Fairweather August 14, 2013 Share Fairweather Member August 14, 2013 (edited) So I plan on purchasing some custom pipes for my vstar 650 (it currently sounds like a lawn mower with the stock pipes lol). Has anybody had any personal experience with 1) MAC custom exhausts (price wise very attractive but I hadn't heard of the company up till a week ago) 2) Self installation (Is it doable for a not very mechanically inclined person or should I bring it to a shop to have it done) Edited August 14, 2013 by Fairweather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX August 15, 2013 Share NOFX Member August 15, 2013 (edited) I had a Suzuki marauder 800cc cruiser. One of the first things I did was put Vance & Hines pipes on. It was pretty much unbolt the existing pipes and bolt the new ones on. It took a little bit of wiggling and lining up, but I don't think it took more than 45 minutes. EDIT* I don't know why, but loud pipes on a cruiser makes it much more fun to ride... Edited August 15, 2013 by NOFX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless August 16, 2013 Share Clueless GC Alumni August 16, 2013 No personal experience, but MAC has been around for quite awhile making exhaust for metric cruisers,I wouldn't really be afraid of trying them if they have a system you like. I'm sure that you can find someone on YouTube with them installed to get a listen before you buy. As far as do it yourself goes, if you are even moderately mechanically inclined, you won't have any trouble, just take your time. Oh, and order new exhaust gaskets, pipes rarely come with them and it's a good idea to go with a new set to avoid leaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boiler August 16, 2013 Share boiler Member August 16, 2013 What these guys said - should be a pretty easy bolt-on job. Do make sure you get new/correct gaskets. Happy wrenching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather August 21, 2013 Author Share Fairweather Member August 21, 2013 Thanks guys! Did anyone have to rejet the engine after or was it pretty much good to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless August 21, 2013 Share Clueless GC Alumni August 21, 2013 Depends on how radical the pipes are, USUALLY you are ok, unless it's a high performance exhaust. They should have tech support that can answer that question for sure before you buy. It's not fuel injected is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather August 23, 2013 Author Share Fairweather Member August 23, 2013 Depends on how radical the pipes are, USUALLY you are ok, unless it's a high performance exhaust. They should have tech support that can answer that question for sure before you buy. It's not fuel injected is it? nope carb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless August 23, 2013 Share Clueless GC Alumni August 23, 2013 I would just try it and see, unless the pipes are very free flowing, or you are in an extreme altitude, you should be ok. Call the exhaust company tho, they usually have pretty good data collected about that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farberio December 25, 2013 Share farberio Member December 25, 2013 Its been some time since you did this, but If the header changed drastically i would at least find a place that can do a wideband log to double check. That said I have 0 experience with bikes. I know that exhaust headers play a lot into the power and more importantly the power band of a cars engine and would suspect the same in a bike engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather January 4, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member January 4, 2014 MAC pipes have been ordered and are in the mail (was on back order and now shipping from the states so waiting a few more weeks). Sales guy I talked to recommended the rejet but said it wasn't super necessary. I just have to get my hands on some new exhaust gaskets from a momo store and I should be good to go. I'll let you guys know how it goes in a few weeks when I get them on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather February 7, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member February 7, 2014 update: pipes will be here Wed the 12th. Can't wait to get those suckers on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingCat February 7, 2014 Share walkingCat Member February 7, 2014 (edited) Take some pictures please. Edited February 7, 2014 by walkingCat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather February 8, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member February 8, 2014 (edited) Take some pictures please. I'll try and get a video of a before and after if I can figure out how to upload it lol Edited February 14, 2014 by Fairweather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather February 14, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member February 14, 2014 (edited) update: after 2 and a half hours of struggling with rusty nuts and bolts in -5C, losing tools, and calling in my roommate to help hold some stuff I finally got the front pipe on ... the yamaha dealer I had previously gone to gave me the wrong size of exhaust gasket for the rear pipe so I couldn't put it on tonight. Getting that front pipe on was a challenge that's for sure sheeeesh edit - update #2: took a trip to the yamaha dealer today and got the right gasket, the rear pipe went on in under 5 minutes it was so easy and straight forward. I think it's a little too cold to get started right now so I couldn't get it running to sample the new sound here's it completed Edited February 14, 2014 by Fairweather 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farberio February 15, 2014 Share farberio Member February 15, 2014 Looking good! When you get it started I think placing a 1 on the ground is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingCat February 15, 2014 Share walkingCat Member February 15, 2014 Where is a video you're threatening us with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather February 15, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member February 15, 2014 Where is a video you're threatening us with? hahah when it warms up enough to get the old girl started and running for longer than half a second I'll put one up (I don't have a heated garage) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather March 1, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member March 1, 2014 here you are boyo's, just changed the final drive oil and with a balmy -3 I was able to get the ol girl started IMG_0713.MOV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farberio March 1, 2014 Share farberio Member March 1, 2014 Good sound, matches the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samurai nightling March 3, 2014 Share samurai nightling Member March 3, 2014 Sounds nice, BTW did your carbon monoxide detectors in your house go off after a few minutes? Looks like you had it running in the garage, tailpipe pointed towards the house, instead of outside lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather March 3, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member March 3, 2014 Sounds nice, BTW did your carbon monoxide detectors in your house go off after a few minutes? Looks like you had it running in the garage, tailpipe pointed towards the house, instead of outside lol. haha no the detector didn't go off but it sure did smell funny. There wasn't enough room to turn it around and get the exhaust pointing the other way that's why it ends up stalling, I was trying to rush getting the choke back in cause I couldn't handle the fumes building up and wanted to get some video of it at normal idle with maybe a rev or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather April 17, 2014 Author Share Fairweather Member April 17, 2014 Updated video, also I figured out how to work youtube lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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