To those who removed their baffels?

3601 Views 44 Replies 32 Participants Last post by Scottie 46, May 17, 2008

Oz Saki

Discussion Starter · Dec 21, 2007

I posted this before but I see that I did not post in this Cruiser section, explains why I did not receive many replys, cause from what I have read alot of you have removed baffels.

My questions are not how to do it.
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best r u really happy with the sound?

I really like the look of the stock pipes and do not want to change the look and get aftermarket pipes if I can be happy with the stock pipes with baffels removed. I have listened the the sound clips and really cant tell to be honest with ya.
I would like your input good bad or indifferent!
Much grass!:mrgreen

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Deeppurple52

· #2 · Dec 21, 2007

My wife's bike has stock pipes, she loves it. A friend has similar bike with baffles cut out, she hates it. It's a personal thing. When I get another bike I will probably stay with stock pipes. This is a very volatile issue for some. Your slash cut pipes look great. If you modify them and don't like the result you are screwed. A lot of riders feel pressure to add pipes because their buddies kid them about how quiet their bikes are. Stand your ground and do it however you decide. Oh, very few riders will admit that any modification doesn't work. That's human nature. I have not run into anyone who will admit that their modified stock or aftermarket pipes sound bad. It always.."I love the sound!" BTW.... My 3" Big Straights sound awful. They are LOUD, but that's about it. Some like loud, some don't, it's your call.

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Fly_by

· #3 · Dec 21, 2007

Deeppurple52 said:
My wife's bike has stock pipes, she loves it. A friend has similar bike with baffles cut out, she hates it. It's a personal thing. When I get another bike I will probably stay with stock pipes. This is a very volatile issue for some. Your slash cut pipes look great. If you modify them and don't like the result you are screwed. A lot of riders feel pressure to add pipes because their buddies kid them about how quiet their bikes are. Stand your ground and do it however you decide. Oh, very few riders will admit that any modification doesn't work. That's human nature. I have not run into anyone who will admit that their modified stock or aftermarket pipes sound bad. It always.."I love the sound!" BTW.... My 3" Big Straights sound awful. They are LOUD, but that's about it. Some like loud, some don't, it's your call.

My response is usually "Thanks, that's the way I like it!"

randune

· #4 · Dec 21, 2007

I would do it all over again. It's louder and tougher sounding but not obnoxious. Actually I wish it was alittle louder. Two of my friends had me do their bikes as well. Great results all around. I agree i like the looks of the stock pipes! Now they look even better not having the "plug" filling the hole.

Definately a solid 10

markbrumbaugh

· #5 · Dec 21, 2007

I did mine in steps, stopping short of completely debaffling. I did the center hole cut and liked the throatier sound. At a PGR ride this week, one of the Harley 883's asked if I was going to start up my bike since we were ready to roll. (it was already started). He was serious. So I punched the eight holes after drilling them, and now it has a deep rumble constantly. I don't know if I like it or not and kind of wish I'd stopped at step one. However, it does tend to mask the gear whine.
It isn't obnoxious and now I can contribute to the thunder somewhat. I guess when I want really quiet, I'll take the Morphous.

MrClean

· #6 · Dec 21, 2007

I also like the look of the stock pipes, but wanted a little more sound out of them for PGR rides. So, after waiting, I got a set of pipes of the 9's group from a guy who didn't like the look of the stockers and bought Vance and Hines pipes. I got his set in, gutted them and now can swap between the two. I'll probably only put the stockers back on if I have to be quite some time. Only takes about 10 minutes to swap with the correct tools. The sound doesn't show up correctly in my videos in the Sticky but it is quite a bit louder without being un-comfortable. It's throaty but not TOO loud. You do have to be polite in the early mornings but it's not like some motorcycles I've ridden with that just hurt your ears even inside a FF helmet with earbuds in.

There are pipes on Ebay right now, but don't go buying anything over 125 bucks, they go for cheaper. I think last time I looked somebody had a buy it now for 600 bucks. Yea, right.

Lemme know what you decide on.

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perryrl

· #7 · Dec 21, 2007

I didn't have stock pipes on my 800 when I bought it, but the mufflers on it did have welded baffles, so I cut them out and I have to say that I am more than pleased with the sound. I like it loud though. I am just as loud as all of my buddies softails with aftermarkets with no baffles as well, so I have the Harley sound with no "High Dollar" price.

Ride4Life

· #8 · Dec 22, 2007

I agree with you, the only reason i havent replaaced my pipes is i think the stockers look better then all the aftermarkets

Idaho

· #9 · Dec 22, 2007

I liked the looks of the stock pipes on the Meanstreak and I would have been happy to debaffle them and hopefully had the sound I wanted. But with that "goat belly" in the middle, it just was not going to happen. So V&H Bigshots for me and I am very happy with them.

MrClean

· #10 · Dec 22, 2007

By the way, check your private messages Oz Saki.

Oz Saki

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 22, 2007

Thanks to all your replys, after doing the baffel removal on my 750 Honda and not being happy I dont want to make the same mistake again!

Azpackrat85

· #12 · Jan 3, 2008

These are my sound clips for step 1 and 2 with 4 holes not 8.

Video of Step 2 with 4 holes - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Video of Step 1 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Plato

· #13 · Jan 3, 2008

I'm sure most you guys have thought this through, but since I didn't read it here I'll be the one to throw it in...

I would not alter stock pipes for two reasons. The primary reason is some day you might want to sell the bike and I really think selling it in stock condition is the least problematic. And (as mentioned)if you alter the stock pipes and don't like it you are indeed screwed. The secondary reason is the (hopefully distant) possibility that some draconian EPA thugs actually start enforciing the laws on this. Having the stockers just leaves the option to go back to the "legal" setup with little effort.

Those two reason are why I put V&H Baggers on my Nad, and if you ever see my 05 Nad up for sell it will be in "stock" condition with the V&H up for sell seperately on Ebay (so the next guy can take the same route I did

)

BTW, similiar reasoning went into using the PCIII and Caddman Air Mod (right side only), as it is plug & play and could be totally removed with no sign it was ever on the bike...

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MrClean

· #14 · Jan 3, 2008

And I definitely wouldn't do it if you have a dark side tire on. If they pass and enforce the law that all pipes must be STOCK from the manufacturer, there are going to be a very large number of folks buying stock pipes. I would imagine there would be a grandfather clause in there somewhere. Also, there'd be a bunch of manufacturers complaining about suddenly being put out of business.

Not saying it would happen, but I'm not worried about it. Get a set off the bay and alter them.

Oz Saki

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 3, 2008

What are you talking about goat belly? Idoho. Why not gut the whole muffler?

VulcanRev

· #16 · Jan 3, 2008

MrClean said:
Get a set off the bay and alter them.

Great idea; you may also want to check Craigslist, the Little Nickel and free add sites, might find you a better deal w/o all the ebay rig-a-ma-roll.

VulcanRev

· #17 · Jan 3, 2008

Oz Saki said:
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best r u really happy with the sound?

7.5. I have not completely de-baffed, just the plate and the eight holes around the inner plate perimiter, the screen is still in-tact. When looking at the comparison of 20 minutes in my garage w/$0 to $4-600 -- they sound like a 10!

VetteGuy

· #18 · Jan 3, 2008

My experience

I have modified my pipes and am very happy with the sound. The first thing I did was to get a schematic of the internal construction and then determined what would give me the best balance.

I have a 2007 V2k and like the pipes look as they reach behind the rear wheel and eliminate the soot that collects there with short pipes.

I decided that I would drill out the baffles in the center pipe and took out the first in each pipe. I was not satisfied and took out the second. What is left in my pipe is the catalytic convertor and the forward plug.

The sound is at idle has the same tone and is slightly louder. The sound at cruise is just loud enough to hear over the wind and road noise and is very deep and pleasant (I have a windshield and lowers so I eliminated a lot of air noise).

When you put the bike under a load it sounds much better and I noticed a 1 or 2 MPG improvement.

I was not looking for a very loud setup, but I did want a deeper note and that is what I got.

Thanks, Chris

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VetteGuy

· #19 · Jan 3, 2008

I can also restore my pipes to the original configuation if the Feds get uppity...

darkwalker

· #20 · Jan 4, 2008

Plato said:
I'm sure most you guys have thought this through, but since I didn't read it here I'll be the one to throw it in...

I would not alter stock pipes for two reasons. The primary reason is some day you might want to sell the bike and I really think selling it in stock condition is the least problematic. And (as mentioned)if you alter the stock pipes and don't like it you are indeed screwed. The secondary reason is the (hopefully distant) possibility that some draconian EPA thugs actually start enforciing the laws on this. Having the stockers just leaves the option to go back to the "legal" setup with little effort.

Those two reason are why I put V&H Baggers on my Nad, and if you ever see my 05 Nad up for sell it will be in "stock" condition with the V&H up for sell seperately on Ebay (so the next guy can take the same route I did )

BTW, similiar reasoning went into using the PCIII and Caddman Air Mod (right side only), as it is plug & play and could be totally removed with no sign it was ever on the bike...

It's up to you, but I totally agree with not modding the stock pipes for these two reasons. I put HK Kickers on my 800 so if a few months down the road I decide my bike is too loud (or if I join a home-owners association) I can put my stock pipes back on. The guy I bought the Kickers from was in a similar situation. He & his wife moved out to a retirement community and he had to take the pipes off...his big, nice house & fancy neighborhood outweighed his love of the loud pipes I bet. Anyway, he ended up selling the 800 stock and then sold me the pipes.

Just my opinion though. I'd be afraid something would come along that I couldn't control & I'd be stuck. :|

Personally I do like the look of the 900's pipes.

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