baffle removal

[trickedoutvt400]

hey everyone just wondering if anyone here has done the baffle removal on the 2009 honda vt400 shadow ???

[Zilli]

nope, i considered doing it on my VT750, but read differring reviews on the end result. Eventually i decided itd be better not to molest the original pipes, and i ended up getting a set of Vance & Hines Straight Shots... and i havent looked back... the bike breathes much better, and sounds wild... i got it for about $450 to my door from the states, to buy them locally is $1k plus.

[trickedoutvt400]

wow thats cheap! team moto quoted me $1000 for cobra pipes and thats why im considering the hole saw mod, ive also read that if you block off the crossover pipe you get a even better sound thats not so hollow

[DLO01]

Team Moto is not a cheap place. Not sure where, but suggest looking somewhere else.

[Zilli]

anywhere in Australia is expensive... get it online...

check my thread out on some mods i did to the intake too... really helps them breath

[Twincam16]

Zilli do you have a link to the website you ordered them from man? That is def a bargain

[DLO01]

anywhere in Australia is expensive...

Ok, Team Moto is more expensive than that. :D

[Zilli]

:-) will get the link when i get home if i can find it... but you can go to cruisercustomizing.com , i found it cheaper at this other place though... will post up tonight!

[Zilli]

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/performance-motorsports/Items/van18100220?sck=16718492&caSKU=van18100220&caTitle=NEW VANCE %26 HINES STRAIGHTSHOTS HS!04-7 HONDA SHADOW 750 AERO

there we go boys

[trickedoutvt400]

ok well i did it, i jumped straight into the deep end and went where possibly no other has gone before, so unless someone can show me this done before today anywhere else i claim this 2009 vt400 to be the first to have the baffle removal done in the world :P

here are the pipes with baffles still installed
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300747.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300746.jpg

then i found a hole saw fitting to suit the outside diamater of the baffle and cut it out
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300745.jpg

then used some pliers to shake it loose and remove the baffle
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300748.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300749.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300750.jpg

now i had to remove the rest of the housing wich was done y using a small flat head screw driver and a pair of pliers
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300753.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300754.jpg
some grinding was needed to remove the weld from the ring on the left side, i used a dremil

one down only one more to go
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300751.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300752.jpg

ok now with both baffles removed you will want to take off the top exhaust so we can plug up that cross over pipe to turn them into two individual pipes.
to do this you need a 12mm socket and a 12mm ring spanner and a large shifter.

start by using the shifter to unscrew the O2 sencor located mid way
then use the ring spanner to undo the two bolts at the rear of the muffler
then use the socket to undo the pipe from the head
then use the ring spanner to undo the clamp holding the cross over pipe together and gently riggle the pipes apart.
now that they are appart you need to use somthing to block up the pipe with to seporate the pipes.

we tryed using a washer like what guys normally do for the vt 750's but after stuffing around for 1 hour trying to get it to fit i noticed that the baffle end would be a perfict fit.

here are some pix of us stuffing around with the washer for your entertainment.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300756.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300755.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300758.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300757.jpg

and here is the outcome we went with (baffle mod)

take one baffle
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300759.jpg

and use a cutting disc and cut the end off it where the first holes are
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300760.jpg

then place the cut end into the crossover pipe 1/2 wich is still on the bike, place it in cut end first then use a hammer to lightly tap it into place
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii1/trickedoutz31/S6300761.jpg

now thats it, re-assemble your bike and fire her up

SOUNDS F'ING AWESOME HAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and saved you $600 from inporting pipes just to take the chance that they might fit on the bike




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFCoiOd1k-A

[Zilli]

good stuff mate! i had seen a lot of DIY's regarding getting the baffles out, but not the crossover!

well done, sounds great, enjoy!

[Zilli]

now time to strip down the resonator from the airbox!

[trickedoutvt400]

yeah i was looking at that and remember you saying you did a mod on yours and posted it up but i cant find it

[Zilli]

just realised your right, i dont have pictures... sorry mate...

take off the box cover, remove the box, and take everything behind it off... you will need to loosen the tank and lift it to take the bulk of the resonator off... i also dropped in a K&N... breaths a lot better, and makes a slow pig a bit more eager and does wonders for the sound with straight pipes...

[trickedoutvt400]

awesome! ill be doing that one tomorrow after work, ill try and take some pix of my progress for other members to follow

[spartan]

Sounds great. Did you have to put in after market baffles in or does the bike go okay without any. Please excuse my ignorance.

[trickedoutvt400]

nah mate i left them out and thats how its stayed it sounds awesome i went into the bike shop a few weeks ago and the staff that sell them were impressed to hear it as all the ones that come and go sound like sowing machines so they say

[Zilli]

you won't be able to put in any baffles without a lot of wasted effort.. once they're drilled out their drilled out, in effect making them straight pipes.

A great way to save money and to get a fantastic note from the exhaust... not much fun if ya get pinged...

[soxOZ]

Here's an alternative way to do this baffle modification and have the pipes looking factory stock...
I did this to mine and it gives a really nice deep rumble as you roll open the throttle, isn't too load at higher revs and but best of all doesn't drone when cruzing on a constant speed, but you can still hear it...

This is a photo of my pipes (and was this hard to take) and is self explaining... Oh, BTW my bike is a 2010 VT750C2....
And just before someone might ask the dumb question, this was done to both pipes... :p

[spartan]

nah mate i left them out and thats how its stayed it sounds awesome i went into the bike shop a few weeks ago and the staff that sell them were impressed to hear it as all the ones that come and go sound like sowing machines so they say

Thanks for the advice. I have heard so many stories from engine will overheat, loss of power etc, I am going to do the same to mine ASAP