Niall’s been lying around this month with a ruptured appendix, so he ponders the design of modern exhaust systems (as you would) and observes how Stoner cut his teeth on British tracks...
Occasionally, I lose sleep wondering what manufacturers might do with their exhausts on next season’s models. In the old days exhausts were a no nonsense straight run through to the rear with no fancy styling in between: boring but effective. Then came the ‘80s and ‘90s, bringing with them the hideous, massive aluminum cylindrical end cans. Nowadays indecision seems to have set in with the Japanese. They go from hidden under the seat, down to the bottom of the belly pan, then back on full view with one or two silencers – depending on the mood of the day. Ducati have to be admired for sticking to their underseat arrangement since the 916 first appeared in 1994: neat, tidy and efficient. Suzuki, however, seem to be determined to stimulate a reaction each year with the likes of the ugly stubby silencer on the GSX-R1000 K5 and the bulky pipes hanging out each side on the K7. And they’ve just gone and done it again with the 2008 GSX-R600, replacing the stubby end can with a much longer, heftier item.
Honda has rattled on about ‘mass centralization’ for the past four years so I could never understand why they stuck a heavy silencer behind the rider, under the seat. Surely that’s like putting the engine in the top box. Triumph had the same train of thought with their 675 but when the 7kg lighter, aftermarket Arrow system was fitted lap times were instantly over a second quicker. Sure, power was increased but it was the reduction in weight that made the biggest difference on the track. Heavy pipes hanging high up over the rear wheel are about as un-mass centralized as you can get. Thankfully the gorgeous new Blade has its pipework tucked very snugly underneath so I’d fully expect next season’s CBR600RR to follow the same theme.
Kawasaki has also now gone to a single ‘ray gun’ popping out the right side on the 2008 ZX-10R. The silencer is bigger than I would like but it is still an improvement as the underseat setup always appeared way too bulky on what was otherwise a very nimble-looking bike.
So maybe the Japanese will return from their under-the-seat flirtation and gravitate back towards the engine. Yamaha, by the way, don’t do a bad job when it comes to standard exhausts. Mind you it wasn’t always so, have you ever seen the TZ750? What an array of pipework that was – I’d like to see that arrangement on the next R1!
Last month I awoke with a plan to test my supersport spec R6 at Mallory, prior to a race two weeks later at the Jock Taylor Memorial event at Knockhill. I also awoke with agony in my guts so before riding I visited the circuit medical centre for a bit of gentle prodding. After five minutes they suggested I get to my family doctor ASAP as they thought my appendix probably needed whipping out. Four doctors (my GP included) and three days later the smelly, gangrenous item was finally fished out. Burton hospital is immaculate with fantastic nursing staff but the bods further up the food chain could learn a thing or two from the Mallory Medics...
Congratulations to Casey Stoner for winning the ultimate prize. Like Karl Muggeridge, Chris Vermeulen, Troy Bayliss and even Wayne Gardner, Casey spent the early years of his career honing his skills round the tracks in the UK. Three of these hungry Aussies have gone on to win MotoGP races and all five have won World Championships. Never let it be said that we don’t have a successful structure here in Britain for producing the World’s best racers. Even if they aren’t Brits.
