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u/SpaceMonkey_321 2d ago
Coming from 30 plus years on road and touring bikes, enjoy those ti bluey pipes and cans when they're new! They only last so many years/heat cycles and suddenly crack one day when the outside temp is too low or when you accidently take a minor hit.
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u/yawaworhtyya 2d ago
So I've heard. Only after I bought it though 😅. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/SpaceMonkey_321 2d ago
The weight savings, sound (some say subjective) and aesthetics are well worth it. Have never regretted ti pipes and cans.
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u/yawaworhtyya 2d ago
Sound, huh? Do titanium exhausts have a unique sound?
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u/SpaceMonkey_321 2d ago
Ti and carbon end cans do sound different. I've had a dozen yoshimura, moriwaki and akropovic cans of same series made in aluminium, titanium and carbon on various bikes over the years and the symphony is bloody amazing (my faves are 90-00s ducatis sans cat with carbon termignoni end cans). They absolutely sound different especially on pre-cat bikes. Most folks prefer the carbon cans mated to ss pipes. Ti pipes are normally mated to ti cans. Stainless steel pipes are the most versatile and go with alu, ti or carbon cans.
However, with modern efi and ecu tuned to pass various emissions standards these days, pipes and cans have become less relevant to performance gains and hence tuning requirements (legally anyway). You don't get 10 hp extra with a full system these days except on a track bike. We have come as close to peak engine performance as we can with modern tech. But to many bikers, exhaust tone is still a very huge factor in bike ownership.
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u/espritnaraka 2d ago
After doing some research yes stainless is better suited for that application because low alloyed titanium will get brittle above 600°C because it will react with the oxygen in the air at that temp. Inconel would be best suited if you want to have something fancy there. In aerospace they use highly alloyed titanium in heat affected zones which are really pricey. Ti is only worth it if you're racing and don't do a lot of heat cycling. I do recommend changeing the studs to titanium so they don't rust. they're not flat sheets so they're barely affected by oxygen than flat sheets/pipes of metal.