79 XS muffler alternatives

[GNEPIG]

.. PM me and i will tell you the three different ways that i have learned to get the sport muffs to flow better. * the more they flow, the more noise they make.

[Geezer]

The year I worked in a Harley shop we had a code for punching out the baffles. If the work order said, "check mufflers" then we would run a long steel rod with a pointed end up the pipe and whack it with a hammer. The resulting hole in the main baffle made the Harley sound like a Harley...

Geezer

[GNEPIG]

The year I worked in a Harley shop we had a code for punching out the baffles. If the work order said, "check mufflers" then we would run a long steel rod with a pointed end up the pipe and whack it with a hammer. The resulting hole in the main baffle made the Harley sound like a Harley...

.. yep, we have done that a bunch of times, no codes though, we would just do it outside in the back, no charge. we cant do that any more. rules, rules, rules
now i have two other ways to make your sport muffs louder

[Geezer]

Originally posted by GNEPIG

.. yep, we have done that a bunch of times, no codes though, we would just do it outside in the back, no charge. we cant do that any more. rules, rules, rules
now i have two other ways to make your sport muffs louder

OK you got me. What are the other 2 ways?

I agree with the rules BS. The DOT and EPA are doing their best to take the fun out of biking.

Geezer

[UncleSpot]

I also had sportster mufflers on my XS-SG
the bike had a 4-into-2 stock exhaust and both mufflers
cracked at the 'connection' weld - 'got the sporty mufflers
at a Flea Market for $10 - they slipped right on but were a little too "loose", so a shim was installed and it held great for over a year... on the side of each muffler was a "channel" where a bolt could slide about 6 inches; this is where a bracket, going to the frame, was mounted to secure the back of the muffler.

...then I got hit on the freeway by some idiot that wanted to be in my lane............ the exhaust system and fairing was mangled beyond repair... 'found a LG for a parts bike and have been using that exhaust system ever since.

My *favorite* exhaust system I've had on the bike *still* has to be the Kerker 4-into-1 (when I originally got it), but changing oil was almost impossible: oil would get ALL over the pipes where they came together, and to change the oil filter I'd have to drop the headers from the engine... it was a bit*h. The system sounded real nice (but a little too loud), and the power was unbelievable...

[GNEPIG]

OK you got me. What are the other 2 ways?

.. i use a hole saw on the end of the baffle, a size just smaller than the inside of the weld[you dont want to cut the weld, it will cause other things to come loose eventually]after the baffle is cut then you can pull it out. this makes your sport muffs real loud.
..you will want to ride your bike like this around the block at least once, because this makes your bike sound very cool and you might want to leave it like this. the sport muffs on our bikes with the baffs pulled sound very low and grumbly, the sport muffs have a insulative inner coating with a metal screen on the outer walls of the muff that helps it sound very authoritative, not open and empty like our stock muffs with the guts pulled out. FYI this mod makes a harley sound very good, kinda like a small block chevy.
.. ok, once you're finished playin around and you decide they are to loud, clamp your baffles in a vise and drill the existing holes out bigger and add a few more holes here and there for dexterity. then stuff your baffs back into there muffs and weld them shut. this will cause better flow and you will get a deeper sound.

..since i am one of them weenies that liked how the bike sounded with the baffs removed, i cant tell you exactly how the last part sounds, you will have to try that for yourself.
..however, i have knocked a hole in the pucks in the middle of the baffles before, i didnt particularly like the sound that it made on our bikes or the harleys, but thats just one @ssholes opinion.

[Geezer]

Thanx for the info but I'm one of those weenies that likes my bike quite. I like the sound I get from the Sportster mufflers but I wouldn't want it any louder.

I used to ride a Guzzi with open megaphones and it was tiring to ride long distances.

Geezer

[XJ1100]

Well, now I'm thoroughly confused......trust me...it's that easy to confuse me.

I'm not a muffler expert, I don't know for sure the difference between the heat shield, muffler, or baffles. (or if there is a difference)

I have (what I believe is) stock 4 straight pipes into 2 bigger piples on my XJ1100. I don't want it much louder than stock, but maybe just a little throatier sound and less "japanese bike" sound.

How much bigger are sportster muffs than my stock pipes? If I bought some sportster muffs on ebay and brought them to a muffler shop, would they have any idea what I want and would they be able to do the work fairly easily?

What changes have to be made to the engine as a result of switching mufflers? Any other things to consider when doing this?

Sorry to sound so ignorant, but that's why I'm here asking the questions....

[Poprock]

sportster mufflers

When I took my Sportster mufflers and my bike to a local muffler shop, here's what happened. Cut off the old mufflers & crossover at a point hidden by the heat sheild (the piece of tin bolted on to the Y joint behind the headers). Fabricated an adapter that fit the mufflers to the Yamaha pipes. Welded the adapter to the bike pipes. Used a Harley clamp to attach the mufflers to the adapter. Welded a bracket to the tab on the muffler to fit the Yamaha muffler mount near the rear foot pegs. Replaced the heat sheilds. Yeild is a near factory look (mufflers end about 3" in front of the rear axle) and a very nice mellow sound at stock db but slightly lower pitch. I like it a lot and friends tell me I have a nice-sounding bike. Cost me $75 at the muffler shop, but the pro install looks great. No changes were made to the carbs, the bike runs well with no loss of performance.

[GNEPIG]

.. hey Poprock, how about some pictures?
if you put the stock sportster muffs on your bike and dont mess with the baffles, you dont have to mess with jetting. when you start changing the flow[knocking out the center puck or removing the baffs all together] you will have to change jetting.

[Poprock]

sportster mufflers

I'll send a picture when I figure out the link thing.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Poprock,

I editted your link, the photo is VERY LARGE, so I used the "thumbnail" link you had to represent the actual photo.

You will want to use your photoeditting software to RESIZE your photos before you upload them to Photobucket, appx. 640x480 size, and adjust your compression setting for JPG's to around 85% quality, that size photo should be around 100kb!
T.C.

[Poprock]

sportster muffs and muffed link

Thanks, TC. I got so involved in just getting the link in there I forgot to resize it before I photodumped it.

[jjr60616]

Harley Mufflers

I went and found a set of mufflers off a 2005 Harley Road King on E-Bay and scored them for $10.00 + $20.00 shipping.

Cut the stock set at the front of the muffler and welded them there, and the rear brackets lined up perfectly. The whole thing only took 30 minutes or so to do.

Welded a washer over the crossover after we cut and ground it down and it's all sealed up.

Did this because I had a 4 into 1 w/Jardine Can that was too loud and popped under deacceleration and I didn't like the muffler megaphone shape on the original system I traded for. Like this much better.

Sounds a little deeper and throatier, no performance issues that I can feel or see and it looks prety nice and clean now.

I'll spray it black (up to the muffler itself) and then wrap it... after I'm done on Monday I'll post some pics.

If you're looking for some way to replace a rusty muffler on the cheap, this would be it.