TEC X Pipe - Is it worth the money and the effort?

[@ToniReviews]

Check out www.letuslive.co.uk for motorcycle street wear apparel. The original East London brand inspired by motorcycles and fuelled by adventure. If your into motorcycles check out the brand- Www.letuslive.co.uk

[@David-uu3wq]

Hi. I have just fitted an x pipe to my 2019 Bonnie. It is not a job you can do in your lunch hour and is a bit more involved than it looks, but it is doable for your average spanner weilder.

[@ToniReviews]

Agreed.

[@malcolmemsley5909]

Great honest review as I have been thinking about doing this. The point about the coked welds inside is due to the weld penetration which is a natural occurrence of a proper good weld. This can be rectified in manufacture by the method of purging, which involves sealing the ends of the cross pipe with masking tape or bungs, and filling the pipe with Argon gas constantly fed through a hose from the gas bottle during the welding process , This protects the weld inside the pipe from oxidising and it will form a neat bead just like the weld on the outside. This method is used in Aircraft work and stainless steel work for the food and Pharmaceutical industry where oxidised welds cannot be tolerated as it would trap contaminants. This method would be more time consuming thus raising costs...the extra Argon used would be very little though. As you rightly point out, those rough welds won't make that much difference to the escaping exhaust fumes. Thanks for a great review. I worked in Fabrication and Aircraft but now retired,

[@ToniReviews]

Wow thank you. What a great peice of feedback. Im sure many people reading the comments and watching the video will find thisa very helpful. I know I did. Thanks for the insightful comment!

[@hamsterclamper]

What a great, honest review. Well done! I’ve watched several videos on these X pipes (for my Speed Twin) and still haven’t been able to decide whether to go ahead. Your honest and straightforward review was very refreshing and has definitely made my mind up for me. I’ll stick with stock. Thank you👍😊

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Paul. Glad you found the review helpful. I know when I was looking for information all I could find were fairly somewgat biased views, and all i wanted was an honest owner review, so glad you found this useful. Saying that, if I had the choice again now that I have experienced the x pipe, would I do it again? the answer would be yes, simply for the sound. safe riding.

[@dageliason2615]

So refreshing to get honest and unbiased reviews instead of the usual shilling of gear from other bike KZbinrs. Thanks Toni!

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks Dag. So glad you found this helpful. I always try and be as honest as possible, so thank you for your comments 😊

[@packohh]

Great review. Like a couple of others have said here. Heat is prob the biggest reason to chuck it, especially in a hot country like Australia. Cats need to be hot to work and here it’s like sitting on volcano! Meerkat here in Australia make pretty good ones and far cheaper for a better product by the looks. The speed twin 900 2022 Euro5 onwards have link pipes to mufflers welded so it requires a cut and weld or finding an updated x Pipe design to suit.

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks for sharing this information and glad you found it interesting. The post 22 information is very interesting and probably a big turn off to owners. Thanks for this 👍

[@packohh]

@@ToniReviews Motone make one to suit as well so not impossible just not as easy as previous models.

[@bronzestarvue]

Refreshing to watch an honest review of an x-pipe for the Street Twin. I bought one, along with the V&H mufflers. Installed the mufflers without the dB killers, and am quite pleased with the sound. I haven't installed the x-pipe, and after watching this video and others, I'm hesitant to do it. I don't want to waste hours of my time installing something that's not really going to give me any more hp or torque, and make the exhaust sound more "raw" and "raspy". If I get bored some weekend and absolutely have nothing better to do, I might get around to installing my x-pipe. Or I could just gear up and go for a ride instead!

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes the install is quite a time consuming job and there isn’t much difference if any in torque or performance mainly the sound to be honest. If you do decide to fit the xpipe let me know how you get on and what you think 👍

[@glenbreaks5448]

Thanks for pointing out the interior weld slag. I have a Tec x pipe here, it is much the same. The slag forms when the fabricator doesn't bother back purging the pipe with argon. It's fairly easy to do the back purge, but it would add a couple of minutes to the welding time. I looked at a video for a Motone x pipe install. The reviewer talked a lot about " marine grade stainless used by Motone" and generally suggested that the Motone was head and shoulders above the other makers. When he put the camera inside you could see the same weld slag bumps and lumps hanging into the flow as with your & my Tec x pipes. He made no mention of the slag, just kept raving about the quality. I think Meerkat is the only one properly welded.

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks for this informative feedback. Very interesting to hear. I’d not seen inside the motone x pipe so couldn’t comment but the exterior finish looked better than the tec version, I just couldn’t really comment from experience, but this is very helpful. Thank you for sharing!

[@HarryHartman71]

Hi Toni, thank you for this great review. Have fun, drive safe.

[@ToniReviews]

Harry Hartman thank you for the feedback. 👍

[@johnwarner4513]

Great review Tony, as I'm trying to decide if I should de-cat. I have heard that keeping the cat, can cause a problem if parked in long grass, as it runs very hot. Ok, how many times does that happen, I know. Its just a thought. I'm staying with stock after your honest review. Many thanks

[@ToniReviews]

Glad you found this helpful. All the best 👍

[@johnwarner4513]

@@ToniReviews Hi Toni, turns out I couldn't stop myself from the de-cat in the end. I just had to know. It was a bit if a faff to do, but everything is when you're 72. I did it, and glad I did, mostly because I could see how the bike changed, with the stock pipes. I'll probably swop the end cans, when I can afford it, but for now, its a little bit more responsive, and sounds a little bit better. They are only small changes, for spending £100, but now I can start to change things. Still glad I read your review though. Cheers

[@Mid-Knife-Crisis69]

Thanks. Great information. All the best, David.

[@ToniReviews]

@@Mid-Knife-Crisis69 glad you found it useful 👍 thanks for watching and taking the time to comment

[@dustinmai3755]

just bought a brand-new speed 900, your video is very useful

[@ToniReviews]

Hi @dustinmai3755 a brand new speed twin sounds amazing. I absolutely love the speed twin! thanks also for the kind words of support, glad you found the video helpful!

[@ozzy7926]

How do you think it would sound with stock mufflers with the cat delete with the x pipe added? I don't plan on doing mufflers right away.

[@ToniReviews]

it should dtill make a noticeable difference in sound. The sound is a lot more 'raw' if that makes sense. Again the sound would be a lot more raspier and raw once you nthen change the cans. but yes stock cans will also make a difference in tone. like i mentioned performance and weight were not really that noticeable for me, i think hence why tec dont publish any dyno results.

[@TheEnfieldGuy]

Great review Toni! Have shared with my Triumph buddies in Sydney 🤘

[@ToniReviews]

Great! Glad you enjoyed it, and hope it helps a few Triumph riders over there. Out of interest what Enfield are you riding?

[@TheEnfieldGuy]

@@ToniReviews Hey Toni, I'm currently on the new Interceptor, have a 2010 RE bullet & 1961 RE Clipper. A little obsessed maybe 🤪 I have a few videos on my channel about them. Hoping to get some more vlog style and reviews up soon. Your content is top notch and is inspiring me to want to get better in front of the camera. Keep it up!!!!

[@ToniReviews]

@@TheEnfieldGuy Blimey yes maybe just a little obsessed. Ill take a look on your channel :). Thanks for the suppport. I'll be sure to give you a follow

[@RorySeanWainer]

Thanks for your frank & honest comments. I've considered an X Pipe but wonder if it's legal to remove any pollution gear and what the impact would be on rideability given how complex gas flow is. Agree, 2 kilos from that part of a road bike is probably not noticeable. Think I'll skip the X Pipe and consider lighter wheels instead ... they are a much bigger investment than an X Pipe but I plan to keep my Thruxton R for many years. Thanks again.

[@ToniReviews]

No problem. At the moment they don’t seem to be testing emissions on motorcycles, but if they start then the x pipe could be a problem. I must say I do love the sound it gives, but as mentioned there’s no other. Real difference I could find in all honesty. Thanks for the feedback. Keep me posted on the wheels and how they perform 👍

[@johanthorn1968]

Great review, thanks! I'm curious about sound while at cruising speed. As I understand it, the difference in noise level isn't that big apart from when accelerating/revving?

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Johan. When you first swap out the cat for the the x pipe you do notice a small difference in sound. But you quickly become attuned to that and it does sound pretty similar to the original. Hiwever when you start riding you do notice a difference and mainly in the lower revs rather than top speed … like when you kick down to overtake. I’ve had friends who have ridden behind me (so the sound is louder to the observer than to the rider) say wow your bike sounds so mean. Hope this helps. I definitely do notice a difference in sound but obviously the deepness of the growl intensifies at the lower rev, like when you kick down a gear to overtake, etc.

[@johanthorn1968]

@@ToniReviews That's what I'm after. I wanna be able to listen to music or whatnot when I'm doing longer stretches, or at least hear my own thoughts without being distracted from an everlasting buzz. On the flipside.. yeah, I really do want my Speed Twin to come alive and SOUND like it should when on twisties or in town. Went to my dealer just this day and had a discussion on the topic. An employee of their's kindly offered me to try his bike, which has these mods done already (x-pipe + weslake shortys). Can't wait for spring to arrive! Thanks ever so much for your response! :)

[@ToniReviews]

Johan Thorn no problem! Glad it helped…. I’m excited for you! Take care, sounds like you have a great summer ahead. 👍

[@ben9l351]

but does it reduce the heat from the engine due to less restiction of the Cat

[@ToniReviews]

Very hard to say. The information panel doesn’t show engine temperature, but I’ve not noticed the fan coming on any faster or slower. Personally doesn’t feel as though it’s changed the temperature

[@ben9l351]

@@ToniReviews many thanks for the reply

[@arceyes]

Great, concise review. Thinking about doing a cat delete on my Speed Cup. Cheers Toni

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Ryan. Many thanks for the kind words, so glad it helped you out. Safe riding on the speed cup! lovely bike!

[@x-man5056]

Another point on fueling; Catalytic converters run at a significantly higher temperature than the exhaust would because of the catalytic activity inside it. Nobody ever thinks about the inherent danger of spilling fuel on a Cat because they are under a car. Much different story here. As a minimum, If you are still running stock pipes with a Cat, do yourself a big favor and not attempt refueling while seated on the bike. Most of us are very careful when fueling our machines, but sh*t happens. Voom, while you are holding the gas nozzle in your hand. Be on your toes while on your feet, not on your rear and on fire. Also have to wonder about that high heat source right next to the cylinder if it might effect anything on the cylinder wall on the right side (like oil coking). The whole pipe will run cooler with out the Cat. The engine will still run at the prescribed operation temperature but the cooling system will have less heat to remove. That's a bonus for longevity.

[@ToniReviews]

Thank you for your comments. Very helpful advice on there, thank you for sharing. I do know people who fill their bikes whilst seated, so this information is very helpful. Also very interesting idea on the heat coming up the oil. That would be an interesting investigation. Thanks for sharing

[@x-man5056]

@@ToniReviews You are very welcome. If you know someone with a Scrambler 2017-2022 with even 10k on it and still with a Cat, you could look at the cylinder wall with a bore scope. The real story would be more likely show on the piston skirt so that would require dismantling unfortunately. Super hot oil loses it's lubricity long before Coking. Regardless, taking out the Cat is a good idea just to let the engine to breath and gain some HP too. Oil "Coking" is the literal heat caused vaporization of volatiles in the oil. It is what leaves the black mark on piston skirts of an old engine. It is the oil literally turned to carbon by heat.

[@ToniReviews]

X-Man thank you for sharing. Very informative, I’m sure people reading this will find this information very handy. I know I did. Thanks 😊👍

[@johnmcgirr8581]

Brilliant honest review Toni

[@ToniReviews]

Thank you John. Glad you found it useful

[@Sean-yk2cf]

I appreciate the honest review.

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks Sean. That’s one thing I try to get across and that’s being as honest as I can as a rider and consumer. So hope this helped :) take care, safe riding

[@Mollygower]

Thanks Tony. I bought the Tec X-Pipe a year ago for my speed twin. I'm not sure i I should fit it or not. I'm living in Spain and they check emissions here for the MOT (ITV). This means I would have to reinstall the cat every time I get my bike tested. I'm not sure if the time it would take is worth it.

[@ToniReviews]

Hi molly. Wow first if all living in Spain sounds fab. Secondly regarding the emissions . If they are part of the mot I wouldn’t bother. Even though it’s a fairly simply job, it is a big job and the thought of having to do that every year just isn’t worth the hassle… there’s not noticeable difference in performance, the sound is great though… but all that bother just for a little extra rasp in the sound isn’t worth the time. Hope this helps 👍😊

[@Mollygower]

@@ToniReviews thanks Toni. That's the conclusion I've reluctantly came to. I will probably just change the end cans and fit a DNA air filter. Maybe get a reversible tune. Thanks ago. By the way. I love your vids.

[@tsmgguy]

An effect of installing a Tec X-pipe on my T120 is a very noticeable reduction in perceived heat. This is really welcome in my hot desert climate. The installation took me most of a weekend. Be sure you have the tools and confidence needed to so the job. I'm getting the same sound as stock, just more of it. Overall, I'm happy with the swap.

[@ToniReviews]

@@tsmgguy thanks for sharing. It’s hard to judge the heat on the street twin with no gauge. Straight away I noticed the sound difference when paired with the tec end cans. It’s not a difficult job, although I would say it can be slightly tricky in places but nothing too major, just looks intimidating from the outset but literally a few bolts. You mention a hot desert climate. Whereabouts are you based? 👍

[@redhillphil37]

I thought the sound was a big improvement. Great objective review.

[@ToniReviews]

Hi redhillphil37. Many thanks for your kind feedback. I do try and give as honest an opinion as I can from a real persons point of view, which is unbiased by freebies or sponsorship . As for the sound, it took me a little while to appreciate it personally,,, but now I absolutely love it and wouldn’t have it sounding any other way! Totally agreed!

[@chriscarbaugh3936]

Hmm, I really like mine, but there is a noticeable crackle and pop now. I might remap to help, but I “think” I see or feel a difference.

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Carl ditto. I noticed that too. I haven’t remapped mine, if you do so please share how you get on and any noticeable differences 😊👍

[@marekryszard]

Yeah . . .all well & good unless the Triumph Bonneville you purchase from the dealer in California has the two inlet pipes to the Cat Converter welded (which I believe is co

[@marekryszard]

. . . common practice. I paid a muffler shop $600 to remove the Cat install the cross pipe (purchased from Tamarit™, Spain)

[@ToniReviews]

Yeah that’s not great. I know they changed the later models, what year is yours?

[@marekryszard]

2022 purchased in June of that year. Many motorcycle performance parts suppliers won't even ship their products to California because of the clean air laws. I recently purchased performance mufflers from Cone Engineering™ and had to sign a waiver stating that they were only for "Track Use"

[@marekryszard]

However, Arizona, which is a neighboring state has none such restrictions, I believe.

[@movem1]

nice honest review, thank you so much.

[@ToniReviews]

Thank you. Glad you found it useful. I try to keep the opinions as honest as possible from a consumers point of view. Happy riding 👍

[@michaelevans1658]

Hi Toni ,have you had the wiring loom mod done on your bike . Reason I ask still issues with the clutch cable rubbing the wiring loom even with the recall bracket mod. A lot of owners are taking their clutch cable out of the bracket top and bottom to stop it rubbing . Have a look by the steering headstock see if any signs of wear .This is going to bite Triumph in the rear ,maybe on new models too. Oh on a final note been quoted £550 for a major service. Keep up the good work.

[@ToniReviews]

Hi. Yes I had the recall done january 2019. I was riding home late one night on the M1, when all the lights on my black bike failed, on a section of the M1 that was under construction with no hard shoulder and no lights. I think im lucky to be here to be honest. If the power would have failed that would have been it i fear. So yes I had the recall issue done, a small polastic bracket that removes the cable from the loom. I wanted a new loom install, but the problem seemed to have righted itself... strange, but it did expose some rubbing of the loom had been happening. A very potentially dangerous and costly problem. Are you getting as new loom installed or did you manage to catch it before any p[ermanent damage?

[@ToniReviews]

What I notice is its more a problem with the headlight bracket at the bottom rubbing when you turn the steering to the left. Im currently monitoring mine.

[@ToniReviews]

What does the Major service entail at your dealier for the £550? would be interested to know

[@michaelevans1658]

@@ToniReviews Long winded answer coming your way Toni. Wiring loom issues ,took my bike to my new local Triumph dealer very helpful considering I did not buy bike from them {long story }. This was today 6th of july , was informed they will arrange a 30 minute inspection to see whether it's a loose connection or wiring loom {argh} . If loom they have to involve Triumph for a complete replacement.. My bike has 3 months warranty left bought just before the 2019 Street twin came out. This bike has had two dealer services in 21 months ,and when it had the recall bracket done had covered just 600 miles. Now only on 1200 miles. The Triumph technician informed me they cannot splice these looms hence a full loom. Let you know what happens.

[@michaelevans1658]

@@ToniReviews Major service includes head bearings check and grease ,tighten if needed. All fluids changed, plus filters. Valve check and adjust if necessary. Plus brake inspection ,various cables and chain inspection lube and adjust as necessary . Told it is full days work .

[@robshef718]

I like the sound.... better than the stock.....or with the changes you made! Look out harley!!!

[@ToniReviews]

@@robshef718 it really does sound good! I’ve owned the bike 7 years now and it still brings the same feeling every time I open the throttle.

[@robshef718]

@@ToniReviews Yes. There are just those lil perks that we can give the bike to make it our own. Im looking at the TEC FANG pipe [British maker] for my 22 Triumph Tiger 660. That pipe works with enhancing the stock sound.

[@misnomer4231]

I had bought the xpipe before I saw this video. have to say i was pretty depressed that i spent the money for the part and come to find out i wasted it. I installed it anyways. the difference was obvious. smoother acceleration. low rpm chugg was removed. sound was deeper. i haven't seen an improvement in mpg yet but i have been going nutts on the throttle.

[@ToniReviews]

I must say I didn’t notice any change in performance, except the fact the sound sounded so good that I myself am guilty of blasting everywhere so can’t comment lol. For me personally I think I enjoy the sound and the feel of the bike with the sound so I’m glad I fitted it, but it would have been nice to have some of the other claimed benefits. As for throttle chug I just also fitted the booster plug which helped with that. I can’t say the x pipe did much for my chunky low end. Let me know how you get on and if you notice any mpg difference?! Thanks so much for sharing 👍

[@misnomer4231]

@@ToniReviews wow so i wrote this huge reply and lost it. anyhow there is a article from a build where they guy dynos it after each part install. he states a 5% increase in hp with just an xpipe. that's pretty huge. anyhow stay safe out there!

[@ToniReviews]

Mis Nomer that very interesting! Thanks for sharing that… Ps my sympathy on losing your long answer… that’s sooooo annoying when that happens. Thanks again for sharing, very interesting.

[@misnomer4231]

@@ToniReviews quick update on mpg. I used ranged since the average is affected by shop this me as well and good luck with the dynamic metric . Any how I have the xpipe plus turn out and get a range of 151 miles for a 2.4 gallon tank. Compare with stock bobber /shrug. Ride safe!

[@ben9l351]

I was wondering if it helped the heat problem and that the fan cuts in a lot less due to not running so hot

[@pokennpokenn]

Hi Toni, great review. Can I ask what your helmet and visor is? Looks great!

[@ToniReviews]

Goggles are the 100% Barstow Roland sands design goggles and the helmet is the Shoei X Zero.

[@ToniReviews]

I have just finished a review on the shoes ex zero a 1 year road test. I also gave a separate video on the 100% Barstow goggles. Take a look on my channel. Just released. Take care

[@michaelevans1658]

Would it possible to do a all fluid change video as so expensive at Triumph dealers ,brake fluid, coolant, oil. ?

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Michael. Yes good idea. Although with the abs on newer models, changin the fluid in the abs reservoir is not advised. I have doine an oil change video in the meantime which may help. but I may look at a fluid change video for future. thanks for the feedback

[@alainbrisebois8334]

I instaled a H-pipe with the stock exhause , and a K&N air filter on my Storm. I know someone put short thors on his. and he sound 100% better than mine.

[@ToniReviews]

Alain Brisebois thanks for the response. Yeah I think changing the cans can really help with getting the full sound. I’ll be adding a better air filter shortly to improve airflow and see what difference that makes to performance and maybe sound. We will see 👌

[@rickslijkhuis6822]

Best performance gain you can do is getting a better tune. I've still got the cat in with cone slip-ons and my Speed Twin now makes 103hp (86 stock) on the rear wheel. No other mods. It runs real smooth on any range of rpm now. Best investment i've ever done. TEC has lost my trust since i've gotten the performance cam for my Street Scrambler a couple of years ago. It didn't even come close to the promised performance gain. It even went down in performance on lower rpm range. There was no clear answer from them when I showed them the Dyno charts.

[@ToniReviews]

Thanks for the feedback. Very helpful. I always wondered about the cam too. Thanks thats helpful

[@johnfretz1938]

Thanks Toni.

[@ToniReviews]

Glad you found it helpful John 👍😊

[@michaelevans1658]

Nice honest review the results are at best medicore . What happens if emissions come part of a bike m.o.t. ?

[@ToniReviews]

Thank you. then I think anyone with a cat is screwed. another lengthy re cat install

[@paulrose576]

Hi toni your tomtom review wa great I us my phone with the app I overlander it good

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Paul. thanks for the feedback. Yes i found that when I used the Tom GTom with the connect app it was great. you could really get the best out of the device whilst using the app.However there were some drawbacks with the device itself. I eventually sold it an amcurrently using a mobile ohine with designated navigation apps. Thanks for the comments, safe riding👍

[@petethepunisher3015]

The main reason you de cat is to get rid of the heat . The cat is under the engine .it will be boiling the oil in your engine .Heat kills oil.

[@ToniReviews]

Interesting perspective. I think most people don’t de cat to get rid of heat. I think the other factors are what tend to persuade people to change out for an x pipe. Interesting point of view thanks for sharing

[@deniscullis8518]

Well done matey xden

[@ToniReviews]

Denis Cullis thanks for the f the feedback. Appreciate that thank you 👍

[@petethepunisher3015]

Your welcome

[@andrewbecker3700]

Tec parts are inexpensive for a reason. Personally wouldn't give them my money. The British Customs competition x-pipe I bought with my Speed Twin from the dealer. No fancy spiderweb brackets on the outside and absolutely no welding flash inside or out. I never even started my '22 with the cat in place or factory baffles. All I know is that frick'n thing hauls ass! With the gears I have, 100mph is under 5,000rpm in top gear. From my calculations 5th gear will get me all of 130mph and 6th. should bring it up to near 140. Enjoy your twin and ride safe.

[@ToniReviews]

Many thanks for sharing that. Yes I agree my first impressions of the x pipe welds was not great. I’ve not inspected any other brands so couldn’t compare directly. I enjoy the new sound the bike makes and I also do have the tec slip on end cans (which came with the bike) but I think the only performance enhancement comes from my booster plug and the chain and sprocket set I swapped out. Being a street twin your not going to get big numbers in terms of speed anyway (for starters the Nissin callipers are not up to performance speeds) . Your feedback for the speed twin is very interesting and I am personally interested to see the British customs alternative- thanks for sharing Andrew. I think I might have to take a speed twin out for a test ride 👍

[@andrewbecker3700]

@@ToniReviews I'd keep it in road mode if you get a ride on the new Speed Twin. Sport mode is a bit much for the average person who rides an 865cc. It'll pull the front tire off the road with a simple flick of the wrist. 100mph comes on in a heartbeat.

[@chriscbr7018]

Crap welding.....and.....left the burr on too...poor craftsmanship...... Out side looks great....but the gas flows on the inside of the pipes...so I'm saying....poor

[@ToniReviews]

Hi Chris. Agreed my first reaction was a little disappointed too. Seeing as the whole concept is about improving the gas flow, to have burred edges on the inside did make me feel a little let down as a consumer. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@TheJWC56RSA]

Blasphemer... leave God out of your bike talk. Curse by using your own name.

[@ToniReviews]

Ok 🙄maybe this channel isn’t for you