When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I know this post is a few months old, but Im looking at either the RCX, Vance & Hines, and S&S MK45 slip ons. Sound is important, but not as important as keeping the warranty (so no head pipe until the warranty is up), as well as not losing any low/mid range torque. Anyone have real world experience with these? I currently have a 2018 Street Glide Special with stock pipes, Heavy Breather, and Pro Street Tuner.
IMO the S&S are hard to beat on basically a stock bike for sound. You wont truly get any real sound until you decat and cam your bike.
IMO the S&S are hard to beat on basically a stock bike for sound. You wont truly get any real sound until you decat and cam your bike.
Not sure which Model S&S he has, but a buddy of mine bought S&S 4.5 slip ons with no baffles (the baffles are included but optional to install) when he bought his new blacked out street glide special.
They are markedly quieter than my RCx 4.0 slip ons on my otherwise stock 2018 FLTRU
Not sure which Model S&S he has, but a buddy of mine bought S&S 4.5 slip ons with no baffles (the baffles are included but optional to install) when he bought his new blacked out street glide special.
They are markedly quieter than my RCx 4.0 slip ons on my otherwise stock 2018 FLTRU
I listened to them both in the dealership the day I bought my bike. They the S&S MK45's on another bike and the RCX were on mine. To me, the S&S had a deeper tone and sounded a bit louder...at least on some throttle. But again, everyone likes different sounds.
I listened to them both in the dealership the day I bought my bike. They the S&S MK45's on another bike and the RCX were on mine. To me, the S&S had a deeper tone and sounded a bit louder...at least on some throttle. But again, everyone likes different sounds.
For sure, and not trying to argue. Again, not sure which model he has, but literally everyone in my group was surprised at how quiet they were.
Ran them both on my 2017 SGS (along with 3 other sets) and my take on the RCX and S+S is.....RCX much better idle, the S+S is just dead sounding at idle, with stock cam anyway, sounded like my F150 idling. The S+S is louder on the gas without the DB reducers in anyway. S+S just had a weird flappy/poppy sound to it that I did not care for, especially on decel. Cruising in 6th at low RPM and grab some throttle and the MK's sounded like a jack hammer, wasn't a fan. The RCX was the cleaner all around sounding pipe, in my ears anyway. The S+S is not a bad pipe, just not my tone, I'm sure a cam would change things up greatly for either of these though.
Whats everyone opinion on retaining low end torque on these pipes? I stopped at a dealer today and the parts guy told me that RCX or Cobras would retain all the torque while boosting sound. Can anyone confirm this?
Whats everyone opinion on retaining low end torque on these pipes? I stopped at a dealer today and the parts guy told me that RCX or Cobras would retain all the torque while boosting sound. Can anyone confirm this?
He said they wouldnt be LOUD, which I fully understand wont be achieved until at least the head pipe is replaced, but that they would have a deeper growl to it, with a LITTLE sound increase. But more important to me is not losing torque or emptying my wallet due to trial and error. I have already purchased one set of pipes that robbed me of low end. They might work good for someone who replaced the head pipe and uses a real tuner, but until my warranty expires, Im just looking for some sound without power loss.
I've got the 4.5" RCX on my 17 Road King. I've got about 6000 Mike's on the mufflers and I like the sound especially at idle. No drone on the road and I did not notice any loss in the low end torque. I gave not tuned it yet. I have a FP3 waiting to go on probably next month. My warranty expires in Oct and the ESP picks up at that point. I would buy them again, i get a lot of compliments on the sound.
He said they wouldnt be LOUD, which I fully understand wont be achieved until at least the head pipe is replaced, but that they would have a deeper growl to it, with a LITTLE sound increase. But more important to me is not losing torque or emptying my wallet due to trial and error. I have already purchased one set of pipes that robbed me of low end. They might work good for someone who replaced the head pipe and uses a real tuner, but until my warranty expires, Im just looking for some sound without power loss.
you did good posing the question here for advice from folks with them and real experience over a just buying from parts guy trying to sell you performance parts that probably doesn't have that experience..many have stated the M8s can be sensitive to just mufflers and losing torque thru professional testing and seat of the pants testing
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.