I got the old lady a 2005 carbed sportster with side shots back in February and that thing sounds like heaven compared to my '12 ultra. The 12' ultra sounds like any bike except with a deeper tone.

I think I want to get a carbed fat boy. Can I expect the same sound from a carbed 2006 fat boy as a carbed 2005 sporty 1200?

 

It's the exhaust, not the fact that it's carbed and yours is EFI.

 

The rhythm of the engine is completely different on the 2005 sporty. I dunno if it's the engine or the carb or what. It sounds like the old harley's I'd hear when I was a kid.

 

My carbed Evo has the traditional Harley sound you are talking about. If you want the old traditional sound of a Harley (more noticable at idle) you can get that with a carbed bike.

 

Different engine, too.. FatBoy has a Twin-Cam (or Evo if you go back to 1999-earlier), Sportsters have the Evo II (the 883 and 1200s, obviously). Supposed to "sound" the same since they're Harley's, but I always thought my 883 sounded meaner than my friends' twin-cams (carb'd). Even my friends 1996 FatBoy with the 80" Evo makes a sound that makes you want to punch someone in the face..it's a great sound, and yeah, something that was lost with the EFI bikes.

Also keep in mind that the Sportster's engine idles around 800rpms, the EFI Twin-Cams idle between 950-1050 rpms.. they say that if you go in to your fuel tuner (if you have one) and turn your idle down, you'll get more of that 'Harley' sound, but it's just not the same.

 

Good to hear, thanks for the info.

 

Cams and exhaust made mine sound pretty close for an EFI bike.

 

My wifes 98 fatboy makes my 2010 road king sound terrible too, especially at idle. Carbed bikes sound camed up at idle while mine has no lope what so ever. Only time mine sounds really wicked is accelerating. Have vance and hines power header with rhineheart exhaust. My 2007 softail deluxe with vance and hines longshots sounded great though. Very loud all the time but still didnt have that carbed lope.

 

I think he's looking for that low rumble while riding also, not just idling. I still think he can get close with different exhaust.

 

It's really the idle I'm looking for. I have the low rumble with my power duals and 4" rineharts on my '12.

The idle on the sporty is like a kid who's bag of M80s was dropped into the fire and he's desperately trying to pick them out without blowing himself up while they keep popping off. The whole friggin bike shakes with each pop. It's sex.