hack saw exhaust - straight through catalytic converter?

[DaveW_42]

D'Oh
There seem to have been some changes from the k4 to the k8 650s!

On what is now my track bike (the K4) I just hacksawed through the exhaust and fitted my end pipe to it. Thought I'd do exactly the same to my 08 in preperation for my nice shiny titanium high level lazer race (E marked) can.

I've always been told - 'Measure twice, cut once...' fine - measured, cut, no probs - until I take the pipe off and see I've gone through some sort of wire mesh that completely fills the bottom of the pipe for about 3 inches after the weld. Annoyingly, I've only really clipped it and gone through the last 1/4 inch but I've still destroyed the end of it.
I unbend all the squashed bits and pick out all the shards I can, but the innards seems really flimsy and I could probably remove the whole thing quite easily, sand down the inside of the pipe and use a magnet to get all the bits out. Good idea or no?
Questions - I assume this is part of the catalytic converter or baffle system on the newer exhaust systems. Is this right?
There also seems to be an electrical connector that feeds into the pipes before the weld. Can this be disconnected (I'll have to leave the component in or I'll have a hole) or does it feed critical stuff to the ECU - tested the bike and it runs fine (not driven it yet though).
It's still gonna be a road bike so what's going to happen to the emissions tests for the MOT if I simply remove all this crap blocking up my nice new exhaust?
Cheers,
D

[fastdruid]

There is no emissions test for the MOT.

Druid

[DaveW_42]

Here's a pic of it off SVRider.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/...d3ae6d45b3.jpg

Apparently it is the catlayst and it can be removed (but it seems most people don't)

why do you need a magnet? blow it out by revving it?

[DaveW_42]

true

[DaveW_42]

the other bit is the oxygen/lamba sensor. I'll leave this in place as it messes with fueling and gives you an engine error on the dash

I also chopped the last 10mm of cat off when I was fitting my Blue Flame, I left the rest in and bike is fine, been using it for thousands of miles since and had no probs.