First bike, 2003 Superhawk VTR 1000 exhaust concern
 

so I am interested in buying my first bike. I have to tell you, I like the looks and sounds of this one.

http://hamilton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ224371662

There is a couple concerns I have with it though. With the exhaust, hot air comes from only 1 pipe, the other releases cold. A mechanic told me it could be misfiring and it sounds like I could only buy problems. another one told me there could be a number of issues because if its been a cylinder or plug issue, and depending on how long and bad it has been run that way could be major issues.

A mechanic that he uses says its direct pressure, the other isn't... not sure what any of this means really. I had assumed based on my mechanic that with an engine, a pipe comes out of 1 side, another pipe the other and that the air should be equal.

I just want my first bike buying experience to be a good one and am a little concerned that it could be a major issue.

The bike looks totally spotless and the owner told me he's never had problems... then again, I don't know many people posting adds saying "If something can go wrong it will, so by this bike!"

ps. forgive me if there is a thread on this, I couldn't see it

One... The Superhawk isn't a good beginners bike... You didn't ask, but you get that advice as a freebie... It's undoubtedly one of the absolute best literbikes to begin with, but a smaller bike is a much better choice for a first bike... Consider this, how many cars have you owned that gave you 0.25 hp/pound? Unless you own a lot of supercars you won't be even close...

Now, with that out of the way... The exhaust... That's supposed to be like that...

The two pipes are connected together under the shock... One of the pipes is a more direct path out, and a bike that isn't fully warm will at idle or low revs only push hot exhaust out that one... Get the bike warmed up and the revs above idle and you will see exhausts from both...

Thank you for the feedback.

Also thank you Comedo for popping by to look at that bike with me. I was ready to walk away from it based on some of the info I had received. I just felt that maybe it was incorrect information.

Comedo, again thanks for going over it and explaining everything. You made my decision easy and that last 2 days I haven't figured out how to actually get off it!

+1 what tweety said,superhawk is a very strong bike for beginner,take your time and learn the bike,dont be speeding,learn to use brakes correctly in controlled enviroment,this will save your ass just learning the brakes properly.theres alot of info on this site.everything from braking to modding,so read and research.otherwise,welcome to superhawk and enjoy the ride. :)

+1

Most guys that have an exhaust concern just want to know "How do I make it louder?". But with those D&D's it's probably plenty loud already.

Welcome to the Forum, and as said above, ride safely. It's much easier to crank the speed up than it is to bleed it off.

I smashed myself and my bike up good in my first couple weeks of ownership.... too much front brake. It was/is my first bike. So....yeah. Ride safe and ALWAYS wear full gear no matter what. This bike is deceptively fast and can bite if you're not careful. Welcome to the forum!!!

First welcome to the forum. It is a wiser decesion - To read and remember the wisdom that is expressed on this forum. the seniors members are quite honest and direct- We have lost members (Blue Ridge Boy, others) which were experience riders to the power of the elements of the world.. Not to mention that engine CC. are a variable.
I rode with Blue Ridge Boy(Zae Rae) three days before, he left us. Zae always had a saying- "Dress for the wreck, not for the ride"
Get your proper equipment, take a beginners motorcyle course- and make a few of us proud twenty years down the road - that your still communicating with us on the forum.. Bsafe...

Dear Ubiquitous,
The VTR you bought is in beautiful shape. I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Your riding skills must substitute for the crush zones, seat belts, air bags, ABS and traction control in automobiles. Good riding skills take time to develop and they must be developed intentionally. That means going to a parking lot and practising smooth starts and stops, feet up figure 8's, push steering, gear changing, quick stops and especially looking where you want to go. Set high standards for yourself.
The dynamics of a motorcycle are much different than those of a car. The level of awareness required for riding a motorcycle safely is much higher than that required for driving a car.
There's a great deal to learn if you want to ride well. Typical errors are target fixation, misuse of the brakes and an inability to turn the motorcycle quickly. All of those things can kill you. It's essential to know where to look, how to use the brakes and how to turn the motorcycle. Good riding techniques have to become habits.
Practise, be patient and have fun. Enjoy your riding course. Welcome to the forum and to motorcycling.