Removing the flies

[Andy]

The weight saving are not so important,more the looks of the muffler.
Going to use the bike commuting with out the panniers,so i need a different
muffler. The original is just to big. Going to trie out the bike stock before any
farkels and mods beeing added.

Being driving GSXR R1 and Thunderace all non restricted,for many years.
I'm used to cope with power,maybe so much torque.But a GSXR 1000 K7 PCIII and
taylormade exhaust with the trottle fully open,is quite a handfull ;D.
When changing the exhaust on the GSXR,both mufflers and the cat where removed.
The new muffler where placed where the cat was before.Check www.racetaylormade.com.
Really nice and neat.

It transformed the bike complety,.Saving almost 12 kg on an allready light bike,wow.
I live in the middle of Norway out by the coast,Got great roads and nature but the tarmac
are starting to fall apart. Thats a shame becaus it could have been bikeheaven with decent tarmac.
When the cold season starts we put away the bikes. To risky,black ice and snow are not for me to
ride on.

The cat are not in the orginal muffler,I think it's in the collector after the down pipes.
correct me if I'm wrong

Looking forward to seeing pictures. :)

Looks very neat & tidy http://www.racetaylormade.com/tmpages/suzpages/suz07-1000.html# I've got a K8 with twin Yoshi's & y pipe @

[mecki]

Cat isn't in the end can... :) Check out the USA forums where guys have removed it.

AFAIK the GTR has 2 cats. One in the pipe and one in the end can.
So why should I go to US forums to read about idiots who obviously give a damn about the environment and remove the first cat out of the pipe as well? Real heroes,  ???
Yeah, let's burn some tyres and show those tree-hugging hippies we don't give a sh..t!  :o

[jasonc32amg]

Cat isn't in the end can... :) Check out the USA forums where guys have removed it.

AFAIK the GTR has 2 cats. One in the pipe and one in the end can.
So why should I go to US forums to read about idiots who obviously give a damn about the environment and remove the first cat out of the pipe as well? Real heroes,  ???
Yeah, let's burn some tyres and show those tree-hugging hippies we don't give a sh..t!  :o

Indeed - and it's not like there's any data manipulation at the Climate Research Unit (CRU) in Hadley, U.K.?? 

Regarding the cat(s) if you look under your bike you can see where the two are located by the discoloration caused by the heat. There is not cat in the end pipe, the literature is often wrong on these details.

Here are some dyno results for end can and full systems: http://fuelmotousa.com/2008_kawasaki_zg1400_concours.htm

You can quell your concern about removing the cats by buying carbon credits from Al Gore so he can get a bigger house and a fatter arse.  ;D

[mecki]

Jason,
Cats were introduced to convert highly toxic pollutants (Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides) into more or less harmless gases (Carbon Dioxide, Water, Nitrogen and Oxygen).
It has nothing to do with global warming.
To the contrary the carbon footprint of a bike with cat may even be worse since for the cat to work properly a less efficient air/fuel mix is often needed.

So don't give me that Al Gore crap.

And how do you know that there is no second cat in the GTR can? Did you take one apart and have a look?
Dyno charts may be fine and dandy, but where are the corresponding emission charts?
OK, you get more torque and a few more HP but at the same time you blow a lot more toxic fumes in the air that we all breathe.

[Therenback]

there endeth the leeson from our forum oracle

[fatharry]

Mecki...in the face of pretty much everyone else on he forum saying there is no cat in the exhaust end can......you're banging your drum!...let go! You're wrong, that's all there is to it! ...and I don't suppose anyone else here minds that you're wrong either.....but please enlighten us....show me the literature where you have iron clad proof that it's there. Cause I will say this I've been cleaning my bike and I found the cat just before the link pipe...just where everyone has said it would be

If you're so worried about the environment.....why the hell did you buy a 1.4l motorbike.... That's like ordering a big mac and fries....and making your drink a diet coke....cause you're worried about your weight.....put us out of our misery and buy an electric scooter ::)

[mecki]

I have contacted Kawasaki UK customer service with this question and hopefully they will be able to settle the matter once and for all.
If the rocket launcher is really just a silencer I will replace it with a oval Beowulf Titanium end can when I come back from France next month.  ;D
I totally agree that the original is far to big and ugly. :D :D

[jasonc32amg]

If you look at how the systems have evolved it makes sense that there is no cat in end can. For example, my 01 zx12r and 05 zx10r both had cats in the can. A simple slip on swap and I was good to go with better throttle response, heat dissipation, slight hp increase, and a few pounds lighter. My 08 zx10 had the cats in the header pipe thereby requiring a full exhaust. The zx14 went to header cats with the revision in '08. It may relate to efficiency or effectiveness and not just the ease of getting rid of the cat but for whatever reason the trend in Kawasaki has been towards header cats and away from the end can cats.

The only issue I have run into when removing the cat(s) is this guy showing up at my doorstep crying like a little girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw
;D

I have contacted Kawasaki UK customer service with this question and hopefully they will be able to settle the matter once and for all.
If the rocket launcher is really just a silencer I will replace it with a oval Beowulf Titanium end can when I come back from France next month.  ;D
I totally agree that the original is far to big and ugly. :D :D

[Andy]

Most polution in Norway comes from UK etc ....http://www.miljostatus.no/en/Topics/Air-pollution/Acid-rain/

[Therenback]

agree with FH, this a chilled forum where all reasonable opinions heard etc, although can u imagine the associated forum for leci scooters with passwords code phrases n secrets o maxin out voltage...... shudder.

[mecki]

OK - here is the verdict from Kawasaki UK customer service.

We are pleased to confirm that the UK version of the 1400GTR has a catalytic converter within the exhaust manifold only.

So I can now replace the rocket launcher with a Beowulf end can with a clean conscience.
Thank you all for the bad Karma points.

[Boomer]

I think you are being a little harsh on those who choose to remove their catalysers.
For starters Cats have no effect on carbon emissions, but they do increase the proportion of CO2 as they convert CO to CO2 and burn any leftover hydrocarbons. They were introduced primarily to get rid of the HNO2 and HNO3 in the exhaust gases as these are nasty and were a major contributor to acid rain.

However, the damage that is caused to the "environment" in mining the metals needed (platinum, rhodium, molybdenum, manganese) and refining them causes more carbon to be released into the environment and the net effect is that they are not very efficient.

As to whether you choose to remove one or not is up to you.

I chose not to have children so my carbon footprint is tiny compared to that of anyone who has had children.
Yes, your personal carbon footprint includes all of those of all of your descendents.  ;D

[fatharry]

agree with FH, this a chilled forum where all reasonable opinions heard etc, although can u imagine the associated forum for leci scooters with passwords code phrases n secrets o maxin out voltage...... shudder.

What about the pollution caused by generating the electricity to run an electric bike ....it would be green'er' if you had solar panels on your roof producing the energy to charge the bike...plus what is the 'environmental cost' of the cells?.... whilst i am sure that electric bikes are less polluting that standard combustion engines...i don't think they are as green as many would like to think..... the basic premise holds true that no matter how you go about it, there is an environmental price to be paid however you generate energy! ::)

[fatharry]

OK - here is the verdict from Kawasaki UK customer service.

We are pleased to confirm that the UK version of the 1400GTR has a catalytic converter within the exhaust manifold only.

So I can now replace the rocket launcher with a Beowulf end can with a clean conscience.
Thank you all for the bad Karma points.

good news on the exhaust though  ;D Oval end can is the most visually pleasing i think..... i have the warrior type, doesn't look bad, but i was to buy another one, then oval; is the way i'd go...more inkeeping with the looks of the bike

[mecki]

I have my eye on the long oval Titanium can with carbon end piece - should look absolutely fab :-*
Or maybe I should better go for the carbon variety? :-\