How to Make Motorcycle Exhaust Quieter? Proven Guide

There are two types of motorcycle riders; those who’d do anything to make their motorcycle exhaust pipes produce rumbling sounds. They perceive the rumbling as a show of aggressiveness and power. And those who love quieter motorcycle exhaust sound and would do anything to deaden their exhaust pipes.

If you fall in the latter category and your exhaust system is still producing motorcycle exhaust noise, then you might be desperately looking for ways of silencing your exhaust pipes for good. In this guide, we have put together 7 proven methods you can use to silence your exhauster.

7 Ways to make your motorcycle exhaust quieter

1. Check for holes in your exhaust system

One of the top culprits behind your motorcycle exhaust system producing noise lies in the presence of holes in it.

As such, start by inspecting your exhaust pipes for any pipes and seal them to see if it helps minimize the noise.

How to seal the leaks?

This heavily usually depends on the size of leaks/holes you discover:

For small holes, which are mostly caused by rust, sealing them is quite easier and faster. You simply need to put some exhaust tape around the leak to seal it.

If your exhaust pipes have larger leaks, these could be behind the unpleasant noise coming out of your bike. To seal them properly, you’ll need to arm yourself with a patch, epoxy, and the instructions below:

Steps Involved to seal the leaks properly

• Start by measuring the hole size to get an idea of the size of the patch you’ll need to cut out for the job. Be sure to add a few centimeters to the measurements you obtain to ensure better coverage.
• If you don’t have a patch, an aluminum can will make a great alternative.
• Now clean it as well as the exhaust pipe area leak area to prepare them for sealing
• Apply the epoxy on the patch and then attach it to your exhaust pipe to seal the hole
• To ensure that the patch stays and doesn’t come out with time, consider using additional means to secure it, such as hose clamps.

If sealing the leaks doesn’t seem to offer a solution, then you can try the other exhaust soundproofing tricks outlined below.

2. Replace the mufflers

This is another proven way of soundproofing your motorcycle exhaust system and cut down the unbearable exhaust noise coming out of it.

Mufflers come designed as a set of perforates tubes that reflect sound waves produced by your bike engine, thus suppressing the noise leaving your bike.

If you got a second-hand bike, the chances are high that the previous owner might have made modifications to it, including the removal of mufflers.

Try replacing the pipes and mufflers and see it helps minimize the noise. Mufflers are readily available and quite affordable, so getting one won’t be a hassle for you.

3. Upgrade to better mufflers

Sometimes the mufflers you’re using might be the problem. This is especially true given that most motorcycles come with standard bullet mufflers—which are reputable for being too noisy.

You can easily find different mufflers on the market that will perform better than the standard ones in regard to keeping the noise down.

For instance, you might consider going for single or dual-chambered models whose chamber helps absorb the sounds produced by your engine.

Resonator muffler also work magic when it comes to keeping the noise low. These models usually feature fiberglass construction on the interior, which significantly enhances their soundproofing capabilities.

4. Try wrapping the pipes

Did you know that one of the many benefits of motorcycle pipe wrapping is minimizing the noise coming out of them?

Well, the good-quality exhaust wrap can significantly reduce vibrations and frequency. And this explains their ability to silence your bike exhaust.

Since these wraps are made from durable materials such as titanium, they tend to hold up well to the high temperatures on your exhaust system, as well as the rough conditions you ride in.

And just like the mufflers, they’re also pretty affordable. You also don’t need to hire someone to install them on your bike; with only some basic instructions, you can wrap your pipes like a pro!

5. Invest in motorcycle exhaust silencer

The rise in the number of bikers who prefer less nosy exhaust systems has moved the manufacturers into coming up with exhaust silencer that does what its name suggests—making your exhaust quieter.

A typical silencer features fiberglass wraps that not only narrows the hole but also soundproofs your exhaust for quieter rides.

When purchasing a new motorcycle exhaust silencer, always consider buying the best exhaust silencer after doing research.

Make sure you keep in mind the diameter of your exhaust pipe to ensure you’ll have an easy time installing it. The perfect silence is one whose outer diameter is smaller than your pipe’s inner diameter.

Again, replacing a silencer doesn’t require any special skills. You just need to fit it in place fasten the screws, and you’re done!

6. Switch to new pipes

If all the above tricks don’t seem to bear fruits, perhaps your only remaining option is to replace your motorcycle exhaust pipes with brand new ones.

If your bike has a dual exhaust system, we suggest that you install cross pipes. These tend to do a great job of suppressing the noise by simply mixing the exhaust plus sound coming from the two systems.

You can choose other pipe options such as the y-pipe and h-pipe designs.

Some experts also recommend putting a cap with a smaller circumference than that of your new pipes or a baffle. This is a trick of further dampening the pipes’ noise.

Final Verdict

If you prefer quieter rides or simply don’t want to attract the attention of law enforcement or annoy your neighbors with your noisy motorcycle exhaust system, then you should be able to silence it using a combination of the tricks we have outlined above.

We suggest that you start with a simple inspection of your motorcycle to see if it has any leaks as they could be the sole cause of the unbearable noise. If no leaks, you can go ahead and try the other soundproofing trick until you find one that solves the noise problem.