MARTY HONDA CB1000R
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Parting ways.”
After my blast on track I thought the next best option was to make some noise and get a new exhaust for the CB1000, with the plan being to go for an end can first and then look at full systems when they become more readily available for it. Being local to us I popped over to visit the lads at SP Engineering and see what they could offer. I came away with a very nice HC-R end can in a titanium finish, where I met up with Beej and we headed to JHS Racing for a quick dyno run pre and post exhaust swap. I’ve witnessed a few dyno runs while at FB and they have all gone without a hitch – until JHS encountered the Honda.
No matter what wire was connected, the CB just wouldn’t give a good clean reading, and without digging down to get to the ECU the best we could obtain was the standard -12% on the claimed figures at 126. So off came the CB while Beej had a go with his GSXR, which gave me the time to bin off the standard OEM can and fit the SP end can instead.
A few bolts loosened and a few new ones tightened, a bit of wiggling and man handling after not putting the clamps on correctly and the new can was good to go, looking much better in the process. Back on the dyno and in-between the confusing read outs we managed to establish a power gain of 1bhp. Yep, one! I know it doesn’t sound a lot and quite frankly it’s not but it’s important to remember the CB has still got the Euro 4 cat on so any power gain is being restricted by the system. The only way to get more with just the end can on would be to chop the cat out and weld a link pipe in but being a loan bike we thought we'd better not.
With the new can fitted and producing more of a deeper tone than the stock can, my itch to get a new exhaust fitted had been scratched. I rode off into the sunset happier than when I’d arrived. Still, the big old Euro 4 box on the CB has to be the worst part of the bike, it’s big, ugly and restrictive (on power) and the only option would have to be fitting a full system in the coming months.
Though unfortunately it won’t be me, as I’m handing over the CB for Charlie to run over the winter as I will be leaving and my beloved Honda. Anyways, thank you for reading to my thoughts on the Honda over the last few months and I hope to see you around!