Changing the exhaust on my maxim 550.

So i know some things about bikes but not alot.. can anyone fill me in on what the process is i have to go through to change my exhaust... like maybe to straight pipe or aftermarket mufflers.... and is it alot of work??

 

Straight pipes will require you to rejet your carbs. You can find aftermarket mufflers that will fit. I have seen HD Sportster mufflers used.

 

If there are no baffles in the mufflers, you'll have to rejet. If you remove the collector box with straight pipes? You'll have to rejet and change the air filter. Lots of work. I'd pull some stock mufflers off a Vulcan 500 or HD Screaming Eagles, some cool factory baffled slash cut pipes and throw em on with the stock collector box. Or. You could have one of the only 550s unmodified... Which is pretty freakin cool too

 

On the 550s, you can easily change the mufflers without radically affecting the tuning, etc. As long as you leave the stock head pipes and collector box in place, you can replace the mufflers with about anything that will fit.

If you start messing with the headers and collector box, then you'll need to start worrying about carb tuning changes.

 

I have Jardine slash cut slip-ons with baffles. it sounds awesome, and no re-jetting was needed!

 

Pictures and part number?

 

Pictures and part number?

 

So here is a pic of my exhaust.
Cant find a model number though

 

one more

 

were they expensive or fairly cheap?

 

hennit, did you buy your pipes online, if so from where ?

 

I wish I knew where they were bought. The PO before the PO put them on. Very throaty sound. Especially when increasing from low to mid rpms.

 

jherka, I think I found hennits pipes on jp cycles page. they were less then $40 each

 

I highly doubt they were less than 40 each. Here is a listing I found that is pretty much what I have.
https://www.denniskirk.com/44294.sku?ut ... medium=cse

 

Maybe markv found ones without baffles?

Thanks hennit. I like the look.

 

Why would you want to change the exhaust? I have 2 1982 XJ650s. The one that's on the road has these aftermarket mufflers on them. They are loud and ugly. The bike I purchased this summer has stock mufflers on them. I thought it would take 30 minutes to replace exhaust system. 2.5 hours later all I have is the pipes on. Have to deal with a broken stud on cylinder #2. The previous owner had a steering wheel puller to hold the exhaust to the cylinder head. I am at a loss on how to swap the aftermarket exhaust back to stock. Trying to add picture but site won't allow it.

 

I bought a used 4-2 system off ebay for like 100. No crossover pipe like OEM, but it works fine and I did not rejet.

 

OP was referring to a 550.

Both of you guys (altlandf and dubyaohohdee) have 650 Maxims.

Apples and oranges. The 550s use a collector-box system; the 650 Max is wholly different.