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V&H vs. Cobra exhaust for V-Star?

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StarSapphire

StarSapphire

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Lilia
I'd like to get some feedback from those that have experience in changing out their exhaust system for their cruisers. I have an '08 V-Star 650 and am ready to start shopping exhausts. I am considering either the Vance & Hines Cruzers or the Cobra Slip-On Slashcut pipes.

Anyone have any good feedback on these? I've looked at some of the brands that are out there and am having a hard time deciding on a look that I like though there are certainly many looks that I wouldn't like to have on my baby. Found one or two pics of the Bub Jug Huggers but don't know much about the brand... Can't really afford to drop $1k on a new exhaust only to have it go bad after a year.

Also, if anyone's had experience putting these on and live in the greater Houston area and I can offer to feed and water you while you supervise my wrenching, BONUS! :sun:

My sales guy recommended the Hard Krome pipes but they are very expensive and too long. I think I'd like something a little shorter than stock. I really haven't seen anything that's truly unique for metric cruisers.

Experience? Feedback? Rumors?
 
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Hmmmm.... Interesting. It says that they're offering a jet kit to go with it. I may need to call them, the "sound clips" doesn't have a link. How well did they hold up to the Texas heat? Any blueing?
 
I didn't have any problems with mine... other than having to clean a black bike with chrome :eek2: I'll never own a black bike again... as little chrome as I can get too :rofl:

You can take the baffles out to if you want to cause some ear bleeding... did that once... shook my entire building when I left to go home... set off every car alarm up and down Kirkwood... bad mistake :rofl:
 
Cool, thanks for the info. I'll try to find sound clips on YouTube tonight and will contact them for clarification.

Yeah, well, those Kirkwood folks need a little shaking up every once in a while! :rofl:


Anyone else? Oh, and just for clarification, I'm not looking for a "Harley" sound, just something that doesn't sound quite so "factory." :yawn:
 
Got VH on both the vstar 650 and intruder LC . They are good pipes , not as loud as some but not too quiet. The cobras are similar in looks in cost, I have found them to be a little deeper tone and a little louder.Hard krome are generally really loud but are some of the best quality pipes i have seen.
 
Between the Cobra and V & H. Cobra's chrome was not as good and the fit, finish and welds are not the quality of V & H.

V & H were better in all the areas above, cleaner welds, better chrome, fit was better (more pieces but customized to a better fit), sound on the V & H was throatier than Cobra for my Magna.
 
Looks wise, the Vance and Hines will be superior pipes. I think the Cobras sound "tinny" as well.

Here's a good site with free shipping.

http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=586985

I think for what you are wanting, the Vance and Hines Cruzers would be an excellent choice. They are deeper and a bit louder, but still muffled. They don't bark like straight pipes do and they are only 335 bux.

vhcruzers.jpg


31505.jpg
 
Thanks ya'll. Definitely have some stuff to think about though I think I know which way I'm going to go.

What are the advantages to the jet kit? Is it required for my type of bike? I don't want to loose mileage since I'm not totally concerned with performance. I just like riding. :mrgreen:

What about the baffles? Do they do anything other than make the pipes louder if they're removed?
 
How many miles are you driving in a month?

If you run a stock air filter your need to rejet will not be as great. I have run V & H and a stock filter for 40K miles w/o rejetting but could have used a rejet for optimum tuning. Cobra's do not seem to flow as well as V & H's so less chance to be as far out of tune.

I would rejet to have it running as it should, the better it runs the less throttle, unless you are in the fun of it all because it runs better!
 
Baffles offer back-pressure best to leave them in, you will lose low end torque with them out and will need to richen your jetting.
 
TLRam1 said:
How many miles are you driving in a month?

If you run a stock air filter your need to rejet will not be as great. I have run V & H and a stock filter for 40K miles w/o rejetting but could have used a rejet for optimum tuning. Cobra's do not seem to flow as well as V & H's so less chance to be as far out of tune.

I would rejet to have it running as it should, the better it runs the less throttle, unless you are in the fun of it all because it runs better!
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Well, I'm a brand new rider (since May :sun: ) and since I work an office job, only get to ride on the weekends, and not every day at that. You can draw your own conclusions... :doh: I haven't had my first oil change at 600 yet, though I should be there in another month. My riding will increase as the weather cools off a bit - I have a hard time with our brutal summer heat.

TLRam1 said:
Baffles offer back-pressure best to leave them in, you will lose low end torque with them out and will need to richen your jetting.
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Ok, so leave the baffles untouched, and add the jet kit for efficiency? I also don't want to be spewing out bad exhaust as I tend to be a tree-hugger. :giveup: So, I'd like the nice sound, slightly lighter weight with the aftermarket pipes, and clean running bike.

The tuning you're referring to is the finer throttle response, right? So when I do this, I should also put in a K&N filter?
 
I'm a stock-pipe kinda guy but have heard/seen lots about V&H vs Cobra wrt to VT1100s.

The V&H will be louder. Maybe with the baffles in, they will be about the same as the Cobras. Some riders have switched back to stock pipes after having the V&H because they were too loud to ride all day. However, it is possible on a 650, it will be more tolerable.

To reinforce what some others have stated about the Cobra quality, I have some other Cobra accessories and while they are well engineered, the chrome is thin and not very durable.

For best efficiency, after you get the pipes on you may want to have a dyno tune done. Since the Vstar is carbureted, this is about the only way to get it truly right.
 
dukey33 said:
I'm a stock-pipe kinda guy but have heard/seen lots about V&H vs Cobra wrt to VT1100s.

The V&H will be louder. Maybe with the baffles in, they will be about the same as the Cobras. Some riders have switched back to stock pipes after having the V&H because they were too loud to ride all day. However, it is possible on a 650, it will be more tolerable.

To reinforce what some others have stated about the Cobra quality, I have some other Cobra accessories and while they are well engineered, the chrome is thin and not very durable.

For best efficiency, after you get the pipes on you may want to have a dyno tune done. Since the Vstar is carbureted, this is about the only way to get it truly right.
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Good point on the volume... I hadn't considered that but I do want to ride for more than just bar hopping.

What's a dyno tune? Is it done at a service shop/dealer?

It's really not about a loud sound for me, but a cleaner sound. Some pipes are just more recognizable so the oblivious driver will hear the pipes even if they don't see me right away. I'm not about setting off car alarms but I do want folks to know that there's a bike around and to pay attention.

Then again, it may be a loosing battle since many people get in, crank the a/c, crank the stereo, and start talking on their cell phones... :eek2:
 
Since you would not be putting 20K miles a year I would tell you not to worry about your MPG. On the other side, being a tree hugger type, I would say you don't want to be wasteful, nothing wrong with that.

This could get confusing if I go into detail, I will try to keep it simple. When you install pipes that will have less backpressure, more of your unspent fuel goes out your pipe and hurts your low end torque. Also with more air flowing through your carbs and motor you will naturally run a lean air/fuel ratio because of jetting size will not flow enough fuel. This is corrected with larger jets to bring air/fuel ratios back to proper mixtures. If you install a K & N filter which flows even more air you are further leaning out you ratios.

To me an engine is efficient which is properly tuned to give you performance. A lean engine will bog and you have to give it more throttle to get going, one which is setup as it should to get the same results will take less throttle and more “fun to drive”. It’s the more “fun to drive” part that uses the extra fuel but also makes it more fun to drive as you now have more punch in the trunk!

Gas mileage will be negligible, if you get 45 now, you could drop to 42-43, not that large a difference but your tree hugger status might be bruised….I won’t tell though. I would fix it up like you want it, your still much better off with this than say the big ol Suburban!

In a nutshell.

You could be fine with just pipes and stock filter, I prefer to rejet.

If you do filter and pipes, you need to rejet.

How much? Each motor is different, depends on how many carbs you have, etc. On new filter and pipes a guess would be up the mains a couple of sizes, might need to raise your needle one notch, and open your pilots up ½ -1 turn. I don’t know what your carbs have for adjustments, this is just an example.
 
Wow, my head is reeling... :uhoh: Thank you for the information but I'm afraid I'm going to have to have it translated. I've never worked on my bike before and don't know the first thing about carbs or pilots... I am willing to learn, it just takes me a little longer.

For being a "play" expense, mgp is important to me since it's money burning through my pipes. I need to stay as efficient as possible, and perhaps staying with the stock pipes would be the better option? Right now, I get about 55-58 on long stretch rides without many stops. Tooling (i.e. "practicing") around the neighborhood, I get around 45-48.

This sounds like maybe something that I may need to pay someone do for me since it's getting a bit out of my wrenching league...
 
Yes, leaving it stock is the better option for MPG if that is what your number 1 goal is.

You can probably put on pipes and leave well enough alone w/o hurting MPG much. I agree, if I have cars around me I like a little noise on my side for the ones that might help alert.

Jetting would be best left to someone with more knowledge or if you have a helper, not difficult but can be frustrating.
 
I am waiting on a set of Cobra Speedster Shorts for my V-Star 1300 and will be installing them in my garrage. Hit me up in a few weeks and I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully I will get the pipes in by then. Waiting is hard:suicide:

I also installed the RSTD handlebars and Kuy grips last night. It was way easier than I thought it would be.:clap:
 
I've had cobras, they are quiet, yet throaty. Good pipes if you want a throaty note, but not a LOUD note. BUT, they rust quick and often down here in the salt air even kept indoors, mainly the head pipes. I don't recommend them if you live near the coast.

I don't mess with pipes anymore. I like the stock pipes on my SV. I would recommend a dyno for jetting/mapping after any modification if you wanna get it right. Dyno time is expensive, but worth it in the long run.
 
Jack Giesecke said:
I've had cobras, they are quiet, yet throaty. Good pipes if you want a throaty note, but not a LOUD note. BUT, they rust quick and often down here in the salt air even kept indoors, mainly the head pipes. I don't recommend them if you live near the coast.

I don't mess with pipes anymore. I like the stock pipes on my SV. I would recommend a dyno for jetting/mapping after any modification if you wanna get it right. Dyno time is expensive, but worth it in the long run.
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Is Katy considered near the coast? I think we're about 80 miles in-land... The Cobra pipes are a good price for me, especially if I can figure out how to put them on myself! :trust:
 
Katy is humid, but I'm 150 yards from Lavaca bay and that ain't a nice atmosphere for poorly chromed steel. :trust: Only worse place to be for rust is someplace like Surfside Beach or something, where the breaker create a salt spray. I had some Jardines on the same bike, but too loud, didn't like 'em. They were better chromed and held up better, though, and were affordable. I sold the bike with 'em on it, though, cause the Cobras were rust brown by then. I then ebayed the stock exhaust, which I'd kept in the back bedroom in the AC for the years I owned that bike, for an extra 300 bucks. :mrgreen:

The only reason I put the cobras on that bike, a VX800, in the first place was the head pipes were properly routed such that it allowed me to attach my sidecar mounts. The stock pipes came down right beside the frame, leaving no room for the bottom mount on the frame.
 
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