CT SONIC Vs. DUNCAN Vs. FMF

[525 Outlaw Dude]

I called CT RACING today and asked about the 12 Disc Sonic Exhaust and they sent me a Dyno sheet of about a 10HP Gain for like $560.00, which includes (Can, Mid-Pipe, Header, jets). Then Duncan has their Exhaust kit with a 10hp-12hp gain, which comes with Can, Mid-Pipe, Header, Jets, K&N Filter, plus outer wear, and runs $849.99 Then you got FMF, which they claim the (Factory 4.1 Mega-bomb kit), which is $949.99 will adds about 15hp. whats your thoughts?

[willb]

ALBA has a nice system on ebay for 399.95. I went with everyone else with the HMF.

I read on several sites that you cant do much more to the KTM designed header that would make more performance.

I am going to mount mine on this week so I will be able to atleast give a decible comparison.

[smokinwrench]

I have the alba system and am 100% happy with it. Fit is good and the power increase was great and its quieter then the stock pipe with baffle out.

I read somewhere might have been on this site that it doesn't really matter what pipe you buy all of them are going to build close to the same hp. Depends on wether you want a top or bottom end pipe.

[LT250_JOE]

Originally posted by 525 Outlaw Dude
I called CT RACING today and asked about the 12 Disc Sonic Exhaust and they sent me a Dyno sheet of about a 10HP Gain for like $560.00, which includes (Can, Mid-Pipe, Header, jets). Then Duncan has their Exhaust kit with a 10hp-12hp gain, which comes with Can, Mid-Pipe, Header, Jets, K&N Filter, plus outer wear, and runs $849.99 Then you got FMF, which they claim the (Factory 4.1 Mega-bomb kit), which is $949.99 will adds about 15hp. whats your thoughts?


CT seems like a better bang for the buck. Duncan's extra hp problably comes from the airfilter. I've been waiting to buy exhaust to see what is the best way to go. Did FMF provide a dyno sheet to back up that gain, I cant find one online. As far as a head pipe, my friends ktm 525 has a very different design than the one bolted to my polaris. That makes me believe there is some hp in the header area to be found, and probably more if you go stroker/big bore in the near or distant future. I was leaning toward Duncan, but I'm going to wait untill spring. What I'd love to see is an f-in shootout in a magazine.

[Rig]

Have any of you guys had trouble with the way the HMF fit the 525?

[jcooksey]

I bought the CT pipe and I couldnt have been happier I have bought a lot of pipes over the years and this by far is the best one I have ever purchased.
This pipe actually made a noticable difference my Outlaw 525 is bad *** fast now due to this pipe and the JD Jetting Kit.
I have a 525 KTM MXC also and have compared the power on these two and this Outlaw is wicked fast with this pipe and it also isnt that load it sounds like a low rumble now.
I saw the dyno sheets that Ct put out and I thought oh yeah sure anyone can put out a dyno sheet, well guess what these guys no s-it are making all kinds of power with this pipe I highly recomend it.

[Eddie11gt]

I love my Ct pipe. In my opinion it produces more noticeable power than my brothers FMF 4.1 for his Outlaw 525 IRS.

[Rig]

Where did you guys buy the CT for the 525? I can't seem to find it. Thanks:(

[Eddie11gt]

Ctracing.com

[Eddie11gt]

Just got my Outlaw back from Ct racing, the exhaust got me a total 50.23hp.

[rgasper33]

50.23 rwhp?

[Eddie11gt]

Yes

[outlawjeff]

what else do you have done to it? Or are they the numbers you are getting with just the exhaust?

[eerhard09]

If that is just a filter, jetting, and a full system, I think that is a very generous dyno! It is nice looking and all and would love to believe that an exhaust is capable of gaining 10 hp on the 525 but just do not think it is. I have an Outlaw and just don't see it happening. Nice curve though!

[Eddie11gt]

I have the following done:
CT exhaust, Jd jetting kit, R&D Powerbol,
Uni filter.
For those of you who don't see it possible, I encourage you to call Allen at Ct Racing and ask him how he did it.

[eerhard09]

I didn't say that the 50hp was not possible with jetting, pipe and filter, I said it was that high due to the generous dyno they are using! Take HMF for instance, they dyno the stock 525 at about 36-37 hp and achieve 41-42 with just jet changes and a slip-on. Now, that is still a 5-6 hp gain with JUST the slip on. But, it is still a 20% difference from the 50 hp from CT Racing! That to me says that the HMF dyno is stingy and the CT dyno is very generous! Did you get a dyno run in stock form in order to compare the gains? You should have dynoed it stock, then with the filter and jetted, and then with the pipe. That would give you the true gains of the pipe ON THAT DYNO!

[Eddie11gt]

No, I dont have a stock dyno run to compare, But they do on their web site
CTracing.com. Their dyno chart shows the outlaw 525 with stock pipe and a run with only CT Sonic pipe and jetting.(Dyno results from CT's 525 and my 525 produced from SAME DYNO) So considering the mods that I have done, I'm very pleased with my results. I hope my info is helpful to those of you who are making modification decisions.

[eerhard09]

Eddie11gt, I wasn't bashing you or picking on you, I was just saying that not everyone will see those numbers. The dyno and conditions will greatly vary those. I would love to see those kinds of gains with a pipe and filter!! We will find out, I am going to have mine dyno tuned in about 2 months when the weather starts to warm up a little outside! I don't want to tune it for warm conditions (in the dyno room) only to take it out in 30 degree weather and have the jetting be way off!

[525 Outlaw Dude]

FMF Factory 4.1 Mega Bomb Exhaust or CT Sonic Exhaust
list what you like and dislike, how the power fills and the sound, and also pictures would be useful!!!!, i'm planning to make my choice soon and need the info "THANKS" :)

[Evasiveone]

Not sure you can say the HMF dyno is stingy and the CT dyno is generous. Both the stock/modded machines were done on the same dyno respectively. The HMF stock at around 36 hp and the CT dynoed a stock 525 at 38 hp. That is real close to right in line with the other dynos out there for the 525. Eddies 525 was the only 525 to date I know of that was running the JD Kit installed when running a dyno for a pipe retailer and also no lid and aftermarket filter. We have all been impressed with JD's needles.

And as far as the HMF's dyno several things raise an eyebrow. They rejetted a piped 525 to a 150 jet??? We all know even with the stock pipe/filter/lid on you need to be in the 160's on the main jet. Also the HMF dyno shows the RPM's pushing close to 11,000, which is hard to believe since the 525 will start retarding timing to limit it at the most to 9900 RPM.

So while I agree, hitting the 50's is probably not going to be obtained by everyone with the big 3 mods it does not totally surprise me that a well tuned 525 can hit the 50's.

[mikebell72]

hey guy`s just wanted to jump in i know it has been a while since any post on this thread but it took me a while to get the hp out of my bike. i started with a 38hp dyno on my 525 outlaw and with a clamp on kn with outerwears and a full duncan syatem got 46hp but was not happy and tried a yfz 450 intake and just shot it up and ran it without a seat and got 49 hp, the best we could do at the time.

not happy with that i ordered a 4.1 full titanium with a megabomb header from travis at ktm talk at that same time we tried to run the crankcasevent throught the header instead of back through the carb by welding a 3/8 tube at the header hoping we would pick up something.

went back to the same dyno and and got 52hp and 37tq with jd red needle and a 165 main jet the crankcase vent made no diff in hp or tq i did this with the calmp on kn but had to remove the outerwear.

[sheriff525]

My 525 has only jet kit and filter. my brother has a jet kit, filter and full fmf 4.1 with mega bomb. It is very sad because he barely pulls on me when we drag. It made such little difference it was sad. I hope the CT pipe makes more of a difference when I get it next year.

Conclusion - FMF was a waste of money he said.

Also my dads bike is still completely stock except for sprockets. His bike is pulling wheelies in 4th easy, while me and my brother have to really pull!

[SSJEFF]

Originally posted by sheriff525
My 525 has only jet kit and filter. my brother has a jet kit, filter and full fmf 4.1 with mega bomb. It is very sad because he barely pulls on me when we drag. It made such little difference it was sad. I hope the CT pipe makes more of a difference when I get it next year.

Conclusion - FMF was a waste of money he said.

Also my dads bike is still completely stock except for sprockets. His bike is pulling wheelies in 4th easy, while me and my brother have to really pull!

Sounds to me like your jetting may be off if the stock is pulling harder than the modded. All the mods in the world will make no difference if it is not tuned.

[U1arunit]

Originally posted by SSJEFF
Sounds to me like your jetting may be off if the stock is pulling harder than the modded. All the mods in the world will make no difference if it is not tuned.

I agree Jeff. My FMF/JD Jetted combo flat out rips compared to stock. Matter of fact it is not even close.

[mikebell72]

i agree with ssjeff tunning is more important than parts.
also check the oil level in his bike if it is over half full on the site glass it will lose power,
i changed my stuff on the same bike and the same dyno so know the fmf works and i love the sound of it. not only did i dyno test i did 300 timed drag races and took the avg of ten runs the fmf was 2 to 3 tenths faster than the duncan and on the dyno it was 2hp better.


it would be cool if you could swap exh with your brother? just to see ? as always some bikes just run a little better than others and someone has to lose??