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Powershots or Sharp Curves?

2K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  RePickrel 
#1 ·
Currently I've got Powershots on my bike but I'm considering putting a set of black Sharp Curves on simply because I like the looks of them and it would create room for taller saddle bags.
Would I lose anything by switching? I don't want ungodly loud so can I add a baffle to them if that's the case? And would I lose any power? I don't expect them to sound as good as the powershots (I love them) but it's clear they still sound great. Otherwise they wouldn't be so popular. thanks
 
#2 · (Edited)
I swapped my Cobra HP 2 into 1 for the FP Radious. The Cobras had a great rumble and gave the bike slightly more HP, 3hp if I recall. The FP I ordered with quiet baffles, lived in a complex and never cared for too much noise. I am pleased with the esthetics of the FP, the rumble isn't as low, but they still bark when blipping the throttle. Here is a video of them. Hope it gives you a better idea.
https://youtu.be/ydeO7z1-srU


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
 
#3 ·
Ever since I started looking to upgrade to the Beast,what I had in mind was a set of FP Sharp Curve Radius, If I hadn't traded bikes I pro'bly would have put a set on the 1600. When I finally found my Beast it already had a set of FP (it is one of the reasons I ended up buying way ahead of schedule).

It had no baffles, sounded very nice and loud, with a real strong bark to her, at the end of every accel you could hear the breathe out, like she was breathing really open and easy.

I was not necessarily a fan of LOUD but I sure appreciated the quality of the bark. for 2 up riding and just not being an attention grabber I ended up installing a set of quiet baffles from.... can remember at the moment... and it tame the sound a bit. When a do a hard pull on the throttle I can still hear the loud rumble but when cruising is almost mild, brought down the sound to more "decent" level.

Never even consider any other set of pipes for the beast, and that's from the looks only perspective. The performance and bag clearande are just a couple of pluses I'll take, 2 cherries on top of the cake.

If I were to order them I would pro'bly go for the set with quiet baffles but thats totally a personal preference, I must be getting old (I've caught myself sceaming for my kids to turn down the music a couple of times already).
 

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#4 ·
For 7 or 8 years, I had cobra shorties on my V2k



As I slowly evolved my bike, back in early 2012 I put Sharp Curves on it.



Going down the road, there is no real difference in the sound. During "roll on" they both sound great, no real difference.

But at idle? These are the best sounding pipes I've ever heard on a metric at idle. Very deep rumble. Even my die-hard Harley friends are like "wow, those sound great".


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#6 ·
LOL

Actually, parts that WERE chrome, I had painted to match the bike. I found that to much chrome made everything blend in together.

In the below picture, the back area is just one big shiny thing and the horn looks out of place.



In the below picture, the horn blends in better, and I also had the belt guard and swing arm are painted. This made the pulley and wheels stand out more. (I had the lower belt guard painted also, but I removed it).





and just for kicks.. a pic of the wife smoking a cigar while we was in Cancun.



.
 
#7 ·
That's more like it!!! I was also hoping for another shot of that 125cc shirt :surprise:(the famous "size maters" shirt).

I wander if that was a serious mishap or was she trowing you under the bus :wink2:(just pulling yur leg :devil2:, LOL).

Even thought your bike was a big inspiration in the way I want to get my Beast done I am going the other way as far as chrome is concern, you are absolutely right about those parts you painted, how much and where the chrome is makes all the difference in the overall look of the bike. I would imagine it was hard 4 you to get rid of some chrome but you definitely made the right choice.

I have already blacked out the left side fuel pump cover and the right side BAK cover (I actually hated the "125 CI" logo there), front end calipers and bottom part of crash bars. Rest of crash bars, belt guard, rear caliper and belt wheel are next targets, maybe even the pegs and shifter/brake levers. I will go with a reduced chrome look to make whatever I leave chrome really stand out.
:cool:
 
#8 ·
The more pics Smedlin posts of the missus, the happier I am. Having said that, have any of you compared sound from the Hard Krome Double D's (3 inch straights) to the FP? I'm going to pull my HKs this summer, and the FPs are what I'm leaning towards...but haven't done side by side. Nothing I've ever heard compares to the big 3" HKs....so want to keep that huge, deep sound.
 
#10 ·
I could not tell how the FP compare to anything, I do know that the sound they have on the beast (b4 the quiet baffles I added :surprise::serious::frown2:) was AWESOME, very agressive and deep tone, it really sounded like a hotrod.
Every time I hears it all I could think was "All right, that really sounds like a Beast", untamed sound, unmasked big engine sound, ready to eat up the road sound.
I can only go with Smed's comment, after all he did have the cobra and went for the FP after, from the look alone the FP are the purrrrfect pipes for the beast, those curves really go well with the lines of the bike and free up the rear wheel.

Man!!!! I LO..... really like my bike!!!!
Oops, wife walking by......
Dam rain, it just does not want to stop.
 
#9 ·
I just installed my FP and the wife said she thinks they are a little quieter (while riding) than the RB I had on there. Only thing I can think is maybe the FP being a little shorter allowed them to exit just under the saddle bags and the RB exited just behind the bags and she heard every note since she was sitting back there. IDK... I definitely like the looks and the sound better. JMO...
 
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