I've heard stories of removing the baffles ... What truly would happen if I removed the baffles from my stock mufflers?

 

Your bike would be obnoxiously loud and still not have the good tone you are probably looking for...

 

That's true, if you've ever heard a car that lost it's muffler that's pretty much what it sounds like.

 

the "suddenly open" exhaust will cause a slowing of the gasses- slower velocity means less 'suction" behind it...and a loss of performance.

if you have a kid on the next block from you who ruined the Accord his Aunt gave him for his 17th birthday with "ground effects", a spoiler that looks like a stolen picnic table and a "performance exhaust"..

you will have noticed that louder usually means slower leaving a stop.


it is pretty important to retain exhaust velocity, straight pipes are usually 1 3/4" diameter ( and produce better power above 5000 rpms)



Mike

 

It will be LOUD, and you will lose substantial low & mid range torque.

However, as mkguitar mentioned, exhaust gas velocity is all important when it comes to performance.

Thunder Torque Inserts are designed with one thing in mind, increasing exhaust gas velocity.

Below is a youtube of a 103 with no baffles in it and with the TTI's installed.

With no baffles and the W258's installed it has MORE torque all the way thru the RPM range than with stock slip-ons, or with Rush slip-ons with baffles.

The TTI's do mellow the sound a little, but it is still LOUD.

 

I torched mine out a few weeks ago and really like it.
I have a 2012 FLHTC with the 103, and it will do the trick until I pop for new pipes.
They are a pretty good sized glass packed chamber, with a wire mesh holding it all in tact.
I have given up nothing in performance.

I have no desire to remove my cat just yet, and this simple mod made a big improvement.

I now have about 1 3/4" opening in the *** end to the afore mentioned, and I really like it. It has a thump @ idle, gets a little louder on acceleration which helped it sound like a Harley should.

They are not nearly as loud as the Vance and Hines slash cuts were on my 07, but it does the trick until I figure out exactly where I am headed after good break in next spring (air filter, cams, pipes).

For whatever reason the vast majority of peeps on here are nay sayers on such a simple change, for I see the masses insist upon "gotta get the heat generating cat out of em, and slap on a thousand dollars worth of XYZ's exhasut components". Hell, Iv'e got 1300 miles on it so far, friends say it sounds good, and passengers don't complain about the heat, so?

Try it, for I see oem exhausts sell for dirt cheap on craigslist and here often if one did ever want to go back, or have a set of oem on hand just in case.

 

Doesn't seem like a good idea based on the posts above. I have seen this done on other bikes with results that I would not call good, as suggested here.

 

If you have a cat in the headpipe it most likely will not cause damage because the cat will provide back pressure. Still not recommended and in my opinion will sound horrible. If you have a 2009 or earlier model with open headpipes you should not remove the baffles. The lack of back pressure will cause a drop in low end power, will make tuning almost impossible and could cause engine damage.
Ryan

 

If the cat does not restrict exhaust flow, how could it add back pressure?? Interesting....

 

For what it's worth, my first set of slip-ons were from American Custom. They gut the stock mufflers and weld in a flange so you can use their baffle system to make it sound stock, a little louder with a deeper rumble, or wide open with no baffles. They aren't obnoxiously loud, but they are loud and have a very deep rumble to them. My bike ran best and sounded best when I used their mid-rumble baffles. But I also ran them without any baffles in them too. Lost a little torque that way, and had some decel popping without the baffles. Otherwise it ran just fine.

I now have V&H Monster Rounds. There is an obvious baffle in them as you can see it only a short distance inside the muffler. Still has the deep rumble I was looking for, and in between the American Customs with and without any baffles sound-wise. Runs much better. My head pipes are stock and still have the cat in it. I am thinking about getting the Stage 1 download from the dealer even though I have no intention of running a high-flow air cleaner or changing my head pipes. Should richen it up just enough to suit my needs, and it's the cheapest route (I'm a poor boy).