Motorcycle exhaust - why springs?

[Omega Man]

So the brother and I are watching an old OCC episode, and there it is, an exhaust held together with a spring...just one, but still a spring.

Why? I think I've seen other vehicle types with a spring on the exhaust holding two pieces together.

~O~

 

[slabghost]

My best guess is in case of an exhaust backfire it would let the explosion escape before splitting the pipe.

 

[cyborg]

on race bikes they were used to make removal easier. also the dis-similar metals expanding at different rates allowed the connection to remain tight. first ones i saw were on ducati back in the '60's

 

[GILLT]

Lot of the dirt bikes have the spring system on the exhaust.
Takes care of the expansion and bolts and nuts from becoming
seized up from the heat.

 

[slabghost]

I've noticed many car and truck exhausts have springs holding pipes to the headers.

 

[AApple]

Yeppers...springs are used to keep the expansion of the pipes from breaking/rubbing/wearing stuff....and it makes it easier to remove for service/replacement.
I had a '69 Nickey Nova w/427 that came with a spring loaded exhaust system...made it super easy to drive to the drags, disconnect the pipes from the headers, and make some noise. opcorn:

 

[Omega Man]

Gawd I miss open headers, but not my mom yelling at me cause stuff is falling off the walls. xD