As Yamaha's smaller entry into the cruiser motorcycle class, the V-Star 650 is packed with enough bad boy attitude to make it stand out in a sea of chromed machines. The rumble of its 649 cc motor is a bit muted by the stock exhaust system, which must adhere to strict noise restrictions. These restrictions can be bypassed by swapping the stock exhaust for a custom set of exhaust pipes, changing VStar's exhaust note from a light puff to a deep rumble. In most cases, the job can be completed in less than an hour, using only basic mechanics tools.
Instructions
1. Select a level work area and park your V-Star on its kick stand. Allow the exhaust pipes, mufflers and motor to cool for at least one hour.
2. Loosen the clamps securing the mufflers to the exhaust pipes, using a 12 mm socket attached to a socket wrench. Unscrew the mufflers' mounting bolts, placed between both mufflers, using your 12 mm socket. Pull the mufflers to the rear of the motorcycle until they are freed from the exhaust pipes.
3. Follow the upper exhaust pipe to the back of the motor's rear cylinder. Unscrew the exhaust pipe's mounting bolts from the cylinder's exhaust port, using your 10 mm socket. Pull the exhaust pipe off of the motor and set it aside.
4. Follow the lower exhaust pipe to the motor's front cylinder. Unscrew the exhaust pipe's mounting bolts with your 12 mm socket. Pull the exhaust pipe off of the motor and set it aside.
5. Reach into both cylinders' exhaust ports and pull out the old exhaust gaskets. Place new exhaust gaskets into both ports.
6. Place the end of the new front cylinder exhaust pipe into the cylinder's exhaust port. Place the rear exhaust pipe into the rear cylinder's exhaust port. Loosely tighten both pipes' mounting bolts with your 12 mm socket.
7. Slip the new mufflers onto the ends of the exhaust pipes. Loosely tighten the mufflers' mounting bolts with a 12 mm socket. Reposition the mufflers and both exhaust pipes until they are aligned.
8. Tighten the exhaust pipes' mounting bolts to 14.5 foot-pounds, using a 12 mm socket attached to a torque wrench. Tighten the mufflers' mounting bolts to 18 foot-pounds with your 12 mm socket and torque wrench. Tighten the mufflers' clamps to 15 foot-pounds with a 10 mm socket and a torque wrench.
Tags: exhaust pipe, exhaust pipes, mounting bolts, your socket, cylinder exhaust, bolts with, cylinder exhaust port
