Benefits of Protective Exhaust Motorcycle Accessories

For most adventure and dual sport bike owners, the thrill of having a bike that’s just as suitable for highway riding as it is for off-roading may be the best of both worlds, but it’s not without its own special set of maintenance concerns, especially when it comes to exhausts.

Headers and downpipes are prone to collecting all kinds of dings and damage when you’re riding on the trail. They’re mostly just annoyances, but some damages can drag down your performance, as well as dramatically increase your likelihood of being handed a defect notice.

Exhaust systems aren’t cheap or indestructible. That’s why being proactive about protecting the inside and outside of your pipes is so important, cost-wise as well as safety-wise. The good thing is that it only takes small measures to make a big difference, so here are 3 beneficial items that can help you get the most serviceable kilometres possible out of your exhaust.

Parts That Protect Your Exhaust

If there’s one thing that anyone who regularly rides off-road knows, it’s that bike exhausts take their fair share of pounding. Mud, gravel, tree roots, plus the occasional fall will turn a nice set of stainless steel pipes into a beaten, corroding eyesore in short order. It’s smarter and more cost-effective to prevent the damage that comes from dings and moisture than trying to fix it afterwards, which is why investing in motorcycle exhaust parts & accessories that’ll help preserve your exhaust is going to save you a load of heartburn down the road.

The genius of these parts is that they’re not expensive or difficult to install. They’re durable, long-lasting components that are designed to endure the heat and abuse that dual sport exhausts typically encounter, and they don’t lack any of the tasteful styles that riders and non-riders alike are going to notice. It’s the perfect compromise for your wallet and your bike, and it starts with shielding them.

Motorcycle Header Guards

You’ve undoubtedly heard the ruckus before: the inescapable sound of rocks and gravel being kicked up against your header pipes whenever you’re riding off road. Short of a truly significant impact, your exhaust won’t crack or break, but there’s little question that your header is wearing some savage scars from all the hits it’s taken on the trail.

A heavily dented and dimpled header does more than just look bad, though. Depending on how heavy the damage is, or the type of material the header’s made from, either a partial exhaust blockage could occur, or sufficient surface scratching has taken place to allow rust to set in. Simple solutions are the best ones, and header guards are as simple as it gets when it comes to protecting your pipes.

Header guards are designed to absorb the abuse that the header would otherwise have to, and they come in:

• Anodized aluminium alloy;

• Flexible lengths of 25cm and 61cm; and,

• A range of colors to complement your bike’s finish.

Plus they’re held in place with non-corrosive stainless steel clamps, making them a quick and easy installation over your pipes. Guards can even be used together with heat shields and heat-dispelling header wraps for added protection, but you have to be careful not to allow mud or moisture to take up residence under them. With care and regular maintenance though, it’s a great way to layer your protection.  

Exhaust Tension Springs

High-strength tension springs are used to hold the slip-on sections of your bike’s exhaust system together. With springs, pipes are able to flex and work without breaking; and it’s an especially vital ability when you’re on the trail. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the severe jolting and twisting of off-roading to either snap springs, or to stretch them to the point of simply falling off.

Even the thermal stress from thousands of heating and cooling cycles can contribute to eventual tension spring failure. It’s why periodically replacing your springs with new ones is unavoidable.

Premium quality, heavy-duty tension springs are sold in pairs, and are:

• Manufactured from corrosion-resistant stainless steel;

• Available in 57mm, 75mm, 83mm, and 90mm lengths; and,

• Black or gold chromate-coated.

Tension springs are such ubiquitous motorcycle exhaust accessories that they’re easy to overlook whenever you do your walkaround. You always want to bear in mind, however, that they can still break or fall off at any time, even when you’re just travelling down the highway. As a minimum, a broken or missing spring is going to leave you with a much louder bike, but it could also leave you with an exhaust system that’s ready to fall off.

It’s simply not a defect that you, or a traffic inspector, would want to encounter, so check your springs occasionally and always carry a few extras and a spring puller with you when you’re on the road.

Motorcycle Exhaust Plugs

If you enjoy riding through mud, then you already know the routine about cleaning your bike afterwards. However, if you give rust or corrosion an opportunity to gain a foothold inside your exhaust system while you’re cleaning it, then it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be shopping for new exhaust parts. And it won’t just be for mufflers or megaphones. Your entire system can be compromised simply by allowing water and powerful cleaning agents to get into.

Exhaust plugs keep moisture out of your pipes whenever you’re rinsing off your exhaust, or washing off your bike after hitting the trail. These sturdy but flexible plugs are manufactured from non-abrasive rubber, and are designed for:

• Complete, watertight sealing with easy-pull extraction handle;

• Taper fit for 20mm – 55mm exhaust outlet diameters; and,

• Use with both 2- and 4-stroke bikes.

Keeping your exhaust clean of mud and other contaminants makes visual inspections and maintenance a breeze from the outside. Allowing water to pool up inside your system after washing it, though – especially if the bike won’t be ridden for a while – is the start of a rusting process that you won’t be able to reverse. Exhaust plugs are what you need to ensure that your pipes are just as protected from the inside as they are from the outside.

The Final Word

Make no mistake: your motorcycle’s exhaust is much more than just a set of loud pipes. An optimized, well-designed exhaust system allows your engine to deliver the kind of performance you want both on and off the road. And that’s why investing in preventative maintenance is so important. 

 You only need a handful of motorcycle exhaust parts & accessories to keep your exhaust system looking and performing at its best. These items will help you get ahead of your exhaust’s most damaging influences, so that it can give you years of carefree riding enjoyment.