2005 X, exhaust recommendations??

[Tahoebrian5]

I love my x.. except it is a tank. I'm leaning towards changing the exhaust mainly for weight loss. I've done all the free mods and have a stage 2 hot cam. The power is good but not much on top as is. What do you think? MRD??Also any other weight loss tips?

Thanks for comments!

[baja184]

I love my x.. except it is a tank. I'm leaning towards changing the exhaust mainly for weight loss. I've done all the free mods and have a stage 2 hot cam. The power is good but not much on top as is. What do you think? MRD??Also any other weight loss tips?

Thanks for comments!

A OEM honda 02r cam will give you alot more on mid and top end hit. I run the Pro Circuit T-4 Stainless and like it. For weight loss you could run the Ti pipe but its alot easier to dent and not as strong as the the stainless.

Originally i ran the pro circuit pipe, the 02 r cam, jetting and needle change, pink wire mod, Precision Concepts block off kit, and full air box mod. The bike was a huge improvement over stock. Recently i put in a ported 08 r head and 08 r carb which mad another huge improvement over what i was running before.

[Tahoebrian5]

On weight loss.. Will an IMS tank lower the cg?

[FORMA MOTO]

On weight loss.. Will an IMS tank lower the cg?

No, it will raise it.

The only significant way to make the X feel lighter is to get your suspension professionally done. When it is stock, it feels heavy and the ride is harsh.

Correct springing and valving for the combined weight of you and your bike will allow the bike to work as it was intended.

[MasterT2000]

I feel your pain. The X is a ship anchor and thats my main gripe about the bike. Keep in mind that dropping weight is going to empty your wallet in a hurry and sacrifices must be made. If you're on a weight loss mission you need to weigh the benefits as well. For me, weight loss is my #1 goal.

Here's some things I've done, benefits and disadvantages included:

Pro Circuit full Ti exhaust. Substantial weight savings at a substantial price. Ti dents much easier than stainless.

Hyde plastic skid plate. Weighs less than aluminum with the side benefit of noise reduction compared to aluminum. Aluminum protects better though.

Shorai battery. Sheds pounds and the price doesn't hurt too bad. Good battery so far.

Applied triples. Not a substantial loss, but less weight none the less. Main benefit was 22mm offset.

Ti footpegs and Ti axles. Less weight and less money in my bank acct. Super strong.

TM Designworks chain guide. Slight weight reduction but way more burly than stock.

I run the stock tank. Lighter weight, but you metioned cg. I hadn't considered that.

Dirt Tricks Ironman sprocket. almost as light as aluminum and way stonger than steel. High price tag.

Flag style hand guards. Much lighter than full aluminum wrap around gaurds but not near as much protection.

Pro Moto Billet kickstand. Lighter, tricker and tucks away better than stock. Expensive but worth every penny IMO.

Number plate instead of headlight. The pros and cons to this one are obvious.

Tubliss instead of tubes. Lighter than HD tubes, less chance of pinch flats but more difficult to install.

I also don't run all the beefy heavy gaurds and protectors such as flow resrictive radiator cages, aluminum disc gaurds, over built skid plates, brake caliper and m/c guards etc etc. Many will argue this with me but IMO most of those gaurds are overkill and just add weight. They also cost money. Certain radiator gaurds for example cost as much or more than the radiator they are protecting. On the flip side, that same gaurd may keep you from being stranded or having to be towed. It's all sacrifices.

Also, skip the bling and full graphics. Graphics don't weigh a ton but they do weigh more than stock and every little bit counts when shaving grams from your bike. Aluminum bling doo-dads such as dipsticks and gas caps weigh more than their plastic counterparts and do nothing for performance. You can also run the lightest weight tires but in this case I prefer traction and reliability over weight so I dont even pay attention to tire weights.

If you really want to get crazy you can lose the battery and starter, get a full Ti bolt and nut kit, Ti shock spring, ditch the kick starter and the kickstand, fit an "R" subframe etc.

If you wanna skip all this hassle and do the logical thing (which I will be doing in the near future) sell the pig and go back to a 2 stroke. Ok I'm done.

[dirtdudeaz9]

As far as exhaust.....

MRD

or some around here use an '02 450r header and slip on aftermarket pipe

I have had a fmf4.1 with powerbomb on mine pretty much since I got the bike in '05. It has been a great exhaust with power and sound, but it is on its last leg and will probably go with MRD due to the cost and customer support.

[DABling]

I would go with the fmf powerbomb and 4.1 setup. I was running a MRD on a recent baja ride and it ended up falling apart on about day 6 to no fault of MRD, I didnt loc tight the bolts on the can and it ended up shearing off. Anyways, my buddy bolted up a new FMF power bomb and silencer when we got to the chase truck and I felt a noticable difference throughout the whole torque curve. Just my .02. The MRD is a nice set up and customer service is there, I just cant deny the overall gain I felt with the FMF. Either way it will be better than the stock unit you're running for sure.

[cubera]

For exhaust look at a full MRD or FMF system....best bang for the buck with these. 450X is not that heavy compared to any other thumpers with E-start. If you want significant weight loss go with an MX conversion bike or pinger but they won't be a 450X.

[Tahoebrian5]

I went with the MRD and shorai lithium battery. From what I've read this should lose me 12 lbs

[MRD RACING]

I would go with the fmf powerbomb and 4.1 setup. I was running a MRD on a recent baja ride and it ended up falling apart on about day 6 to no fault of MRD, I didnt loc tight the bolts on the can and it ended up shearing off. Anyways, my buddy bolted up a new FMF power bomb and silencer when we got to the chase truck and I felt a noticable difference throughout the whole torque curve. Just my .02. The MRD is a nice set up and customer service is there, I just cant deny the overall gain I felt with the FMF. Either way it will be better than the stock unit you're running for sure.

it must be a real old MRD if it had bolts and not rivets , sorry to hear that happend anyway , but I have to say if you felt a power increase the mrd must have had a quiet insert , because both systems run open are comparable in power on a dyno:excuseme:

[jct404]

If you wanna skip all this hassle and do the logical thing (which I will be doing in the near future) sell the pig and go back to a 2 stroke. Ok I'm done.

Ha! Ya know this isn't a bad idea IMO...

[Tahoebrian5]

Finally had time to install the exhaust and battery. Man the battery feels waaaaay light compared to the stock. The exhaust is quite a bit lighter also.. even with the stock insert pulled out. I havent' ridden yet but it started a bit hard and i'm thinking I will have to play with the jetting a bit. Overall pretty happy with the weight loss.