I honestly had zero expectations of finding a comparison between these two pipes that covered EXACTLY the criteria I cared about, so imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this! Thank you!
I agree, it would be great to have this information for more systems. It’s difficult to make well informed decisions when much of the available information lacks objectivity.
You put a lot of effort into into setting up the test accurately and consistently - and even bought a Db meter. Well done! You seem almost like a fellow engineer :) Have you put the meter on the stock exhaust? I have considered both of these pipes...but I ride in some areas where I don't want to announce my presence and have wondered how these compare to the stock exhaust.
I wish I would have had the foresight to put a meter on the stock exhaust, but the whole idea of this video didn’t come about until after I had become discouraged by how loud the MRD exhaust was and wanted to try and help others make more well informed decisions. I didn’t go back and put the stock exhaust on. I’d also really like that information just to know. I totally understand the desire for a quiet setup. It’s got its advantages! Too funny, you called it, I’m an electronics engineer. How about yourself?
Great concise video Cody. I have a 2021 DRZ400sm with the RS-2 system. The baffle just takes the edge off, it's borderline obnoxious without the baffle in when suburban riding.
@@FishStick_ADV yes it is indeed u should make a video on the two systems try using the Yoshimura header with the mrd z-pro exhaust tip and the mrd header with the Yoshimura exhaust tip . Or even try and get my setup the leovince exhaust x3 with fmf powerbomb header.
Loved the video, just wish the MRD was the standard length…maybe you would have been happy? Really informative comparison between the 2 pipes I am interested in.
When you purchase the MRD exhaust from the website, you just have to either leave a note on checkout stating you want the short version, or send Dave an email requesting the short version. You might do both just to be sure. The instructions are located at the bottom of this web page if you'd like to verify what I've written here. Cheers! www.mrd-racing.com/page05.html
cool little experiment. ive got a db meter on order to test the GPR on my WR250X. Will be interesting to see how it compares to the mrd as its basically the equivalent to the GPR for the WR
@@FishStick_ADV so at idle it sits at 92db, at half revs 100db and on the throttle is kinda weird, blipping it gets around 110 and then a bigger blip it jumps to 130. The bike is loud but I dont think its 130db loud. I did repeat many times and it came up always around 130 - but Im gonna say 110 to be safe. so all in all, its about the same volume as the DRZ
@@hisride wow! That thing screams man! Thanks for sharing the results. If it’s 110 that wouldn’t be too bad. it also wouldn’t surprise me if it could reach up and touch 130 with a heavy hand. At this point I’ve accepted the fact that “dirt bikes are loud.” 🤣
I've got a mutt of an exhaust on my drz. Header is TRC titanium, midpipe is TRS stainless, and it's topped off with a RS3 that has been shortened 2 3/4". I got it cheap second hand. Without the baffle it is way too loud, with the baffle it's marginal.
It’s just a generic small engine tach. Very cheap and easy to install. The details are here if you’re interested. Installing a Cheap Tachometer Hour Meter on the DRZ400 ua-cam.com/video/CDeIQN_RkjY/v-deo.html
haha out of fuel, then the state trooper :P i ran out of gas once, on the lower level of the george washington bridge. now THAT was embarrassing. But had same huge tank, did a quick tip to the left hogging up the right lane, then got enough vapors to get out of there haha
I had to look up this bridge… I about shat myself when I saw it! I bet that was terrifying! Glad you were able to slosh the fuel over and get out of there. That’s one heck of a story man!
I wish! I still have the stock exhaust, but haven’t convinced myself there is enough value in swapping everything out again just to take some measurements.
@@FishStick_ADV Fair enough. Collecting useful data would require testing ALL of the exhaust configurations under the same conditions (or under conditions as similar as it's possible to achieve). That would be a bit much.
@@USAltefore right. I should have taken data before removing the OEM pipe and re-jetting, but I didn’t get the idea to do this until after I heard how loud the MRD pipe was. Lol. That said I wonder if it would run “good enough” with the current jetting (with stock pipe) or if I’d have to get in the carb again.
@@FishStick_ADV Oh, that's true! The jetting being calibrated based on using the new pipe makes things tricky. A. OEM pipe with new jetting changes only one variable, but isn't something you'd actually ride. B. OEM pipe with factory jetting changes two variables, which makes it harder to determine how much of the gains come from changing the pipes.
I once ran a cheap Delkevic pipe on a sport bike of mine back in the day and honestly… it was awesome for the money. It had a very nice finish and held up for years until the day I sold the bike. I’m sure there are some other quality budget systems out there, but that’s the only “cheap” brand I have experience with.
@FishStick_ADV Thanks a guy had a video on a gify,full exhaust 230 bucks loved it and was definitely faster,I just bought a 23 drz400 and the muffler looks really restricted
@@skatman3872 I haven’t heard of that brand, but I doubt you can go wrong for the money. That’s a great price. The factory system is restrictive, but hey it’s also super quiet. Perks to that too. Just installing a jet kit with the factory pipe wakes things up. I know you can get different end caps for the stock muffler off eBay and such that have a larger opening if you want to try something REALLY cheap before dropping the money. A jet kit and a cheap pipe would make them dollars go a lot farther than these crazy ~$600 systems.
That’s 120.8 decibels without a load on the engine. I’d be willing to bet that’s not the end of the story. It’s so loud. I appreciate you for recognizing how obnoxious that number really is.
I ended up leaving the RS-2 on my machine. I did that for a couple of reasons. While I believe the MRD is a great piece that has its place, my bike is unlikely to ever produce output numbers that warrant the flow of an MRD, and speaking honestly, hearing conservation is a priority of mine due to my history with hearing loss and tinnitus. With my bike mostly stock, I’m unable to differentiate a performance difference. All things considered, the RS-2 makes more sense for me. I did love ripping around with the MRD. It has a presence and character about it that’s unmistakable.
@@keldonator is it the shorty or the full length version? Mine was the shorty. I’m sure it’s slightly louder than the full length version. I rode with the mrd for about two years. It’s loud, but I always wear foam ear plugs under my helmet to protect the ears. It’s certainly fun to make noise with the the mrd.
I honestly had zero expectations of finding a comparison between these two pipes that covered EXACTLY the criteria I cared about, so imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this! Thank you!
I’m really stoked you found this helpful. This is basically the video I wish I had when I was looking at pipes. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. 🤜🤛
Man this is awesome, I wish someone would do this with more exhaust systems. I don't want a loud or heavy system but want the improved flow.
I agree, it would be great to have this information for more systems. It’s difficult to make well informed decisions when much of the available information lacks objectivity.
Absolutely loved the video thank you for all the time and effort you put into it! 👍👍👏
Much appreciated, John!
Thank you for sharing this information! The differences are really significant here as decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale. Much appreciated!
Very true! In linear terms, it gets real gnarly, real quick. Glad you found the info interesting!
Thanks for doing the work we havent. Great spec talk. Love it.
Excellent and thorough comparison video! I practice wheelies by Holloway Park every evening. Small world!
That's so cool! Wish I still lived in Lakeland. I was fired from my job for refusing covid injections and ended up having to move to Orlando... Sucks.
@@FishStick_ADV wow, sry to hear that you experienced that, but happy you stuck to your beliefs. Salute!
You put a lot of effort into into setting up the test accurately and consistently - and even bought a Db meter. Well done! You seem almost like a fellow engineer :) Have you put the meter on the stock exhaust? I have considered both of these pipes...but I ride in some areas where I don't want to announce my presence and have wondered how these compare to the stock exhaust.
I wish I would have had the foresight to put a meter on the stock exhaust, but the whole idea of this video didn’t come about until after I had become discouraged by how loud the MRD exhaust was and wanted to try and help others make more well informed decisions. I didn’t go back and put the stock exhaust on. I’d also really like that information just to know. I totally understand the desire for a quiet setup. It’s got its advantages! Too funny, you called it, I’m an electronics engineer. How about yourself?
Great concise video Cody. I have a 2021 DRZ400sm with the RS-2 system. The baffle just takes the edge off, it's borderline obnoxious without the baffle in when suburban riding.
I've got the leovince x3 exhaust tip with the fmf powerbomb header on my drz400sm sounds awesome !
That’s an interesting combination!
@@FishStick_ADV yes it is indeed u should make a video on the two systems try using the Yoshimura header with the mrd z-pro exhaust tip and the mrd header with the Yoshimura exhaust tip . Or even try and get my setup the leovince exhaust x3 with fmf powerbomb header.
Loved the video, just wish the MRD was the standard length…maybe you would have been happy? Really informative comparison between the 2 pipes I am interested in.
How do I buy the shorty full exhaust system I can’t see it on the website hit me up with the info!
When you purchase the MRD exhaust from the website, you just have to either leave a note on checkout stating you want the short version, or send Dave an email requesting the short version. You might do both just to be sure. The instructions are located at the bottom of this web page if you'd like to verify what I've written here. Cheers! www.mrd-racing.com/page05.html
@@FishStick_ADV sheesh thanks bro
cool little experiment. ive got a db meter on order to test the GPR on my WR250X. Will be interesting to see how it compares to the mrd as its basically the equivalent to the GPR for the WR
Heck I’d actually like to see that too. Are you planning to post results?
@@FishStick_ADV Yeah ill keep you updated mate 👍
@@FishStick_ADV so at idle it sits at 92db, at half revs 100db and on the throttle is kinda weird, blipping it gets around 110 and then a bigger blip it jumps to 130. The bike is loud but I dont think its 130db loud. I did repeat many times and it came up always around 130 - but Im gonna say 110 to be safe. so all in all, its about the same volume as the DRZ
@@hisride wow! That thing screams man! Thanks for sharing the results. If it’s 110 that wouldn’t be too bad. it also wouldn’t surprise me if it could reach up and touch 130 with a heavy hand. At this point I’ve accepted the fact that “dirt bikes are loud.” 🤣
I've got a mutt of an exhaust on my drz. Header is TRC titanium, midpipe is TRS stainless, and it's topped off with a RS3 that has been shortened 2 3/4". I got it cheap second hand. Without the baffle it is way too loud, with the baffle it's marginal.
When kind of tach is that? Was it hard to install?
It’s just a generic small engine tach. Very cheap and easy to install. The details are here if you’re interested.
Installing a Cheap Tachometer Hour Meter on the DRZ400
ua-cam.com/video/CDeIQN_RkjY/v-deo.html
haha out of fuel, then the state trooper :P i ran out of gas once, on the lower level of the george washington bridge. now THAT was embarrassing. But had same huge tank, did a quick tip to the left hogging up the right lane, then got enough vapors to get out of there haha
I had to look up this bridge… I about shat myself when I saw it! I bet that was terrifying! Glad you were able to slosh the fuel over and get out of there. That’s one heck of a story man!
Please tell what size, make and model tires you are running on your DRZ? They look tuff.
@@CEEPMDEE they are the Twinduro TKC 80 by Continental. The front is a 120/70 -17 and the rear is a 140/80-17.
Good work documenting your findings! Do you have data for the stock exhaust?
I wish! I still have the stock exhaust, but haven’t convinced myself there is enough value in swapping everything out again just to take some measurements.
@@FishStick_ADV Fair enough. Collecting useful data would require testing ALL of the exhaust configurations under the same conditions (or under conditions as similar as it's possible to achieve). That would be a bit much.
@@USAltefore right. I should have taken data before removing the OEM pipe and re-jetting, but I didn’t get the idea to do this until after I heard how loud the MRD pipe was. Lol. That said I wonder if it would run “good enough” with the current jetting (with stock pipe) or if I’d have to get in the carb again.
@@FishStick_ADV Oh, that's true! The jetting being calibrated based on using the new pipe makes things tricky.
A. OEM pipe with new jetting changes only one variable, but isn't something you'd actually ride.
B. OEM pipe with factory jetting changes two variables, which makes it harder to determine how much of the gains come from changing the pipes.
What do you think of the cheap exhausts out there
I once ran a cheap Delkevic pipe on a sport bike of mine back in the day and honestly… it was awesome for the money. It had a very nice finish and held up for years until the day I sold the bike. I’m sure there are some other quality budget systems out there, but that’s the only “cheap” brand I have experience with.
@FishStick_ADV Thanks a guy had a video on a gify,full exhaust 230 bucks loved it and was definitely faster,I just bought a 23 drz400 and the muffler looks really restricted
@@skatman3872 I haven’t heard of that brand, but I doubt you can go wrong for the money. That’s a great price. The factory system is restrictive, but hey it’s also super quiet. Perks to that too. Just installing a jet kit with the factory pipe wakes things up. I know you can get different end caps for the stock muffler off eBay and such that have a larger opening if you want to try something REALLY cheap before dropping the money. A jet kit and a cheap pipe would make them dollars go a lot farther than these crazy ~$600 systems.
@FishStick_ADV I agree with the airbox mod should run better
Just wondering, what tires are those?
They are the TKC80 by Continental. Front and back.
No rev with the silencer in the yosh?
It should be in there, it’s just out of order because I did forget to do it initially.
@@FishStick_ADV Ill go look again. I have MRD on my bike and it makes my ears ring, trying to find a more ear friendly alternative. Thoughts?
Do you guys realize how fkng loud 120.8 db is ? Major cop magnet and also terrible for your hearing.
That’s 120.8 decibels without a load on the engine. I’d be willing to bet that’s not the end of the story. It’s so loud. I appreciate you for recognizing how obnoxious that number really is.
Which one did you end up leaving on?
I ended up leaving the RS-2 on my machine. I did that for a couple of reasons. While I believe the MRD is a great piece that has its place, my bike is unlikely to ever produce output numbers that warrant the flow of an MRD, and speaking honestly, hearing conservation is a priority of mine due to my history with hearing loss and tinnitus. With my bike mostly stock, I’m unable to differentiate a performance difference. All things considered, the RS-2 makes more sense for me. I did love ripping around with the MRD. It has a presence and character about it that’s unmistakable.
@@FishStick_ADV I just got a second hand mrd without the quiet insert, I'm afraid to even put it on now lol
@@keldonator is it the shorty or the full length version? Mine was the shorty. I’m sure it’s slightly louder than the full length version. I rode with the mrd for about two years. It’s loud, but I always wear foam ear plugs under my helmet to protect the ears. It’s certainly fun to make noise with the the mrd.
Thanks for the informative video! Would you mind sharing that rear rack you have? It looks very good! Cheers!
No problem! It’s the rack offered by Precision Motorcycle Racks. Here is a link.
www.pmracks.com/products.php?id=19