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Hi Folks,
Awhile back I put a set of Hooker pipes on my bike, and I like 'em well enough. But, I've been thinking about going back to the pipes that i bought it with, which were straight chrome drag pipes. (and maybe adding some fishtails on the end for that old skool look.[8D]) But, I was looking at the drag pipes that used to be on the bike and I noticed that they don't have (or don't LOOK like they have) any baffles in them. Don't you need some kind of baffles in the pipes for back pressure, or am I o.k. running it with just the straight pipes? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I can just share with you my experience. I have an 06 Fatboy with V&H Big Shots Staggered. I ran the bike for a while without the baffles, and performance was Sh!@t. . . I lost alot of low end torque, bike ran hotter and gas mileage was off. I put them back in about a month ago, and it is like I have new bike!! My vote is for baffels . . .
My understanding, at least talking to the shop, is that baffle removal will not hurt the bike, but it will make it run like crap. He suggested that if I wanted loud pipes was to go with a drag pipe. I also looked into power cones, but from what I read they do not make a big difference.
I have a 07 train with vance and hines big radius pipes. I took the baffels out and yeah it sounds rough(window shaker) butis a little sluggish coming out of the corner. I even put a power commander and stage 1 in it to kick it up. Don't get me wrong it moves but you do sacrafice power. I am thinking of putting the baffels back in and tuning it again on the dyno since i go to events/rides and cops in nys are starting to crack down on bikers with too loud pipes. LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES......can't hear ya
i have a 07 softail custom with big radius 2 into 2, i pulled the baffles and cut them in half and put them back in and it was loud but not as deep, then over the winter i upgraded to a 103 with se heads and a bigger cam and now its louder and deeper with 10.5 comp pistons. i am thinking about going with big city thunder or putting the original baffles from v and h back in.
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