Max Kool
Well-known member
Fed up with the stainless lunchbox under the swingarm, I decided to buy/try the elbow link pipe from Thomas Kopp for my 2019 FTR. This is a cat replacement pipe that mimics the inside length of the resonator and has a cat inside to add a bit of back pressure and make it a bit quieter than a straight link pipe. This pipe is supposed to work just as well as the stock resonator/cat without any needed tuning. I assumed the V6 sauce I have would work with this pipe, I was running the stock cat.
I also decided on installing aftermarket "German" baffles. I didn't want the stock ones, but no baffles may be a bit too loud for my taste. These are a lot more open than the stock inserts.
Installation was easy as long as you have an exhaust clamp that's one size smaller than the stock FTR one. Get a heavy duty one! This pipe does not use the carbon gasket. Everything lines up nicely, except for one thing, the carbon heat shield from the Akrapovic. (Seen that before Thomas?). This could be due to the Gilles rearsets, I had to cut a section out of it. Which is odd, because the slipons fit just perfectly fine and the holes for the slipons line up perfectly. No biggie for me, I just cut out a little section of the heat shield. I was also worried it didn't have any bracket to mount to the bike (and discussed this with Thomas), this pipe is freely suspended. He asserted it doesn't need one. And a vivid bouncy canyon ride proved that. I may one day weld an exhaust spring at the joint with the header, so it can never pop off.
How does it sound with the German baffles? A bit louder than stock cat without baffles, mostly just a lower tone, darker. I love it. You could run it without baffles and still not draw too much attention in the US if you don't WFO all the time.
How does it ride? Perfection! I was and still am running the secret sauce designed for an FTR with a cat -which is why I chose this link pipe in the first place-. No surging, no midrange dip, no popping and just a little crackling when shifting down in the higher rpms. If I have to go from my highly uncalibrated butt dyno, the engine gained a little eagerness in the lower revs. I swear it has more torque and wants to rev more freely!
This link pipe may not be lightest available at 3lbs, the stock cat is close to 10lbs including hardware... and it looks dam saxy!
Happy Max.
=> This link pipe and more goodness is available at @tk-funsport
=> The German Akra inserts are available at [email protected]
I also decided on installing aftermarket "German" baffles. I didn't want the stock ones, but no baffles may be a bit too loud for my taste. These are a lot more open than the stock inserts.
Installation was easy as long as you have an exhaust clamp that's one size smaller than the stock FTR one. Get a heavy duty one! This pipe does not use the carbon gasket. Everything lines up nicely, except for one thing, the carbon heat shield from the Akrapovic. (Seen that before Thomas?). This could be due to the Gilles rearsets, I had to cut a section out of it. Which is odd, because the slipons fit just perfectly fine and the holes for the slipons line up perfectly. No biggie for me, I just cut out a little section of the heat shield. I was also worried it didn't have any bracket to mount to the bike (and discussed this with Thomas), this pipe is freely suspended. He asserted it doesn't need one. And a vivid bouncy canyon ride proved that. I may one day weld an exhaust spring at the joint with the header, so it can never pop off.
How does it sound with the German baffles? A bit louder than stock cat without baffles, mostly just a lower tone, darker. I love it. You could run it without baffles and still not draw too much attention in the US if you don't WFO all the time.
How does it ride? Perfection! I was and still am running the secret sauce designed for an FTR with a cat -which is why I chose this link pipe in the first place-. No surging, no midrange dip, no popping and just a little crackling when shifting down in the higher rpms. If I have to go from my highly uncalibrated butt dyno, the engine gained a little eagerness in the lower revs. I swear it has more torque and wants to rev more freely!
This link pipe may not be lightest available at 3lbs, the stock cat is close to 10lbs including hardware... and it looks dam saxy!
Happy Max.
=> This link pipe and more goodness is available at @tk-funsport
=> The German Akra inserts are available at [email protected]
Last edited:
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