Loud Exhaust On Snowmobiles... Is there a place for this anymore?

icr · Oct 12, 2009

mountainhorse said:
Get bigger mufflers made that hold more packing at least.

Your exhaust is custom made... the builder could have gone the slightly more expensive route and made a better muffler for it...

Since it is an SLP exhaust... and they don't build "one offs" for the gen population... what model exhaust was used for your sled? How was it tuned?

I don't have room for larger mufflers, not significantly larger anyways. The exhaust is based off SLPs twins for a 900 king cat, if you want more detailed info I can refer you to the builder (I bought the sled second hand) but unless you're inquiring so you can build me a quieter exhaust I don't see the point.

Scott said:
If someone made me some QUIETER exhausts for it, I'd give it a try....but nobody makes quiet stingers for twin pipes that are still light. NO, SLP does not either.

bingo. Loud doesn't always mean fast...sometimes to be fast it has to be loud. My last sled was an 800 with full SLP exhaust. I loved it, sounded stock, ripped, was totally silent under four feet of snow (with helmet on), very odd experience. But I wanted more power and it came with more noise.

snowrdr · Oct 12, 2009

Here let me spell out the V-Twin Street bike versus Snowmobile argument.

Loud V-twin= fix it ticket or a $200.00 fine.

Loud Snowmobiles= closed public lands

Not riding ATV's on Trails=closed public lands

Hugging trees= closed public lands

Obama supporter=closed Public Lands.

Oops got a bit off track.

Ollie · Oct 13, 2009

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5325438/description.html

here is part of the system I was talking about.
It cancels the noise without inpeding the flow of gasses.
So, all the pluses and non of the negatives.
So why can't we do this kind of thing for sleds??

2XM3 · Oct 13, 2009

I really dont think the problem is people (sledders) not wanting a more quite exhaust system, I think the problem is that the folks who want areas closed will not stop there..so why give them a inch? It is a classic deal..take outboards.

well ur outboards are a bit 2 loud with the exhaust so could you please quite them down a bit? Well ok we will we will now run our exhaust underwater even thought we lose 10 hp or so and add more complexity and cost to the unit we will do this so as not to bother you and enjoy our boating

well ur outboards are not quiet but we think ur premix is putting out 2 much smoke so could u perhaps design a system to limit the oil ratio at low speeds/loads so as to not cause that much smoke? OK we will now use oil injection even if it adds 5 pounds and the complexity of pumps,metering ect ect

well ur outboards are now smoke free but...we have a study that shows the under water exhaust bothers the fish in this area so can u please not allow any of ur exhaust the water anymore?? well ok we will now use a air exhaust with a complex muffler system even tho it adds cost and another 5 pounds

well ur outboards now comply but we had study that found that some of the birds in the area have 3 less feathers on there right wing and it is linked to the 2 stroke smell so can u now only use 4 strokes on the lake? ok we will now design a 4 stroke outboard that costs twice as much and is insanely complex and weighs 200 lbs more so we are happy right??

well thats nice but we now feel that the act of the propeller turning disturbs the eco system of the lake by the unatural harmonics it causes so could you please not use and motor powered boats anymore??Ok we will comply and now only go camping and use wind or human powered boats

well thats nice but we have found that the very act of people on the lake surface bothers the mating of 2 types of fresh water shrimp so we need to close the lake surface to all activity...Ok we will just go camp an the shore with our family

well thats nice but we have found that your presence within 500 yards of the lake bother the photoplankten and thus cause a pattern of negative energy to develope in the aura of the micro-alge so we need to close the lake for 500 yards..
Ok we will now camp 500 yards away from the lake so as not to disturb the auras

well thats nice but we now think that you driving to the lake is causing the decline of the rare 3 peckered wolf-bear we think one of our members took a picture of in the area one night
(during the anual winter solstice ritual when he was stoned out of his head on peyote and the home grown organic pot we smoke out there). and if allowed to decline the jack-a-lope wont have a predator and run amuck.
so we not have to make the entire area a wilderness area
well Ok we will just stay home and watch tv......................................

well thats nice but we have found that ur tv...............................................................................ad nausem.......

And that my friends is the problem.....

quite exhaust?? I have no problem with that at all , its where it leads that I have a HUGE issue with.

How bout this one? oh BTW ur rifle shooting when hunting bothers me can you please make it quiet?? u can guess where that leads...............................................................

Scott · Oct 13, 2009

I know about that big quiet suitcase that SLP has for the twin pipes...but that thing makes your twin pipes heavier than the stock pipe and can.

It's not really a plus to have that muffler system because of the weight and heat it retains inside your sled, IMO.

PassRev · Oct 13, 2009

2XM3 said:
How bout this one? oh BTW ur rifle shooting when hunting bothers me can you please make it quiet?? u can guess where that leads...............................................................

legalized suppressors?

ruffryder · Oct 13, 2009

Ollie said:
The sad part is, it is only a small part of the population portraying a negative image about snowmbiles and ohv's to the general public

fixed if for you..

One thing that is a little disturbing is the idea that 5 hp and 10 lbs will severely limit the amount of fun you have on your snowmobile. I mean seriously, I hope all these guys weigh 185 lbs... and have their clutching completely dialed, cause increased hp without optimized clutching = still poor performance...

This mentality is part of the problem. There will never be enough hp, or a light enough sled, everyone will always be looking for for more power and lighter weight. But how far will it go? Is that extra 5 hp worth being a noise nuisance? Is that 10 lb reduction worth bothering an extra 10 or 15 people up on the hills?

Winning the battle against loosing more riding areas is going to take many sacrifices. Sacrifices in time, as the amount of time required to keep your riding areas open, to have a voice that is heard, needs to be increased. Sacrifices in riding areas, staying in the bounds of the perscribed or given location, not venturing into the wilderness. And what seems to be biggest of all, unfortunately, are sacrifices (small IMO) in performance.

Well, hopefully the result of enough of these discussions and mind shifts will be new market oportunities for light weight and quiet exhaust. Unfortunately, they will probably priced such that you have to spend a lot more to be quiet..

2XM3 · Oct 13, 2009

PassRev said:
legalized suppressors?

HAHAHA....thats what I was thinking too................:beer;:beer;:beer;

mountainhorse · Oct 13, 2009

X2M3.... I know what you are feeling.... Remember, we are all sledders on this forum and we all care weather or not we'll be able to sled in the future.

I think the problem is that the folks who want areas closed will not stop there..so why give them a inch?

The groups that want to close off access to the trails are NOT asking for you to "GIVE" them anything... If we as sledders don't choose to interact with the public in a civil way... closure groups will continue to use our own lack of control against us.

"Why give them and inch, they'll take a mile" Also works from the oppositions view, for the same stubborn reasons that sledders with loud pipes/Turbos use.

Now about outboards....

I'm in the marine industry (Yachts), and in the antique boat preservation business for some time now.

Underwater exhausts have been around since the 50's....at the request of the Users/Buyers of the engines so that they were enjoyable to use. Run a 250 hp Optimax outboard and tell me that the engine lacks power.

I've used small lakes in Michigan and all over this country since the the early 70's (before that when I was a kid).... Going to cleaner burning engines and taking away the ability for people to mix too much oil has been a benifit to all those that use the lakes... The oil residue on some of those lakes back in the day was pretty bad. That is the reason for going to injection and getting away from premix. I have ZERO problem with that as a user of the lakes, a mechanic and user of the lakes in general. If it adds to the complexity and cost.... so be it...gotta pay to play. 4 strokes on the lakes are the best solution... I see plenty of bass boats that can do 60mph + with a 4 stroke on the back.

I could go on Ad nauseum... but what does this do for SNOWMOBILING?

I see the rest of the sarcasm to try to prove a point... but really, does it?

ICR, the builder of your exhaust chose to use the least expensive mufflers available for your install, I can see the many reasons for it... from keeping the customers business by not making the price too high, to keeping the profit margin so he can pay his heating bill... But like you said in your earlier post, you would pay more if something was available. Did you ask him to make it somewhat quiet when you had the pipes made?

You also, I noticed, live in Fairbanks... lots more friendly "others" and much less dense in population than say Colorado, Utah, Wa or Ca...
A snowmobiler in Colorado has different levels of exposure to the public at large. In short, you run into less people that don't like sleds than your average sledder on mount hood or Togwotee.

Is your need for the last drop of power more important than others need for an enjoyable outdoor experience... including other sledders? Is it more important than keeping lands open for as long as possible?

Don't get me wrong, I consider you as a brother in the sport, and I mean that sincerely, that is why I'm taking the time to present this topic... If you and I sat down in your garage with a beer, we'd probably end up talking for hours about how we love snowmobiling and wrenching... so please don't take this discussion as disrespect for you.

You want to make your stand on exhaust... Normally, I'd say go right ahead, but your decision to do this gives the opposition more PUBLIC justification to close down access for everyone.

I am a firm believer that if WE, as snomobilers act on our OWN behalf to participate more responsibly with the public we share the mountains with, we have a better chance of enjoying the mountains in years to come... Right now, the writing is on the wall, and it does not look very good for access for OHV's.

When the closure groups show videos of sledders to prove their point, they dont show Mom and Dad on their clean burning XP or Nitro with little Sally sue on the back in her pink helmet.... they show the guy on the turbo sled with straight dump exhaust using trees for traction Brappin loud enough to be heard in the whole valley.

When it comes to legislation for land closures.... ESPECIALLY in this economy... if it comes down to the cost of sound sampling out in the field or closing down the area and not having to pay for this.... well then, often times these days... that is an easy question to answer.

I feel for you and the point that you don't want anyone to tell you what to do... but at some point, we need to step back and take a look at how much we enjoy what we do here and regulate ourselves.

I'm a mod sled owner... Love the wrenching, the performance and hanging out and just talking about it sometimes...BUT, most of the mountain sleds out there are run BOX-STOCK for their entire life.... way more than are modded, even with just a can.

Like I said before, your loud exhaust will not be taken away, your abiliy to sled in the backcountry will.

The New Colorado sound check system is in place because the sleds were too loud, there is not a stock exhaust, in functioning condition, made in the last 10 years that wont pass this test, I doubt that there are any of the SLP systems or other companies that make it a point to invest in technology to make exhaust that performs well, and controls sound output. Companies, like SLP, have helped stave off a govt mandated ban on aftermarket exhausts being manufactured.. that will be the easy way to limit it. They do it with aftermarket car parts, it would be much easier to do it with sled parts.

Superjag · Oct 13, 2009

Ok, let me preface this by stating that I'm a flatlander. And from Minnesota too, so FU Scott

. I ride out west maybe twice per year, and let's face it, we aren't facing the land closure issues here in the midwest like you guys are in the mountains.

Having said that, I do have my a$$ in the seat of my sled every chance I get, and I ususally put on a couple thousand miles a year. And I think mountainhorse brings up some very valid points, mostly because I have the interesting perspective of being married to a greenie. My wife grew up in the outdoors. Her family (parents were hippies) lived on Lake Superior, and they spent a ton of time camping and hiking, but not ever doing anything "motorized". They had a sailboat, not a powerboat. Until we started dating, she had never been on a sled, or a dirtbike, or a jetski, or a decent-sized (30'+) boat with a motor. And if you'd have asked her what she thought of all those acitivites she would have used words that keep popping up in this thread: "Noisy", "smelly", "polluting", "scare off all the animals", etc. She'd have told you that snowmobiles ruin the peace and quiet of nature and are obnoxious and unnecessary. Because it all depends on your perspective.

But then, a few years back, we spent a few days in West Yellowstone. Rented sleds (even though she didn't really want to), went up to Two Top, and some of the other areas nearby. You know what? She liked it. Mostly because the snowmobile allowed her to go places and see things that she would never have experienced otherwise. But you know what else? She still thought they were loud and smelly. Even made comments along the lines of "It's too bad they have to be so loud." So, the next time we went riding, we rented her a 4-stroke. And you know what? She liked it even better, because it wasn't as loud. Even more than that, she liked knowing that the sled she was on wasn't as loud to other people who might be out enjoying the woods. So now we're getting somewhere.

The point of my rambling story is this: I guarantee you there are plenty of people out there like my wife. People who have preconceived notions of sleds and sledders, often based on their limited experiences from well outside the world of snowmobiling. And like mhorse said, many of those people are going to use any thing they can to try and bolster their position, whether it be noise or pollution or whetever. And anything we can do to underime that position by doing things like making sleds quieter is certainly not going to hurt. I recognize that it's not going to change everyone's mind or work any miracles. But I can tell you from first hand experience that it certainly can help change some people's minds. And given the great disparity in the power balance between "us" and "them", I'd argue that "we" need the help more than "they" do.

Just my .02.

The Fourth Wolf · Oct 13, 2009

Thanks to mountainhorse. This is a serious topic worthy of serious discussion.

IMO what we need to keep in mind is that it's not our opinion that matters, nor is it the opinion of the anti's that matters. It's the opinion of the general public...the non-aligned, check writing, vote casting, congressman calling general public that ultimately decides our fate.

We "know" sledding has a minimal net impact on the environment and we have empirical evidence that refutes the emotional arguments of the greenie crowd. But none of that matters because the future of our access won't be decided on the merits of facts it will be decided on IMPRESSIONS.

Impressions sway public opinion one way or another. This is how EVERY election and every public debate is decided. The side that controls how the public views the debate wins every single time. That, my sledding friends is reality.

With regard to the pipe/can issue we have the ability to control this one aspect of our impression on the public. Sure the greenies will fight tooth and nail to run us off of public land no matter what we do but like I said, it's not about them. Don't be so distracted or blinded by a desire to defy the anti-crowd that you lose sight of the larger prize--winning the war of public opinion. Running quieter exhaust is just part of that strategy, especially considering that the technology for quiet & high performance is pretty common.

We have to police ourselves and our friends, and be good ambassadors for the sport. This means not acting like an azzhole when on, or in the company of, a snowmobile. That includes not driving drunk, racing through town in the middle of the night, braaping the throttle when common sense says "proceed quietly". It also means joining pro-sledding orgs like your local club, state association and SAWS because another part of this reality is there is power in numbers.

I'm not saying we tuck tail and bend over at every protest. I'm saying we should fight this smarter not harder. If the grandma's, ministers and suburban soccer mom's come away from their encounters with sleds and sledders with the impression (there's that word again) that we're a bunch of hoodlums...we're dead.

2XM3 · Oct 13, 2009

mountainhorse said:
X2M3.... I know what you are feeling.... Remember, we are all sledders on this forum and we all care weather or not we'll be able to sled in the future.

Now about outboards....

I'm in the marine industry (Yachts), and in the antique boat preservation business for some time now.

Underwater exhausts have been around since the 50's....at the request of the Users/Buyers of the engines so that they were enjoyable to use. Run a 250 hp Optimax outboard and tell me that the engine lacks power.

I've used small lakes in Michigan and all over this country since the the early 70's (before that when I was a kid).... Going to cleaner burning engines and taking away the ability for people to mix too much oil has been a benifit to all those that use the lakes... The oil residue on some of those lakes back in the day was pretty bad. That is the reason for going to injection and getting away from premix. I have ZERO problem with that as a user of the lakes, a mechanic and user of the lakes in general. If it adds to the complexity and cost.... so be it...gotta pay to play. 4 strokes on the lakes are the best solution... I see plenty of bass boats that can do 60mph + with a 4 stroke on the back.

I could go on Ad nauseum... but what does this do for SNOWMOBILING?

Yes i do agree with you my entire post was just using outboards as a example,I pretty much could have used anything to make the point ,feel free to plug in anything you want, guns,harleys,music,cows farting, not posining prarrie dogs ,hunting...whatever u choose.

Adding to the cost? well what if sleds suddenly cost about 35,000.00 cause of all the high tech crap for emissions/noise ect? do we really just say "tuff,you gotta pay to play?" Yes there are good 4 stroke boats, but you are not gunna run 120+unless u have a stv, mirage or allison with a well built 2.5 drag(400 hp at the shaft @14,000 rpm btw) on the back, pre mix,loud,wicked fast. I know I raced them for 12 years.Im not saying a optimax does not make good power for what it is, but compared to a good 2.5 its a heavy roach. So really that is all in the eye of the user.

Im 49 years old ran my own race engine shop 4 26 years and retired up here in montana,ive lived in NJ,AZ Fla and now MT. I have written 100's of letters fighting land closure in AZ,went to all the meetings I could...and always tried to play the give and take game, but guess what? the game is rigged...they always go back on there word and just pick another item to fight over.
Ok so we all agree loud exhaust is not the best thing for our sport.
But I will then ask u a question? Where do you personally draw your line in the sand? just wondering..speed limits? horsepower limits? any 2 stroke? any off designated route riding? Yes I will say the loud exhaust does not have a place in a area used by other people doing there outdoor activities, but where do we really stop and say enough is enough?

We are losing our freedoms at a amazing rate this is just one small example of it.Please excuse the rant but its just the humble opinion of a cranky old racer.

Btw if ur ever up this way please give me a shout and we will go sledding only 12 minutes from my house.....:beer;:beer;:beer;

XC700116 · Oct 13, 2009

Superjag said:
Ok, let me preface this by stating that I'm a flatlander. And from Minnesota too, so FU Scott . I ride out west maybe twice per year, and let's face it, we aren't facing the land closure issues here in the midwest like you guys are in the mountains.

I know this might not be on the point of the thread but lets look at MN as an example of what can and does happen. I'm originally from MN and grew up in the Brainerd area, and as a former member of a local club there, There is land closure issues there as well. Most are in the form of trail closures where they cross private land due to the irresponsibility of a few damaging fences, trees, driveways, etc., as well as the noise issue. Along with those there is a movement there to close down trails through what little public land there is there as well.

Now in MN, there is very few places where you can ride an ATV or Dirtbike (dirtbikes especially) on public land, part of this is due to a lack of public land in general. As for sleds you're relegated to the ditches or trails for the most part there is hardly any off trail riding to do legally. Do they have a first rate trail system? yes they do but it's not in place in the west and the trails in the west will go away with the off trail areas. I had never known the freedom on a snowmobile that I know now until I rode the mountains.

All of this is an example of what can and will happen unless we do our part and make an organized responsible effort to keep our areas open. As said above A line does need to be drawn in the sand but we need to look at where we draw that line that gives us the best advantage. Remember the positive things we bring to areas, tourism $$ mostly and it is appreciated by local business. When that line is drawn I think we need to draw it in the best place for the public at large while keeping what we love. Reasonable sound levels is a pretty easy give away for us while the land is not. I think the new law in CO is reasonable, 88Db from 12 ft away and @4000 RPM is not too tough to stay within. Putting our best foot forward and presenting our case logically and showing the good things we do is our best chance to get the public at large on our side vs the side of the Greenies.

sledcaddie · Oct 13, 2009

results from loud exhausts

Yes, thank Mountainhorse for starting this topic. 2XM3 also brought up a good comparison about outboards and lakes. The comparison I will make is with personal watercraft (jet skis).
These started about 1974 harmlessly enough. Then people started "gutting" the silencer box, making it sound like a loud chainsaw going across the lake

..not any faster, just louder (proven with radar guns). Lakes are similar to our National Parks in that they are both controlled spaces. Over the years, we've all heard or read about LOTS of lakes (public & private) totally banning jet skis.

IMO, noise was a major factor. Being involved with the jet ski industry for over 30 years, I know the government HAS stepped in and set limits on noise and top speed. The government can't ban loud Harleys from the highways, because the road system is not a confined space, so they just fine them for disturbing the peace. So if jet skis can be banned from the lakes because of noise, loud snowmobiles can contribute to the same result in our Parks system.
So, weigh the options. Keep your sleds quiet and increase your chances of keeping existing riding areas, or have a loud sled that you can drive around on only your private property.

LPIdaho · Oct 13, 2009

Ollie said:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5325438/description.html

here is part of the system I was talking about.
It cancels the noise without inpeding the flow of gasses.
So, all the pluses and non of the negatives.
So why can't we do this kind of thing for sleds??

this is the kind of thinking we need going on. I'd honestly love it if my sled was quieter with the same output!

icr · Oct 13, 2009

mountainhorse said:
Don't get me wrong, I consider you as a brother in the sport, and I mean that sincerely, that is why I'm taking the time to present this topic... If you and I sat down in your garage with a beer, we'd probably end up talking for hours about how we love snowmobiling and wrenching... so please don't take this discussion as disrespect for you.

I'd also like to say I don't take anything on this thread personally, I think it's an important topic for everyone in our sport to discuss as it affects all of us, even those with stock sleds. I'll also add I've found many of your posts on this forum insightful and helpful so please don't take any thing I say as disrespectful as that's not how it's meant. That being said...

ICR, the builder of your exhaust chose to use the least expensive mufflers available for your install, I can see the many reasons for it... from keeping the customers business by not making the price too high, to keeping the profit margin so he can pay his heating bill... But like you said in your earlier post, you would pay more if something was available. Did you ask him to make it somewhat quiet when you had the pipes made?

As I mentioned before, I bought the sled second hand, post modified exhaust if you will. I did not have the pipes made otherwise I would have inquired about quieter exhaust, although I don't believe it's possible without performance loss, both in HP and weight. I also don't believe we can assume the mufflers used were the least expensive available, if you can show otherwise I'm willing to listen. What are you basing that assumption on?

You also, I noticed, live in Fairbanks... lots more friendly "others" and much less dense in population than say Colorado, Utah, Wa or Ca...
A snowmobiler in Colorado has different levels of exposure to the public at large. In short, you run into less people that don't like sleds than your average sledder on mount hood or Togwotee.

True, I also choose not to ride in town (it's legal) to avoid noise complaints and I'm respectful of other riders space in the mountains when I run into another group (rarely).

Is your need for the last drop of power more important than others need for an enjoyable outdoor experience... including other sledders? Is it more important than keeping lands open for as long as possible?

No to both. Luckily I'm neither ruining others experiences or closing lands. As I've mentioned before, I don't ride crowded areas, I've never had a noise complaint about my sled from anyone much less another rider, several compliments actually.

It seems this thread was started to show sledders are painted with the same brush based on loud sleds and so no one should have loud pipes. I responded to disprove that and answer the title question Loud Exhaust On Snowmobiles... Is there a place for this anymore? Yep, where I ride.

If anyone on this thread is truly, and I mean honestly and sincerely concerned with ruining another persons out door experience or closing land...sell your sled. Sounds dramatic right? But think about it, skiers don't want you there, even with a stock can. Even a non polluting, silent sled would still be tracking up "their snow". So you ARE ruining someone's experience.

And even if you don't ride into wilderness areas or litter, you're still increasing pressure on the local ecosystem which could in itself cause more closed land or at least more restrictions. So be the change you want to see, sell your sled and use the money to battle land closures.

Me? I'll keep riding my loud sled where it's legal, while it's legal, and fight land closure as much as I can. But I won't give in to the greenies demands until forced to.

mountainhorse · Oct 13, 2009

Thanks for the kind words bruddah!

But I won't give in to the greenies demands until forced to.

With the big numbers of loud exhausts on sleds, even though there are more stock exhausts on the snow than modified ones... IMO, being forced to will happen... sooner.

And like pointed out in some well worded posts above... It won't be the greenies, but the public who is neither green nor 2-stroke blue.

To bring it up again, you are part of that .05% of riders that live where noise or public interaction are not an issue.

I cannot think of a SINGLE lower 48 state location where your situation is the norm... maybe it exists.

Stingers are less expensive to build than mufflers... especially mufflers that are part of a tuned exhaust system. Your sled probably rips, but I bet it would rip even better with a full custom exhaust that was not an adaptation of an exhaust made for a lower compression, 150cc smaller, off the shelf motor than that billet UBR beauty you ride.

justadude · Oct 13, 2009

Staying focused on the main question and original post...............................................................................................................
NO! They hurt our sport. They are annoying like a Harley with redickless after market pipes and frankly loud cans on sled are no different than a stupid fart can on a 140HP Honda Accord!! Can you say MONSTER Energy Drinks???

Ok if you are under 25 you might have an excuse other than that........................................................I think you know where i'm at on this.

mountainhorse said:
OK... I'll start up a nice "HOT" topic that, IMO, needs to be discussed more... especially as we see more and more lands getting closed to sled access.

Non-Snomobiler impressions of snowmobiles are being directed by some people that primarily show loud exhausts in videos etc to ruin the public image, of snowmbile riders and their machines. Non sledders/offroaders outnumber sledders/offroaders by a Gargantuan margin.

"They'll have to pry it out of my cold dead hands" ??? Well, "they" just might:face-icon-small-fro

And "they" wont just be granola crunchin greenies... I've met plenty of card carrying, large carbon footprint, ultra conservatives that could give a rats azz about sledding and find them to be very irritating... so lets not make this into a Conservative Vs. Liberal thing.

Loud exhaust does not equal "PERFORMANCE"... It just makes you feel that your sled is making more power... compared to a Well Designed quiet exhaust. You can design a quite exhaust, be it 2 or 4 stroke, to make just as much power or more than a straight exhaust...It just costs a bit more.

"Screw the Greenies... I'll run as loud of exhaust as I want to!!" is actually "Screwing" ourselves as snomobilers....

I like the sound of a nice loud engine running in good tune...Weather that is John Forces funny car or a good running MX bike.

But we live in a shrinking world today

What sounds "Sweet" to you can sound really BAD to others.

Look at it this way... if you were sitting in your living room, with your best buddies, watching the Superbowl on your new surround sound equipped 50" plasma TV... beer is flowing / steaks on the grille...... and in the middle of the second quarter....the neighbor kid and 6 of his buddies decide to "tune" their chainsaw-engine powered Go-Peds for the next 2 hours, on and off ...with straight pipes..... Would you sit down and say... "Heck, junior has the right to run what he has....I'll just turn the volume up a bit"

OR

You are fishing a great little trout spot... and 6 loud dirt bikes decide to ride there while you fish...

OR....

You are hunting and somebody keeps ripping buy in their modded turbo RZR for a while and scares off that prize 12 pointer....What would happen?

Others may say "Well that analogy doesn't apply to me....I only ride EXTREME backcountry and there are no other people around"... Is that ACTUALLY true??? Do you live and ride in the Yukon hinterlands?? Can no one else hear you... when you unload in the lot, or take the fire/logging road to get to your favorite spot??? If you really can say yes to this... then you are in the 0.05% of the snombilers out there.

"Loud pipes save lives"... That dog just don't hunt anymore... that excuse has far too many negative consequences to it.

IMO, Loud cans/stingers or straight Turbo exhausts are bad for the public image of sleds...
Those that ride with loud pipes are causing more damage than just "pizzing off a hippie". They are taking away from the future of snowmobiling in the backcountry....

Radar guns, speed limits on trails with Police watching....boy, that sounds good!

Bad public image of snowmobiles...even from people that are NOT 'greenies' starts a chain reaction from other people that don't care if motorized access is closed.

It is sad to say... but the PUBLIC OPINION will decide weather or not we have sledding access in the future.

We don't need any new people that want to take away sledding access.

Manufacturers that make loud exhaust products are actually hurting, IMO, their own long-term ability to make a living off of snowmobiles...if sledding areas keep getting closed at the rate they are = big problem.

FLAME AWAY!!

justadude · Oct 13, 2009

You mention performance loss. Sorry not the Holy Grail of excuses or the you can't touch this card.
If I quit eating so much and didn't drink and ran 2 miles a day I would have the best performance mod on a sled I could buy!!!!
Respectfully! Just saying!

icr said:
I'd also like to say I don't take anything on this thread personally, I think it's an important topic for everyone in our sport to discuss as it affects all of us, even those with stock sleds. I'll also add I've found many of your posts on this forum insightful and helpful so please don't take any thing I say as disrespectful as that's not how it's meant. That being said...

As I mentioned before, I bought the sled second hand, post modified exhaust if you will. I did not have the pipes made otherwise I would have inquired about quieter exhaust, although I don't believe it's possible without performance loss, both in HP and weight. I also don't believe we can assume the mufflers used were the least expensive available, if you can show otherwise I'm willing to listen. What are you basing that assumption on?

True, I also choose not to ride in town (it's legal) to avoid noise complaints and I'm respectful of other riders space in the mountains when I run into another group (rarely).

No to both. Luckily I'm neither ruining others experiences or closing lands. As I've mentioned before, I don't ride crowded areas, I've never had a noise complaint about my sled from anyone much less another rider, several compliments actually.

It seems this thread was started to show sledders are painted with the same brush based on loud sleds and so no one should have loud pipes. I responded to disprove that and answer the title question Loud Exhaust On Snowmobiles... Is there a place for this anymore? Yep, where I ride.

If anyone on this thread is truly, and I mean honestly and sincerely concerned with ruining another persons out door experience or closing land...sell your sled. Sounds dramatic right? But think about it, skiers don't want you there, even with a stock can. Even a non polluting, silent sled would still be tracking up "their snow". So you ARE ruining someone's experience.

And even if you don't ride into wilderness areas or litter, you're still increasing pressure on the local ecosystem which could in itself cause more closed land or at least more restrictions. So be the change you want to see, sell your sled and use the money to battle land closures.

Me? I'll keep riding my loud sled where it's legal, while it's legal, and fight land closure as much as I can. But I won't give in to the greenies demands until forced to.

Barton · Oct 13, 2009

Loud Exhaust On Snowmobiles... Is there a place for this anymore?

Well-known member

ACCOUNT CLOSED

Well-known member

Scott Stiegler

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

ACCOUNT CLOSED

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads