800N? I did and want to make sure I do not need to drill deeper. any pics and suggestions is appreciated.

 

[1800carl]

Has anyone had success in drilling out the pipes on the VTX 1800N? I did and want to make sure I do not need to drill deeper. any pics and suggestions is appreciated.

Big job ?? I saw one guy with the "F and N" stock pipes done and he said he sent them out to have done. There's a link to VTX exhaust exchange at the top of this page to ck out what they do, and I saw a tread bout doing that Mod some time ago.

 

[jstar61]

Because of the way the end caps are on the "N" pipes, you can't just drill them out as you would an "R" or a "C".
There used to be a thread on here where someone milled out the end cap and modded the muffler, but no luck finding it.

 

[simpleman44]

I would advise against it. I drilled my Retro mufflers and they sound like crap. I know a couple guys that got their exhaust done by VTXexhaust and they weren't happy with the sound.

The other thing about drilling the stock mufflers is that may make the engine run lean. Since I did mine saturday every time I ride it seems like the right side of the bike is hotter and the pipes, saddlebag seem much hotter than they ever did when I get home. Bent down and can see a ton of heat radiating off the mufflers. Never seemed to get that hot before.

I have a new Neo- Retro exhaust coming this week hopefully and I'm gonna put it on. I may plug the holes before then in the pipes I drilled.

The only exhaust I've heard that sounded decent on the 1800 was the Roadhouse 2-1 classic exhaust. They are no longer available unfortunately.

For now I think the best option is stock.

 

[cmills5767]

thanks, I guess I will be plugging the holes I drilled.....luckly I only drilled three in each. Mine had a chirp or a whistle when I drilled the bottom pipe. oh well.....its only money right? thanks again

 

[simpleman44]

Yeah, unfortunately that is the one big negative about the 1800. The sound of the exhaust. Other than that a great bike to ride, own. I am fine riding with the stock exhaust that Honda spent alot of money designing and tuning. Have heard alot of people say after investing alot in mods that their bike ran best stock. I'm not willing to buy a PC or intake or anything to try and richen up the fuel mix to compensate for leanness. Guess I'll just be in stealth mode for the foreseeable future.
Besides, my next bike might be a GW and they aren't real noisy either- just run and handle like a champ.

 

[tnvnl]

Drilling wont hurt anything, and wont make it run lean, the VTX is very rich anyway, except at idle.
You could do a mod like mine that you can see in my sig pic. Very happy with the sound, and will NOT find an aftermarket set with a deeper tone.

 

[simpleman44]

Well, you were a Honda tech so I'll take your word for it. Just seemed like the mufflers/ rightside saddlebag/ and right side footbord were much hotter than usual with the pipes drilled. I thought about doing something similar to your muffler mod but I read an old thread where a guy did the same thing- gutted the inside completely but went back to stock because his hearing was being affected for days after a long ride.

I am likely selling for cheap my stock drilled retro pipes to a buddy who damaged his mufflers when he layed his bike down. Maybe we'll take his old stock mufflers apart and see what we can come up with.

Why don't you post a video on you tube of the sound of your exhaust? Maybe get a 15-20 second idle period- some light revs- and get someone to tape the sound on a couple drive bys/ accelerating and decellerating?? Just a suggestion.

 

[cmills5767]

Ok, decided to get my exhaust worked on by VTXExhaust and when I spoke to Bill on the phone he was most helpful. Looking forward to the new sound. Maybe a week from Friday.....

 

[tnvnl]

Well, you were a Honda tech so I'll take your word for it. Just seemed like the mufflers/ rightside saddlebag/ and right side footbord were much hotter than usual with the pipes drilled. I thought about doing something similar to your muffler mod but I read an old thread where a guy did the same thing- gutted the inside completely but went back to stock because his hearing was being affected for days after a long ride.

I am likely selling for cheap my stock drilled retro pipes to a buddy who damaged his mufflers when he layed his bike down. Maybe we'll take his old stock mufflers apart and see what we can come up with.

Why don't you post a video on you tube of the sound of your exhaust? Maybe get a 15-20 second idle period- some light revs- and get someone to tape the sound on a couple drive bys/ accelerating and decellerating?? Just a suggestion.

If his hearing was affected by riding with loud pipes, I'm not sure which direction they were pointed. While riding, the noise is nowhere near as loud as the noise of the wind. Now for people riding on my right side, it is a bit loud for them, but they can move as necessary. The tone on these pipes is a very very low note, not the ear piercing "blat" of most aftermarket pipes, and I have install just about all of them at one time or another.
My son, who rides my old Gold Wing (now his), likens the sound to that of the thump of a helicopter.

I have never heard a youtube video that does any justice to the sound of a bike. Thats the main reason I have never done one.