I just installed a D&D Fat Cat exhaust system on my 2010 Street Glide stock 96 motor with stage one air cleaner and Harley stage one down load. It was shipped to me with the wrong baffle installed so I was able to compare the Perforated wrapped and the Louvered wrapped baffles. I ran some sound tests and thought that some may find this information helpful. It came to me with the Perforated wrapped baffle and it was way too loud for me. It popped badly on deceleration and was uncomfortable to my ears. I installed the Louvered wrapped baffle today and love it, no popping on deceleration and much better on my ears. I recorded the Db levels using SAE J2825 method (20 inches away form the pipe at a 45 degree angle at both idle and at 2000 RPM.) I also tested them at 3000 RPM.

Perforated wrapped :
Idle 96 Db
2000 103 Db
3000 108 Db

Louvered wrapped:
Idle 91 Db
2000 100 Db
3000 105 Db

The Louvered wrapped pulled much smother and felt like the torque came in sooner. As expected the Perforated wrapped was a little better on top end but way to loud for me.

 

Imho you'll make more power same for same with the perforated muffler. Sounds like you enjoy the ride better with the louvered muffler.

 

I agree, as stated more on top end.

 

Hey great info. I ordered mine and picked the concentric baffle which is made for your 96" motor and not my 103"...so I was researching on which new baffle to get for mine. I was leaning towards the perf. wrapped over the Louvered baffle you like simply because I like a bit more rumble at idle. I see your sound test confirms that, and it doesn't seem to get that much louder as it ramps up. Great info and just what I needed to help me make my decision. Thank you.

PS> how much was your baffle? Did you buy direct from D&D?

 

Steve,the company that I purchased the system from had made a mistake so they sent me just the louvered baffle. I did everything I could to get the old one out for about 2 hours with no luck. The baffle end can not be seen from the inlet side because it is behind the inlet pipe and I found out from talking to D&D that the wrapped baffles have clear tape around the packing to hold it in place for installation. This tape melts like glue and holds the baffle in until it eventually burns off. D&D told me that they do not offer a service to change baffles (this should tell you something) and that a lot of times you have to use a slide hammer and destroy the baffle getting it out. I tried the method of soaking it with WD40 and letting it sit overnight then wrapping a clear pine board with carpet and beating the baffle, outlet side down till I was sore with no luck. So the company sent me the whole muffler with the baffle installed. When I was talking to D&D it was about $380 for the muffler and baffle. If you like loud the perforated wrapped will get you what you want. I have to point out that in my tests the 2000 and 3000 rpm numbers don't seem like much difference but when riding the Louvered wrapped is much quieter!

 

I considered the quiet baffle but D&D told me that it wasn't that much quieter. It appears the info you posted confirms that.

It isn't worth the cost of the quiet muffler for at most a 5 decibel reduction.

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Dave