2008 Yamaha R6
Brian Sexton: Associate Publisher
Miles Ridden: Some track laps
Modifications: Two Brothers exhaust, Vortex rearsets
The first thing I swapped out was the exhaust.
Two Brothers sent us the first exhaust system it had for the 2008 R6. It went on flawlessly, and has an aggressive sound. Plus, we shaved off some unwanted weight which gave me a few noticeable horses in the seat of the pants.
The stock system is extremely heavy because of the catalytic converter with a beefy silencer, and with that removed and the Two Brothers pipe in its place the bike has become noticeably lighter and easier to flick from side to side.
After installing the exhaust, I put on a set of Vortex Racing's adjustable rearsets. They allow you to move the footpeg position farther up and back, which gives more ground clearance. They have dual ball bearings on both the shifter and brake lever for ultra-smooth action, and they work very smoothly. The solid mount gives a good, solid feel and acts like another sliding point when the bike hits the deck. Let's just hope that doesn't happen.
Coming Next Month: Braking upgrades.