Tech question on exhaust

[razorsedge]

Don't know exactly where to post this so I'll let the admin sort it out for me. 
As with the Harley world, changing exhaust changes the engine . Im wondering if this is the case with the ZX 14 engine also ? They've tuned the engine to have toque. This means, I would guess, that the engine needs a certain degree of back pressure off the exhaust in order to receive maximum efficiency . I hear of a lot of guys changing the exhaust and getting more power, but I wonder if its not at the price of losing low end torque. Or having to dyno the bike . I've learned with my harley, leaving something factory is a smart thing to do. They know what their doing . When you change something, It always seems to lead to something else or the loss of something. I myself am not willing to forfeit torque and power just to have a GREAT sounding bike. BAD sounding doesn't mean it runs as BAD as it sounds. I would love to know or see the dyno number on a before and after exhaust change. And or any info on this subject .

 

[Gypsy JR]

I still have my 2008 ZX14, and I've done quite a bit to it. Including a full Brock's Performance titanium dual exhaust system, mid-range velocity stacks, and a piggy.

All ZX14 engines run rich in factory tune. They do that to be safe, and so if someone puts a full exhaust on it without cats and with bigger tubing, the engine won't go lean. Although I have a piggy because I was looking for more HP and torque, I could have run the exhaust without it just fine.

On the dyno, on pump gas, with no Dynojet ignition module (turned off), my ZX14 did 194 HP. This is signifcantly above stock. And torque was up too, over stock.

This is because the ECU controls things pretty darn well.

So does the ZX14 need the backpressure of the OEM exhaust? Nope. It won't run right with just a header dumping underneath either. But with a quality exhaust system like my CT-DUALS it makes a good bit more HP than stock.

I ride with a lot of Harley guys and girls, and almost 100% they don't have a clue what makes more HP in an engine. Here's a clue..... making a lot of noise is not remotely the same as making more HP. On the other hand, a high performance engine like the ZX14 engine is going to make some noise as it approaches 200 hp.