Posts
2132
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
St. Michael, BB
Edited Date/Time
1/23/2012 11:34pm
...take into account the "potential" a bike has with very simple mods? I love reading the reviews every year from all the different magazines, but some of them, even the one i think is best at it (MXA) just seem to be all over the place, looking for something to write just to fill up the page or something.
Anyway back to my example, in 2008 and 2009, Yamaha released the YZ450 with that terrible exhaust that just choked up the bike, the bike got terrible reviews for it, but all anyone needed to do was install literally ANY, i mean ANY other silencer or even a stock silencer from an 06-07 and the bike's power would be golden again. In the same year (2008), the RMZ got mixed reviews on power and suffered in the shootout because it signed off too early, but all anyone with half a brain needed to do was slap on a pipe and adjust the mapping, and once again, GOLDEN!! This year the 2010 Yamaha is getting some hate for signing off too early as well, and once again do i have to state the obvious solution?
The point i am making is how can they possibly come to such drastic conclusions in the shootouts without saying "but if" or "however" or "if this bike had a different pipe it would win" etc etc. I think all of us as consumers want to know the facts, those are the real facts, almost noone leaves the bike completely stock the entire time they own it, usually a pipe is the first to go on. I would rather own brand "x" with tons of potential than brand "Y" that beats the other stockers (brand x) but can't compete with brand X even if both brand X AND brand Y had the same mods. If i am confusing anyone, i apologize, but i know there are a lot of you out there that understand what i am talking about. It is this type of judgement in the shootouts that really leads me to believe the mags just want us to think they are deciding which bike is the best for us, kind of like when you go to the doctor for a problem and he doesn't have a clue, but he pretends he has the solution.
I really wish someone from the mags is reading this, because i do appreciate their work, i'm just begging for more in-depth reviews that can help consumers decide which bike is truly best for them.Basic testing for bikes out the crate is great for beginners maybe, but for more experienced riders there is so much more data to consider.
THE END. once again sorry if it seems confusing to anyone, i'm not always the best at conveying messages' i'll admit that!
Anyway back to my example, in 2008 and 2009, Yamaha released the YZ450 with that terrible exhaust that just choked up the bike, the bike got terrible reviews for it, but all anyone needed to do was install literally ANY, i mean ANY other silencer or even a stock silencer from an 06-07 and the bike's power would be golden again. In the same year (2008), the RMZ got mixed reviews on power and suffered in the shootout because it signed off too early, but all anyone with half a brain needed to do was slap on a pipe and adjust the mapping, and once again, GOLDEN!! This year the 2010 Yamaha is getting some hate for signing off too early as well, and once again do i have to state the obvious solution?
The point i am making is how can they possibly come to such drastic conclusions in the shootouts without saying "but if" or "however" or "if this bike had a different pipe it would win" etc etc. I think all of us as consumers want to know the facts, those are the real facts, almost noone leaves the bike completely stock the entire time they own it, usually a pipe is the first to go on. I would rather own brand "x" with tons of potential than brand "Y" that beats the other stockers (brand x) but can't compete with brand X even if both brand X AND brand Y had the same mods. If i am confusing anyone, i apologize, but i know there are a lot of you out there that understand what i am talking about. It is this type of judgement in the shootouts that really leads me to believe the mags just want us to think they are deciding which bike is the best for us, kind of like when you go to the doctor for a problem and he doesn't have a clue, but he pretends he has the solution.
I really wish someone from the mags is reading this, because i do appreciate their work, i'm just begging for more in-depth reviews that can help consumers decide which bike is truly best for them.Basic testing for bikes out the crate is great for beginners maybe, but for more experienced riders there is so much more data to consider.
THE END. once again sorry if it seems confusing to anyone, i'm not always the best at conveying messages' i'll admit that!
Given that a pipe and silencer combo is normally $700~900 I dont think it should be taken into effect in a stock bike shoot out because you can make anything sweet as hell with $1500.
For example, 09~10 CRF450. $240 for the pull arms by pro circuit, and $120 for stiffer fork springs completely solves the chassis problem and makes the bike hugely better.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
But man, rolling on the gas outta a deep, loamy turn... ! Ahh, that's the stuff!
You are basing your comment entirely on the theory the only reason you put a pipe on a bike is for more power which in my experience is not the only reason riders opt for full aftermarket exhausts or a slip on.
The biggest thing a pipe does in the majority of applications is change the power delivery. Some pipes have better top end, some have better low end, and most pipes allow for repacking much better than an OEM exhaust.
IMO MX it isn't about how much power you have but the way the power is delivered. I have first hand experience working with a number of 450 riders who initially thought they had enough power but then after an in between moto pipe installation saw how much easier their bikes were to ride after putting a pipe on it.
EDIT: Kardy, I missed your follow up post until just now.
https://www.hi-torque.com/ME2/dirsect.asp?sid=BE00B1A329C144B4946307C928F0DE74&nm=MXA+sub+Page
Not everyone has the ability to change fork springs... which by themselves are not that expensive but when you throw in labor... they can get a little nutty.... same with linkage components.
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