May 2006 ATV Exhaust Reviews

Many ATV exhaust manufacturers and distributors said they notice a trend towards customers seeking more sound efficient exhaust systems. The ever-increasing emission regulations and sound guidelines are something to keep in mind when it comes time to order a product. After all, who wants to buy something and then have it become banned from use a few months later? To avoid this, we queried some companies to find out just what their latest products in exhaust systems are. Read on for their responses, but keep the noise down to 97 decibels.

In the hopes of cashing in on the latest trend, Alba Action Sports has released their latest products, sound suppression tips and spark arrestors. According to company rep. Cory Hove, the tips and arrestors are offered in three different sizes and can bring the exhaust noise levels down to as low as 92 decibels. Hove explains that the most important thing about these suppression tips is they add 1/2 horsepower on the top end while only losing 1 1/2 horsepower on the bottom end. Reportedly able to fit all Alba pipes, the new sound suppression tips can be adapted to fit other manufactured pipe brands. With a product like this, Alba Action Sports indicated they seek to improve sales, which decreased slightly last year. Hove suggested retailers be cautious about what works and what doesn't. “We have tested most systems and most do not do what the manufacturers claim they do," he added.

Big Gun Exhaust's Mike Young tells us they added the EVO R exhaust system to their EVO Carbon Series. He said both are sold as a complete exhaust system, feature stainless steel .035 inch tubing and comes with either a titanium-hard anodized-coated aluminum silencer or a carbon fiber silencer. The EVO R also comes with a Vortex Quiet insert, which meets the 94-96 decibel regulations of some state parks, he adds. With people buying more aftermarket performance parts, he said, it is no wonder Big Gun can boast an increase in sales of up to 30 percent. Young would like dealers to know Big Gun Exhaust products have all users in mind, so whether their needs are sound levels, weight, performance or function, Big Gun strives to meet those needs.

Ken Draper advises it is always important for dealers to be kept educated about their products and as such he was more than happy to tell us about the latest product from BUB Enterprises. The BUB Big Bore Silencer Systems are built for 450cc to 850cc ATVs and the benefits include increased horsepower and torque, less weight than a stock system, a unique twin outlet design and silencer shape and are manufactured from aluminum and stainless steel to prevent corrosion, according to Draper. With the demand for better quality and performance, as well as the increasing regulations regarding noise levels, Draper hopes these new silencer systems keep BUB exhaust sales on the rise.

If 2004 ATVA TT Champion Keith Little uses the new X2 exhaust by DG Performance, then you should too, says company spokesperson Tim Hansen. He tells us the X2 is available either as a slip-on or as a complete exhaust system, which uses either a stainless steel head pipe or mid-pipe leading to CNC machined aluminum end caps. Hansen notes the muffler body is made of anodized gun metal with an anodized end cap, housing a screen-type spark arrestor. The DG X2 exhaust uses the highest quality parts and is thoroughly tested on their in-house dyno machine, he proclaims. With the ATV exhaust market placing equal amounts of importance on sound, weight and construction, Hansen believes it is the manufacturer's responsibility to provide the best performing exhaust while adhering to the latest sound ordinances. This is the reason why DG exhaust sales increased over the past year, he added.

Matt Realy of Advantage Performance Distributing, exclusive distributor of DMC Exhaust, tells us the latest product is the DMC Afterburner for the LT-R 450 in both Comp and Quiet slip-on's and full systems. He divulged early testing results showing a gain of 15.3 percent in horsepower and 14.6 percent in torque. With a growing restriction on sound, there is a reportedly higher demand for DMC's Quiet system. Realy tells us DMC has had great success in blending sound requirements with top performance and he attributes this as the reason for the increasing sales. He wanted to make sure dealers know the performance and feature differences in exhaust systems, which is key to selling their product.

FMF Racing (pictured in the header) released the FMF PowerLine Exhaust for all utility and side by sides, said company rep. Donny Emler Jr. He explains the FMF PowerLine is completely constructed out of stainless steel to prevent it from rusting or melting like an aluminum muffler and comes with a built in spark arrestor. With increasing sales this year, FMF hopes to continue to develop great products to be enjoyed in the thriving ATV market, noted Emler.

The Ironman Pro Series exhaust designed for MX ATV racing is the latest by HMF Engineering, reports company rep. Joseph McDonough. It features a large diameter diffusion chamber to produce more top-end power without the noise of most non-restricted high-performance exhausts, he informs us. McDonough credits Tucker Rocky for the ever-increasing number of orders, which resulted in another year of sales growth for HMF. With more demand for electronic fuel injection, HMF worked with Dobeck Performance to develop a fuel injection control box to compliment the exhaust, which is available for several different ATV models. Before concluding McDonough wanted to let dealers know that when matching riding style with exhaust, to keep HMF in mind because they offer an exhaust for every type of rider.

LeoVince Exhaust announces they just finished production on the new Raptor 700 full titanium race exhaust systems and slip-ons. Spokesperson Scott Goodwin reports LeoVince is meeting demand for lower decibel levels with exhaust systems made of titanium and run at 99 decibels or less in race mode and 96 decibels or less with the included insert. He said the slip-ons produce 94 decibels or less on 450's and around 92 decibels or less on 250's. Being new to the ATV market, Goodwin couldn't give us any numbers for LeoVince, but he did say the company plans to introduce over fifty new applications into the market this year. He wants dealers to know that LeoVince products are easy to install, require no fuel setting changes, offer great power at reduced sound levels and have an unmatched durability.

Spokesperson Tony Runions informs us the updated Armor Tech Universal Muffler is the latest to come out of McDonald ATV. He adds the muffler is quieter and features a drain to release water. Reportedly available for several new applications including the Kodiak, he hopes the new Armor Tech Universal Muffler will be the boost to bring up sales numbers. One of the biggest trends he's noticed is the increased performance demanded by non-racing crowds. Runions recommends dealers make sure they are adding on accessory sales during the sale of the ATV. If a customer is financing an ATV, they can finance a $500 pipe at the same time, rather than be able to come back and buy that same pipe a week later, he said.

Motoworks' newest ATV product is the Suzuki LTZ-R 450 Quad Slip-On and Full System Exhaust. Motoworks' Johnny Leach explains the SR4 racing exhaust housing is made of 6063 T4 aluminum, while the head pipe is made of 304 stainless steel exhaust tubing with aircraft quality welding and a 6061 CNC machined flange. New to the ATV market, Leach divulged Motoworks was founded because of a general lack of attention to the industry. Dealers need to have a good understanding of what is involved with choosing the proper pipe and the modifications needed to ensure the jetting specs are correct as well as other factors like fit, durability and quality, Leach advises.

Don Leib of Rocket Exhaust tells us they now offer exhaust products for the Suzuki LT-R 450, Raptor 700 and Rhino UTV. He explains these exhausts feature tunable inserts, which allow the rider to tune for low-mid or mid-top performance. Also reportedly available are 96 decibel and 99 decibel optional inserts, as well as different colored end caps allowing the rider to add a personal touch. Though the company is too new to have numbers on the prior year sales, Lieb was able to say he noticed the ATV sport looks to be really hot. He wants dealers to keep in mind Rocket Exhaust offers top quality manufacturing and aggressive retail pricing which can include up to 45 percent dealer margins.

With riders more conscious of sound levels due to ever increasing restrictions, SuperTrapp is happy to introduce the new IDSX full system and slip-on exhausts, media contact Bob Goricki said. The systems are reportedly available for the Yamaha Rhino 660 UTV. He tells us the IDSX series carries the patented SuperTrapp Tunable Disc Technology, which allows the rider to adjust sound levels as well as power band. Goricki said exhaust sales are up from last year and, with SuperTrapp offering excellent dealer margins, keeping their products in stock is something every retailer should consider.

Trinity Racing's Brock Beauchamp reports their latest product is the Stage IV Suzuki LT-R 450 full exhaust system with a billet aluminum silencer and silencer clamp. He said they are available in blue, red, or black anodized and the more traditional aluminum color. The head and mid-pipes are reportedly constructed using polished stainless steel. Beauchamp noted a trend with the construction of pipes in the higher-end 4-stroke systems moving towards billet materials with an anodized finish. He advises dealers to carry a variety of products. Since there are so many companies making exhaust these days, dealers should offer a lot of different options for their customers, he said. Trinity Racing indicates their sales have steadily increased over the past year.

Two Brothers Racing released the stainless steel/aluminum slip-on and full systems for the 2006 Suzuki LT-R 450 and 2006 Kawasaki KFX 700. A spokesperson said these systems gain the consumer's immediate attention by showing benefits in both weight reduction and an increase in torque and horsepower. Two Brothers reported a trend regarding concern about sound levels and offers the P1 PowerTip and P3 PowerTip sound reducing inserts as answers. Products like these have helped Two Brothers to expand their product lines into more categories, resulting in increasing sales this past year, they said.

Vito's Performance Parts reports they now offer two new exhaust systems, one is a slip-on exhaust for the YFX450 and the other is a slip-on for the new Raptor 700. A media contact says the main features of their slip-on exhaust systems are the megaphone style designs and oval shaped canisters to help in the absorption of sound. Even though there has been an increasing demand for the 4-stroke exhaust products, Vito's informs us their 2-stroke exhaust market sales have nearly doubled in the past year. Dealer knowledge is reportedly the key to success. With the Internet and the information customers can find there, they are very overwhelmed with products and ideas, so they look for dealers who can guide them intelligently and truthfully, reports the company.

With sport ATV exhaust sales at an all time high in the European market, Wileyco and California-based distributor Calmoto hope to see the same success with the release of the all stainless steel RS-46 slip-on exhaust pipe in the U.S. Representative Dave Gatti reports each pipe is made of stainless steel, including the end caps, baffles and the cold rolled canister. He adds the baffles feature Wileyco's unique diamond shape, which changes the sound frequency and noise level to a low-end roar, as well as creating additional low-end torque. Gatti says Wileyco pipes are designed to enhance the factory carboration settings and require no adjustments. Making a customer's purchase and installation easy is the key to making extra sales, Gatti noted.

The trend in lower sound decibels and higher performance are apparent in the latest ATV exhaust products. Manufacturers and distributors are working hard to meet customer demand and governmental regulations on sound. We hope this information helps dealers prepare to meet the customers' needs and satisfy noise standards at the same time.