I fear something is missing. Not much useful info that I've found online yet. :/

 

I’d make it louder so they know what to appreciate when they hear it.

 

Tell them to be patient , we'll all be forced to ride electric bikes in a few years anyway . That's how it's looking here in the UK . 😩

 

Stock exhaust?
No leaks?
HOA.
Well, buying a DB meter may not be a bad idea.
I think you are okay w/ stock exhaust.
Re-read your CCR for guidance.
Counter claim of a weed/ leaf wacker against an HOA member may not be a bad idea.
I read some HOA boards are "Czars".
In general so many "hate" motorcycles but love bicycles and cars...I don't get it as motorbikes are better transpiration vehicles.
Again, stock exhaust if push comes to shove, which may mean court, you may win.
Good luck.

 

I served on the Board of our HOA for four years and learned that there will always be those who complain. Earlier this year, I also had a cranky neighbor turn me into the HOA and the local police. The police officer who came to see me was very nice and knowledgeable. The HOA compliance people were worthless. This is the information I learned.

1. Unless your HOA has private streets, it has no legal right to enforce noise or vehicle use standards. The HOA's authority cannot supersede that of the City or local jurisdiction. The officer informed the complaining neighbor that under state law that I had the right to ride a motorcycle as long as I had a motorcycle endorsement and the bike was properly registered and tagged and didn't exceed the local noise ordinance standard.

2. The local city noise ordinance standard is +(-) 90db. So, I installed the V&H quite baffles in my V&H 3" slip-ons to get down to this level. This proved to be a good upgrade since my low-end torque and throttle response improved with the quite baffles over the standard baffles. Purchased an upgraded db meter app for my iPhone to be able to show an officer that I was compliant if I was stopped.

3. If your HOA is pandering to complainers even in areas in which it doesn't have jurisdiction, you have two options. 1> write a complaint letter to the state agency that regulates HOAs. 2> Suggest you contact a local motorcycle law firm (such as Law Tigers) and have them write a letter to your HOA. You will probably find that persons and groups in your area are more than willing to help defray the cost since unauthorized, restrictive enforcement hurts all riders and the industry. (FYI: Once I filed a complaint with the state regulatory agency and had my attorney write a letter, the HOA backed off. One reason, my attorney informed the board members and HOA general manager that I would be suing them individually for damages, not just the HOA, for discrimination actions that infringe on my rights. Example: I have neighbors with louder outdoor entertainment systems, lawn equipment and cars that my motorcycle.)

I know full-well that moving out of a HOA is not an option, but if I ever move, I will avoid being in an HOA or California like the plague.

Good luck and be assertive in your response. You cannot negotiate with terrorists who would restrict your legal rights.

 

As already observed, your rear muffler is not right, in some way. Your bike is also 16 years old, so it is possible the mufflers are rusted through inside, or internal muffling has been blown out, so your bike may be louder than when new. Take a look around to see if you can find a pair of decent second-hand replacement stock mufflers.

 

Stock mufflers should be ten a penny on eBay . In the UK you can't even give them away . I've got a pair that came with the bike that look barely used .

 

What!? No HOA bashing yet?

 

Well, I swung by the local dealer for some parts. I tried swapping the K&N filter the bike came with for a stock filter, in the hope that the extra damping material on a stock filter would help quiet things down just a little, but that just plain didn't work as the size was all wrong (photos below). So scratch that idea.

It did turn out that my rear pipe was missing the clamp between muffler and header pipe altogether, so I picked one up. The clamp on the front pipe was weirdly bent out of shape and not in the right location anyway. Loosened the heat shields, repositioned/added both clamps, and tightened everything up. No more weird shaking in the rear. While I wouldn't say it's any quieter now, it does at least seem to have more of a sound that one would expect. These videos do make things sound quieter than they really are. Post-ride idle. It is, of course, considerably louder when warming up or revving, but I do try not to be a jackass and crank the throttle in residential areas.


Inside rear muffler, not sure if that's fully intact or not.


Mounted K&N, fits flush like the bike came with it or something.


Filter differences. Stock just not right.

Thanks for the tips, folks. I did try to just get out of the development as quickly as possible. Hopefully that will be adequate for whoever is bitching. But it's definitely good to know the legal options if whoever it is presses the matter further. I do have a db meter on my phone (one of the tools I used for turntable setup), so I'll check that if I get another letter. Cheers!

 

It's not your intake that is the problem. Focus on your exhaust issues.