Up close, the attention to detail is pretty spectacular. The lightweight, beautifully crafted carbon fiber muffler looks like a piece that may have fallen off NASA's space shuttle Discovery.
Whether you're a street rider, a track rider, or both, an upgraded, more free-flowing exhaust is one of the most popular modifications you can do to your motorcycle. And the one sportbike that we feel could most benefit from the upgrade is Suzuki's GSX-R1000.
There's no doubt that even in stock form the jiggy-1K is plenty fast - to the tune of 157 horsepower. But the dilemma isn't the lack of outright power--it's the two ugly black canisters that shamefully hang off both sides like love handles on your winter physique.
But upgrading the exhaust isn't just about looks... What, you think we're that vain? For the environment's sake, as well as your neighbor's, the GSX-R is about as restricted as a nun in a male strip club. But worry not, Yoshimura Research and Design has the solution.
Yoshimura is no stranger to competition. A quick look at the eight AMA Superbike Championships that both Mat Mladin and Ben Spies have tallied over the last nine seasons proves that the company knows a thing or two about tuning a Suzuki GSX-R.
The
TRC exhaust system we tested is of five-piece construction, consisting of: stainless-steel manifolds and flanges, stainless-steel header, tail-pipe, and carbon fiber muffler. Two clamps and ten exhaust springs hold the beautifully constructed system together. Up close, the attention to detail is pretty spectacular. The fat gold-colored pipe bends could be mistaken as industrial art and the seamless welds are almost too perfect. The lightweight, beautifully crafted carbon fiber muffler looks like a piece that may have fallen off of NASA's space shuttle Discovery.
Installation is straight forward and requires only a basic set of metric tools. However, with the added technology now common place on a contemporary sportbike--i.e. mechanical and electronic exhaust valves within the OEM exhaust--the installer needs to exercise care and closely follow the very detailed instructions Yoshimura supplies. The days of simply unbolting the original pipe and slapping on an aftermarket system are long gone.
We were surprised to see only a minute gain in peak power numbers. However, with the upgraded exhaust, the Gixxers' mid-range was substantially beefed up, from as low as 6000 rpm up to 10,000 rpm, where the lines again converge. Top-end power signs off a bit slower and over-rev increases slightly, which yields another advantage over the stock setup.
We strapped our upgraded superbike on Mickey Cohen Motorsports' Dynojet 200i dyno and were surprised to see only a minute gain in peak numbers of a little over one horsepower and one lb-ft of torque. However, with the modified exhaust, the Gixxers' mid-range was substantially beefed up from as low as 6000 rpm up to 10,000 rpm, where the dyno chart lines again converge. Top-end power signs off a bit slower and over-rev increases slightly, which yields another advantage over the heavy stock system.
With the GSX-R1000's advanced fuel injection system, no remapping is necessary for a clean running machine. However, one can further enhance engine performance by purchasing an aftermarket fuel injection module, similar to Dynojet's Power Commander, and then bringing their bike to an authorized Dynojet Tuning Center. The tuning center will then build a custom map for your steed which will not only smoothen out the power curve, but also further increase peak horsepower and torque.
Aesthetically, the Yosh system really transforms the big Suzuki. The rear-end of the machine looks cleaner and far less cluttered. On the road we couldn't tell if the pipe made the bike feel any lighter, but after rolling it on our Intercomp scales we were surprised to find that the bike weighed 447 lbs... That's 19 pounds less than stock! Riding around town revealed the same crisp throttle response, but the sweet sound emitting out of the short carbon fiber muffler makes the rider, as well as everyone in earshot, know that you're on something special. Overall, the Yosh system really adds to the riding experience. If you're looking to shave some of that heft off your bike, sharpen the look, give it some growl, and even some more power--Yosh has got what you're looking for.
Product: Yoshimura TRC Stainless-steel Full System with Carbon Fiber Muffler
MSRP: $1,099
Buy It Now:
Yoshimura TRC Stainless-Steel Full System
with Carbon Fiber Muffler
