My 2000 883/1200 came with Vance & Hines Straight Shots. They obnoxiously loud even with baffles, but do they have any real performance benefits over the stock exhaust other than just being loud? I got a set of the early SE slip-ons I may try if the V&H have no real performance benefit. Comments?

 

The PO of my Sporty had a set of V&H Shortshots installed, and they were the very first thing I took off the bike. They were ridiculously, obnoxiously loud. In addition to making the bike a bear to ride around town, the short, fat pipes did nothing for the lines of the Seventy Two. I sold the whole setup on craigslist within a few days for $250, and turned around and bought a stock exhaust system from a 2016 Sportster on eBay for $100 shipped. I ran with the stock head pipes and mufflers for a few months. While it was very quiet, there was a noticeable difference in performance between the two. Off came the stock, catalytic converter-stuffed mufflers, and on went a set of Rush 3" slip-ons with a 2.25" baffle. Now the bike sounds good and has a healthy bark, but isn't so loud I'm afraid to twist the throttle around town. It is definitely more fun to ride.

Performance? Well, on a scale of 1 to 10, if the stock exhaust was a 2, and the V&H exhaust was an 8, I'd say the Rush mufflers are right about a 6½. I feel that I got most of the performance back with the slip-ons versus the full system, with about half the noise of the Shortshots. Note that I am running a stock air cleaner and no fuel map mods, so YMMV, especially with a carbureted bike.

 

Well documented problem of the power band being moved with a different set of pipes.

As you have found with a bit of research there is pipes out there that work at low rpm.

If you like to ride with the engine in a narrow band of power with a racing setup then there is nothing wrong with the pipes that came with your bike.

Putting lollipops in racing pipes to get the low end power back is a kludge in my opinion in the absence of the power and torque curves by the manufacturers.

 

I got rid of mine and glad I did. I think you're seeing a theme.

 

Yep, mine came with them and they were great for the first 10 minutes of every ride. Just too damn loud.
I switched to SE dual shorties and couldn't be happier. Great sound, lower temps, better power and no popping.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I know everyone complains about the stock exhaust systems being too quiet, sounds like a Jap bike, etc, But other than the reduction in volume, do the stock exhaust enhance the performance or restrict it? Did Harley design the stock mufflers just to meet EPA restrictions? Reason I ask is I recently bought some new stock mufflers and some early SE mufflers (the ones that had "Harley Davidson" in script stamped on them). I want to put the best performing muffler on my bike for everyday riding. Honestly, after riding Harleys for decades, Im tired of the noise and excessive volume. Ive nothing to prove, I just want my Sporty to ride to the peak of its potential. My buddy's 1970 Triumph Tiger has a beautiful low rumble with his stock pea-shooters, but not too loud. I think I can achieve the same thing(:

 

I've had the original SE mufflers (with Harley Davidson script) on my bike since 1992, love the sound of them. Deeper but not obnoxious.

I also have the SE aircleaner from that period and an Dynojet carb kit. I have no idea how much HP gain, but I'm sure it performs better than stock.

John

 

I hope the video gives you an idea of the sound. They keep the stock look and accept the H D heatshields from the stock mufflers.

 

Those sound really nice(: Are they a straight thru muffler?

 

I am not absolutely sure. The description on their website suggests there is some kind of baffle material in them. There is also a noise reduction kit available - a couple of big washers and a long threaded rod.

I have them on my bike and do like the not overly loud note they produce.