What is the difference between Carbon Fiber/Stainless Steel exhausts?

Question

I'm planning on getting a new exhaust for my Ninja 250R bike and had a choice between Stainless Steel or Carbon Fiber. The Carbon Fiber is a little more expensive. What would be the differences between these two, and which would you recommend?

Answer 1

There is no performance difference at all. The carbon is lighter as well as being more expensive. The SS is much more durable. It all depends on what you want. The carbon probably looks better and is lighter, the SS is cheaper and more durable. You could go Titanium which is light and durable, but priced somewhere around the carbon price.

Answer 2

CF is significantly lighter weight than SS without  giving up much rigidity.

It's very chic to have CF or titanium pipes on your bike these days but for a 250 ninja, it's not worth spending the money in my opinion.

Answer 3

CF is lighter but i think that it isnt as durable as steel. I would still prefer carbon fiber because i think it looks better and sounds better maybe even a better performance. But if you want steel, it is also good and more sturdy

Answer 4

carbon fiber is lighter and doesn't get as hot.  I'd rather have the CF, but if money isn't in great surplus I'd settle for the SS and spend the difference on other things.  Got a helmet, gloves, boots and decent riding jacket yet?

Answer 5

CF is simply slightly lighter than the SS.

Id go with SS. CF requires more maintenance, including replacing the packing in the pipe...of course, all pipes need repacking occassionaly, but the difference is that if you dont repack your SS pipe, it just gets louder and louder. The CF one will actually degrade if you leave it without packing in it for too long. (I know - I watched a friends pipe catch on fire as he rode down the block, and there was no packing left in his pipe!)