Wish you all a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi !!!
What better day than this auspicious day to share the newest addition to the Black Bruiser which happened early this week. BB has now become a real nasty thing on 2-wheels and decided it doesnt like to remain silent anymore. It likes to rasp, growl, pop, crackle and make all kind of sounds at people
Black Bruiser gets ARROW'ed What I like -- Same buttery smoothness, iam thankful that it's not lost
--Power and torque improvement for about 5-6BHP
--44% weight savings from stock pipes
--Amazing tonal improvement with a raspy note
--Superb fit and finished pipes made from stainless steel and not titanium
unlike stock pipes
--Laser etched
"Triumph" logo
What I don't
--Bike feels faster than actual speed
--Unwanted attention (can't really say that i don't like it
)
--Finally, price is simply abnoxious
When I installed the Arrows; took a couple of rides with Baffles on and they sounded little louder than stock engine note but, with a distinct deep rumble to it which sounded really delicious.
Then switched to a test ride after removing the baffles out which was astonishingly a simple 2-mins job and thankfully the Arrow map loaded in the ECU has no impact whatsoever with baffles in or out.
Test ride with baffles out was simply a manic experience. So loud it can rouse the entire neighbourhood.Decided to keep it this way for sometime and decide in due course of time what I would finally prefer
Rode the bike roughly for about 100kms with baffles removed and here is a preliminary feedback and hopefully, will learn more about these pipes as I ride more with them
Thumb the starter button; god save anyone who is standing right behind the pipes. They will squeal in surprise (exact same reaction from my little nieces) and stepped back alarmingly as not just the sound even the air-push back is quite a bit. When bike starts its really loud, tried a few times to start the bike with tone at lower decibal level with throttle almost down. It just doesn't happen. Maybe thats how its designed. I loved it !!
After it starts up, engine settles down to an idle and keeps gurgling like a coyote ready to leap on its prey. It's raspy engine note also reminds me of a dog that is perenially angry and in growling mode. Once you slot the gear and take the bike out at a neutral throttle level, sound is relatively low but, makes you acutely aware of a deep grumble somewhere deep down inside.
First and immediate feel ; bike is much much lighter than when on stock pipes, weight reduction is glaringly evident and with lightest hint of throttle, it just lunges forward and even does wheelies in lower gears with some decent throttle input.
Iam given to understand the stock pipes weight as much as 25kgs and Arrow pipes reduces this weight by 44% of almost 11kgs to about 14kgs and brings the weight down from 225kgs to ~ 214kgs. These pipe weight figures are all read/discussed somewhere that I dont recall now but, 44% weight reduction of pipes from stock ones is quoted by Arrow so that's a fact
There is a huge improvement in power, torque and bike pulls much cleaner in all gears and overall now the Bonnie feels even more nimble. However, the downside is that I felt as If iam going at supersonic speeds when the speedo shows only 120kmph. I think could be because was used to riding at way higher speeds with almost zero sound and now suddenly with so much sound its a stark realization of the actual speeds we are doing. Not really sure how to describe this feeling but, will add more when I take the bike on a highway to test it's real potential
And, the most rewarding part of Arrows experience is a symphony of popping, crackling sounds coupled with some gutural rasps in between upon engine brakingthat you hear the moment you get the throttle down and that wonderful mechanical resonance astonishes people on the road and many even got taken aback as i approach a signal and hard brake and slow down with bunch of pops and crackles.
Heck, Bonny really does sound wonderful with those pipes on. I reckon loud pipes are something that takes some getting used to and also its my feeling (could be wrong) that they will be perfect for shorter rides (200-300kms types) but, iam not really sure if i can ride with them for longer rides (who knows I may change this opinion after clocking more miles in a "Baffles Off" mode) anyways, I have the baffles to fall back on if I wish to change my avatar from a rebel to a peace-lover
Cheers and Ride Safe !!!