[Administrator]

Original Article:
ZRX PAPERS

Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article ZRX PAPERS in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

 

[notabiker]

i loved my 2002 ZRX, i sold it and bought a cruiser cuzz i thought i was over sport bikes. i wanted another one. never found one at a good price. they are popular with the older croud. one day i saw a 04 kawa Z 1000 and i fell in love again. seems the ZED is not as popular. honest i like the 03-06 gen z 1000 better than the ZRX. the ZRX feels heavy,it does not flick around like the 470 LB z 1000. that sporty looking seat on the ZED is more comfy than the stock or corbin seat i had on the ZRX. i do not like the looks of the 07-09 and it makes less power than the 03-06 ZED. would i like to own another ZRX a big YES.

 

[seruzawa]

MO was so proud that they saved 15lbs and gained 2 hp for a mere $925. LOL! Step right up and buy that aftermarket system!

 

[notabiker]

got a close out stainless full system muzzy for my 04 zed for 425 bucks shipped. from muzzy direct. what a deal. 2 hp and 25 lbs saved.

 

[The_AirHawk]

got a close out stainless full system muzzy for my 04 zed for 425 bucks shipped. from muzzy direct. what a deal. 2 hp and 25 lbs saved.

Wow! 2 whole horsepower! That's only $212.50 per Horse! You DO realize that 2hp is within the Margin of Error on a 90hp moto, right?

 

[pushrod]

Arrrgh!

Crypto-post!

But- 25 less pounds, and probably better looks is worth sumthin', eh?

 

[notabiker]

Wow! 2 whole horsepower! That's only $212.50 per Horse! You DO realize that 2hp is within the Margin of Error on a 90hp moto, right?

I WAS MAKING FUN OF THE 2 HP
i new full well putting a exhaust system is more for style and sound.
some pipes HURT HP.

 

[The_AirHawk]

I WAS MAKING FUN OF THE 2 HP
i new full well putting a exhaust system is more for style and sound.
some pipes HURT HP.

So was I.

 

[MOKE1K]

Ah,....

MO was so proud that they saved 15lbs and gained 2 hp for a mere $925. LOL! Step right up and buy that aftermarket system!

Don't you have an aftermarket exhaust on yours. Yoshimura I believe.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Don't you have an aftermarket exhaust on yours. Yoshimura I believe.

He's got slip-on cans, not a full exhaust.

Considerably cheaper.

The "AirHawk" has a Muzzy slip-on system (can and Y-pipe) that was on the bike when I bought it, and the airbox has been modified and the carbs re-jetted.

When I got the bike back in the '90s, it was loud as F*ck. No, I mean F*cking LOUD AS F*CK!!!!

A bit of work with ceramic-wool and some stainless bits and pieces quieted it down about 20db - depending on how hard I nail it, I catch 89-92db @ 25' with the meter perpendicular to the bike.

Damn-near 88db-driveby "legal".

 

[seruzawa]

Don't you have an aftermarket exhaust on yours. Yoshimura I believe.

Er, it was on it when I bought it. A Yoshi RS3. Too ****in' loud so I put on the stock can which made it run much better. The Yoshi pipe caused a serious lean running issue in the midrange. I put a Holeshot jet kit in it and remounted the Yoshi when I decided to sell it. The jetkit solved the lean issue and the Yoshi attracts the fanboys.

MC-USA did the whole aftermarket exhaust experiment on the ZRX also and came up with very little HP gain. Apparently the stock header flows pretty well.

Put on an aftermarket can or system and don't rejust or remap and you are looking at trouble.

Hey, but if people think it's worth $1000 to save 15lbs and get 2 more hp, which is within dyno error, then go for it! Myself I recommend that people get some training and upgrade their suspensions before blowing big $ on something that is likely to give little gain. I figure the exhausts are the least bang for the buck.

Not that it's going to matter in a few years when the laws become too draconian and everyone remains (and returns to) stock.

 

[sarnali2]

Er, it was on it when I bought it. A Yoshi RS3. Too ****in' loud so I put on the stock can which made it run much better. The Yoshi pipe caused a serious lean running issue in the midrange. I put a Holeshot jet kit in it and remounted the Yoshi when I decided to sell it. The jetkit solved the lean issue and the Yoshi attracts the fanboys.

MC-USA did the whole aftermarket exhaust experiment on the ZRX also and came up with very little HP gain. Apparently the stock header flows pretty well.

Put on an aftermarket can or system and don't rejust or remap and you are looking at trouble.

Hey, but if people think it's worth $1000 to save 15lbs and get 2 more hp, which is within dyno error, then go for it! Myself I recommend that people get some training and upgrade their suspensions before blowing big $ on something that is likely to give little gain. I figure the exhausts are the least bang for the buck.

Not that it's going to matter in a few years when the laws become too draconian and everyone remains (and returns to) stock.

Now you did it...lighting Mokes tampon string like that, we'll never hear the end of it..........

I had the same experiance on Bandit # 1, shiny cool Holeshot can and trick snorkel removal plus jet kit....pain in the butt trying to get it dialed in and louder than hell. Bandit # 2 I just rode the wheels off stock until I sold it for Decker money, seemed to be a lot more fun that way.....

 

[MOKE1K]

Actually he brings up some good points.

 

[MOKE1K]

He's got slip-on cans, not a full exhaust.

Considerably cheaper.

The "AirHawk" has a Muzzy slip-on system (can and Y-pipe) that was on the bike when I bought it, and the airbox has been modified and the carbs re-jetted.

When I got the bike back in the '90s, it was loud as F*ck. No, I mean F*cking LOUD AS F*CK!!!!

A bit of work with ceramic-wool and some stainless bits and pieces quieted it down about 20db - depending on how hard I nail it, I catch 89-92db @ 25' with the meter perpendicular to the bike.

Damn-near 88db-driveby "legal".

Sooo 400.00 dollars without losing any weight, classifies as pretty much the same thing I would think.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Sooo 400.00 dollars without losing any weight, classifies as pretty much the same thing I would think.

I don't know how much it cost - the PO bought it and put it on the bike. IT weighs 4lbs; the stock muffler alone (on a HawkGT) weighs 28lbs........

 

[MOKE1K]

Er, it was on it when I bought it. A Yoshi RS3. Too ****in' loud so I put on the stock can which made it run much better. The Yoshi pipe caused a serious lean running issue in the midrange. I put a Holeshot jet kit in it and remounted the Yoshi when I decided to sell it. The jetkit solved the lean issue and the Yoshi attracts the fanboys.

MC-USA did the whole aftermarket exhaust experiment on the ZRX also and came up with very little HP gain. Apparently the stock header flows pretty well.

Put on an aftermarket can or system and don't rejust or remap and you are looking at trouble.

Hey, but if people think it's worth $1000 to save 15lbs and get 2 more hp, which is within dyno error, then go for it! Myself I recommend that people get some training and upgrade their suspensions before blowing big $ on something that is likely to give little gain. I figure the exhausts are the least bang for the buck.

Not that it's going to matter in a few years when the laws become too draconian and everyone remains (and returns to) stock.

I agree that stock headers are a great design, and that it is hard to beat the development thats put into them. Thats why its so expensive for the aftermarket, they have to spend alot of time in R&D. I also agree that suspension affords more gains as well.

So what do you add after youve already done suspension. An exhaust for you, as youve stated is not worth it, in your opinion. Firstly your goals probably differ from that of someone trying to extract every once of hp and light weight. Comparied to going into a motor, the full exhaust actually is the cheapest modification, even more so than replacing your stock suspension. My suspension ran 1200.00 for front internals and 1200.00 for a rear shock and I installed it myself to save as much as possible.

The point you are either missing or ignoring is the fact that you don't just look at over all horse power thats gained. People like yourself tend to overlook things like off idle response time being much quicker, more reponsive. You also don't mention how a properly tuned exhaust and fuel system can instantly lift the front wheel at midrange, when before youd have to clutch it to get it to come up. Knocking even 10lbs off your bike isnt going to make it feel that much lighter when its stock weight is almost at 500lbs. For a bike that weights 370lbs its is an advantage accompained with the power that you gain. I worked on a Dyno for four years and thats the first thing I would tell the customer, dont look at the overall hp gained on the top. Just go ride it you'll notice alot more gain from the bottom end to above midrange. Thats the significant gain not just what the graph shows youve gained on the top. And lastly I question someone who could only manage 2hp gain with a full exhaust. The lowest number Iv ever got after countless bikes Iv installed jetkits on is 4-5hp. Again, dont look at the overall hp but how much better it runs. My 1993 CBR900RR gained 11hp with a full 2brothers exhaust. My 2006 GSXR1000 gained 9hp with a full exhaust. My current race bike Im hoping will gain a normal bump of probably 5-10hp with full exhaust, airfilter, block off plate mod, and a trip to the ega machine. To each his own, I respect your opinions.

 

[seruzawa]

I agree that stock headers are a great design, and that it is hard to beat the development thats put into them. Thats why its so expensive for the aftermarket, they have to spend alot of time in R&D. I also agree that suspension affords more gains as well.

So what do you add after youve already done suspension. An exhaust for you, as youve stated is not worth it, in your opinion. Firstly your goals probably differ from that of someone trying to extract every once of hp and light weight. Comparied to going into a motor, the full exhaust actually is the cheapest modification, even more so than replacing your stock suspension. My suspension ran 1200.00 for front internals and 1200.00 for a rear shock and I installed it myself to save as much as possible.

The point you are either missing or ignoring is the fact that you don't just look at over all horse power thats gained. People like yourself tend to overlook things like off idle response time being much quicker, more reponsive. You also don't mention how a properly tuned exhaust and fuel system can instantly lift the front wheel at midrange, when before youd have to clutch it to get it to come up. Knocking even 10lbs off your bike isnt going to make it feel that much lighter when its stock weight is almost at 500lbs. For a bike that weights 370lbs its is an advantage accompained with the power that you gain. I worked on a Dyno for four years and thats the first thing I would tell the customer, dont look at the overall hp gained on the top. Just go ride it you'll notice alot more gain from the bottom end to above midrange. Thats the significant gain not just what the graph shows youve gained on the top. And lastly I question someone who could only manage 2hp gain with a full exhaust. The lowest number Iv ever got after countless bikes Iv installed jetkits on is 4-5hp. Again, dont look at the overall hp but how much better it runs. My 1993 CBR900RR gained 11hp with a full 2brothers exhaust. My 2006 GSXR1000 gained 9hp with a full exhaust. My current race bike Im hoping will gain a normal bump of probably 5-10hp with full exhaust, airfilter, block off plate mod, and a trip to the ega machine. To each his own, I respect your opinions.

Point taken, I just think that when someone buys a new bike it's sort of silly to immediately begin adding shyt until he actually rides it around. You know was well as I do that most of these guys are buying the systems to make more noise, not to make them faster. I hear them around town backfiring madly on the upshift. Only a few people go to track days. 99% of the people on sport bikes aren't competing and wouldn't notice a 10lb saving if their lives depended on it. The guy who does track days is going to humiliate them all on his stock bike. Training will make you faster on any bike. Mods only help on one bike. You keep your training forever. You lose the mods when you sell the bike. That's why I consider training the first and most important thing a sport rider should acquire, not some loud pipe that's mainly there to scream, "Here I am."

Without experience and training bolt-ons won't really make anyone faster on these modern sport machines. The bone stock bikes are already far beyond the capability of the vast majority of riders.

I'd bet that the new electronically regulated sport bikes won't benefit measurably powerwise at all from exhaust mods.

 

[MOKE1K]

Iv always told riders no matter how experienced they were to get used to the bike first then if they deem it necessary go ahead and add one.
So we deffinately agree on that. The point I also agree on is the fact that most Street riders will not need it and won't notice a 10 lb difference your right about that as well.

I'm in a dilema myself now with my current racebike. I have left it stock besides the suspension and I am really realizing how heavy the dam exhaust really is. I really don't care at all about the power (for now) but it's so dam heavy. My goal is to get to back to my older times that were achieved on a bigger bike. I don't want to add anything until I absolutely can not go any faster and require it. Still undecided.

 

[Dr_Sprocket]

So we deffinately agree on that. The point I also agree on is the fact that most Street riders will not need it and won't notice a 10 lb difference your right about that as well.

And it's probably a whole lot cheaper and easier to lose 10lbs. from yourself, versus the bike.

I also ride bicycles and it always amazes me that riders will spend $5000 to save three pounds on a bicycle, when they could really stand to lose 10-15 pounds themselves!

 

[MOKE1K]

You all have great points, if Iv ever been accused of preaching it's about skill and how you never ever stop learning, ever. Progression especially on the track. So in a sence I do agree with not enhancing the beast until you can tame it 100%.