I have been pondering GMCs post-----not the bit about the disclaimer as that's a given
He mentions that "faking long length (where have I heard that before?) otherwise you wont fit it in" (again-where have I heard that before?) but then concedes that he is "not aware of any formula"
By 'faking length' and turning it into diameter-is that not the 'formula'?
i.e. shorten header by 2'' but make it 4'' diameter instead of 3''
But then he goes on to say "add 5''s into the header and 2''s into the middle of an MX125 pipe". Not sure about you but if I added 5''s to my header I'm pretty sure it wouldn't fit anywhere even without adding 2''s to the gurth--just sayin'
But then if you look at the modern 2 smoker pipes (2000 on) they are very short and fatten up very quickly.
You shouldn’t think about things too much, it will only hurt, especially if you think too hard about something I wrote.
The best way to fake length is in the dark, as for pipe design you can simplify a chamber down to three parts…
Length
Diameter
Angles
Length is easy, long pipes produce low revving motors and short pipes produce high revving motors.
Choosing diameters and angles is more complicated as they sort of go hand in hand with each other but in a nutshell, sharp angles produce abrupt power characteristics and shallow angles produce mellower power characteristics.
The ‘add 2” to the belly was meant for the length not the diameter.
The box / resonator will produce a flat torquey type powerband, and generally kill any wild top end, much the same as a long chamber. That’s why I suggested it as ‘Faking’ length. Apostrophe’s show that I use the word loosely for people to be able to grasp the concept.
Long headers produce good low end power so modern bikes don’t require this as much as they make up for it with power valves so modern pipes are designed more for top end power in comparison.
The only negative wave I have experienced is handing my wife money than waving her goodbye as she heads off to the shops.