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06 R1200RT Catalytic Converter removal

cwsenn

Kitsap County Rounder
I am curious if anyone has just removed the catalytic converter while keeping the stock exhaust? Can it be removed without destroying the piping it's encased in and reuse that? Does it provide any benefits or does it create any problems? I am just curious as this is something I have considered doing and yes I know it's against federal law and don't care.
 
You may not care about it, but bet other people do. It gains you nothing. The exhaust is not a limiting factor in airflow through the R1200 motors. Valves are, and removing the cat-converter will do nothing at all for that restriction. The flow is only as big as the smallest opening. It will make the bike considerably louder since the cat-converter also is the primary muffler for the hexhead bikes.
 
Thank you for the reply, I guess I'm just havin an itch to start another project. I guess there's not much point in it if just for a louder exhaust as I like the quiteness and prefer listening to music vice exhaust noise.


Thanks again,
Chuck
 
I will say that I heard a RT a few weeks ago that had a Remus muffler and it sounded nice without being obnoxious. It gave the bike a little more character. That said, a stock bike is often the most reliable one. YMMV.
 
I wish I had an extra catalytic converter to play with. I have a welding shop with every type of process available to use and would love to remove the insides, hook it back up and see how it sounds. It would be chaeper than purchasing new exhaust and the sound might be really nice!
 
Just remember that the CAT is a required item by US and state laws. Most jurisdictions have not started testing MC exhaust as yet, but if checked you will have a very expensive replacement to make.
 
Thank you for the reply, I guess I'm just havin an itch to start another project. I guess there's not much point in it if just for a louder exhaust as I like the quiteness and prefer listening to music vice exhaust noise.


Thanks again,
Chuck

If you want a project that will pay you real dividends in performance, consider integrating a pair of LC-1s from Innovate Motorsports to your 1200. As a by-product you get a deeper exhaust note. There is a lot of information on how to do this in the Oilhead section and a short thread I started here. It can be undone simply, if you wish when you sell your bike.

RB
 
"test pipe"

I would think any competant muffler shop could fabricate a "test pipe" to replace your cat. I use one all the time
on trucks used for OHVs for fire safety. "test pipe" being simply a section of tubing with inlet/outlet matching the cat and bent to fit perfect. That way you could tryout the process without spending a fortune. I suspect that removing the cat won't have the effect you desire, just make more noise, well and pollute the air we have to breathe.
 
Remus has a system already available, so why go to the trouble of fabrication?

A fabbed test pipe would be considerably less money to see if cat removal will give the desired result over a
complete new system. When testing complete, one could easily sell the test pipe to someone else.
 
A fabbed test pipe would be considerably less money to see if cat removal will give the desired result over a
complete new system. When testing complete, one could easily sell the test pipe to someone else.

Not really. We are dealing with metric sized pipes, stainless, and much trickier confines than under your typical 1985 Chevy pickup. Muffler shops just don't normally have the skill level & patience to do a quality job on something like this. A Remus Y pipe would be slightly more money & definitely could be re-sold if need be.
 
The idea that exhausts are generally restrictive these days is complete nonsense. Even massive air flow boosts (1 bar or more boost) with turbos don't need exhaust gutting unless one is seeking ultimate levels of track capable power. The best you can hope for is typically a tiny bit of hp at the very upper end of the rev range and often at the expense of messing up part of the torque curve.
The only reason I can think of to do this is if a stock cat brick breaks loose and jams the pipe (in cages I have a couple times had to rod out broken cats for students whose cat brick fragged during track play) or you simply want to see what it sounds like without it. Louder you'll get but whether you'll like what the result sounds like is iffy.....

See Roger's threads on widebands and LC-1 use if you want to see some proper technical info on improving driveability- but note that on a hexhead or camhead this isn't likely a project many will want to tackle. Which is why he's working on potential simpler installs based on the same ideas..
 
The idea that exhausts are generally restrictive these days is complete nonsense.

Indeed it is. BMW's middle name ain't "motor" for nothing.

Somebody local can have the Remus header that I took off my '08 and replaced with an OE system for pretty cheap. I'm not shipping it anywhere. There was zero/zip/nada performance change doing this.

The Remus, BTW, fits the stock hanger just fine. Good luck with that down to the weldin' shop.
 
Solution

Hey Chuck
Sounds like Kent has your solution! Though procurement could be an issue. Really, despite opinions to the contrary,
a test pipe doesn't have to be pretty (it's only a test) and at least around here, the muffler shops can make amazing stuff dang reasonable. The result will be the same, you'll find that stock really is "better" and you'll pollute the air we all breath less.
I've had a few customers wanting "performance mufflers" over the years and sometimes you can't talk 'em out of it. (not talking BMWs here) So I will install them with the offer of reversal free. Not all take me up on that, but most do. Some of the other platforms consider louder to be better, no so much performance but to be "part of the pack". It is quite unfortunate IMHO as I really dislike loud and fellow users on the roadways find them rude. BMW has had the best exhaust systems since forever, even in the olden days it didn't pay to modify them for street use.
 
Gut your exhaust system , drain your anti freeze on the ground , and your oil goes in with the regular trash along with used batteries unless of course you can find a sinkhole.

And make sure your kids are watching. Have to teach the little ones :jester
 
Thank you all the discussion and yes having a replacement piece made would seem to be the most logical route to take.
Most of the comments were appreciated with exception to the comment by sloride who feels the need to be pessemistic.
 
"A catalytic converter is a vehicle emissions control device which converts toxic byproducts of combustion in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine to less toxic substances by way of catalysed chemical reactions. The specific reactions vary with the type of catalyst installed. Most present-day vehicles that run on gasoline are fitted with a ?three way? converter, so named because it converts the three main pollutants in automobile exhaust: carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen. The first two undergo catalytic combustion and the last is reduced back to nitrogen"


I think if I started a thread titled " I'm tired of recycling oil and batteries ,I'll just put it in the trash" Many members would be outraged. I was pointing out that motorcyclists seem to less concerned and with modifying exhaust systems and creating more air pollution and sometimes noise pollution.

Anyhow I apologize for upsetting anyone with my levity.
 
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