Shortly after the Yamaha YFZ 450 was released, we decided it was time to purchase a new 4-stroke sport machine. I knew it was only a matter of time and I was going to be completing some performance mods including the purchase and installation of a high performance exhaust system. During that time frame there were several pipe manufacturers battling to develop and launch an after market pipe system for the new 450(s).
In my opinion, one of the most important factors that is over looked when ATV'ers make a purchase is customer support. It's human nature to base your decision on which products are in stock and which company has the best pricing. Good deals are important, but don't payoff when problems arise and there is no customer support.
Our group and members purchase thousands of dollars in ATV parts and accessories each and every year. When I started to research HMF and what they have to offer as far as a warranty and customer service, I was blown away on how much positive feedback I received from other riders and forums on the Internet. For those of you that do your homework, it is obvious that HMF has and maintains superior customer service and product support. They back their products with a full (industry leading) 2-year warranty on all exhausts systems.
http://www.hmfengineering.com/
I wanted to mention that before I actually called and talked to the folks at HMF in person, I exchanged several emails with them. I can tell you, even though these guys were swamped with business (During the Indy show & the Launch of their new Ballance Series pipe) they answered all of my emails promptly. As you know there is nothing worse than wanting info from a business and not being able to get a hold of anyone by phone or email. In result of their willingness to answer my questions in a timely manner, HMF has gained our business and now has another loyal fan of their products.
Once I had narrowed my decision down to a couple manufacturers based on product development and customer support I started to compare the following criteria.
(My order of importance)
1) Warranty & Customer Support.
2) Pricing (Best Bang for the Buck)
3) Power Gains & Performance (In Combination W/Jetting, Intake and K&N
Mods)
4) Pipe Mounts (Must Mount Solid to Frame)
5) Best looking (Must be Trick Looking)
6) Light Weight (Must be Significantly Lighter Than stock)
7) Accessories (Must include Quiet Core, Sparky, Other, etc...)
It was now obvious that I needed to be calling and talking
to the boys @ HMF.
HMF Engineering, 8219 Clinton Rd., Brooklyn Ohio 44144
• Ph 216-631-6980 • Fax 216-631-6981
Business Hours: Mon-Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm (EST)
Team HMF 2004
After discussing with Joe at HMF about their products and exhaust systems I decided to hold off a couple weeks to check out the new Bill Ballance Carbon Pro Series System that was slotted to be launched in February of this year.
Its now 3 months later and I am happy to relay that I have been able to install, trial, and thrash one of these bullet proof systems. Joe McDonough and the folks at HMF Engineering are not only leaders but also true top notch professionals in the industry today.
On To The Review:
The new HMF Ballance Pro Series is a joint project between HMF and
four time national cross country champion racer Bill Ballance to produce
a revolutionary new line of internally mounted carbon fiber pro racing systems
and slip-on's. This exclusive mounting bracket bolts directly into the core
of the canister allowing the carbon to float vibration free and eliminates
external mounting brackets or bands. This ensures an extra long life to
the carbon canister and eliminates weight essential to racing. System can
be purchased as a full and/or slip-on for selected sport models.
Packed with guaranteed horsepower and torque the Ballance Pro Series line uses only the highest quality material. 304 Stainless Steel headers and inlets, T6061 aerospace grade aluminum canisters with solid construction TIG welded aluminum brackets for maximum durability, and high grade Carbon Fiber canisters. Heavy-duty Stainless Steel rivets, two piece Billet Vector end caps that accept a USFS approved Spark Arrestor and the exclusive Ballance Pro Series quick change Torque Range Modifier and low DB Quiet Core. Packed with Silent Sport brand pillow packing for a deep rich tone.
Product Arrival:
My package arrived in the mail 7 Business days (Ohio to Oregon) from the
time the order was placed. HMF followed up with a USPS tracking number the
day it was sent. I can't tell you how pleased I was to see that the package
was in awesome shape with both the Canister & Head pipe individually
wrapped in bubble wrap and then packed in a box with popcorn packaging.
This system was stunning to look at for the 1st time. After further close
inspection, the Canister, Pipe, Hardware, Spark Arrestor, Quiet Core, Torque
Range Modifier, and Jetting were all present as promised in perfect (flawless)
condition.
Installation:
Once I had removed my stock exhaust I couldn't believe how much
heavier the stock was in comparison to this system. I decided to box both
systems and head out to a Postal Annex to have them weighed. The stock system
weighed in at 12.5 lbs. while the HMF system was 7.4 lbs. That represents
a 5.1 lbs. and/or (41%) reduction in weight. Not bad for just a pipe &
canister change?. Anyway, the installation of the new system with the new
internal mount was a snap. It bolted directly up with not trouble at all.
Total installation time (once stock system was removed) 10 minutes max.
Note: If you plan to re-jet at the same time you install a new exhaust system do it while you have the head pipe off. It's much easier to access/rotate the carburetor from the right side of the bike versus the left. We ride mostly at sea level here in Oregon and Joe @ HMF recommend that with this system, Intake/K&N, and lid off, to use the following jetting. I also went to a GYTR needle.
48 Pilot Jet
180 Main Jet
G-YTR Needle @ 4th Clip
2 ¼ turn on FMS
As I mentioned I upgraded to this exhaust at the same time I switched to a G-YTR Intake, K&N Filter and removed the Air-box lid with new jetting. When I fired this bike for the 1st time in the garage I about had a tear of joy come to my eye. This pipe has a very distinctive sound and was extremely cool sounding on this bike. There is no denying that this pipe is loud, but it's really not any louder than any other high performance pipe kit on the market. The one thing that we did note is the pipe has a sharp pitched sound to it. That was eliminated once the Quiet Core was fitted to the pipe. Also, I couldn't believe how well this bike started and ran with the mods. The bigger pilot jet and air mod was a huge improvement on how the bike started and idled when cold. As you know, these bikes run way lean and hot from the factory and a larger pilot jet is a must in my opinion.
1st Ride:
While I have not been able to dyno these mods as of to date, its important
to note that with most ATV high performance exhaust systems you can expect
to gain 5 to12 hp over stock based on pipe, air and fuel changes. When I
rode this bike for the 1st time I was shocked on how well it ran and how
hard it now pulled. This bikes performs completely different than what it
did in its stock configuration. I couldn't believe how much of a improvement
it was on the mid to top end. It now pulls hard all the way through the
gears and I found my self immediately wishing for a 6th gear. The jetting
that HMF recommend for sea level was dead on. I'd also like to mention that
since these mods the bike runs much cooler as the fan has not kicked on
only but a couple times in about 30 hours of ride time here on the coast.
(I'm a 290 lbs. rider)
2nd Ride:
I was so impressed with the results from these mods that I couldn't
get off this bike. My poor Banshee has been sidelined since this time (LOL).
After spending another full 8 days camped on the dune's riding this bike,
the only adjustment that I ended up making was a ¼ turn out on my
Zip-Ty fuel mixture screw. This bike runs perfectly and dominates on the
sand.
After endless hours of riding I finally decided to trial the Quiet Core and then the TRM. As I mentioned above, there is a noticeable noise reduction with the core in the canister. If you're worried about sound levels in your area, I would suggest that you purchase the Quiet Core & Spark Arrestor and run both of them. Not only does it eliminate the sharpness within the sound, there is a huge noticeable overall noise reduction as well. The only thing we noted was with the QC in, it seemed to smooth and mellow the power out a bit. All in all with the core in, it still did not affect how the bike ran it just seemed to tame it down a bit. Also, with the TRM you can not run the Quite Core at the same time. With the TRM installed I noticed a huge difference in power on the bottom end. There was a much harder punch on the bottom end yet the power overall seem to be smoothed out like it did with the Quiet Core installed. If you CC or are a MX'er this Pipe and TRM will give you that extra punch and harder hit on the bottom end that you have always wished for.
For the record, I plan to spend much more time with both the QC & TRM. These extra's are a big bang for the buck and are a kick to mess around with once you get bored and run out of inexpensive mods to do. For the time being I plan to run this pipe wide open they way it was intended to be ran. :)
Conclusion:
Selecting and purchasing this system for our YFZ was one of the most satisfying
ATV part purchases that we have had to date. HMF and their products are
dominating the industry as we know it today. Their customer service and
support as well as products have proven to be world class. This system is
built flawlessly and will give you incredible power gains. Four time National
CC Champion Bill Ballance & HMF have a real winner in this new system.
I can honestly say that there is not one negative thing I could come up
with about this system. If you are looking for a super trick lightweight
pipe at an affordable price look no more. This new designed carbon fiber
canister and internal mount system packaged with all the goodies is a trick
as it gets.
Thank you HMF from us at Sand Wizards Racing for designing and building such awesome products for the ATV rider. Did I mention we are ready to buy more?.
Don Toedtemeier
SWRToad
toad@sandwizards.com
www.sandwizards.com
This review was provided by www.sandwizards.com