Introduction
The Motowings Titus is one of the few aftermarket slip-on performance exhaust one can buy for the KTM 390 Adventure. According to Motowings, the Titus bumps up the horsepower by over 2bhp at the wheel; this is with the stock airfilter in place. The company also claims that even though it changes the exhaust note, it doesn’t add significantly to the noise levels compared to the stock exhaust. So, it shouldn’t draw unnecessary attention to you when riding.
We decided to test the Titus against the stock exhaust on four parameters; parameters we felt matter most to motorcyclists looking to make these upgrades. First, of course, is the difference in performance. Then there’s the weight. There’s the exhaust note. And finally, the looks of it. Here’s what we found…
Performance Upgrade
The switch to Titus from the stock exhaust has done two things. One, it has helped improve the mid-range performance of the 390 Adventure. It’s especially true when you give it the beans from around 3,500rpm. Earlier, there would be a hint of low rpm knock and a slightly lazy build-up of revs till the bike hit 6,500rpm.
With the Titus, the 390 picks up the revs cleanly and with vigour. And it’s only when you drop down close to 3,000rpm and open the throttle wide open, does the bike begins to knock. We didn’t, however, find a big drop in timing during our acceleration runs.
Weight Reduction
There isn’t any. When we had tested the Trident meant for the Interceptor 650, one of the big reasons for the upgrade was the significantly lower weight of the Motowings end pipes compared to stock. That however isn’t the case here. The Titus weighs more. Now, the difference is less than a kg, but it’s the perception that an aftermarket exhaust ought to be lighter- that stumped us a bit.
The reason for this is - the stock is an aluminium unit, while the Titus is made from stainless steel. The latter means, it will handle the falls better, and it is more resistant to scratches. It’s also more resistant to corrosion than the aluminium stock exhaust, says Motowings. And if you are wondering, no, the difference in weight of the two exhausts just isn’t big enough to have any perceptible change in how the bike feels on the move.
Exhaust Noise
Well, we won’t call it noise, really. The Titus actually has a very sweet note to it. It sounds more bassy; more four-stroke dirt bike like. And though it is louder than the stock exhaust, it never seems loud. You can hear it inside the helmet, of course, which isn’t always the case with the stock exhaust. But, the people you pass - fellow motorists, pedestrians, cyclists - no one really does a second take wondering where that sound is coming from. And I like that.
Just to put some numbers to it - we recorded the noise levels of both the stock exhaust and the Titus at idle, 3,000rpm, and 4,500rpm. At idle, the Titus gave us an average reading of 71.3db(A) against 70.1 recorded by the stock exhaust. At 3,000rpm, this number jumped to 74.7db(A) for the Motowings exhaust while the reading for the stock one went up to 72.8db(A). At 4,500rpm, the Titus breached the 80 mark, recording 81.3db(A) against 79.7db(A) for the stock unit.
The Looks
I might be biased, but I personally love old-school looking exhausts. The stock one of the 390 Adventure, with its narrow profile, always seemed too futuristic to me. But, I love the way the Titus looks; it’s still oval, but it has an air of old-school sportiness and charm to it, which is missing on the stock. I also like the fact that it has a proper brushed metal finish, and it doesn’t scratch or stain as easily as the stock unit. Plus, it looks and feels more robust and better made. And it goes well with the bike.
To Buy Or Not To Buy
It’s clear that if you want a lightweight exhaust; if you want a loud exhaust; if you want hugely better acceleration figures courtesy of an exhaust change; the Motowings Titus might not be the right fit for your 390 Adventure. But, if you want something good-looking, nice sounding, and well-built, which doesn’t cost a lot, but will take more beating off-road, the Titus fits the bill.
For us, it’s a clear ‘buy’.
Product Details
Make: MotoWings
Model: Titus Performance Exhaust
For: KTM 390 Adventure
Price: Rs 8,000
Where To Buy Ngage Powerparts. 9994999898. sales@velmuruganagency.in
Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi
![KTM 390 Adventure [2021] Image](https://imgd.aeplcdn.com/272x153/bw/models/ktm-390-adventure-standard20191122103644.jpg?q=80 "KTM 390 Adventure [2021] Image")
