Barker's Official Blog

If you’ve been following Barker’s Exhaust for the last year, you’ve probably noticed Juan Pirruñas Dominguez and the Pirruñas Racing Team. Juan partnered with Barker’s Performance as a sponsored rider in February 2015 and has since made quite an impression on us and the desert racing industry.

Sponsored Rider Snapshot

• Racing Number: 9A 
• ATV: Honda TRX450R
• Age: 25
• Occupation: Accountant
• Hometown: Yuma, AZ
• Started Racing: Age 17
• First ATV: Yamaha Banshee

This year we watched as Juan and the Pirruñas Racing Team endured rigorous racing schedules and dominated extreme desert racing conditions. Because of Juan’s commitment to running our exhaust system on his machine, we have had the tremendous opportunity to learn more about desert racing and how our exhaust system performs under these conditions. We thank Juan and the Pirruñas Racing team for their continued dedication and support and we look forward to another year of outstanding performance!

Sponsored Rider Interview

We wanted to get to know Juan better and thought you might want to too, so we reached out to ask him a few questions about himself and the Pirruñas Racing Team. Here’s what he had to say: 

Q. Juan, you seem to be incredibly dedicated to racing. Can you tell us a little about your roots and how you got started in desert racing?

I got my first quad when I was 14 years old and my whole family was always into off-road racing and going to the dunes on the weekends. Since we live in the Sonoran Desert, I started to love riding out in the beautiful desert scenery that Yuma has to offer. After watching the documentary of the Baja 1000 " Dust to Glory," I saw there were quads participating and that's where my dream begun. I decided to attend the Baja 500 when I was 16 years old and absolutely got hooked on the Baja racing atmosphere!

Q. Clearly the Pirruñas Racing Team plays a big role in your racing career, can you tell us a little more about your team?

Pirruñas Racing started back in 2008 when we did our first ever CODE Offroad race right across the border in San Luis, Sonora. We raced a stock Raptor 660r and placed 7th out about 25 quads. The team consists of my brother and I who are trying to follow the same dream in being champions and maybe one day pick up a Honda Factory ride. In Desert racing, without a support team you are nothing out there, so I am blessed enough to have family and friends come out and help us out in different sections of the course and help us get the quad to the finish. As a matter of fact, the name Pirruñas came from my nickname and it’s a pretty noticeable name in Mexico.

Q. In 2015 you raced some pretty intense courses, can you tell us a bit about your experiences riding in desert races like the SCORE international series?

2015 was a great year for us! We won every single race in the SCORE series and to be honest it is not an easy task to accomplish. Those races are hard enough just making it to the finish line. Preparation is the key to get to the checkered flag and running durable products on your race quad such as Barker’s Exhaust is another factor in getting to the finish. The terrain is tough enough on your machine and a bit worse on your body so you have to be in top physical shape to be competitive. In order to win you must first finish so you just have to trust in your other co-riders and ride at a smooth fast pace.

Q. We understand that a ton of thought, modification, and maintenance goes into making a machine, and a man, race ready. Can you share a little bit about how you get yourself and your machine ready for a race?

As we all know Desert Racing is a true test for man and machine so preparation is the difference between winning and losing. We start prepping for our next race as soon as we cross the finish line of our last race. After every race, we sit down and write notes on what went wrong and how we can improve. Being in top physical riding shape is a priority for every rider in the team so that means a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in the gym as well as getting as much seat time as we can before the next race. As for the race quad, we tear it down all the way to the frame as well as the motor. Although Honda is known for their reliability, we tear the motor down and replace everything that is necessary to get us to the finish line for the next race. The only part we re-use on our quads is our Barker’s Exhaust. We put thousands of miles on them and they still retain their race condition. Most durable exhaust on the market in my book!

Q. It looks like 2016 is shaping up to be another big year for you and the Pirruñas Racing Team! Can you tell us about what this year has in store for you and what you are most looking forward to for this year?

After winning a championship in the SCORE International Series and in the CODE Offroad Series in 2015, we are setting sights in winning the SCORE International Pro Open Quad Class for 2016 and make our dream come true in running the 1A plate for 2017. Tons of money, time, and sweat will go into this goal but we have the team and sponsors to make it happen! One change that we'll be doing this year is that my brother Alonzo Dominguez will be focusing on prepping our race quads and pre-run quads instead of riding and being a mechanic at the same time. This will allow me to focus on logistics for the races and be a more competitive rider for the Pro Class. We also have a new team of riders for 2016 and they consist of myself; Gilberto Ramirez from Phoenix, AZ; Julio Banda Jr. from Mexicali, Baja California; Jose “Moño” Contreras from Tecate, Baja California; and Jorge “Wero” Contreras from Tijuana, Baja California. All these guys have what it takes to accomplish our goal in being Open Quad Pro champs for 2016! The whole team can’t thank Barker’s Exhaust enough for their durable exhaust systems and allowing us to come out on top!

To keep pace with Juan’s story as well as other sponsored riders, follow Barker's Exhaust on Facebook. 

The Barker's YFZ systems come in many shapes and sizes to work with the many variations Yamaha has developed over the years. There's the YFZ450 Single Exhaust System designed for 2004-2009 and 2012+ Carbureted models. There's also the YFZ450R Single Exhaust System designed for 2009+ EFI models. Also, if you're not quite ready for a full system, we offer a Slip On YFZ450 Exhaust that fits all year models, carb'd or EFI. Finally, if you have a modified system designed specifically for drag racing, we've got a YFZ450 Drag System. 

With all the variations and changes over the years to the YFZ 450 machines it can be confusing choosing the proper system for your machine. A lot of people were thrown for a loop when Yamaha went back to a carbureted system in 2012 and you'll find there isn't much information out there from exhaust companies. Luckily, Barker's customer Nate owns a 2012 Yamaha YFZ 450 carbureted model, and through working with him we've verified that our single exhaust for carbureted systems works with these newer carb'd models! Nate informed us that after installing the Barker's exhaust his 2012 Carb'd Yamaha YFZ 450 came to life. If you have this rare carb'd machine and want customize it, our exhaust system is the perfect upgrade. 

Customers love these systems. Tim from Pennsylvania rides a 2014 YFZ 450R outfitted with our single exhaust. Tim says, "I just wanted to say that I am really happy with the power gains I received throughout the powerband. Also I really like the craftsmanship you guys put into your pipes." Tim sent us the photo below of his machine with his new Barker's Exhaust. 

Local customer Doug Booms also sent some photos of his Yamaha YFZ 450 outfitted with the Barker's Exhaust:

So we may have been a little trigger happy and got carried away with the Rhino 660 stock here at Barker's Performance...

Sitting spotless and idle on our stock room shelves is an over-abundance of Barker's Rhino 660 exhaust systems. We know, it's a travesty! But why should our over-zealousness go to waste? We are certain that there must be a few Yamaha Rhino 660 fans out there in search of a stellar deal on a stellar exhaust system! That's why we are offering 30% off the Barker's Full Dual exhaust system for the Rhino 660 (only while supplies last). 

There is more to the Barker's Rhino 660 exhaust system than its current price tag, though. The Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System has been specially designed to deliver a noticeable increase in power and performance to your Rhino 660. Whether it be for taking on tough tasks or trails loaded with mud, the Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System will not disappoint! But don't take our word for it, check out what others have to say about the Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System for the Rhino 660.

"Outperformed other dual exhaust systems I have tried that made more noise but didn't have the POWER and TORQUE of the BARKER DUAL SYSTEM. I ran the Barker's Dual Exhaust System with an after-market intake kit and it resulted in a great improvement in power from idle to redline. Power you can feel!! The Barker's dual exhaust is of very good quality and you can tell there has been great attention to detail."

- Joe Wenta, Former Purchasing Manager at Marshall's Distributing, Inc. 

"High marks have got to be given to any company that builds an exhaust that is almost too pretty to want to get dirty, fits perfectly and gives you actual power gains that you can feel!  Barker’s Performance Exhaust did their homework when developing this system and the results show it. So if you’re looking to give your Rhino an extra boost of power the Barker’s Performance dual exhaust system is for you!"

- Rex Ostrander of ATV-UTVTECH.COM

Visit Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System for the Rhino 660 page to learn more!

Article written in collaboration with Alex at LaBaron’s Powersports. 

When installing any exhaust system, it is usually necessary to make changes to the fuel settings in order to yield the best results, and ensure that your engine is not running dangerously lean. Stock fuel settings, whether, carbureted or EFI, are generally far from ideal. The engine’s fuel requirements are deeply affected by large changes in the exhaust system, intake setup, or internal mods. While some machines are still within the safe limits, even with an aftermarket exhaust system installed, others are dangerously lean, or woefully rich, and exhibit drivability problems. This is why understanding your fuel system is crucial regardless of whose exhaust system you choose to run.

Whether your machine is fuel injected, or carbureted, we at Barker’s Performance Exhaust will do everything we can to provide you with accurate PC5 fuel maps and jetting specifications where possible. Due to the unique requirements that sometimes are necessary from machine to machine in different environments, it is usually beneficial to have your machine custom tuned by a reputable tuning facility.

Fuel Injection 101: What you need to know before choosing a fuel controller

EFI has taken over our sport. It has afforded countless people peace of mind and ease of maintenance, but there are many misconceptions about modern EFI systems, and what you don’t know can cost you money and horsepower.

Modern EFI systems on most motocross bikes, street bikes, and atv’s are technically PGFM or programmed fuel management. The computer reads from a factory programmed “map” of fuel values, in which throttle position (TPS) and engine RPM are the coordinates from which the computer gets its fuel value. These fuel values are slightly altered by the MAP sensor which determines engine load, and the IAT sensor, which determines air temperature. These stock maps are often very simple, and inaccurate. In all but a few machines, there is no O2 sensor that tells the computer that the engine is rich or lean. The modern four stroke engines see such drastic changes in operating conditions (rpm, throttle position, engine load, gear selection), carefully metered fuel control is essential for optimal performance. This is why it’s important, when modifying your machine’s power plant, to select a fuel controller what has a very high level of adjustability.

There are 2 major types of fuel management hardware. The Dobek TFI, and the Dynojet Power commander. The Dobek TFI utilizes a push-button interface that allows the user to adjust fuel trim in large areas (low, mid, high, WOT, as well as some blending options). These areas are adjusted via the buttons on the front of the unit. The Dobek TFI can be adjusted on a dynamometer by a professional tuner, or in the field by a savvy powersports hobbyist. This type of tuner will save you money over the Power Commander, and is adequate to tune in a machine with mild bolt-on modifications.

If you plan on doing internal engine mods in the future, or just want to squeeze every ounce of power out of your exhaust/intake combo, you may go the route of the Dynojet Power Commander 5. The power-commander utilizes a high-resolution fuel control map that allows precise 3-dimensional tuning of hundreds of pinpoint areas, based on both throttle position, and engine RPM. It has an accelerator pump feature, and can be integrated with Dynojet’s Autotune module, quick-shift system, boost pressure sensor, and nitrous map switch. This adds limitless tuning and integration possibilities for anyone who wants to do an extreme engine build, or otherwise demands the most precise fuel tuning system available. The caveat here is cost. The power commander not only costs more money, but in the event you cannot find an accurate pcv fuel map for your exact setup, you will be forced to bring your machine to a dynamometer shop and have your unit custom mapped. Tuning the power-commander in the field without an advanced data-logging system is nearly impossible, for even the upper echelon of power sports gurus.

Luckily, there are reputable dynamometer shops across the country that support the dynojet power-commander. We at Barker’s Exhaust, work tirelessly, along with LaBaron’s PowerSports of Almont, MI, to develop precisely tuned power-commander maps for nearly every exhaust system we produce. In many applications, we build maps using several intake configurations that we find work very well with our systems. But even so, if you have other engine mods, you may seek out a custom built map for your specific application.

Whichever route you go, an engine that is running at the proper air fuel ratio at every RPM, every throttle position, and every engine load level, will produce more horsepower everywhere, respond more quickly, and ultimately be more reliable, than one with hit-and-miss tuning.

Carburetion:
Carburetors have between 3-7 tunable circuits that meter fuel delivery based on engine RPM and load (vacuum) and throttle position (throttle valve height). These circuits are adjusted via a series of fixed orifices (jets) and adjustment screws. Although much simpler than EFI, complex modern carbs such as the FCR can still be tricky to tune.

We will strive to supply jetting recommendations for carbureted machines using our exhaust systems. Keep in mind, carburetors are much more sensitive to atmospheric conditions, and your environment may not be the same as ours. This may constitute further tuning, and if you do not feel confident doing so, you may also wish to seek the services of a reputable dynamometer tuning center.

Alex from LaBaron's Powersports tested out the new Suzuki RM-Z450 full single exhaust from Barker's Performance and provided his feedback below as well as the Dyno results. 

"Very recently, we at LaBaron’s PowerSports have had the distinguished pleasure of testing the new Barkers exhaust system for the RMZ450. We had an opportunity to test the bike on our in-house chassis dynamometer. We were able to compare power output and air-fuel ratio back to back between the stock exhaust and Barkers’ full system to determine exactly how much power your dollar will buy you when installing a Barker’s system on new RMZ450. The following is a brief play-by-play commentary of what transpired in our dyno-cell.

The near brand spankin’ new 2014 RMZ450 was rolled onto our dyno, clad in fresh street tires so that our testing could be as accurate as possible. After a few warm-up runs, we discovered that the stock RMZ was making 46.87hp at 8750rpm and 30.46ft/lbs of peak torque at 7500rpm. The RMZ had smooth power delivery and crisp response, despite its excessively rich fuel ratios.

Once we had our data, we installed the Barker’s exhaust system on the yellow thumper. As always, the system installed cleanly, and just emanated quality from every square inch of beautifully crafted stainless steel tubing. The bike came to life with crisp exhaust tone that very obviously outclassed what we had experienced just moments before. The Barker’s exhaust increased power dramatically with a peak of 50.04hp at 8900rpm and 32.11ft/lbs of torque at 7500rpm. Not only were peak numbers increased substantially, but rear wheel horsepower was up over 2.5hp nearly everywhere! There was literally nowhere that the stock system could even come close to matching our new found power levels, save for a very small area just below the rev limiter. Thanks to the rich fuel mapping of the RMZ, there were no areas of the rev-range that experienced excessively lean air-fuel ratios. That being said, we have determined that the Barker’s system can be installed on the 2014 RMZ 450 without changing any fuel management settings. Even after installing the available quiet core insert, we continued to be impressed with what we saw. The quiet core yielded a noticeable drop in exhaust noise and delivered even more peak power! A 3/4hp increase for a total of 50.76hp at 8750rpm to be exact! This increase in the peak output did come at a small cost in the form of reduced mid-range power output that still trumped stock numbers everywhere.

Not being the type to rest on our laurels, we decided to install a Power Commander 5 and build a precision fuel map to see just how much better we could make the mighty RMZ. The tuning increased peak numbers by about a half horse-power, but gained as much as 2.5hp in the midrange and over-rev. Although it is not always necessary to re-map an EFI equipped bike to safely run an aftermarket exhaust, it will always yield increases in power, and is highly recommended.

In short, what we have seen out of Barker’s Exhaust is nothing short of amazing. If you are looking for a new exhaust system for your RMZ450, or any other motocross bike or ATV, look no further than Barkers."

-Alex Galeczka
Sr. Technician
LaBaron’s Powersports LLC

Barker's Performance is excited to announce that we are exhibiting at this year's AIMExpo in Orlando, Florida.

There is an event in mid-October that is particularly special to us adrenaline junkies. (Hint: it's not Colombus Day). It's the American International Motorcycle Expo, and it's one awesome, must-experience event, and we are totally psyched to announce that we are exhibiting again this year.  

As the fastest growing event in the powersports industry, the AIMEXpo is changing the way this industry does business. It is the place for dealers, media, and consumers to satisfy their insatiable need for speed. The AIMExpo has the BEST and NEWEST products, services and technologies the powersports industry has to offer all in one place. Whether you're hunting for parts or inspiration for your next project, the AIMExpo is the event to indulge in your obsession with all things power. 

What does it cost to attend the 2015 AIMExpo? Well, if you are ready to buy your tickets before June 30th, than you are in for a nice little surprise. The AIMExpo is offering a killer deal - buy one ticket and you will get one FREE - if you make your purchase by the end of June. So what are you waiting for? Click it and ticket! 

Click here to go to the AIMExpo ticket page. Use code BOGO15.

We are so excited to be finished with the construction phase and into the testing phase for our new 2015 Raptor Systems. Because we've heard from so many customers who wanted to pre-order the new system, we decided to make a pre-order form available to all our customers interested in placing their orders before the rush. We are happy to announce that you can pre-order your 2015 Yamaha Raptor Exhaust System at the link below.

PREORDER TODAY

Our 2015 Yamaha Raptor Exhaust System is available in 3 different variations:

• Full Dual Exhaust System
• Full Single Exhaust System
• Slip-on Exhaust System

We will contact you for billing and shipping information once the systems are in production and ready to ship. We anticipate this occurring in August. 

As we moved into the 2014-2015 winter season there was a lot of pressure on us to develop a Barker's Exhaust system for the new Yamaha SR Viper snowmobile. After finding such huge success with the Slip On system that we produced for the highly acclaimed Yamaha Nytro, we knew the bar was set pretty high for us to perform. The way the Nytro was designed it truly loved our reverse megaphone design, so much so that after proper tuning we easily achieved 8-10 horsepower that most people couldn't believe came from just a slip on.

We couldn't wait to get our hands on this new Viper. Once we had the machine in our shop we knew that we had our work cut out for us. Instead of a rear exit as with the Nytro the new Viper had a bottom side exit with a sharp 180 in the header under the gas tank. We also had a lot of pressure from dealers and customers to go beyond a slip on and produce a full Barker's system for the Viper. We knew this would be a challenge.

The slip on design came easily and fit very nicely under the hood, drastically reducing the weight by removing the stock canister. The header we found really had no options that were going to be much different from the stock header due to how tight it fit under the gas tank. We made the decision and felt that the only real answer was to make a very similar header but Hand Made using our extremely skilled Tig guys instead of a production stock header. We could see that there was definitely some restriction and we knew ours would be cleaner and flow much better than stock.  

After producing our 3 into 1 header that used a flat collector just before the 180 and turning the corner up to our reverse megaphone and muffler we were extremely excited to get it on the dyno. Pat Hauck from Hauck Powersports was so kind to do the runs for us and let us know how things went. What we found is that our Slip On did great and produced 4-6 horsepower after tuning. But we were extremely let down as the header honestly did nothing to that sled...

As we moved back to the drawing board with our tail between our legs we were a little nervous. We were starting to think that Yamaha has this motor running extremely efficient and we were unsure if there were going to be any other ponies left on the table for us to squeeze out of it without having to drastically change other components. Our engineers were not going to give up that easily though and it wasn't long before our R&D came up with something different. Instead of coming back together from the 3 into 1 prior to the 180 we wanted to get the exhaust a little more time to flow before it ran into the other cylinders. After some extensive fixturing due to the extremely tight tolerances we had to hold due to fit we were able to come up with a header that used a triangular collector way farther down closer to our can and megaphone.

Our sled was now headed back to Hauck for more testing. Fingers crossed and although we were very confident there was still concern on this new design. To our liking we got the call from Pat saying you nailed it this time! Thanks to our great staff and TOP NOTCH lead welder we had produced our first full Header System in the Snowmobile market. We think you'll find limitless possibilities with this new header after proper tuning and other mods.

Our goal is to always try to maximize what can be done with an exhaust and tuning alone. This way people are not forced to buy other mods just to make the exhaust work. Don't get us wrong though, we always have those "Big Build" guys in mind and in almost all cases riders find that after installing the Barker's other modifications have even more potential than before.

Barker's Performance went to the 2014 AIMExpo in Orlando this year and had an amazing time. After months of preparation we were happy with the final look and feel of our booth, as well as the warm welcome we received from industry experts and customers alike. What we expected to be really long days ended up feeling short with time flying by quickly as we talked with dealers and consumers about our products. 

We had a 23 hour haul to get to Orlando, and as luck would have it the rain poured down until we entered Florida. After crossing the border it was non-stop beautiful for the entire trip. Of course, now it was time to get to work setting up the booth and preparing to talk for four straight days about our exhaust systems. 

At the Expo we featured our 2014 Polaris RZR XP 1000 with the full dual system we designed. This sexy machine was a hit and certainly a great talking piece. We were very honored to get the response we did and all the wonderful compliments. We also displayed different versions of our pipes for customers to see our superior build quality. 

We would be completely remiss if we didn’t mention some of the awesome companies we connected with while at the 2014 AIMExpo. A few to note include Quake LED, KFI Products, Heat Demon, WOC-Wide Open Cabs, and the Snell Foundation. 

We can’t wait for the 2015 AIMExpo; we hope you’ll join us for a great time!