This posting is about compatibility of Kawasaki's optional center stand with aftermarket exhausts, and the importance of replacing the OEM mufflers. The two topics are VERY related.

The OEM mufflers on my 2017 ZX-14R are a major "problem" for me as:

- They weigh 32 lb in total, which contributes immensely to the overall too-heavy weight of the bike

- They are mounted very HIGH, which raised the center of gravity of the bike AND the mufflers themselves. This dual effect makes the bike more "top heavy", which makes it harder to balance when standing at a light, or when walking the bike in a garage. It also of course adversely affects handling when underway.

- They are mounted very WIDE, due to their large diameter and the need to provide at least SOME access to chain, etc. This gives them more LEVERAGE to try to "tip" the bike. This effect reinforces the problems outline in the point above.

- They are UGLY. The first thing everyone says to me about my bike is "Those mufflers are too big and really ugly".

So, for all these reasons, I want to replace them, with carbon fiber slip-on mufflers.

Unfortunately, slip-ons for the ZX-14R do not include ONLY the mufflers. They include replacement pipes that connect the mufflers to the OEM mid-pipe area.

Why is that a "problem"? Because I am already running the Kawasaki ZX-14R optional center stand, which, for me, is a necessity for making chain maintenance sensibly easier, and making washing the bike also a lot easier. Plus, it makes checking the oil level easier, etc, etc. The benefits are many.

But, there are 2 potential issues:

1. The righthand OEM muffler pipe has a bracket that acts as a "stop" for the center stand when the center stand has been added to a ZX-14R. Do some aftermarket slip-ons include a stop or not? Brock's does sell a stop, that mounts to the chassis (not the muffler pipe), but they will only say that it works with THEIR system, not necessarily other systems.

2. Is the routing of aftermarket muffler pipes idential to the OEM pipe, are do they vary? If they vary, they might not fit when the center stand ispresent andin the up (i.e.undeployed) position! This is a "likely" problem, since I see that the righthand OEM muffler pipe in fact has some "dimples" in it, presumably for the same reason as the stop is there: in case the owner adds the optional center stand.

Questions:

Anyone here running an aftermarket exhaust AND the optional center stand?

What brand and model?

Did you have to dimple the aftermarket righthand muffler pipe?

How did you handle the need for a "stop"?

I would really like to buy the Graves carbon fiber slip-ons system, but Graves confesses that they do not know if it will work with the center stand without mods. They are willing to try one and see, but cannot do so until early April. I'd like to get the OEM system replaced BEFORE then!

Help?

Jim G

Jim, I will give you the answer but you may not like it.
99% of 14 owners change their mufflers for the reasons you state (including performance benefits).
And most know there is a conflict the vast majority of the time between having both new pipes and a centre stand.

Therefore anyone who has aftermarket pipes and wants the bike upright for maintenance does not utilise the OEM centerstand but has race bobbins and race stands. You can simply use a rear stand to have the bike upright and get the rear wheel off the ground for most maintenance requirements or a a front stand as well to get the whole bike off the ground.

I know it's not the perfect answer because you can't stabilise the bike more effectively with the centerstand when you are out on rides anymore and you would have to discard an expensive bit of useful kit, but the balls in your court as to how much you want new cans.

Good luck with your search and possible modifications if you decide the centerstand stays...

* Last updated by: yannih on 2/24/2019 @ 12:12 PM *

I have an OEM centerstand with Hindle slip on's. No issues, and knocked off 20 Lbs

bbird1400: How LOUD are the Hindle slip-ons? I can't get away with really loud exhaust because I live in a condo with underground parking and mostly "seniors", and I also don't want to attract any attention from our local law enforcement. :)

To give you at least some idea on my concept of "not too loud": I have Graves carbon fiber canister full systems on 2 other bikes, and they are fine. But I had a Harley breakout with D&D 2 into 1 "Lowcat" full system, and my condo neighbours constantly complained about the noise level plus my riding buddies always needed me to be at the BACK of the group!

From researching ZX-14R slip-on exhaust systems just a bit, it sounds like Yoshiumra and Delkevic are reasonably quiet. How does the Hindle compare to those?

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/24/2019 @ 3:25 PM *

Looks like Delkevic also supports the center stand:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00E01AZV4/ref=dra_a_rv_mr_ho_xx_P3214_100?tag=dradisplay0c-20&ascsubtag=09a89f529b96a5b766fecd701c5ef887_S

Look at the text under "Product Description" where it says " You will be able to retain and use your center stand with Delkevic pipes". Nice.

Nice also because the Delkevic website shows the db levels:

96 to 98 db with baffles installed
98 to 100 db with baffles out

Not bad.

They also provide a dyno chart that shows a peak power increase of 5 rwhp, power increases everywhere along the power band, and a largest mid-curve increase = 7 or 8 rwhp at about 5500 rpm.

Also, not bad for a purely slip-on system with no tuning done.

And, it's less costly than the Graves system.

Delkevic shows the weight as 1.96kg = 4.3 lb, but I am sure they mean EACH muffler, not both. So, 8.6 lb total, which drops 23.4 b off the bike's weight.

Note also that the dyno chart was obviously done in 4th gear (since they hit the rev limit at just 145 to 150 mph. "Higher" (i.e. Numerically lower gears - 5th and 6th) would normally give higher readings on a Dynojet, because of the way an inertia drum dyno works (Try dynoing in 1st or 2nd sometime and see the effect). But, you run the riskof overheating the tires on the dyno at speeds that high, so this was done for safety reasons.

This slip-on exhaust would appear to be a good bet. :)

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/24/2019 @ 6:38 PM *

Cool.
Glad there are more options than I thought...

Jim they where a little to loud for my taste, so I got a set of silencers ($70.00) and that made it much quiter, more like a throaty sound. I also noticed slighly more power and inproved MPG

bbird1400: That too reinforces my tilt toward the Delkevic versus the Hindle. The Delkevic is actually quieter than the Graves if we can believe the db readings from both companies.

I emailed Delkevic Customer Support to VERIFY that the exhaust would not clash with my center stand.

Jim G

forgot to mention, no problems with my centerstand

I have a Yosh full system. I used the Brocks stop and I had to have a bit of metal added to the stop to keep the stand from hitting the chain. Pretty easy. Now I use a stop I got from Privateer. Immensly better but I don't know what brand it is.

Mad

Maddevill: The Brock's stop will only work with SOME exhausts. The problem it has is that it adds to the "width" of the chassis adjacent to the muffler pipe by moving the head of the centerstand spring mount even further outward than it already is. You need an exhast whose muffler pipe runs no closer to the centerline of the chassis than the OEM muffler pipe does.

Jim G

Delkevic Customer Service responded quickly! They confirm that the system is fully compatible with the center stand.

Jim G

I have a pair of Leo Vince SBK slip ons on my 2013 14R. They are the titanium version and they do come with a stop that works perfectly with the factory center stand. But sadly, I see they are no longer for sale and instead are offered in a stainless steel version. Here's a page from the Leo Vince website:

https://www.leovince.com/en-us/product/1811-3106-factory-s-stainless-steel-kawasaki-zx-14-r

I also noticed that the Leo web page says they are for 2012-2016 models so maybe they won't work on your 2017 bike. Give 'em a call, I suppose.

So far as the exhaust is concerned, they have held up well. I decided to go with them because of their appearance, center stand compatibility and sound. Here's an old clip from a bike using what appears to be the carbon version of them over in Sweden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OHUg91-Yq4

Quite often, when a website ad says 2-12 t0 2016, or 2012 to 2015, it simply means that they created the webpage in 2016 or 2015 and never updated it! I have had multiple situations already where I emailed the vendor and asked, and sure enough, they really meant "2012 to to-date"). I saw that for things like kickstand, rear sprocket, seat, etc.

It sounds like there are more choices out there than any of us expected as far as center stand compatibility. I suspect that's because a lot of owners have discovered that on a ZX-14 a center stand is a real plus!

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/25/2019 @ 11:54 AM *

That U-tube video of the Leo Vince exhaust is particularly good as it also has a classic bike of some sort go by during the video, and the Leo Vince system sounds quieter than the OEM exhaust on the classic bike!

Jim G

I checked the details on the Leo Vince website. Some things I don't like:

- They got the weight reduction WAY wrong. They say OEM muffler weighs 2.89 LV muffler weight plus 7.69 weight loss from OEM = 10.58 kg = 23.3 lb, which is incorrect (actual is about 16.1 lb per side on the OEM)

- they say each Leo Vince muffler weighs 2.89 kg = 6.35 lb, so 12.7 lb total. The carbon fiber slip-ons from both Graves and Delkevic weigh about 8.5 lb total. Big difference.

- They use an extra mount between the muffler pipe and the bike chassis. While this might be good from the point of view stronger mounting, it makes installation alignment more difficult.

- The mufflers taper OUTward and look a little big to me - something I am trying to get away from in replacing the two "bazookas"! :)

- I want carbon fiber mufflers, as they are cool to the touch almost immediately after a ride, and I can therefore put the motorcycle cover on right away versus having to come back to do it later! They now offer ONLY the stainless steel version.

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/25/2019 @ 12:56 PM *

It occurred to me that an "easy" and inexpensive solution would be to simply cut off the OEM mufflers from the muffler pipes, and replace them with carbon fiber mufflers from any manufacturer that offers carbon mufflers (a) with a suitable inlet ID and (b) that mount via a simple carbon or metal "strap" to the passenger footpeg mounts. However, there are a couple of problems:

1. The OEM muffler pipes are indeed welded to the OEM mufflers, AND the mufflers "overhang" over the muffler pipes where they join. So, cutting them with a tube cutter or saw would leave half an inch or more of muffler pipe still welded to the mufflers, which would look ugly.

2. Although the OEM muffler pipes are an industry-standard 54mm OD, they flare up to a much larger 63mm OD where they enter the mufflers, and I don't think anybody (except Kawasaki) makes mufflers with a 63mm inlet ID !

3. If you think you can simply cut the muffler pipes BEFORE they flare up, and simply thus move the new mufflers forward of where they would otherwise mount, that sounds possible if using ring mounts for the mufflers. BUT, the OEM muffler pipes also BEND REARward where they start to flare. Where they are still 54mm OD, they are pointing far too far "outward" to align with a muffler that is running parallel to the centerline of the bike! Kawasaki was forced to use this outward direction and then bend back inward only because the OEM mufflers are so ridiculously large in diameter! (I call them "Bazookas" for that reason!)

4. Even if you could solve all the forgoing issues, you have one more: The OEM muffer pipes are really ugly because they include mounting brackets to hold the heat shields that the humongous size of the flare-up to enter the OEM mufflers necessitates, to keep the mufflers from cooking your boots. You woudl not WANT to expose those OEM pipes.

And, by the way, the ridiculously huge heat shield necessitated by the huge flare-ups, keep you from sliding any offset footpegs or rearset footpegs as far (a) rearward or (b) downward as you might want to. In fact, if you examine the latest photos I posted in my "Chinese offset footpegs" thread, you will see that I had to go UPWARD, as well as the desired rearward, with my offset fotopegs, since I ran into those heat shields.

So, bottom line, if you want slip-on mufflers, you are pretty much forced to buy a "complete" set of mufflers with muffler pipes that have the right "bike hugging" angles. This is why all the aftermarket slip-on mufflers are all so much closer to the centerline of the bike; they are simply much smaller in diameter!

This inward hugging of aftermarket mufflers is very advantageous because it keeps the muffler weight "inboard", versus "outboard" where it very adversely affects center of gravity and thus hurts both dynamic handling AND your ability to keep the bike upright at a stoplight.

Those OEM bazooka mufflers are seriously bad in multiple ways.

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/25/2019 @ 4:45 PM *

The Delkevic website includes something VERY useful: A tabular listing that gives the specs on their "silencers" (British speak for "mufflers"), including a humorous but very useful loudness comment for each silencer!

I just ordered the 2012-2019 ZX-14R kit that includes the 450mm (18") long oval carbon fiber silencers. The loudness comment for these silencers is "Slip on Deep, low rumble with minimal engine sound". Elsewhere, Delkevic shows the "specs" as "96dB-98dB static with baffle @ 60% RPM", and 98-100dB without baffle, which is acceptable to me.

But some of the other Delkevic official loudness comments include:

200mm carbon fiber oval: "It will make your mother cry"

225mm carbon fiber oval: "Your neighbours will no longer be your friends"

320 tri-oval or oval carbon fiber: "Mid range tones, quiet when you need and loud when you want it"

410mm stainless steel round: "Thunderous"
(Note: This specific silencer alsp weighs LESS THAN HALF as much as the carbon fiber 450mm silencer, so I'm guessing not much sound attenuating innards at all!)

It's great to see a little humour in "specs". :)

Jim G

* Last updated by: JimGnitecki on 2/27/2019 @ 12:34 PM *

I have Scorpion Carbon Serket slip-ons...and they not only work fine with centerstand, they also clear Givi bags with the SW Motech brackets without dropping them a bit!

I have Yoshimura R77 slip ons and am using the Brock's bracket. I put shrink wrap around the stop tab so it's quiet. I also had to trim a little off the pad you step on to clear the pipes. It was fine riding but when you put the stand up and down it was putting a scratch in the pipe. I just used an angle grinder. As a bonus I'm going to be able to cut the tab off the center stand :) .

Akra's pipe are able to fit the oem center stand... I use it all the time... They are not carbon though...

I also put Akropovic slip-ons on my bike. They are factory installed in Europe and they fit perfectly with the factory centerstand. Find them on sale or plan to mortgage the house.