Exhaust Systems: Looks, Sound, Performance?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
Exhaust Systems: Looks, Sound, Performance?
I've been reading through a lot of threads about exhaust systems, mostly because I've had to go through the selection process a couple of times for my new bike. I have the perception that most of you are more concerned about aesthetic issues than performance. Maybe I'm wrong, though.
Just out of curiosity, how would you rate the importance of those three aspects on a scale of 1-2-3? Do you mind sacrificing performance to get the look you want or a given sound? Are you more concerned with squeezing out the best performance, no matter what else? Like I said, I'm just curious. There is no right or wrong answer, nor is there any prize for participating.
In my case, the vote was:
1: Performance
2: Appearance
3: Sound
If I forgot an attribute that's important, please feel free to stick it in your answer. Just let us know why it was important (e.g., price).
Just out of curiosity, how would you rate the importance of those three aspects on a scale of 1-2-3? Do you mind sacrificing performance to get the look you want or a given sound? Are you more concerned with squeezing out the best performance, no matter what else? Like I said, I'm just curious. There is no right or wrong answer, nor is there any prize for participating.
In my case, the vote was:
1: Performance
2: Appearance
3: Sound
If I forgot an attribute that's important, please feel free to stick it in your answer. Just let us know why it was important (e.g., price).
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,722
Likes: 7
With the variety of pipes out there, there's no reason why looks and sound can't go together and you don't have to rate either of those over the other. Yeh, maybe with a decibel meter, one might rate over another and the looks aren't quite the same but, by ear, it's fairly easy to find a good looking exhaust with a sound pretty close to what you want.
So, to me, it's a matter of putting performance over looks or vice versa. From what I've read here, those 2 don't necessarily go together quite as often. Then again, it's personal taste. Your best performance is typically going to come with a 2 into 1 exhaust and some prefer that look to begin with, so they get the best of both worlds. I don't care for the 2-1 look, for my personal bike. I don't look for performance gains so much though. I'm not looking to race my bike and, if I were, I probably wouldn't have bought a HD, at least not an air-cooled one. I want a good look and sound with minimal, if any, performance loss. If I gain some in the process fine, if I don't, fine. But doing something like removing the baffles from my Big Radius pipes to make them louder, resulting in a performance loss in the form of torque, is an example of where I'd draw the line. Adding something to them to get a better sound with little or no loss or even a gain, is a plus. But, I like the way mine runs and sounds as it is.
So, to me, it's a matter of putting performance over looks or vice versa. From what I've read here, those 2 don't necessarily go together quite as often. Then again, it's personal taste. Your best performance is typically going to come with a 2 into 1 exhaust and some prefer that look to begin with, so they get the best of both worlds. I don't care for the 2-1 look, for my personal bike. I don't look for performance gains so much though. I'm not looking to race my bike and, if I were, I probably wouldn't have bought a HD, at least not an air-cooled one. I want a good look and sound with minimal, if any, performance loss. If I gain some in the process fine, if I don't, fine. But doing something like removing the baffles from my Big Radius pipes to make them louder, resulting in a performance loss in the form of torque, is an example of where I'd draw the line. Adding something to them to get a better sound with little or no loss or even a gain, is a plus. But, I like the way mine runs and sounds as it is.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 2
From: Deltona, FL
I'm always looking for functionality first. If it doesn't serve my purpose, it doesn't go on my bike. Also, I'm over having the loudest bike on the block and I leave for work very early in the morning, so sound is very important, but probably not for the reason normally applied. I like sound, just not necessarily volume.
1. Performance
2. Sound
3. Looks
1. Performance
2. Sound
3. Looks
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
After I posted this, I realize that my preference depends upon which bike model I'm talking about. As noted here already, a 2-1 pipe offers better performance. That's what I wanted for my Fat Bob. However, it's not necessarily what I wanted for my Road King. I think that bike would look unbalanced with only one pipe, and I'm not looking for it to be a top performer.
So on a touring bike, I think I'd rate it as:
1: Looks
2: Sound
3: Performance
Granted, I don't want my bike to become a dog for the sake of looks, but I'm not trying to race-tune a Road King.
So on a touring bike, I think I'd rate it as:
1: Looks
2: Sound
3: Performance
Granted, I don't want my bike to become a dog for the sake of looks, but I'm not trying to race-tune a Road King.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
It all depends on what you want. For me it has to perform and function, thats how i feel that im getting my moneys worth. Then you take it from there.
1. Perfromance/ Functionality
2. Sound
3. Looks
1. Perfromance/ Functionality
2. Sound
3. Looks
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukee area
I still have the stock exhaust, but I've been reading and researching various systems. At this point in my Harley ownership (3 months), I'd have to say my ranking would be appearance/sound, price/quality, then performance. I'm leaning towards D&D Fatcat when the time (read: tax refund) comes. The Python looks very similar, but I've read about quality issues. The Thunderheader may be the best performer, but they're not cheap. I've heard the V&H Big Radii, both 2-2 and 2-1, and like the sound, but I don't care for the looks. The Big Shot Staggered is another I'm considering.
Last edited by Grind; Feb 17, 2009 at 01:45 PM.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 11
From: Palm Harbor fl.
I still have the stock exhaust, but I've been reading and researching various systems. At this point in my Harley ownership (3 months), I'd have to say my ranking would be appearance/sound, price/quality, then performance. I'm leaning towards D&D Fatcat when the time (read: tax refund) comes. The Python looks very similar, but I've read about quality issues. The Thunderheader may be the best performer, but they're not cheap. I've heard the V&H Big Radii, both 2-2 and 2-1, and like the sound, but I don't care for the looks. The Big Shot Staggered is another I'm considering.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 11
From: Palm Harbor fl.
I still have the stock exhaust, but I've been reading and researching various systems. At this point in my Harley ownership (3 months), I'd have to say my ranking would be appearance/sound, price/quality, then performance. I'm leaning towards D&D Fatcat when the time (read: tax refund) comes. The Python looks very similar, but I've read about quality issues. The Thunderheader may be the best performer, but they're not cheap. I've heard the V&H Big Radii, both 2-2 and 2-1, and like the sound, but I don't care for the looks. The Big Shot Staggered is another I'm considering.
I chose the fatcat.... performance, sound, looks...