‘Stealth’ R1 exhaust gets your vote

We showed you a sneak peek of the new aftermarket Yamaha R1 underseat exhaust system from Race Taylor-Made, and asked if you thought it was a winner. The answer was a resounding Yes.

93 per cent of motorcyclenews.com users thought the new £1000 system was the way to go making the R1 sleeker and more aerodynamic.

Aside from the stunning looks, the benefit that most people pointed out was that the ‘stealth’ exhaust is unlikely to get damaged in the event of a spill, making repairs a whole lot cheaper.

John Lawrence said: ” The contained exhaust is far better. It will give smoother airflow, be less dangerous for soft luggage, less exposed to the elements. It will be far less likely to burn anyone, too ” .

Marcus Gondolo added: ” Some sports bikes are spoilt by over large cans that look like an afterthought. The underseat system makes the bike much more symmetrical. ”

Many readers raised concerns about the heat of the exhaust being so close to your rear end, though some considered this to be a winter benefit. The new system is coated with a ceramic paint to keep heat locked in though. You can even touch the pipework while the engine is running without getting burnt.

All that is fine but the one thing that most people said would be the deciding factor if they were to buy the pipe is it has to sound good. And after designer John Keogh rode the bike to the MCN offices last week we can confirm that it definitely does.

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