Exhaust Systems: Looks, Sound, Performance?
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee area
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,649
Likes: 4,889
From: Missouri City,TX
I went with:
Looks
Performance
Sound
Performance is just as important to me as looks, but I still like the looks of a 2-2 pipe rather than a 2-1 exhaust. Per the V&H description, the sideshots have a power chamber, which gives added performance comparable to their 2-1 exhaust. Is it true or just marketing hype? I dunno...I've never compared my exhaust to an actual 2-1 exhaust.
As far as sound, I added the quiet baffles for a lower deeper tone rather than just loud as well as adding slightly more backpressure for better performance.
Looks
Performance
Sound
Performance is just as important to me as looks, but I still like the looks of a 2-2 pipe rather than a 2-1 exhaust. Per the V&H description, the sideshots have a power chamber, which gives added performance comparable to their 2-1 exhaust. Is it true or just marketing hype? I dunno...I've never compared my exhaust to an actual 2-1 exhaust.
As far as sound, I added the quiet baffles for a lower deeper tone rather than just loud as well as adding slightly more backpressure for better performance.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,542
Likes: 6,217
From: In your head rent free
Love my sound, wouldn't feel like a Harley without it.
But if it looked like crap or ran like crap I would change them out.
So I am going with a balanced package approach. Good sound, good looks and good performance.
But if it looked like crap or ran like crap I would change them out.
So I am going with a balanced package approach. Good sound, good looks and good performance.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 6
From: Little Rock
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,789
Likes: 9
From: Double Oak, Texas
1 Perf, 2 sound, 3 looks....would agree with those Fat Cats
shooooot, gotta post another photo....
a sound bite with a cheesy, tiny digicam...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLOqh...e=channel_page
shooooot, gotta post another photo....
a sound bite with a cheesy, tiny digicam...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLOqh...e=channel_page
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 752
Likes: 0
From: nc mountains
A great exhaust depends as much on what you have done or will do as part of a upgrade with the exhaust. Some very good performance shops know that the stock headers are hard to out perform when a good muffler is used say with a airkit ,slipon's and mild cam ignition work. Not untill head work larger cam and or big bore does it pay to look at changeing the headers too. I does help to have the cross over pipe as that helps bottomend tq numbers and you can make less tq and more hp with the same set up by changeing to one of the many performance systems out. but not improve evey day ride and roll on. To each there own. I like The old style Khrome werks mufflers ,very tuneable but there are several that offer different baffles for tuneing . On the dresser get the old style touring mufflers from KW and with those you can always up grade headers down the road and baffles as time goes buy. I ran one set for ten years from staock on a evo to a 115hp 95"tc bagger with just baffle change on the mufflers. Bassani headers on the last motor. Made less hp than bassani mufflers but much better tq and rideability. Same simple mufflers. Good sound , won't **** off the mieghbors unless you want to and the leo's don't look at them as they look stock.
Last edited by hardluk1; Feb 17, 2009 at 06:49 PM.