DG O-Series Tested by Dirt Bike Magazine! Recieves 9 Out Of 10!

PRODUCT: DG was once a big name in the dirt bike world but shifted its emphasis to ATVs and street bikes several years ago. Now the company is back in the dirt bike business, offering aluminum/stainless steel slip-on exhaust systems for current and noncurrent models.

What really sets DG apart is the price. The O-Series exhaust with spark arrestor sells for $209.95.

The O-Series exhaust features an oval canister with a stainless-steel midsection and a cast-aluminum end cap. The end cap is removable, allowing access to the packing, spark screen and a small baffle. In standard form, the baffle is designed to pass a 98 dB static test,but DG also offers smaller diameter pieces that are sold separately.

The O-Series targets older motorcycles as a replacement for the stocker or an inexpensive hop-up. Right now, the applications are mostly for dualsport and off-road bikes that had long production runs, such as the Kawasaki KLR650, the Honda XR600R and XR650L, and the Suzuki DRZ400.

POSITIVE: The value is phenomenal. We installed an O-Series pipe on a 2001 Honda XR400R. Even though the bike is no longer in production, there are hundreds—or thousands—of them still out there, so it was a perfect choice. The O-Series fits easily. We tried it with all three baffles, and all three provided definite performance gains over stock. Given the choice, we would opt for thesmallest, quietest baffle, which easily passes a 96 dB test. The performance was nearly identical with all three.

At 5.5 pounds, the DG pipe shaved off a couple of pounds. Even if you're replacing another aftermarket pipe—a definite possibility with a 10-year-old bike—the quality of the O-Series compares well to almost anything this side of a $600 full system.

NEGATIVE: The O-Series is louder than the original Honda pipe, provided that your 10-year-old pipe is still in new condition. We wish it came with the 96 dB baffle in standard configuration, though. As with any aftermarket pipe, it will work best with richer jetting and conservative airbox venting. With stock jetting, the bike will pop slightly on deceleration, especially with the louder baffle.

BOTTOM LINE: It's about time that we had an alternative to highdollar exhaust systems for older bikes. It simply doesn't make sense to spend $400 on a slip-on pipe for a $1200 motorcycle. DG has the only product in its price range, and the quality is excellent.