#ti-6

If you've never heard of the Pro Circuit T-6 or it's upmarket brother the Ti-6, then don't feel bad because you aren't the only one. For those of you who thought the Ti-5 was Payton's top of the line product, think again. Or rather, don't think again, but think broader.

The T-6 is basically a T-5 with all the noise inserts removed. Cosmetically, it looks the same, but inside there are some significant differences. So significant in fact, that the T-6 isn't even legal to race with unless you purchase a separate quiet insert!

Wow. In this world of increasingly quiet bikes, in a valiant bid by manufactures to stem the tide of tracks being shut down by noise complaints, a no-holds-barred, all out performance pipe is a rarity. Not that loud pipes don't exist, but for an exhaust to be made with solely performance in mind is still something to be marveled at. You can't help but think that Pro Circuit was just having a laugh when they produced the T-6, and spitting in the faces of the killjoys who hate our sport at the same time.

So, with all that said, I'd like to tell you all that I've gone and bought one. That's right. I've decided to burden my bike with something that I can't legally race with, and will most likely get stink eyed at the track just for running. Why? Well, mainly because I couldn't be arsed waiting for BTO to get more T-5's into stock, but also because I was curious. Just how loud is this pipe? Just how much performance does it grant? Is it a bad idea, or a breath of fresh air amongst a sea of choked up, suffocated bikes?

So, it was with much anticipation that I pulled the bubblewrap off my new purchase and bolted it up to my RMZ250. I should mention here that installation was a breeze, instructions were good, and packaging was excellent. Can't fault Pro Circuit or BTO on their service.

And then I kicked her over...

...And was pretty damn surprised. The bike is really not that loud. On idle, it sounded crisper than my old Akropovic, but hardly louder. But that doesn't mean much, does it? No-one rides on idle, it's the rev limit that tells the true story. So I cracked the throttle, and was rewarded with a deep, angry tone. The bike sounds fantastic now, there's no denying, and even in the echoing space of my shed, I wasn't blown away by the noise. Is it louder than the akro? Sure, but not as much as the naysayers would have you believe. 

But what about power? Unfortunately I haven't been on a proper ride with the pipe yet, but from my short blat up the track and back, I could feel noticeably better throttle response off the bottom compared to the Akro. Overall power was hard to get a feel of, but the bike is absolutely snappier at lower revs, and feels more aggressive. This might end up getting me into trouble in a wet corner or two, but the effect was exciting nonetheless.