Borla Exhaust for the Bandit
by Brad Mathison

When I finally decided that I needed a new exhaust system to replace the stock one on my '99 model Bandit 1200, I wanted to do something a little different. I talked with several tuners that all said about the same thing; that most make comparable power and they were all lighter than the stock system.

I didn't see the need to replace the stock stainless steel headers. If you are going for every last tenth of a horsepower then there is no argument, but I won't be racing this bike and figured I could live without. It would have been different if the stock headers were painted steel, but mine will probably last longer than I will, flow pretty well and don't look half-bad. Most of the headers on today's sport bikes flow pretty well until you start reaching the upper limits of an engine. With that said, I went for the slip-on approach.

When I found out that Borla makes exhaust for streetbikes, I had to check it out. They have been popular with the Buell market for years, but with minimal (next to none) advertising, not many other enthusiasts had ever heard of them.

The muffler itself is actually different from the standard "round perforated tube wrapped with fiberglass" that everybody else stamps out. On this particular system they start with four smaller tubes welded on each end to collectors, and wrapped in aluminum wool instead of fiberglass. The rest of the system is made from polished stainless with a carbon fiber can. The number and diameter of tubes, as well as the outer shell diameter and length will vary with different model bikes. They keep playing with the different combinations until one fits all the sound and power requirements. The Installation was very straightforward with no surprises. It utilized the stock clamp on the mid-pipe to header connection and a slip fit (perfectly snug) on the muffler connection. The muffler bracket supplied is another carbon fiber piece. It took all of 18 minutes to remove the stock system and replace it with the new. The only catch that I could find was that the stock mid-pipe had the stop for the centerstand on it. The Borla unit doesn't have one, so the centerstand swings up about three inches higher than its normal resting spot. I wanted to keep the centerstand, so a stop will have to be welded on for the stand.

When I contacted Borla, they started spouting all the horsepower claims, as they all do, but then backed everything up with dyno sheets. With no modifications other than bolting on the mid-pipe and muffler, you get 15.1 nicely spread horsepower. A pretty good return for your investment and 15-20 minutes of work.

When I first entertained the idea of going with an aftermarket exhaust my first worry was the noise. Borla assured me "it wasn't real loud, of course I fell for it, but I have to admit that it is one of the sweetest sounds I have ever heard. If you have ever had the pleasure of hearing a Formula 1 car at full song then you know what it sounds like. It turns out that I don't miss the quiet of the stock system….yet.

I can honestly say that I could feel an immediate difference in the power that it makes. The 1200 motor in the Bandit has one of the best powerbands available, and the Borla system only improves what is already there. You can see from the Dyno Sheet from Borla that once you clear idle it starts making power improvements, except for one "stock jetted" hiccup down on the very bottom that isn't noticeable when riding the bike. I am now thinking seriously about a rev-limiter, after a few trips up past the redline. (It comes on that quickly) So far I am very happy with the pipe, it sounds beautiful, weighs less, looks great, and makes good power. Next month it gets a K & N jet kit and filter, with a few modifications to the stock airbox. It will then be put on a dyno in Tulsa, OK to see exactly what it can do. I'll post the dyno runs with the rest of the modifications as soon as we get them done. Watch for part 2.

Alternate exhaust sources:
Bike Bandit
Ride Gear
Motorcycle USA

Labels: review

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