What is a Motorcycle Exhaust Baffle?

Motorcycle exhaust is an integral part of a motorbike that you shouldn’t ignore and so is exhuast baffles, but have you ever wondered what motorcycle exhaust baffles are? 

The motorcycle exhaust or silencer is the perforated metal pipe fit in the exhaust, which has worked to dampen the motorbike sound that will come out from the motorbike exhaust. Manufacturers insert exhaust baffles in the motorbike to keep the exhaust sound below the legal limits. 

Let’s look at what does it means and what you can do about it, 

While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned so you can know all details about motorcycle exhaust baffles. 

What is a Motorcycle Exhaust Baffle? 

Every rider loves their motorbike sound, but do you know that your motorbike sound gets dampened and controlled most by the exhaust baffle? 

A motorcycle exhaust baffle is the perforated metal pipe that manufacturers fit in your motorbike to control and keep the motorbike sound within the limit, and if you ever cut the motorbike exhaust, you’ll see two or three pipes of different diameters. These pipes with the shorter diameter is the exhaust baffle which dampens your motorbike’s sound. 

What Happens if You Take the Baffles Out of Exhaust?

So far, you understand what a motorbike exhaust baffle is, now the question arises: what happens if you take the baffles out of the exhaust? 

There’s no harm in removing motorbike exhaust baffles. Still, suppose you remove the motorbike exhaust, in that case, your motorbike will run leaner and make more sound, disturbing other riders, and the environment. Also, you’ll see some change in performance and in motorbike emissions. 

In many countries, it’s an offense to ride a motorbike without exhaust baffles, that’s why experts always recommend removing exhaust baffles only if you want motorbike sound to dampen and if there’s no law in your country for exhaust baffles. 

I don’t recommend removing the exhaust baffle since it affects your motorbike performance and makes an unnecessary sound that affects riders and the environment. 

What’s the Other Work of Motorcycle Exhaust Baffles?

So far, you understand what motorcycle exhaust baffles are, now the question arises, what’s other work of motorcycle exhaust baffles? 

According to some industry experts, apart from dampening your motorbike exhaust sound, the motorcycle exhaust baffles also create backpressure while riding, this backpressure is needed and helps gasses flow effortlessly from the exhaust. 

In simpler words, your motorbike exhaust baffles do two jobs simultaneously. 

How Does Motorcycle Exhaust Baffles Work?

So far, you understand what motorcycle exhaust baffles are but have you wondered how motorcycle exhaust baffles work? 

According to some industry experts, motorcycle exhaust works by slowing down the gas coming from the exhaust and spreading airflow more evenly. And by following this simple formula, manufacturers made exhaust sound deeper and reduced to some extent. 

Manufacturers also made holes on motorbike exhaust baffles to reduce and break the motorbike exhaust sound.

How to Change the Sound of Exhaust?  

So far, do you understand what is motorcycle exhaust baffle? Now the question arises, how to change the sound of exhaust? 

Every motorbike’s exhaust is different because of its length, circumference, and how they are attached, and that’s why I mentioned two ways through which you can change the exhaust sound.  

Method 1: Change the sound by removing baffles: 

Most motorbikes have baffles, and you can make the exhaust sound deeper by removing it, if your motorbike doesn’t have baffles, I’d recommend checking out the other method mentioned below. 

Step 1: 

To remove the baffles, you first need to remove the 10-inch nut, which you can find on the end of your exhaust pipe. If you still can’t find the nut, find any nut holding the exhaust pipe and baffles together. 

Step 2: 

After uninstalling the bolt, you can use a screwdriver to push back the baffles to detach the baffles from the exhaust pipe, you can also replace the baffles with a new muffler. 

Method 2: Modifying the muffler: 

If the above method isn’t working for your motorbike, then you can also choose this method, you can choose a used muffler from the technician to bring out the sound you want to hear. You can even buy the modified muffler from the technician if you’re non-techy. 

However, if you’re a techy person and want to save some money, you can follow the below steps. 

Step 1: 

The first step includes uninstalling the muffler by unscrewing all the bolts. Don’t forget to note the length and circumference of the pipe, as it will help you determine the length of the cut. 

Step 2: 

The second step includes cutting out the outside edge of the pipe from where it joins to the muffler, cut around the 2 inches inside with the small blade. 

You can also use a piler and twist to make the descent cut; the tailpipe comes out quickly after doing this, and now your exhaust gets much deeper.

It would be best to keep the baffler with you, as in the future, you’ll need to return the original baffler to a new buyer when selling your motorbike. 

Additionally, you will have to buy exhaust wrap for your motorbike exhaust, some riders complain that they experience engine overheating if they modify the muffler. 

How to Clean Your Motorbike Exhaust Pipes? 

So far, you have learned why you should always clean your motorbike exhaust; now it’s time to learn how you can clean your motorbike exhaust. 

I divided this section into two; first for chrome finish motorbike exhaust and second for stainless steel motorbike exhaust.

Steps to Cleaning Chrome Finish Motorbike Exhaust: 

The chrome finish on the exhaust is malleable and thin, which means you can’t scratch or polish the exhaust with a chrome finish. 

Experts wildly recommend the below ways through which you can clean your chrome finish exhaust without any single scratch. 

Steps:	Details:
The preparation.	Clean exhaust with a pre-soaked rig or scrub.
Remove stubborn stains.	Use soap and glass cleaner along with water to remove stubborn stains.
Get rid of more stubborn build-up.	Use a copper brush or penny manufacturer before 1982 to clean stubborn buildup.

Step 1: The preparation: 

As mentioned above, you can’t scratch your motorbike exhaust as the chrome is malleable and thin. 

You need to soak an old cloth in the water for at least five minutes, now soak the clumps and dust on the motorbike exhaust and wipe it with a rag until all dust and clumps are removed.

Wet rags will cause clumps and dust to soften, helping you to remove dust easily. 

Step 2: Remove Stubborn Stains: 

Removing stubborn stains on the chrome finish exhaust is challenging with water. 

In this case, you can use soap and glass cleaner along with water, it’s one of the effective ways through which you can easily remove stubborn stains, including burned insects, if this isn’t working, then you can use a tar remover and carburetor cleaner.

Additionally, with the above steps, you can’t remove blue stains caused by no heat shield on the exhaust, you can use an anti-blue agent if you want to remove all blue stains from your motorbike exhaust.  

Step 3: Get Rid of Stubborn Build-up: 

Sometimes the ways mentioned above can’t remove extra stubborn carbon build-up, which you need to scrap from the exhaust. 

You can use a copper brush or, interestingly, you can use a penny manufacturer before 1982. 

It’s because the copper brush and penny both are softer than the chrome finish on the exhaust, don’t clean stubborn build-up rigorously even if your motorbike exhaust coating is tougher than the penny.

Steps of Cleaning Stainless Steel Motorbike Exhaust: 

Fortunately enough, cleaning stainless steel motorbike exhaust is more straightforward than cleaning chrome finish exhaust. 

Here are the steps which you need to follow.

Steps:	Details:
Use an acid.	Use a mild acid to clean the carbon buildup.
Polishing time.	Use the finest wool scrub to minimize any damage.

Step 1: Use an Acid:  

Experts always recommend cleaning gunk on stainless steel exhaust with a mild acid, the mild acid because harsh acid may degrade the uppermost layer of the exhaust. 

Interestingly, you can even use toilet cleaner and vinegar for cleaning purposes, keep in mind, that the milder the acid, the more repetitions or later you need to apply to the exhaust. 

For better cleaning, you can also soak the exhaust in the mild acid one night before. 

After exhaust soaking, you can use soaked scrub to remove the build-up on the exhaust. Don’t rub rig or scrub too rigorously, rub the scrub on the exhaust until all build-up is removed. If the toilet cleaner contains string acid (more than 9% HCl in V/V), it’s better to add some water. 

Rub with an exhaust microfiber towel after cleaning because even slight acid residue can corrode your motorbike exhaust, and microfiber towels have excellent absorbent properties, which can prevent corrosion. 

Step 2: Polishing Time:  

After rubbing the exhaust with the microfiber towel, now it’s time for polishing, you can use any polish but always remember to use the finest wool scrub to minimize any damage. 

It may take longer to polish the exhaust if the cleaning step peels off the upper layer of the exhaust, scrub the exhaust until the exhaust is well polished. 

Also, read my previous post where I’ve discussed whether exhaust baffles have catalytic converters or not CLICK HERE to read.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict:

What is a motorcycle exhaust baffle? The motorcycle exhaust or silencer is the perforated metal pipe fit in the exhaust, which has worked to dampen the motorbike sound that will come out from the motorbike exhaust. 

Manufacturers insert exhaust baffles in the motorbike to keep the exhaust sound below the legal limits. 

I’ve mentioned some steps through which you can change motorbike exhaust sound. But if it’s too technical for you, it’s better to hire a good motorbike technician.