Buying a new bike is so boring. You know EXACTLY what you're getting. So modifications and add-ons are too easy! When you buy a pre-owned bike, you never quite know what the previous owner(s) did. Case in point: I've been contemplating various changes to my exhaust. I have a 2007 RK Custom with high flow A/C, Rush Big Louie slip-ons and stock headers. It's been stage 1 mapped or tuned (see? pre-owned, so I don't really know what's actually in the ECM, but I do have the SERT that came with it, and it runs well, so it's definitely been at least HD stock Stage 1 mapped).

So I've been thinking about new headers, the Fullsac dual-conversion kit, etc. I decided on a lower cost option which was new (larger) baffles in my BL's. Since I bought the slip ons pre-owned and simply put them on, I didn't really know what I had. They replaced Pythons (other high-flow mufflers) so no remapping was needed. Like I said, it runs well. I'm just messing with the sound.

Well, I wanted to lower the sound a bit, so I bought 2-1/4" baffles. I *thought* I had 2" baffles in there. So I took the baffles out and found this. See anything missing?



No big deal, as I was planning on putting in new baffles and repacking these anyway. Now my job is that much easier! There's NOTHING in the pipes or on the baffles. No packing material at all. Guess the previous owner pulled it all out.

But darn it, wouldn't you know that while I *thought* I had 2" in there (so I ordered 2-1/4") what I had was 2-1/4" all along! So now I have two sets of 2-1/4" baffles. I'm returning the new ones. And fortunately, I already ordered repacking material. So just for amusement, I fired it up, baffle-less. Here's a vid:


If you wonder what it sounded like with the un-packed baffles in there, here it is:


Not a major difference, is there? What can I expect from the repacked baffles?

No riding until the packing material shows up at my door (cmon Dennis Kirk!). Unless I want to slip the baffles back in, that is. Should take all of 10 minutes...

 

With the baffles it sounds a little deeper, without sounds kind of tinny. I'd imagine once you get properly packed baffle installed it might pickup a little torque on the bottom end.

 

Well, we shall see! I'm curious to see the result, too. My bike is as much a hobby as it is a vehicle, so I like playing around with stuff like this. My original thought when I started this was to hopefully get a slightly lower tone. I may still get that once I packed them. I will certainly report back to the forum.

 

So here are the baffles, all nicely repacked. I used the repacking material from Drag Specialties and repacked them per Rush's instructions. No chicken wire (ha ha). The baffles are in there snug, so I think the packing material will stick around a while...


Rush Big Louie 2-1/4" baffles, repacked with Drag Specialties' repacking material.

Installation went fine (one I remembered to use a little WD40 on the sides of the baffles) and here's the finished sound. Not a lot different from the original sound w/ baffles but no packing. But perhaps a little less metallic sounding. Smoother. I wouldn't say deeper, but fuller. And they do bark a little more on hard acceleration. And they *might* be a little less on decel popping. But I still need to retune to work on that.

 

It sounds so much better, you really notice it when you listen to your prior sound clips. Without the baffles it just sounded like you took some down spouts off your house and bolted them on, they were so hollow sounding. With the baffles and no packing it was a little better but still a little tinny. With the repack, it's a lot nicer tone.

 

For a somewhat stock motor the wrap on the baffles will definitely make a difference in low end. Also they do sound a little deeper as they should... Sounds good. Ride on Man....

 

Thanks. I'm pleased with them. Down the road, I'll swap in some new head pipes. But for now, I like the deeper sound. I haven't noticed a change in power yet. I need to ride more to see.