So I’ve owned my Gen1 since new and after riding my other bikes realized how bad my baby smells after a ride. She smells so bad, I don’t ride her much. I felt kinda stupid for removing the OEM exhaust system and deleting the cat so many years ago, but now I’ve read that Gen1 didn’t have a cat in first place, so maybe I’m not as dumb as I thought. I’m sure she needs a tune (flash/PC), but will that really kill the exhaust smell? I use my bikes to get to work and taking a shower upon arrival is not an acceptable compromise. I’m even looking into adding a cat; blasphemy I know, but I honestly don’t care about absolute peak performance. It’s not like we get to use that full potential on the street anyway. Her true skill Is carving up mountain curves with grace and comfort with style. I’d like to do that without smelling like a track day junkie. Suggestions?
Exhaust smell, full Yosh Gen1
- Thread starter NiteRunnr
- Start date
That's the joys of riding a motorcycle, you won't escape that smell...however, I'm not sure how you are getting the smell on you unless it is running in a garage and you are standing there...if so, push it outside before you start it. Even an OEM exhaust would smell if the bike was inside when started.
I own a gen 2, I don't know if a gen 1 came with a cat but from what I've read it didn't and you can't just add one.
Thanks for your input. In case I wasn’t clear; no I don’t run it in the garage, the smell is all over my clothes after a ride. I don’t think bikes don’t “have” to smell; I have three other bikes with cats that don’t impart any odor at all. Yes, restrictions might rob us of a few ponies, but for my commuting and touring needs, I’m fine with that. If my situation seems odd, then maybe my girl is just horribly out of tune. Sure runs good though
Something is up for sure, I can go for a ride and not come back smelling of exhaust....my bike has been tuned though so maybe that's the difference?Thanks for your input. In case I wasn’t clear; no I don’t run it in the garage, the smell is all over my clothes after a ride. No, bikes don’t have to smell; I have three other bikes with cats that don’t impart any odor at all. Yes, restrictions might rob us of a few ponies, but for my commuting and touring needs, I’m fine with that. If my situation seems odd, then maybe my girl is just horribly out of tune. Sure runs good though
Do you see any smoke coming out of the exhaust?
Is there a lot of black soot in the exhaust tip?
No smoke at idle or visible when I ride, maybe a little if I rev her up at a standstill?
Pretty black tip, but it’s been on there over twenty thousand miles.
I read that auto tune doesn’t actually tune as you ride, it just logs parameters so you can build a better tune, which sounds like a lot of extra work. What about a custom tune and flash?
Good points!
I don't see soot at any joints in the pipe.
Can‘t access ex port easily, but I don’t recall the Yosh including much in the way of gaskets? Been twenty years since I installed it. I guess I should try a localized sniff test?
Hayabusa Wannabe
Registered
Hydrogen sulfide, which a cat neutralizes, smells, and it smells strong at low concentrations. A cat does make a significant difference in reducing stinky output. Yes the result is also different than excessive fuel or burning oil.
One can get used to some of these smells after long exposure as well and stop detecting them.
I have no idea if they fit but you could potentially install a universal catalytic converter. As far as I know this forum will not be the place to find out if someone did it successfully. (You will be a pioneer.) The exhaust would get pushed back so there would be some work to re-clamp the muffler and such.
One can get used to some of these smells after long exposure as well and stop detecting them.
I have no idea if they fit but you could potentially install a universal catalytic converter. As far as I know this forum will not be the place to find out if someone did it successfully. (You will be a pioneer.) The exhaust would get pushed back so there would be some work to re-clamp the muffler and such.
Mythos
Registered
Autotune works as you ride if you keep a constant throttle position and rpm. If you change rpm or TP, it will take a few seconds for Autotune to seek out the correct fuel adjustment to hit the target AFR you have programmed. There are much faster self tuning devices and there is at least one guy on here who knows about them but I can't remember who he is or what he uses. You can use a self tuner to make your own map but you're right, it is a lot of extra work. If you don't take an interest in tuning over and above hopefully eliminating the smell, it's probably not worth it.
If you smell like gasoline after a ride, you would be going for a leaner AFR. If you really want to eliminate the smell, a stock exhaust should do it for you.
A custom tune or flash would probably have leaner AFRs. You'd have to talk to the tuner to tell them what you want.
I tuned one bike with as lean of an AFR as was recommended and I don't think it eliminated the gas smell. That's part of riding a bike I guess. No cats, free flowing exhaust, you get the unspent fuel blowing out of the pipe. You can go quite lean in the normal highway speed rpm zone but I don't know if that will eliminate the odors. You don't want to run lean at higher rpm.
Thanks Mythos. I got used to the smell or rather didn’t even notice it for years until I go newer bikes with cats. Went for a ride today and it didn’t seem too bad. Started her up at my buddies house (outside) with the muffler pointed at the garage door and within a couple minutes his garage smelled terrible. Maybe that has something to do with cold start AFR? My catted bikes don’t do that. Just can’t see putting up with this smell much longer.
So, is the smell due to the aftermarket exhaust that requires a tune? What’s the difference that requires a tune? My Z has a 4 into 1, a Cat and no smell. My 06 Busa has the OEM exhaust and no Cat, and also doesn't smell. Never had a ‘tune’ just occasional plug changes and valve checks. No smell even with my modded OEM cans which just have several more holes drilled thru the baffles inside for a lovely throaty sound.
If I start my bike in the garage, there is a strong fuel smell as anything on start up...even my pick up truck has a fuel smell on start up but you have to be standing right behind it to smell it.
Once it gets warm, there is no smell other than the usual 4 stroke smell....
That being said, I can go for a ride and there's no smell on my gear.
Once it gets warm, there is no smell other than the usual 4 stroke smell....
That being said, I can go for a ride and there's no smell on my gear.
Mythos
Registered
@Dennis is the guy.
Both my bikes make a sweet smell when I first start them. It almost smells kind of like talcum powder. With stock exhaust and full systems, that smell is there anytime I start the bike. It goes away after they warm up but I'm sure I get the gasoline smell then. I had a passenger complain about the gasoline smell but it doesn't bother me.
No, this was straight up gasoline smell, very harsh, after only a couple minutes max. Filled the whole garage. Same smell that permeates my clothes after a longer ride. Again, not sure if it’s normal. Only know that my other bikes don’t have this issue. I wanna take her out, but the smell isn‘t worth it.
I’ll hit up Dennis
Really appreciate all the genuine insight here.
Years ago I performed the “small flapper mod” where you remove the air box flapper assembly. I blindly followed some forum recommendations to get max free power without fully understanding the consequence. I wonder if without this way to modulate airflow, the ECU cannot compensate effectively and AFR is way off in some situations? Can’t find the old parts, so maybe I’ll buy a stock air box as there seems to be lots on eBay. Anyone know where to get air-box ram-air oval foam seals, or just diy?
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