Akrapovic vs Stock

JRE

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Goldwing said:
Hi JRE,

I like it!!

Here is a video where the guy did a sound meter test. Looks like at idle its the same as stock but a couple of dB's louder when revving up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHeaBo2lgh8

I noticed that the muffler shield was not on the video, did it go back on without a problem?

TIA,
Goldwing
Thanks, I had seen that on Youtube and factored heavily in my decision to get this pipe. I didn't want something obnoxiously loud.
 

BravoBravo

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Goldwing said:
Hi JRE,

I like it!!

Here is a video where the guy did a sound meter test. Looks like at idle its the same as stock but a couple of dB's louder when revving up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHeaBo2lgh8

I noticed that the muffler shield was not on the video, did it go back on without a problem?

TIA,
Goldwing
I have an aftermarket carbon fibre shield over my Akra, but the stock shield would have fit back on with no problem as well. ::008::

-Bruce
 

arjayes

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I've thrown all kinds of money at this bike with little hesitation, but ~$1k for an exhaust upgrade exceeds even my loose farkling threshold. From what I've read the benefits of the Akra are:

1. Sounds better than stock for sure.
2. Looks better (subjective).
3. 4.4 lbs lighter than stock (big deal on a ~600 lb bike).
4. Adds 3.4 hp and 3.2 lb-ft (according to Akra web site).

Does that about sum it up? For you guys who took the plunge, which of 1-4 above was your main motivation? Do you even notice the slight performance boost?

For the real tuning whores I can understand the full header + pipe + PCV/custom ECU maps, etc., but adding a slip-on seems mostly cosmetic (sound and looks).

For a work of art like a Ducati Hypermotard or BMW S1000RR I could see paying for cosmetic farkles like this, but the Tenere is a bit too matronly to "deserve" this kind of pimping IMHO. Just trying to understand ...
 

BravoBravo

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arjayes said:
I've thrown all kinds of money at this bike with little hesitation, but ~$1k for an exhaust upgrade exceeds even my loose farkling threshold. From what I've read the benefits of the Akra are:

1. Sounds better than stock for sure.
2. Looks better (subjective).
3. 4.4 lbs lighter than stock (big deal on a ~600 lb bike).
4. Adds 3.4 hp and 3.2 lb-ft (according to Akra web site).

Does that about sum it up? For you guys who took the plunge, which of 1-4 above was your main motivation? Do you even notice the slight performance boost?

For the real tuning whores I can understand the full header + pipe + PCV/custom ECU maps, etc., but adding a slip-on seems mostly cosmetic (sound and looks).

For a work of art like a Ducati Hypermotard or BMW S1000RR I could see paying for cosmetic farkles like this, but the Tenere is a bit too matronly to "deserve" this kind of pimping IMHO. Just trying to understand ...
For me, it was mainly the looks. I had purchased a smaller carbon fibre heat shield, which left a large portion of the stock pipe exposed. I did not realize how ugly the stock pipe was when undressed before I put the new shield on. I thought it looked like industrial duct work, so I bought the Akrapovic mainly for cosmetic purposes. The mellower exhaust note was just a bonus. You are right about the weight and performance gains. They are marginal at best.

-Bruce
 

JRE

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I added it for all 4 reasons you list and also the fact that it anecdotally is better build quality (shouldn't need repacking, at least not for a long interval) and is street legal here in the US and the EU whereas many others are listed for "competition use only".
 

SuperDuper

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Do you mind posting up a photo with the exhaust shield back in place at some point? (Haven't seen an Akra on an ES yet, and thinking about doing the same.)
 

JRE

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SuperDuper said:
Do you mind posting up a photo with the exhaust shield back in place at some point? (Haven't seen an Akra on an ES yet, and thinking about doing the same.)
Sure, click the link in my signature! :)
 

arjayes

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JRE said:
Sure, click the link in my signature! :)
Damn, JRE, I take my "matronly" comment back. That's a beautiful machine! Still not sure the Akra adds $1k worth of sex appeal, though.

We have a lot of the same add-ons (MRA screen, AltRider crash bars, TechSpec tank pads), but yours looks much better than mine. Love all the red trim accents. Very nicely done!
 

JRE

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Having put <5 mi on the bike since installation and <50 since before the install (damn winter!) I can't be a good judge but based on my experience with other bikes and adding pipes that add a few ponies, the difference is typically not noticeable unless it remedies some sort of flat spot in the power delivery.
 

Rasher

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According to Arrow n end can gives under 2.5BHP, hard to notice, but the extra noise probably gives most people the impression it is doing some good.

... but their full system gives 9BHP, I fitted their headers and got 6BHP on the dyno, and the extra top end / willingness to rev was quite noticeable right away, and the noise was not changed much either which I liked.
 

JRE

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I've seen reports that those with the arrow headers on the 2014 bikes cause problems with hesitation, etc
 

snakebitten

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Yea,
I'm no tuner. But I watch and listen for what they (the geek-tuners) come up with. After this last 3+ years of Tenere Tuning, I THINK this is the consensus:

Arrow Headers can give very nice results, but on their own, they can cause undesirable results.
But to get the very best results possible, you would need to go full-boat with an ECU flash, and PCV (or similar), and some nice maps.
Fortunately, at this point, you would get the benefits of loading maps that have many many hours of other people's efforts. These maps are a result of their dyno-time and autotune tweaking.


I'm sure there is far less total data on the 2014+ model. But I would expect that the requirements would be similar. Headers would require tuning.

I do know this:
(And I have stated it previously)
When there are about 80 or 90 Teneres around, you can definitely tell that a few of them have an extra snarly attitude when they crank up in the morning. And I don't mean just that their exhaust note is louder. There is more to it. When they blip the throttle, it has a different bark.

It's probably no coincidence that they are the same Teneres that have an inch or 2 of air beneath their front tire when they peel off for the days adventure. ::26::
 
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