Honda CB500F Stock vs Akrapovič exhaust comparison

Comparison between the stock and the Akrapovič exhaust for the 2015 Honda CB500F. It's impossible to capture and reproduce the true sound of an exhaust, as there is a lot of detail in the sound that is very hard to record and playback. But I hope than you can gauge how deep the exhaust note is and the amount of gurgling/burbling it has.
Microphone is a Zoom H2N. Recorded on a GoPro HERO4 Silver.

[@MelliSchnelli]

I love the 3D feeling

[@kissgergo5202]

The fact that the mic isn't moving with the camera is really trippy

[@2hype_fl1p11]

I bet everyone listening to the akrapovic sound has a big smile in his face :D

[@Zombie8MyGun]

Thank you for this. Very detailed :)

[@MisterSuki]

Shopping for a slip on for my 2017 CB500F. I have listened to many, many clips of Akrapovic, Yoshimura and Two Brothers. I know it's hard to judge by online sound clips but of those three the Yoshimura sounds best in my opinion. So...I decided to buy the Yoshi and guess what. Not one Carbon slip on to be found anywhere. Out of stock at every retailer I have checked. I'm not gonna wait forever for Yoshi to get this into the stores...so I may go with one of the others after all.

[@roquetarider]

They all probably sound good in real life, so it's good to choose the one you like most aesthetically... but if it's not in stock... It's weird. I hope you find it somewhere!

[@MisterSuki]

Exactly why I wanted Yoshi. Past experience with their products as well as my research where I thought Yoshimura both sounded and looked the best. Unfortunately per my contact with them they won't have the carbon slip on available for at least two more months. Not waiting that long so to a competitor I go. Don't really like dropping $500 plus on something I didn't really want. Pretty disappointing to have that severe of a supply or production issue. Not a great experience this time with Yoshimura.

[@roquetarider]

If you are going to keep the bike a lot of years it might be worth waiting for the exhaust you want.

[@Merkaba954]

Oh em gee that sounds WAY better

[@chino098423]

Sound is best with SC project for me

[@cruachan463]

Excelente video!

[@oriolp.9877]

Amazing video. Thanks!

[@mohdsyazwan8750]

Awesome demo, thank

[@MyAmoreee]

Hello , I would like to know the model of Akrapovic . My moto is Honda CB 500 F ( 2018 ) and I wish to change for this model. The sounds is amazing!!!! Thanks for the video, helping a lot .

[@federicogonzalez03]

What did you change besides the exhaust??

[@just_jimmy]

It's probably just me but liked the stock better

[@fredrik999z]

Without DB killer it sounds worse than stock but with DB killer it sounds perfect. He should do the same comparison with and without DB killer in a video.

[@didrikfalinski8600]

Is the exhoust loudnes simular egen they both have the db killer inn?

[@alexkline44]

How does it sound when you go under overpasses

[@mcgongoodspeed4866]

Muy buen video!! Y la moto suena de vicio, enhorabuena!!

[@juanosorio8261]

Que lindo suena ese Akrapovic

[@Spalgame]

Hola, qué tal te fue con este Akrapovic? Notaste alguna bajada de rendimiento más o menos notable? Preferirías el de casa? Yo tengo la CB500F de este año y estoy pensando en meter un tubo de escape que le de un sonido guapo. Soy muy novato en motos, es mi primera moto, y ando un poco perdido. Con tu experiencia, me recomendarías algo en concreto? Un saludo

[@roquetarider]

Daba la sensación de acelerar un poco mejor y tener menos velocidad punta, pero es una mera sensación que habría que verificar con datos que no tengo. Cambiar el escape, especialmente para una moto así, es más por sonido y estética que otra cosa. Por sonido, si lo vas a llevar sin DBKiller y te lo puedes permitir, vale la pena.

[@Spalgame]

@@roquetarider Muchas gracias por tu respuesta. Una última pregunta. Merece el sonido la pena con DB Killer? La verdad que estar todo el rato con el riesgo de multa...

[@roquetarider]

@@Spalgame En mi moto sonaba exactamente igual con el DB Killer. Si no se lo vas a quitar no recomiendo que lo cambies.

[@Spalgame]

@@roquetarider Sonaba igual que con el de serie? Vaya tela. Como valoras tú el comprarte el escape por un pastón, y andar con el riesgo de que te multen? La verdad que no entiendo cómo la gente se lanza a conducir sin DB Killer...

[@roquetarider]

Spalgame Yo iba sin, aunque lo llevaba debajo del asiento. Depende de donde vivas tendrás más o menos papeletas de tener multa. Si por donde vives ves que hay mucha gente que va sin, quiere decir que son más laxos. Aún así, siempre vas con la preocupación pero yo me he parado a hablar con Guardias Civiles y no ha pasado nada, aunque nunca me han parado para un control. En el mejor de los casos no te paran nunca o no te hacen nada, en un caso un poco peor te ponen una multa y en el peor de los casos te envían la moto al depósito. Yo ya te digo, en Mallorca y Barcelona no me paso nada. Ahora tengo la Africa Twin, que para mi gusto suena genial con el de serie, y si que es verdad que es mucho mejor no ir con la preocupación. Valora donde vives (generalmente en ciudades grandes son más estrictos) y las ganas de hacer el macarra que tengas. Piensa que si no das mucho gas no suena tan exagerado, aunque se ve por el agujero enorme que vas sin. Ojo también, que no se si los escapes de Euro5 en adelante el db killer va soldado y es más complicado de quitar.

[@davidharvey1509]

stock sounds better

[@OdobaGamer]

hey i have one question,is that akrapovic full carbon or carbon-titanium? Thanks for answering!

[@roquetarider]

Hi, it was all carbon.

[@OdobaGamer]

@@roquetarider thank you!

[@gabrielencinas3418]

Mejora solo el sonido o se le pueden sacar algunos caballos mas???

[@roquetarider]

Según Akrapovič solo da 0.1 kW más... imperceptible. Mi sensación, sin base científica alguna, es que acelera mejor (sube de vueltas más rápido) pero pierde un pelin de velocidad punta. Puede que sea efecto placebo por el sonido o lo que sea, ya que sin probar la moto con un escape y otro uno después de otro ni medirlo de ninguna manera es difícil asegúralo. Seguramente el cambio que pueda tener sea muy muy pequeño. Lo único notable, con los escapes en la mano, es la diferencia de peso. Entre eso y que con el Akra vaya un poco mejor alguna diferencia seguro que se puede medir, pero como digo seguro que es muy pequeña.

[@MK0413]

No comparison to 790 Duke

[@jeremycubs8331]

Not related to exhaust but whats your best mpg on this bike?

[@LandofBobiness]

I get 3.6l/100km average on mine. Mostly city riding on my commute to work with the occasional hard pull.

[@MozzaBurger88]

I concur with those numbers. By riding it easy you can get in the low 3s without any effort. During a day ride on secondary highways I got it down to 3L/100. Don't believe the high numbers on the on board computer, they're grossly higher than reality.

[@THEAJ109]

what.. how? I get on average 4.5L/100km (a lot of city riding), but if I'm being "good" it's usually 4L/100km.

[@roquetarider]

My numbers were the same as yours, Josh

[@PrimoStracciatella]

Yep, my 2015 CBR500R also took on average 3.6L/100 km, which is darn good.

[@shiro.kabocha]

Do you know, how much dBA was it without the dB Killer?

[@roquetarider]

Stefan Lichtl Nop, sorry

[@JeyyArtsify]

Una pregunta, sin DBKiller notabas que perdías bajos? Un saludo y gracias

[@roquetarider]

Hyôga Yuriko Hola, a mi la sensación que me daba era de que aceleraba más pero tenía menos velocidad punta.

[@JeyyArtsify]

@@roquetarider Sin dbkiller imagino no? Muchas gracias por responder! :)

[@roquetarider]

Hyôga Yuriko Si. Con el puesto sonaba igual que el escape de serie, y en cuanto a rendimiento no lo sé porque tampoco lo lleve mucho, pero seguramente iría como con el de serie también.

[@JeyyArtsify]

@@roquetarider Vale pues si me dices que no pierde bajos, con eso estaré encantado, muchas gracias!

[@bosnasanskimost657]

nice

[@Rockbiker6]

Antes de cambiar el escape tienes que reprogramar la moto .prefiero evitar malos ratos y dejarle el de fabrica .igual suena bien 👌

[@roquetarider]

En general si solo cambias el tubo de escape no hace falta reprogramar la moto. Esto en muchas motos es incluso un extra con el que puedes comprar una moto nueva, por tanto el fabricante ya te vende la moto así. En cambio, si cambias el sistema de escape completo (tubo de escape + colectores), ahí si que hace falta reprogramar la moto si o si.

[@alexnigga1000]

What bike is this?

[@roquetarider]

Honda CB500F

[@zohirelabbasy7422]

Y con DB killer q es lo q más nos interesa?

[@roquetarider]

Con DB Killer suena exactamente igual que el escape de serie.

[@IneXXusI]

Hi mate! I hope you'llbe able to help me out. I also have a CB500F with the Akrapovic exhaust. I bought myself a H2n a few months ago but havent been able to get the sound right yet. Would you mind slipping me your settings and where you put the micropone in the last scene and in the Sa Calobra video? Thanks in advance! +1 up

[@roquetarider]

Hi. The settings depend on where you place the microphone. I place it inside my jacket, in the back protector pocket (so: outside world | outside jacket layer | microphone | back protector | inside jacket layer | my back) . For me it's convenient and sounds good, even though sometimes you can hear the jacket rubbing/moving a bit. To find these settings I just drove the same bit of road (10-30 seconds), stopping every time and changing the settings a bit and then compare at home. The Sa Calobra video was made using this settings while this video was not, it sounds so bad in comparison. So, the settings: Mode: XY (mic is placed with the screen looking away from me) Gain: 3-4 Lo Cut: On Comp/Limiter: off Monitor: Always off Auto gain: off Plug-in power: off Rec format: WAV96kHZ/24bit (maybe it's overkill) Besides that, one important step is when editing the video (I use Final Cut Pro) is to apply two filters: Compressor and Noise Gate. First one makes everything louder and the second one removes quiet noise, like jacket rubbing noise. I learned this trick from Dean UK Biker Martin, here's one video where he talks about it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4O5aZ2hqJtkn7c Also, these settings are for the Akra without DB killer. If you ride with the DB Killer in, it might be more tricky. On my current bike (I sold the CB500F and bought a Africa Twin Adventure Sports this year) the stock exhaust sound really good in reality, but on the audio it sounds a bit too quiet. A loud bike makes it easier to record, with a quiet bike you have to turn up the mic gain and start picking up unwanted sounds (clothes, chain, traffic...)

[@IneXXusI]

@@roquetarider Thanks a lot for the quick answer! Couldn't have wished for more! I'll definitly check the video out, I used to have my H2n at the same settings, probably will have to fiddle around a bit with the Compressor and such. Once again, a big thank you!

[@christiantascontascon6288]

anillos en mostacilla

[@tuncaycatikkas9054]

now u know y akra

[@xOG-rd3zc]

Sounds a littlebit better but its not worth all the money

[@roquetarider]

In the latest videos on my channel the audio recording is much better, much closer to the real sound. It does sound much better than stock, and it's a bit easier to know what the engine is doing while riding through the sound. Would I buy it again? I guess so. It's not really necessary but it's a nice mod, easy to rationalise :P But on my new bike, the stock exhaust it's so so so good already (can hear it well while riding) that I'm not going to change it.

[@MisterSuki]

It's about shaving weight too. A considerable weight savings over the stock. At least, that is a major objective of mine for making the swap...in addition to sound.

[@elemjotka4148]

Traurig das ne 500ccm wie ne 125ccm klingt

[@threecats8219]

Stock way better.

[@budyemme7900]

Comments #69