Carbon Cans Query - Suitable for VTR?

SILVTR · Post by **SILVTR** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:56 am

I'm told that ART don't recommend carbon exhaust cans for the VTR (thanks for that reply Daz), cos they get too hot. But I really have my heart set on a pair, if it's at all viable.

If carbon cans do get too hot, why do practically all the big exhaust manufacturers (including ART) list them for the FireStorm?

What's the problem if they do get hot? Isn't that the nature of an exhaust can? Aren't they designed/engineered/manufactured to withstand heat?

Have any of you guys got/had carbon cans and have/had any problems? Is the hot thing exclusive to the VTR, or all big V-twins?

Do carbon cans melt? Distort? Crack? Disintegrate? Explode?

essexbloke · Post by **essexbloke** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:52 pm

dunno what all the fuss is about.......

mine dont get as hot as my microns did.........(i can get off after riding for 50 miles and still hold the cans......)

iggy1966 · Post by **iggy1966** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 5:49 pm

I was always lead to believe that carbon cans shake themselves to bits on storms, dunno if this is true just what I was told

Ian

blackstorm · Post by **blackstorm** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:18 pm

Daz knows his stuff but I did have carbon microns on my last storm for 2 years 20.000 miles then sold them to another storm owner whose still using them 18 months later no probs. If you want them go for it!
Phil

scottVTR · Post by **scottVTR** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 1:07 am

I've got carbon "Shark" cans, they we're on it when I bought it and the bikes done 34,000kms and they seem fine. Loud though

essexbloke · Post by **essexbloke** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 8:21 am

S'funny, i've noticed the noise with mine...way louder than alloy's

oh and yes they do rattle around a bit.....ho hum....look nice though.......

SILVTR · Post by **SILVTR** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:25 am

Is this rattle ye speak of cos of wear around the carbon fibre at the rivets at the end caps? Are some brands more prone than others? From what I read, I think I'd like Blueflame standard level race cans (for sound - not power), but if I can't get them substantially cheaper than I've seen advertised, I'll probably go for ARTs

essexbloke · Post by **essexbloke** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 12:44 pm

Nah, mine wobble from the strap around them, i can only assume it's cos the material isnt as solid as alloy is....(microns never wobbled)

when we say wobble i dont mean flapping in the wind, just a little when you give it full chat.......

Soapy · Post by **Soapy** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 5:33 pm

I was chatting with one of the guys at Quill and he made a point of saying that he did not recommend carbon cans on a VTR. His reasons were nothing to do with heat, he said the pulse of the exhaust on a big twin can lead to weakening of the can and subsequent failure.
Don't know if that's the case for all carbon cans, certainly sounds like no-one else has experienced this but that's what he said.

thehazmatguy · Post by **thehazmatguy** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:07 pm

The main reason is the exhaust temp is much higher on a v-twin than an inline 4. BMW's are known for Very high exhaust temps. If you go to the Two Brothers website, you will see they don't offer carbon cans for BMW's. They do for the VTR's, but include a sticker basically stating something like, "Don't use carbon cans on v-twin on a dyno. If you do, they will cook from the inside and this will not be warrentied."

That being said, my carbon Two Brothers pipes have been fine.

SiJ · Post by **SiJ** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 4:59 pm

Different manufacturers use different types of carbon.

I had a set of microns on my old TL and they were fine for 20000mi.

I had a full akrapovic on the storm with carbon cans on and did a lot of track days and after about 10000mi you could start to crumble the carbon between your fingers.

Its supposedly to do with the way a big twin delivers its power in two big pulses which basically blows the sh*t out of the cans. In line fours have a more carbon friendly power delivery.

Like i say though it depends on which manufacturer you buy from and what you're using the bike for but if you are definately looking at carbon cans i'd be inclined to look at the Microns first (Sorry Daz!).