Nice work on the exhaust, I have a 890 non R and normally go straight for an aftermarket exhaust on most of my bikes but I love the sound and back burbling of the OEM so I decided to ceramic heat coat in satin black the muffler and powder coated the heat shield in RAL2009 it has come up a treat, seems like I couldn’t find out if anyone else had done this on a search and that’s how I found your comprehensive video great work
My local bike Tuner has tuned many 790/890 Dukes. From the factory they run extremely lean. stoitch/14.7afr all the way to right up to 100% throttle where the ecu switches over to open loop where it runs at 13.6-13.7afr bone stock - which at WOT is right on the cusp of too lean, to the point of adding any single effective breathing mod, will cause the engine to run in the danger zone cooking exhaust valves, detonation etc. So De catting the bike without adding fuel enrichment is probably the biggest bad idea you could do on this platform. Just trying to help the community out here. Doing any breathing mod on this bike you really need a power commander or some other method of adding fuel to the open loop portion of the fuel table, but ideally in closed loop/across the board. To Bolt Hole Biker, your lucky if you haven't melted down the engine yet after this video.
Hi, cheers for your advice, but I haven't left my bike decatted, it was only off for one short ride and I do say in the video that if I was going to leave it off then the bike would need remapping. 100% agree with you that just taking a CAT off is a very bad idea. My short experiment was just to see what difference it made to noise and performance.👍
Great video 👌 You know.. everyone's going on and on about the 890R and the new 890.. and nice as they are, you've got to admit the 790 is a cracking bike, especially given it's price point, it has all the electronic gizmos, quick shifter, blipper, rider modes and launch control as standard!! Love it.. I shall definitely go de-cat once my warranty has gone.. (baffel in de cat that is). Looking forward to seeing the finished blacked out carbon stealth look! 😉👍👍👍👍
I agree, on balance I think the 790 is a better buy. The 890 has a bit more power and some higher spec components - suspension and brakes basically - but the trade off is that it is missing some of the bits that made the 790 so awesome when it was released. I know they are available as paid for options on the 890, but the 790 has it all out of the crate. If they did that with the 890 then it would be a no brainer, but with the 790 still available as an option it is a tough choice for new buyers. Cheers for watching, carbon bits are on back order for a few weeks, but as soon as they come I'll get them fitted!
I'm glad you're happy with the pipes, they do look good in black, shame about the scuffing though. And thanks for doing all the road test combo's - you can treat yourself to a new plaster now !
Great Vid. Picking up my 790 Duke today and can’t wait to start tinkering with it. The Remus exhaust is sounding good, but the de-cat pipe is probably a bit too much!
You people have been domesticated to the point of thinking a bike is too loud without a catalytic converter. And who said testosterone levels have been dropping drastically for over 2 decades? None of my bikes have a catalytic converter as they have a full system exhaust upgrade.
I know I’m a bit late to the party but…. Very nice video, love the sound of the 790. Interestingly, I have a 2021 390 Duke,but the cats are in the header pipe. I removed the ugly chamber and replaced it with a proper mid pipe. The bike is MUCH louder now. In the 390 that ugly chamber merely acts as a major sound suppressor, regardless…well done and ride safe.
I've been waiting for this video! I am in the same dilemma, I have Akro slip on and Cat installed. I have been undecided about a decat +booster plug for a while now. Just worried its too loud, Maybe the Akro being a longer end can may help. Thank you for the video, great job!
Yes, the longer pipe might be better, I know that the Akra is definitely a quieter can than the Remus that I have, so that might be the answer. To be honest with the baffle in it wasn't massively louder.
The Bolt Hole Biker cheers for this info BHB. Probably then with my Akra can without DB killer I will just go for Booster plug and K&N air filter. Will order both today. Love these nutty little D790 crackerjacks. Your wavy disc brakes upgrade looks amazing. Still happy with the braking performance on those?
Been looking forward to this video!! I had the same dilemma as regards cat or no cat.. I think decat with a bigger muffler might be the way forward.. im considering full akrapovic system but I think it's about £2500 ish.. the bike sounds great with just a slip on.. I wish the decat pipe didn't increase noise then that would be perfect 👌 as you know I've kept my cat on for now.. great video loved every minute ❤
Cheers dude, and cheers for the pipe! I know what you mean, the volume is an issue and becoming more so as time goes on, I wouldn't even risk a trip to Europe decatted, they'd bloody string you up! Cheers for watching, sorry it took so long, I was waiting for the pipes to be delivered back to me!
Did I see it right? The header pipe section ceramic coating is cghanging color? Not the dark jet black anymore? Love the video! I like the CAT painted black, it sure does make it disappear!
One dealer I contacted about the map said they couldn't (or maybe wouldn't!) do it unless you had the decatted Akra system (Evo?) but another said they would, for £40.
Great vid. So jealous of your workspace and tools man. Like the notes on tool torque & size. Just a note on the Akra exhaust. I have the Akra end cap slip on fitted on my D790 with the factory cat in but with the Akra DB killer unwelded and taken out. Sounds amazing, perfect in fact. If I decat will have to put the DB killer back in.
Yes, you would, it is obnoxiously loud without the baffle in. I haven't heard the Akra without the baffle in, I would imagine it sounds sweet, but they don't sound great with the baffle in in my opinion. You spend all that money, you want a proper growl!
The Bolt Hole Biker Agree the Akra slip on sounds homogenised for euro 4 steet legal manufacturers spec with the welded DB killer in. (ie crap and not worth the money) BUT if you can be arsed & unspot weld the DB killer it sounds proper good and does look good.
There should definitely be gaskets between the headers and exhaust ports (part number 64105005000) .... are you sure yours weren't just stuck crushed into the ports on the engine? I've not removed my Dukes headers yet but on some previous bikes I've had to pick the old gaskets out of the ports with a small screwdriver as they were fully wedged in there. I'm loving the coating on yer pipes ... looks sweet!! :)
I didn't see any in the ports and I did spend a bit of time cleaning that area and around the ports etc. I think I'll order some of the ones you have mentioned and get them on, as apparently gun gum isn't meant to be used in that area. Cheers for the heads up, and for watching the vid!
@@TheBoltHoleBiker No worries mate, you're welcome. Sounds like a good plan, just be 100% certain the old ones aren't still in the ports before fitting the new ones or the headers might not go back on properly. The old ones can be hard to spot if they are the silver metal donut style gaskets (all metal construction, no fibre / cork looking bits in them like the old layered exhaust gaskets). Could just be they were forgotten when the pipes were off before .. or even during factory build 🙄
@@TheBoltHoleBiker and btw ... I rekon it sounds best with the cat fitted but the db killer removed from the can ... not too loud but still a nice deep tone and good improvement over stock. A lot less likely to attract unwanted legal type attention too 😉
@@MotoGoato Cheers, I'll check for old gaskets. I think I agree about the config. of the exhaust, for now I'll be leaving the cat in and the baffle out, looks much better with the cat black so I don't mind it now.
Hi fella, sorry for the late reply, I'm guessing you must be in 790 heaven by now, carving through the corners?!!! Can't beat a Remus on a 790 in my opinion, they sound amazing!
@@DCSuperShine Hi fella, mine was a bit tight at first as well, take the screw out, get a pair of grips and a rag so you don’t damage the baffle and just give it a bit of a wiggle as you pull. It will come out and you’ll love the soundtrack after it has!
Was literally in the garage doing the exact same thing when you posted the video chap. Couple of questions, firstly did you have two cylindrical spacers that were in place prior to removing the headers and that should have been placed back into the innermost mounting points on the head? I did, and I can't work out if they should go between the nut and the ring gasket attached to the pipes or the head and the gasket? Also, when I look side on I can see a few millimetres of uncoated pipe, its at the top of the pipe where it meets the head, is yours the same or is it completely flush? Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hi, what a coincidence! Yes I did have those spacers and to be honest when I first refitted the headers I forgot to put them back on. I thought I had everything done but I still had these two thick washers in my tray, so I knew I'd forgotten something, so it all had to come off again! They go between the head and the flange, so behind the flange and then the nut is the only thing on the outside of the flange. And yes, I also have a few millimetres of uncoated pipe, but once the rad is back on it is completely hidden and looks fine. I hope it goes well for you, cheers for watching!
Did the baffle make a big difference in volume mate? Only ask as I’m about to decat my 790 a put a pipe werxs muffler. I asked for a 300mm muffler as the longer it is the less volume I hope 🤞. Great video
Black Exhaust looks nice! 😍 Was thinking of doing it to mine as the rest of my bike is blacked out, I have a Austin Racing slip on, sounds great, I also tried to put a decat and A.T.O.M in but was way to loud for my liking 😆
Funnily enough I was looking into an AR system, as they are great looking and sounding pipes, I love my Remus can, but I could definitely be tempted by an Austin Racing upgrade. I know what you mean about the noise with the decat, it is just too loud to be feasible for the day to day riding. Regarding the ceramic coating, I can definitely recommend it for appearance. I haven't been able to ride with it yet, due to the lockdown, so I'm not sure yet how it fares with regard to durability etc., but from an aesthetic point of view it has transformed the look of my bike - the cat has completely disappeared, you just literally don't notice it any more, and for me the look of the cat used to really bug me before blacking it out, so it was worth it just for that! But, more than that, unless you put some nice titanium header pipes on that look smart and turn blue etc, the stock pipes on the Duke (and most bikes) just look ugly most of the time in my opinion, so this completely solves that as well. Win, win! Cheers for watching by the way!
@@TheBoltHoleBiker Yes, a very good deal. Thought your screen was a givi, thanks for that. It's the best looking one I've seen for the 790 duke. Thanks again for the knowledge and experience delivered in your videos. Fantastic.
Great vid removing the cat I've bought a link pipe from Aliexpress watched the vid to see if I could see if there's bolts holding the cat on the stand side did think there was only one bolt on the back brake side but you said there's a couple of bolts on the other side, Is it easy to get the cat off with the side stand down please and how many bolts are there I know there's two clamps but I thought only one bolt any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
@@TheBoltHoleBiker looks to be a similar product. Only reason I asked is you mentioned it marked quite easily. I have had products done with a product called Cerakote. Same lines as what you had done but this stuff is unbelievably hard to mark or scratch. I had a few tolerance issues when fitting parts back together and the stuff was a nightmare to sand. Anyway, I think your duke looks epic and love the videos.
@@mattmcgowan5572 Cheers! Hopefully the coating I have is more durable than I think it is, that will be a pleasant surprise. I know that the parts were only coated the day before they were sent out to me, so I am hoping they harden as they cure. I use acid catalysed lacquer at work and it dries in about 20 mins, but takes a couple of weeks to fully cure and harden, so I am hoping this is the same. Fingers crossed! I do like the look of it though - cheers for watching!
I have an Akra slip on installed on my D790 (baffle in) and quite keen to install a decat pipe. Has anyone got this setup installed and can recommend any places that can map / flash the bike around london?
Hi Great vid and well worth watching duno about the black though,can you help please I've a 2022 790 duke and thinking of removing the cat is it quite a big job to do please, it looked so easy to put it back on but a watched another vid and the guy seems to have a very big fiddle to get it off so could you give a little advice please.
Cheers. It was a while ago that I did the decat, but it was pretty straightforward, if I remember correctly the only bit that was a bit fiddly was that one of the bolts that holds the cat on was behind the gear shift lever, so I had to loosen that off to get to it. Other than that I think it was pretty easy. You'll need a link pipe. If you are going to decat then I'd recommend getting the bike remapped though and be warned it makes the bike LOUD!!! Sounds great, but a bit anti-social with the neighbours! 🤣🤣🤣. Good luck.
@@TheBoltHoleBiker Hi thanks for replying I was thinking of removing the cat but keeping the same exhaust beel looking at the link pipe on Aliexpress have bought few things before had a really good Wind Screen from there few months ago for the Ktm 790 duke I have a BMW rt9 nine haswell I've removed the cat from that few years ago and had no probs with it,So I would have to get the Duke remapping done would I duno weather to bother now if that's the case thanks very much for replying and good luck with the vids.
The main plus for me is the rust protection and the change in colour, however the company that do the coatings claim that the coating helps to reduce the surface temperature of the treated parts, which leads to a higher flow rate of gases, leading to a reduction in engine heat, which then protects parts from the effects of excess heat. Sounds like a very bold claim to me, which I have taken with a tablespoon of salt, but I do have nice rust free black exhaust pipes!🤣🤣🤣
Just found your channel and loving it! Great videos 👍👍👍 I've had my 790 for almost 3 years now and I've tinkered with mine lots so it's great to see someone else doing the same. Love the pipes that's a great idea and might do that in the future. I put a decat on mine as well...then took it back off shortly after, it was way too deafening, I have an carbon AR exhaust on mine which is very loud with the cat on so trying to decat was a definite mistake 😂 Btw I have a carbon fuel tank surround on mine already and it has changed the look of the bike completely, just a heads up in my point of view the plain weave carbon looks much better than twill weave. I bought the twill weave first and because of the shape of that surround the direction of the weave turns out far from uniform, I was very disappointed with it. Other people may not notice but I have a very sharp eye for things like that (and maybe a touch of OCD 😂) but now I've gone for the plain weave and I'm much happier with it. Plus my exhaust box is also plain weave so it matches much better. Also I went for gloss which in my opinion suits the 790 much better. Hope this helps
Cheers for your comment Dean, you've made me nervous now, I've got my carbon on order and it is twill weave and matte finish!!!😂😂😂 Ha, ha, fingers crossed it looks good, I know what you mean about the tank surround being an odd shape to get the weave regular on, I'll just have to see how they have treated it. I've ordered mine from Maxicarbon, were yours a different brand? When I bought my 790 I didn't realise what a good platform is was for modding, but it really lends itself to it, I'll have ended up spending a fortune on it in the end, but it will be a lovely bike! I agree about the decat being too loud, slight pity though, as it really livened up the engine, just too anti-social! I really like the AR pipes, in fact I considered a full AR system with the A.T.O.M., but cost prohibited.... for now😂 Cheers for watching the vid!
@@TheBoltHoleBiker I'm definitely crossing my fingers for you you're carbon turns our how you want 🤞🤞🤞🤞 The first twill panel I went for was RSR moto, it was a real shame because the delivery was quick and the customer service was great but I was just so disappointed with it. The return was easy though and the refund came through fine. He was a nice guy so it was a shame I hated the panel. Then I went for FF Carbon, German company. It was a very painfully slow delivery. The said 6-12 weeks and in the end it took about 13 weeks. The panel is far from perfect as well there are many little defects on it but none of them are obvious and 90% of people wouldn't ever notice them. Overall I'm happy with it, the weave looks incredible and in my opinion it's changed the appearance of the bike a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing how your one is. Yeah the AR full system with the ATOM is most likely the best setup available for the 790! But it's not cheap, they really make you pay for what you get 🤣 just the slip on for mine was about £740 and that's about the cheapest you can get. Sounds the nuts though and extremely light (it's titanium/carbon) Can't wait for your future videos! I've obviously subscribed
@@deanbrown8059 I'm hearing you on the slow delivery front, mine has been on order for a while now and no sign of it! I have to say they have been really good at keeping me up to date though and offering to deliver the pieces out individually as they are completed, but to be honest I want the full impact of the change happening all at once rather than in dribs and drabs, so I've said I'll wait until it is all ready to ship in one hit. When I priced up the bits i would have wanted from Austin Racing it was going to be £2800! I am 100% sure it would be awesome, but just a bit too spicy for me to spend on an exhaust on a 790! Maybe in the future, I'll see how it goes. Cheers for subscribing by the way, you are in the draw for the Kriega bag!🤞
@@TheBoltHoleBiker Oh that's great on the customer service with your parts, FF Carbon were really crap on that side, I have to keep emailing them and it would take them ages to reply each time, if I had hair I would have most likely torn it all out 🤣 Wow I'm very much looking forward to seeing all the parts you've got together on the bike! I am very tempted to get the 2 side panels just under the fuel tank surround in carbon as well, them panels give the bike a bit of a cheap and tacky look. I put much plastic shine liquid on there which has helped a little but I'm still not entirely happy. Thank you for entering me into the draw!! I didn't even know about it, must have missed your mention of it 🤣 Like I said though I've had my bike for almost 3 years and done quite a bit so like yourself if I can help 790 family in anyway I'm happy to share knowledge 😊 I do know even though I've had it 3 years I haven't lost any love for the bike at all, it sits in my lounge behind the sofa haha.
@@deanbrown8059 Oh man, if you really do have your bike behind your sofa then I am very jealous, I'd love my bike on display in the house, but I'd need a bigger house and a new wife first! Current one would kill me!😂😂😂 I am the same as you on the love for the 790, I have had mine just under two years and I grin every time I ride it! On the carbon front I have gone a bit mad, I have ordered the front sprocket cover, chain guard, front mudguard, rear seat cowl, tank surround, and under tank panels! I'm hoping it looks good, if not I've wasted a small fortune!🤣🤣🤣
Hi, here's a link to it: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fairing-Givi-KTM-Duke-790-2018-2019-2020-COD-A7708-/284302854584?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=CjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNPE4VeH9wFHrsi6cZwnsd3SUQ9mF14Vb4Ulc1g63dZeNqMmkUq7VuRoCJfIQAvD_BwE
Great video... not much more fun can be had for a guy than playing with exhausts! 790 is on my shopping list.. any advice or things to watch out for on buying used. Thanks.
Yep, I'm always a happy boy if I'm in the garage tinkering! As far as I'm aware, outside of the obvious - service records, signs of neglect etc. - there aren't many things to watch out for in particular with used 790's. I know that some people report oil and coolant leaks, and my brother, who has a 790, did have both of those issues, but they were minor and easily solved, but it is probably one to check on any bikes you are considering. Cheers for watching and I hope you get to cross the 790 off of your list soon, they are awesome fun!
Not too bad, it's only held in by 4 screws. The only slightly difficult one to get to is the bottom one on the chain side, I had to loosen off the foot peg and gear shift assembly, but it isn't a ball ache.
Haha, I lost the top joint of my left index finger years ago and kept coming up short by a quarter inch for months, until I got used to it. Good luck with getting the feeling back, mine's got nothing, and it's still hard to deal with fiddly nuts and bolts etc. The ceramic coating sure adds a nice finished look, I don't know why they don't come from the factory with a nicer finish. Are you going to need a power commander with that cat delete pipe?
I almost feel like a fraud with mine, the cut was so clean that it has healed almost invisibly, but it still feels numb and it is a horrible feeling doing fiddly bits with it. I'm guessing I've got that long term! Regarding a power commander, if I decide to decat permanently then I would probably get a remap just to make sure that everything is running right, but at the moment I still have the cat on, so no need. Personally I don't think it would be a good idea decatting without some form of remap or ecu adjustment.
Hello again! I've been hearing/reading a lot, if I remove stock exhaust and cat bike will be running lean and gonna loose power, and the I will have to dyno the bike and remap it etc...but what u saying is actually opposite? what your thoughts on that?
Well, the cat creates a restriction to the airflow through the engine, so opening it up will definitely make the fuel/ air ratio leaner, and if a bike is decatted permanently then I would definitely recommend having it remapped to correct that ratio. But more air also helps the fuel burn more efficiently, so should give you more bang for your buck, not less, but without a remap just removing the cat is a bit of a blunt way of freeing the engine and not one that I would recommend doing. On my bike I have a booster plug, which enrichens the fuel/air ratio anyway, so this counteracted and leanness, and I only removed the cat as a test and then put it back on again. If I was going to leave it off then I would definitely get it on a dyno and get it mapped correctly. My bike definitely livened up when I took the cat off, but it was damn noisy!
Hi, I have a Booster Plug installed, but if I decide to decat permanently I would probably look into at the very least getting the bike dyno'd to check it was running right and probably a remap to be sure. For the purpose of my tests it was running great though! Cheers for watching.
Hello, good video and interesting subject ! 👍 Do you feel the difference about power and torque when you put the decat pipe ? I would like to remove my cat on my 790 Duke but i don’t know if you need to remap even if i’ve also the booster plug ? 😁
Cheers! I did feel quite a marked difference when I decatted the pipe, the bike was definitely more lively. The remap question is probably one of those things that there will be a hundred answers for - I'm sure that, technically, to get the absolute best performance from the bike and the optimum efficiency etc. then and remap is definitely the way to go, however, I haven't experienced any issues since putting the booster plug on etc., so I'm pretty sure there is no issue there. Regarding the decat, I've only ridden with it for a few short tests, so I wouldn't like to say whether it could cause any issues longer term. Might be worth trawling some forums to see if anybody has had any longer term experience with it.
Nice video. A few months down the road, how is the durability of the ceramic coating? I don't know if you remember but I suggested the booster plug might richen too much at the top end with standard system, so it'd be interesting to see an air/fuel ratio check with the decat and the baffle in, it may well be about right, which is why it feels better to you.
Well, not that great to be honest - the coating on the headers basically got sandblasted off by road crud coming off the front wheel, which I was a bit gutted by. I keep meaning to contact the company that did it to see what they say, but haven't yet. In the mean time I have sprayed it back in with bbq paint and fitted a Puig engine guard, which covers and protects that area, so for now it is fine, but not because of the ceramic coating, which is made of chewing gum! Regarding the booster plug, I haven't had the bike on a dyno, so I don't know 100% how it is running ratio-wise, but it certainly feels good and doesn't go boggy at the top end or feel rich. It isn't decatted though, I put that back on, it is catted and without baffle. Drinks a bit more fuel than my brothers though, which is the same bike but without the plug - he does tend to get into 6th gear early though, whereas I only use 6th at motorway speeds. Difference is about 10 miles to a tank of fuel. Anyway, cheers for watching!
I haven't to be honest, as the decat was just so loud that I don't think any difference in performance would entice me into keeping it on the bike, but I do want to get the bike dyno'd anyway and see if it can be tuned.
@@TheBoltHoleBiker I know what you mean! I removed my twin Arrow Pro Race cans with decat today. Wasn't happy with it potentially damaging the engine, as I can't afford a Power Commander yet. I was hoping I could keep the cat and get a link pipe made for the Arrows but it looks like they will have to be shortened if I go this way.
