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Special Parts Takegawa Sports Exhaust System

dmonkey

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I installed the SP (Special Parts) Takegawa Sports Exhaust System today as a little performance mod. I went with it because it retains the same heat shield mount points as the factory exhaust so it's not very obvious and retains the bike's aesthetic.
Bought the exhaust from here - https://japan.webike.net/products/24284332.html
Installation was easy following the steps in the official service manual (from Helm Inc) for removing the exhaust and then the instructions for installing the new Takegawa exhaust are in Japanese but they're pretty straightforward, all you really need to read are the numbers for parts showing you where they go, and torque specs in Nm.

My review is that it now sounds like a proper Honda with a fart can exhaust. As for performance, my seat-of-the-pants review is that it feels like it pulls a little better. I live in the mountains where this bike is generally as slow as an asthmatic donkey, and it still is, but it pulls up inclines a little better and on flat ground it feels like it has a bit more power in the top end.

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Takegawa exhaust on left, OEM exhaust on right

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Takegawa exhaust installed with heat shields off

20210905_182938.jpg
Rocky mountains from a parking spot of ~5,840 ft

Tools used were a metric hex bit set, 10mm socket, 12mm socket, Phillips screw driver, and a bicycle torque wrench

Other mods to the bike so far are KIJIMA Side Stand Wide Plate, KIJIMA Headlight guard, Barkbusters VPS on two-point mount (BHG-087), and Instacrate collapsible 46L crate on the rack. I have a ton of other parts to put on this bike, just slowly chipping away at it.

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Edit: Longterm review, this exhaust worked fine but did run hot and start to rust. I ended up replacing it with an Outex exhaust.
 
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AZ7000'

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Jan 28, 2021
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Swap out those bologna skins!! I'm at 7000' and trails and roads here to 9k, seems to do fine for what it is, I do like the feel of the extra power at sea level on all of the other bikes... Not sure how this will be down there.
 

salterb

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Jul 17, 2021
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Did you replace the bar end inserts when installing the 2-point barkbusters? If not how rigid are they? I assume there would still be some flex/twist with the spinny insert.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

m in sc

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very nice. removing the cat & a larger headpipe makes a difference for sure. looks good. Is the muffler a straight thru glass pack?
 

dmonkey

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Swap out those bologna skins!! I'm at 7000' and trails and roads here to 9k, seems to do fine for what it is, I do like the feel of the extra power at sea level on all of the other bikes... Not sure how this will be down there.

LOL. I have new Shinko 244s just waiting on a fender lift kit to install. The OEM tires have been alright in anything other than the really loose stuff or mud.
Speaking of altitude, on the Grom the PGM-FI has a few different modes you can set it to for altitude, I didn't see any mention of that in the CT125 manual, is there no altitude adjustment available?


Did you replace the bar end inserts when installing the 2-point barkbusters? If not how rigid are they? I assume there would still be some flex/twist with the spinny insert.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Yes, I did replace them with the Barkbuster ones. Before checking the instructions I was at a loss for how to remove the bar ends, but they're explained on page 2
I didn't follow that exact procedure of peeling back the left grip to press inside the two holes drilled in the bars that expose the clip you need to release, and taking the right throttle housing apart to slide it and expose the holes. It was too hard to pull back the grip without tearing up the glue on it, so instead I just used two flathead screwdrivers to dig under the lip of the retainer clip mechanism's two tabs that stick out of the end of the bars, and pulling them away from the bars. It was still not easy, but worked out with patience.
20210906_103409.jpg
Release tab circled in orange, there are 2 per bar end.

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very nice. removing the cat & a larger headpipe makes a difference for sure. looks good. Is the muffler a straight thru glass pack?
It supposedly has a cat built into it, or they need to hire a different translator :p It is definitely not straight through, I checked with a dowel rod and from the rear of the exhaust the hole tapers downward.
 

AZ7000'

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Did you see where another guy just refilled his fender just a bit lower? Didn’t need to put on the boot pinching riser or move the horn. Mine works just fine in the stock spot, I hear rocks in the knobs when in gravel. image.jpg
 

dmonkey

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I did see that here https://hondatrail125.com/index.php?threads/new-tires.73/page-3#post-4677 , pretty slick solution. I've got the fender left coming so figure I may as well wait for it. Have read and seen the videos about having to move the horn, and that it's simple to mount the lift brackets wrong due to lack of instruction, so hopefully it works out on my first try. I have a Denali Soundbomb Mini horn I plan to install at the same time, took it off a larger bike that I upgraded with the regular Denali Soundbomb since the Mini isn't loud enough for highway speeds.
 

dmonkey

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Just an update, found that the Takegawa Sports Exhaust System is unfortunately not out-of-the-box compatible with the exhaust pipe guard falling protector that Beez Deals sells. The lower exhaust mount has more material to it than the OEM one which gets in the way.

exhaust falling guard.jpg
 

chuckklr98

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I wonder if you can "rod out" the cat on that muffler easily. IE: knock out the catalyst with a rod.
 

chuckklr98

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Just ordered one. Thank you for the write up. This pipe should really make a difference as I have already upgraded to the bigger injector.
 

ems70

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Sep 15, 2021
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Just ordered one. Thank you for the write up. This pipe should really make a difference as I have already upgraded to the bigger injector.
URL for the injector you went with? Interested in hearing what you think of the pipe & injector when installed. Sticking with stock cam?
 

dmonkey

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Just saw Takegawa released another version of this exhaust in stainless.
Part number 04-02-0359
 

chuckklr98

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Just saw Takegawa released another version of this exhaust in stainless.
Part number 04-02-0359
Figures, I just bought the old version, and its on a slow boat from china to save me 20 bucks shipping. Only two months lead time. lol.
 

m in sc

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I would have gone that way, but i wanted at least one relatively quiet bike, 86db seemed to be a bit much for me. I do like the stainless version though.
 

dmonkey

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Yeah, if I were buying it again I'd go with the stainless. As a longterm review update, the black paint is fading at the rear of the exhaust and without the paint it's going to rust. Nothing that can't be addressed with some cleaning up and high temp engine paint. My last 125cc bike I had to do that about every year, though it was a 2-stroke.

I have the Outex Exhaust System with swappable silencers on order which I plan to replace this exhaust with, it's a few months out from Webike though.
 

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ball_socket

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Looks like this exhaust doesn't have a spark arrestor?

I wonder if, by chance, the nose cone could be swapped out with the stock one. That way you get the spark arrestor and it's shorter/looks more stock.
 
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