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Baffles or No Baffles

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Old Apr 4, 2019 | 05:22 PM
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Default Drag Pies, Baffles or No Baffles?

2019 Sportster 48
DK Custom 425 Hiflow air cleaner
Paughco Drag Pipes
Dynojet Power Vision

Currently running the pipes with baffles and it runs and sounds great, but I want the pipes louder when idling, question is, do you think the performance would increase or decrease if I removed the baffles?

 

Last edited by Tw4481; Apr 4, 2019 at 07:06 PM.
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Old Apr 4, 2019 | 06:26 PM
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I think you will decrease your low end power. Nice looking Sporty.
 

Last edited by whylee; Apr 4, 2019 at 06:28 PM.
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Old Apr 4, 2019 | 09:27 PM
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When I bought my sportster it had Vance and Hines short shots with no baffles with the stock Harley air intake and a fuelpak LCD set to performance let me tell you the girl ran rough and riding(even with a helmet) my ears were ringing after a ride. I removed the short shots and replaced them with screaming Eagles and toned down the fuelpak now she runs smooth as silk.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2019 | 02:59 AM
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This video will solve ur dilema..u can skip the carb tuning part

 
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Old Apr 5, 2019 | 03:51 AM
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Although I see a lot of posts about fixing reversion in drag pipes in a true tuned pipe of course the reflected wave needs to be back at the exhaust port just as the last of the exhaust gas is leaving to stop the new fuel from leaving just before the exhaust valve closes.

This happens in a very small rev range and it is very pronounced when an engine hits the correct rpm of a tuned pipe.

I read somewhere when BMW took the engine from the 3 series and put it in the 1 series its power output was down some. It turned out as the car was shorter and the exhaust pipe was shorter in length it affected the power output of the engine.
 

Last edited by Andy from Sandy; Apr 5, 2019 at 03:54 AM.
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Old Apr 5, 2019 | 07:24 AM
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Further to Andy's post, BSA discovered back in the '60s that adding a balance pipe between the exhaust pipes on a twin improved torque in the low/mid range. Exhausts are fascinating things, although I have to say that I would never use slash-cut drag pipes.
 
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Old Apr 6, 2019 | 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Tw4481
2019 Sportster 48
DK Custom 425 Hiflow air cleaner
Paughco Drag Pipes
Dynojet Power Vision

Currently running the pipes with baffles and it runs and sounds great, but I want the pipes louder when idling, question is, do you think the performance would increase or decrease if I removed the baffles?

Very nice looking ride! If you emailed us some photos of it, we'd be pleased to put it on our website.

Regarding the exhaust, you can remove the baffles and install some Thunder Torque Inserts. You will get a bit louder sound, a bit deeper sound, and the TTI's will give you a boost in low and mid range power. Diagram below shows how/why they work.




Here's a LINK with more info about Harley Exhaust.
 
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Old May 8, 2020 | 08:02 PM
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2013 XL1200 Custom Stage 1
 
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Old Jan 3, 2021 | 07:54 PM
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Default My 2012 sporty

 
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Old Jan 4, 2021 | 06:44 AM
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Originally Posted by whylee
I think you will decrease your low end power. Nice looking Sporty.
I agree. Keep the baffles but add DKCustoms Thunder Torque Inserts (TTI's) like I did. It deepens the voice without adding volume PLUS it adds low end torque. Not expensive and easy to install. DKC are good to work with and their products are high quality.
 
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