This CS Racing Exhaust COMPLETELY Changed Her CBR650R!

This CS Racing Exhaust COMPLETELY Changed Her CBR650R!

We Installed a CS Racing Exhaust on This Honda… and It Sounds Amazing!

You guys know I love a good exhaust install, especially when it completely changes the look and sound of a motorcycle.

Today, we had a beautiful Honda CBR650R in the shop for a CS Racing full exhaust system and a set of frame sliders. The customer wanted something that looked clean, sounded better, and didn't have a giant muffler hanging off the side of the bike.

And I have to say, this color scheme is absolutely gorgeous.

The red and black with that little gold fade? I don't know what it is, but Honda nailed this one.

A Little Extra Customer Service

Before we started taking anything apart, I gave the bike a quick look over.

It had about 6,300 miles on it, a few little scrapes, and the chain was looking pretty rough. There was some rust and it definitely needed attention.

The customer came in for an exhaust and frame sliders, but I decided to clean the chain, check the tire pressures, and give the motorcycle a general once-over while it was here.

That's just how I like to do business.

If somebody brings me their motorcycle and I notice something that needs a little attention, I'm going to try to help them out. It doesn't take much time, and I don't need somebody to make a big deal out of it.

Sometimes the customer notices. Sometimes they don't.

Who cares? Just do something nice for people.

The Stock Exhaust Sound Test

Before removing the factory system, I brought the bike outside for a quick sound test.

For a stock exhaust, it actually sounded pretty good.

But you guys know how it is. Everybody wants a little more sound out of their motorcycle.

"How are the cars going to know you're there?"

I'm kidding, of course. You should never rely on exhaust noise as your safety strategy. But there's nothing wrong with wanting your motorcycle to sound a little more exciting.

We let it warm up, gave it a few revs, and then brought it inside to start the install.

Why I Make These Installation Videos

One of the reasons I enjoy filming this stuff is because I want you guys to see that a lot of motorcycle maintenance and upgrades are things you can learn to do yourself.

Oil changes, basic maintenance, and even exhaust installs are approachable when you have the right tools, the correct instructions, and somebody showing you what to expect.

Some jobs are more involved and require specialized tools or experience, and that's where a professional shop makes sense.

And if you don't want to work on your own bike, that's totally fine too.

Bring it to MotoBros. We love those customers.

But if you want to learn, I want these videos to help you save money and become more comfortable working on your motorcycle.

Unboxing the CS Racing System

The customer chose a CS Racing exhaust, which has that tucked-away design that a lot of people really like.

Instead of a large traditional muffler sticking out, the system sits low and blends into the motorcycle's bodywork.

The box was packed well, and inside we had the header pipes, collector, muffler, mounting hardware, and the cover that gives the system its finished look.

The exhaust felt pretty substantial when I picked it up.

I was like, "Jeez, that's heavy for an aftermarket exhaust."

But the factory system had that big catalytic converter and muffler assembly, so I figured we were still going to save some weight.

We also had the customer's frame sliders ready to install while the fairings were off.

Getting the Fairing Off

The first thing I wanted to do was see how much of the motorcycle actually needed to come apart.

I always try to find the simplest way to do a job without removing unnecessary parts.

On this Honda, I was able to get the access I needed by removing one side of the fairing and the appropriate lower fasteners and clips.

One little thing that caught my attention was the turn signal. It doesn't fit through the opening in the plastic, so you have to release the clips to get the panel off properly.

It's not difficult, but it's exactly the kind of thing that can frustrate somebody doing the job for the first time.

Take your time, look at how the panels fit together, and don't force the plastic.

Once the fairing was off, we had good access to the header nuts, oxygen sensor, and exhaust mounting points.

Removing the Factory Exhaust

The factory exhaust came off without too much trouble.

A swivel-head tool made getting to the header nuts a lot easier. I love that thing. It's one of those tools that makes you wonder how you worked without it.

The important part was making sure the oxygen sensor and its wiring were protected before lowering the exhaust.

I loosened the sensor, supported the exhaust, removed the remaining mounts, and carefully worked the system down without hitting the radiator or damaging anything around it.

You definitely don't want to yank on an exhaust and accidentally pull on the O2 sensor wiring.

Also, if you've just run the motorcycle, let the exhaust cool completely before working on it. A rag is not a substitute for making sure the metal is safe to handle.

Once everything was free, out came the factory system.

And man, that thing was bulky.

How Much Did the Stock Exhaust Weigh?

I grabbed the scale and weighed the factory exhaust.

It came in at approximately 8.5 pounds on the scale we used.

That was the number I showed in the video. We also unboxed the CS Racing system to compare the components, but I don't have a confirmed complete aftermarket-system weight from this transcript, so I'm not going to make up a weight-savings figure.

The important thing for me was seeing how the new system was built and how it would fit on the motorcycle.

Installing the New Headers

The CS Racing system came with labeled header pipes, which is always nice.

Although, I learned a good lesson immediately: don't assume the lettering corresponds to the cylinder order you expect.

I thought A would be cylinder one, but the labeling was different.

So, check the instructions and verify the pipe locations before you start tightening everything down.

The biggest installation tip I can give you is this:

Leave the exhaust components loose until the entire system is fitted.

Get the headers in place, fit the collector, line up the muffler, and make sure everything is sitting correctly before final tightening.

If you tighten the headers first, you can make it much harder to get the collector and muffler aligned.

I also checked the exhaust gaskets and made sure everything was seated properly. Follow the service manual and exhaust manufacturer's instructions for gasket replacement, approved lubricants, and torque specifications.

The Collector Was a Little Tight

This is where the install got a little more interesting.

The collector didn't just slide onto every header pipe effortlessly. There was a little bit of a gap, and I had to work the pipes into position.

Because I had left everything loose, I had room to maneuver the components.

I carefully aligned the pipes and used a soft mallet to help seat the joints.

You don't need to beat on anything. If something is seriously misaligned, stop and check the fitment rather than forcing it.

After a little patience, everything went together nicely.

And that's exactly why I like showing the real installation instead of just cutting from "old exhaust off" to "new exhaust on."

Sometimes a job takes a little finesse.

The Hidden Muffler Design

Once the collector was in place, we mounted the muffler and started fitting the cover.

This is the part of the CS Racing system that really makes the look.

The muffler sits low, and the cover hides much of the exhaust assembly. I initially thought the cover might be carbon fiber, but it wasn't.

Still, once it was installed, it looked really clean.

With the fairing back on, you almost have to look for the exhaust to see where it is.

That's a completely different look from a traditional side-mounted can.

I know some people love a big exhaust hanging off the side of their motorcycle, and that's cool. But if you like a tucked-away, factory-inspired appearance, this design is definitely worth looking at.

Frame Sliders and Final Assembly

While we had the bike apart, we installed the customer's frame sliders and put the fairings back together.

Everything went back into place, the bolts were where they needed to be, and the bike was looking good.

Bada bing, bada boom.

The exhaust was tucked away, the bodywork looked clean, and the frame sliders were installed.

Now it was time for the part everybody wanted to hear.

The First Start

We started the motorcycle, let it warm up, and gave it a little sound test.

And immediately, I was like, "Oh, that sounds way better."

The CS Racing system gave the bike a much more aggressive sound than the factory exhaust.

The customer's system was tested with the removable baffle out, so keep in mind that sound levels and legal requirements can vary depending on the configuration and where you ride.

But from a sound and appearance standpoint, I was really liking it.

The bike looked clean, the exhaust was hidden nicely, and it had a much more exciting tone.

A Quick Dyno Run

You guys know I can't install an exhaust without wanting to see what's happening on the dyno.

So we did a quick run to get an idea of how the motorcycle was performing with the new system.

This was not a full tuning session.

The graph was a little choppy, and the chain condition was affecting the run. I mentioned that a better chain might have helped the result, but that was an estimate, not a measured horsepower gain.

The important thing is that we got a baseline look at the motorcycle after the exhaust installation.

I always recommend checking the fueling and overall operation after installing a full exhaust system. Whether a particular motorcycle needs ECU tuning depends on the bike, exhaust, and actual measurements. You shouldn't assume every system is fine without a tune or that every system automatically requires one.

We'll continue doing more dyno testing and tuning videos so you guys can see what these upgrades actually do.

My Thoughts on the CS Racing Exhaust

Overall, I was happy with how this one turned out.

The installation was straightforward once we got everything lined up, the tucked-away design looked great, and the sound was a big improvement over stock.

The collector took a little patience, but that's not unusual with a multi-piece exhaust system.

The biggest thing is to take your time, keep everything loose during initial fitment, and make sure the system is properly aligned before tightening it down.

And if you're doing this at home, use the correct service information and don't rush through the important stuff.

More MotoBros Builds Are Coming

I want to say thank you to everybody who watches these videos and supports what we're doing at MotoBros.

We've got more motorcycles coming, more builds, more exhaust installs, and plenty of dyno testing.

I want to keep showing you guys the real work: the good stuff, the frustrating stuff, and the little tricks that make these jobs easier.

If you enjoyed this one, let me know what you think of the CS Racing exhaust in the comments.

Do you like the hidden look, or would you rather have a traditional muffler hanging off the side?

And if you haven't subscribed yet, hit that subscribe button. We've got a lot more coming.

Please ride safe, grow your skill, and I'll see you guys in the next one.

Craig, MotoBros