Malossi vs. Stock Exhaust: A Piaggio Beverly 350 Sound-Off

UPDATED I've now done a week with the Malossi and have updated this blog with the finding (spoiler: I've switch back to stock). Scroll to the bottom to read the update

Today, I'm finally getting around to sorting out the exhaust on my Piaggio Beverly 350. I'm swapping the standard pipe back to the Malossi performance exhaust that the bike originally came with.

But this isn't just about making a racket. This is about finding out if all the performance bits on the bike actually work together as a full kit.

The Backstory

When I bought this Beverly, it came with a surprise. The last owner had fitted the lot: a Malossi variator, pulley, belt, air filter, and this Malossi exhaust. Basically, the full catalogue.

Frankly, it was just too loud for my liking. The previous owner thankfully kept the original pipe, so one of the first jobs I did was swap it back to the standard exhaust.

So, Why Change It Back Now?

After a couple of thousand kilometres on the stock exhaust, I got to thinking. An exhaust on its own usually just makes more noise, which doesn't really interest me.

But the theory goes that if you've got all the other performance parts installed, and the ECU has been remapped to match, the exhaust is the final piece of the puzzle. It's supposed to let the engine breathe properly and unlock a bit more performance.

So, now that I've got a good feel for the bike in its standard setup, I'm putting the Malossi back on to see if there's any real, noticeable difference.

The Sound Test

While I was at it, I thought I'd do a proper sound comparison. Most of the videos I've seen have bikes riding past a camera, which makes it hard to hear the true difference.

So, I've stuck the bike on the stand, turned off the ASR and ABS so the back wheel can spin, and recorded the sound of each exhaust in the same spot. I've done a test for each pipe and then spliced them together for a direct, back-to-back comparison.

So, What's the Verdict?

My first impression after a very wet test ride was that the Malossi felt a bit smoother, with the power coming in higher up the revs. But it's early days, and I need a dry road to be sure. I'll update or post a new blog at some point in the future.

If you want to comment on the different sound, feel free to do so over at YouTube (click the YT logo in the video to get there).

Update: I Found the DB Killer!

Well, you learn something new every day. It turns out the Malossi exhaust has a removable baffle, often called a "DB killer," plugged into the end of it. Its job is to keep the noise down to a legal and more sociable level.

After making the original video, I realised it was only held in with a single circlip. Naturally, I had to see what the bike sounded like without it.

Spoiler alert: it's absolutely nuts. Far too loud for the road, and I reckon it would get you pulled over in no time. I put the baffle straight back in after filming, but I've made a short follow-up video so you can hear how bonkers it is.

Here's the new video showing the sound with the DB killer removed.

So, the original comparison video still stands, as that's how the exhaust is meant to be run on the road. This was just a bit of fun to see what was possible.

Update: An Unexpected Result

So, after a good week of riding with the Malossi exhaust fitted, I've got to be honest. I didn't experience any noticeable improvement in fuel efficiency or day-to-day performance. Other than the sound, which I'll admit I did grow to like, the bike basically worked the same. With that in mind, I switched back to the stock pipe for a proper comparison, and that's where I found a surprise.

Apart from the obvious difference in sound, the bike with the standard exhaust actually feels a bit punchier and stronger when pulling away from a standstill. It seems counter-intuitive, I know. You'd expect the fancy performance pipe to be better everywhere.

But after some thought, it makes perfect sense. The bike's standard ECU is tuned meticulously to work with the stock exhaust. It's programmed to expect a certain amount of back pressure, and it uses that to produce the best torque at low revs, which is exactly what you use for daily, real-world riding. The free-flowing Malossi pipe, without a remap, was actually losing a bit of that low-end grunt.

So, this has led me to a new plan. The Malossi exhaust isn't the whole story; it needs the matching ECU to get the best out of it. I am now officially on the lookout for a Malossi Force Master 2, which is their fuel injection controller.

Once I get my hands on one, I'll bolt the Malossi pipe back on, get it all hooked up, and I'll do a brand new post on what the full, properly-tuned system feels like. Stay tuned for part three of this saga.