The advisability of riding with a dodgy exhaust?

Warning - my engine systems knowledge is limited.

It goes something likethis - you mix the petrol and air, set fire to
it, it explodes, which pushes something [1] which pushes something
else and the wheels go round. All the left over bits from the
explosion go through these things called exhaust pipes.

Now apparently the bits of the exhaust called down pipes on the ZXR
are broken and I need new ones. And I have been told if I ride very
far with these broken I can break other bits of the engine in a
variety of possible ways ranging from 'oh dear' to 'oh ****'.

Now the thing is, I'm in Newbury next weekend and was thinking about
nipping into Platy's on the way back. And I don't want to arrive at
Platy's in a car.

So if I do a couple of hundred miles in a sensible manner will I be
able to cross my fingers and hope and get away without any major
damage or is it like russian roulette?

Can I not bandage the poorly exhaust until I (well someone else really
as I haven't even started looking) finds replacement downpipes?

[1] is this bit the crank shaft? If I have one of these does it mean
the bike will not wheelie?

 

I have ridden and mates have ridden, grammer?
bikes with bandaged exhausts for miles
please note, ( the get out bit if it all goes tits up)
this is just IMHO and experience
good luck
nick

 

Lady Nina says...

suck, squeeze, bang, blow

Depends on how badly holed they are and how hard you ride it. With a
hole in the exhaust your mixture will be weaker as in to much air and
not enough fuel and you could run the risk of holing a piston(s)

Take the CG[1]

It should be OK if you take it easy but plod might not be impressed with
the noise.

Exhaust bandage works but its not a permanent fix.

the bit which gets pushed is the piston. The crank shaft is pretty much
essential for wheelies.

[1] or GC as you call it

 

Why not?

 

'cos it's a ukrM meet. Innit.

Can't go to a bike NG thing in a car! Just doesn't fit.

 

Good point, well made.

 

Now I've always wondered about this, since there is no 'link' between the
exhaust and the inlet manifold/carb/injectors how can a hole in the
exhaust make the carb/injectors suddenly change the mixture(all excepting
some of the more modern stuff with lambda sensors/cats). After all the
carb gets asked for Xcc of air mixed with Y% fuel nicely mixed in it
please?

I used to hold the exahust of my rev n go on with exhaust putty when I was
16 and couldn't afford to get it fixed properly. I think I kept Mr Holt in
business that year.

 

Cuntybollox wrote

I am confused. How does being compared unfavourably to Bear happen
then? And is it a bad thing?

I have seen him on a bike. Blue it was.

 

Actually there *is* a link between what happens in the exhaust system
and the fuel mixture being rich/lean. Why do carbs need to be rejetted
when fitting a less restrictive exhaust? A little googling may help
you to understand why.

 

I'd like to get there in less than 5 hours.

It sounds lovely.

Thinking about this. use of car or bike depends on if we're well
enough to ride by then as well.

Did I? There was alcohol involved wasn't there...

 

Because you lot would take the piss at any opportunity perhaps?

 

SOP, innit. Duck's back, water.

Use the car, park round the corner and stroll in wearing a bike jacket
and carrying your lid - it's what most people do ;-)
We'll be in the car anyway, due to having a large item to collect on
the way home.

 

Cuntybollox wrote

As I have reached almost Des like levels in desperate longing for
something to actually happen to me I am not sure. Which is why I arsed
the question.

Only if he was riding it faster than Ginge.

 

Pip says...

If you're going to continute taking the piss out of the way I've put
weight on, I'll take my bike.

 

He had a green one when I saw him.