[GreyNomad]

Anyone know of any good garage in the Bandra / Vile Parle / Juhu areas to fit aux lights on the Interceptor? My go to was HDT Customs who’s now shifted his garage to Madh Island making it quite out of reach. Have purchased the mamas dog Alpha, including the Pro harness and switch. Now hunting for a reliable installer!

TIA.

[ostrish]

AEW Silent Baffles

I had installed the AEW TE102 pipes mainly for the looks. The stock pipes are very bottle gourd and I wanted more of a ridge gourd. (there are more macho descriptions like rocket launcher etc. but I think interceptor owners are mostly vegetable market type people so this analogy is more appropriate)

Seeing that AEW offered more silent baffles, I was happy to try them as I am always worried about cops hearing the custom exhausts.

Silent baffle (L) vs stock baffle (R)


I also tested them, ^here in the background you can see a field recorder on a tripod, meant to simulate a 5'10" policeman standing 6 feet away. Yet to verify if this is truly the median height of Bangalore policemen.

Some highly scientific data of sound at idling RPM. In the screenshot of the DAW, you can see that the waveforms on top (old baffles) have a larger amplitude that wave forms below (new baffle)




Here's a comparison of the EQ graphs. I think the mids and highs are all engine clatter and most of the low freq in this chart is from the exhaust. This is again at idle.

1. So, does the new baffle reduce sound? Yes
2. Is the difference at idle audible? Yes, but only if you compare them back to back. So you will not get caught if police sir has highly trained ears.
3. Is the difference at high rpm audible? This is to be seen. My tests were in the basement which is not an ideal place to test for loudness (or to rev one's bike).

Generally comparing loudness academically is a difficult problem for laypeople and audio engineers both. So next report will be based on "feel" on the open road.

[scorpian]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Hi
The shocks need to be tightened once in a while. I get them tightened every 5000 kms. Hope this solves your issue
Cheers
Rajeevsulu

Further to reading a lot on the internet I came to understand that the thud can be as much as eliminated completely by using 2numbers on each side -3mm washers under the top fork cap.
When you open the top cap you will find a thin washer,just go to the hardware store and get 3mm thick ones and install them.
I did this on my bike and it has totally stopped the thud noise. Also the bike feels a lot more planted.
The thud will be eliminated.
Regards
Manoj

[ostrish]

Originally Posted by scorpian

I did this on my bike and it has totally stopped the thud noise. Also the bike feels a lot more planted.

I put preload adjusters (just an adjustable washer) and experienced the same thing, thud reduces a lot. Still there at low speeds though I think.

Originally Posted by ostrish

AEW Silent Baffles

Update after today's ride. Pipes are almost as silent as stock! There is more grunt in the note post 5k compared to stock RE, but overall the sound is much closer to stock RE than stock AEW. Stock AEW made the bike brraaapp-y and that effect is totally gone. I almost miss it now (easy to bring back though). This baffle is a great option for people who don't want a louder exhaust.

[Asish_VK]

Richard Hammond just shared this in FB

[Turbosailor]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Hi, Have you got the seats now?

TIA

Sorry Vinjosep, due to adverse weather back home, I didn't take the beast out for long rides. So didn't install touring seats.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by ostrish

Update after today's ride. Pipes are almost as silent as stock! There is more grunt in the note post 5k compared to stock RE, but overall the sound is much closer to stock RE than stock AEW. Stock AEW made the bike brraaapp-y and that effect is totally gone. I almost miss it now (easy to bring back though). This baffle is a great option for people who don't want a louder exhaust.

I have been using the silent baffle for a while now. After using it for few thousand kms, I didn't feel like going back to the open type baffle only because I felt the NVH was more with that. On these, the smoothness is very close to the stock muffler which is what I wanted and the main reason being that these create back pressure in the system which helps in the long run.

I have made the holes on the baffle slightly bigger after getting the FuelX fitted as I felt the there was vibrations at a certain rev range and with that, the quiet note is gone and it is slightly bassier, but still not loud. When I open up, it has a nice note too, not annoying.

[ostrish]

Originally Posted by tharian

I have made the holes on the baffle slightly bigger after getting the FuelX fitted as I felt the there was vibrations at a certain rev range and with that, the quiet note is gone and it is slightly bassier, but still not loud.

So it wasn't just my imagination! Yesterday felt that the bike seems to vibrate a bit more. My boots were wet so was riding with my 510s and put it down to different shoes.

[jomson13]

Originally Posted by scorpian

Further to reading a lot on the internet I came to understand that the thud can be as much as eliminated completely by using 2numbers on each side -3mm washers under the top fork cap.
When you open the top cap you will find a thin washer,just go to the hardware store and get 3mm thick ones and install them.
I did this on my bike and it has totally stopped the thud noise. Also the bike feels a lot more planted.
The thud will be eliminated.
Regards
Manoj

Can you share pictures of this please?

Originally Posted by ostrish

I put preload adjusters (just an adjustable washer) and experienced the same thing, thud reduces a lot. Still there at low speeds though I think.

I will be installing risers soon and that will open up the possibility to add pre load adjusters; would you recommend them?
I'm happy with the front end as of now (except for the thudding noise from time to time), how have the pre load adjusters helped you?

[ostrish]

Originally Posted by jomson13

I will be installing risers soon and that will open up the possibility to add pre load adjusters; would you recommend them?

Yes wholeheartedly. I am way more confident in triple digits now. I was also not particularly unhappy with the suspension earlier either.

It has some downsides, explaining below:

Preload in principle increases the total height of your fork. And risers also reduce the amount of weight your body is placing on the bars. Thus the front end is much lighter now. So whenever I load my top box, the front wobbles. I have taken the top box off and now leash luggage on the pillion seat, which does not impact the front end (as the luggage now is on a smaller lever). This isn't a big loss, between the two I'd pick the preload over the top box.

Secondly, the front end will get chattery, I got used to it. And it will want to straighten if you hit a bump at an angle at speed. E.g. if you are hitting a speed breaker while leaning the bike over, it will want to straighten after cross the bump. IME, this happens when the rebound of the fork is a little too enthusiastic, which is caused by the preload. This happens on stock fork also, more pronounced with preload.

TBH my mountain bikes have air suspension with adjustable preload/sag, low and high speed compression damping, and LS/HS rebound damping. So this limited adjustability feels so primitive, which is why I was dismissive of it.

But all things considered I think it is a significant net positive.

[vivek_k_p]

Finally upgraded to alloy wheels (OEM) along with Vredestein tires.

BTW, what is the recommended tyre pressure for these wheels ?

[NitNac]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Hi
The shocks need to be tightened once in a while. I get them tightened every 5000 kms. Hope this solves your issue
Cheers
Rajeevsulu

Hi Rajeevsulu,
Could you help me understand how to do this? Are you talking about stock front suspension?.

Regards,
NitNac

[aargee]

Originally Posted by vivek_k_p

BTW, what is the recommended tyre pressure for these wheels ?

Same as our old models. Even I didn't bother to check until you had asked which got me thinking

[vivek_k_p]

Originally Posted by aargee

Same as our old models. Even I didn't bother to check until you had asked which got me thinking

Attachment 2516954

Many thanks.
Have you also changed to alloys?
If yes, What did you do with the old ones?

[rajeevsulu]

Originally Posted by NitNac

Hi Rajeevsulu,
Could you help me understand how to do this? Are you talking about stock front suspension?.

Regards,
NitNac

Yes, stock suspension. I go to the authorized service centre and get it done.
Cheers