quieting mufflers back down

[cruiserlover]

Just got my 2001, 2 days ago.The kid or someone made the mufflers obnoxiously loud.Looks like they used to have endcaps over them, those are gone.Then the center pipe looks like the middle of them has been cut out.I dont know how to undo the hammering he must have done to the baffles.

Edited May 18, 2015 by cruiserlover

[M61A1MECH]

If they are modified stock pipes. then nothing you can do but replace them with stockers or Harley Road King stockers if you want quiet Either can normally be found easily for around $100.00.

[cruiserlover]

thanks friend, i will look for rk then.

[Prairiehammer]

Here is a diagram of how the stock RSV mufflers are constructed internally. Perhaps a clue to how to restore the mufflers?

[djh3]

No wonder they way 60lb a piece.

[Great White]

I may be one of 5 males in NA that doesn't like straight pipes on a bike. I cringe everytime a Harley goes by with straight pipes and buddy opens it up too much thinking he looks cool. All I hear is abusive noise and one more stike against motorcycling that makes legislators and Johnny law zero in on us even more....

 

I'm a walk silent and carry a big stick kinda rider. Even my FJ1200 has stock muffs, but that old girl will take on big nasty bite out of 90% of the noisy bikes on the road.

 

Kudos on wanting to smooth the old girls sound out again.

 

 

If the stock muffs have been gutted, the guys are right that replacement is pretty much the only option.

 

If you go with anything besides OEM replacements, make sure you do a "jetting check". Basically, take it out for a ride and then pull the plugs. If the last guy gutted teh muffs, he probably didn't care enough to re-jet so I'll lay money on the jetting still being stock.

 

When you pull them if they're a nice brownish color, your jetting is acceptable.

 

If they are white or black, you're lean or rich.

 

Rich you can survive, it will just pollute more than it should and use a touch too much fuel.

 

Lean can take out a valve. That you want to fix before it becomes a problem.

 

You can get waaay more involved in tuning the jets, but that's the basics of it and about as far as most guys need to get into it for just riding.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited May 19, 2015 by Great White

[cruiserlover]

I may be one of 5 males in NA that doesn't like straight pipes on a bike. I cringe everytime a Harley goes by with straight pipes and buddy opens it up too much thinking he looks cool. All I hear is abusive noise and one more stike against motorcycling that makes legislators and Johnny law zero in on us even more....

 

I'm a walk silent and carry a big stick kinda rider. Even my FJ1200 has stock muffs, but that old girl will take on big nasty bite out of 90% of the noisy bikes on the road.

 

Kudos on wanting to smooth the old girls sound out again.

 

 

 

 

 

If the stock muffs have been gutted, the guys are right that replacement is pretty much the only option.

 

If you go with anything besides OEM replacements, make sure you do a "jetting check". Basically, take it out for a ride and then pull the plugs. If the last guy gutted teh muffs, he probably didn't care enough to re-jet so I'll lay money on the jetting still being stock.

 

When you pull them if they're a nice brownish color, your jetting is acceptable.

 

If they are white or black, you're lean or rich.

 

Rich you can survive, it will just pollute more than it should and use a touch too much fuel.

 

Lean can take out a valve. That you want to fix before it becomes a problem.

 

You can get waaay more involved in tuning the jets, but that's the basics of it and about as far as most guys need to get into it for just riding.

 

Good luck.

 

 

I know about jetting.Not how to do it, but I know about it.I have been a vintage type bike for years,not any longer.I was on the suzuki gs forum for years.guys just couldnt wait to take off the airbox and go with pod filters.Then they could never get it tuned right.I also used to have a lot of 79-82 kz stuff.The head pipes blue or brown told me something.I doubt seriously any prior owner, I think I am the third owner, did anything but just take a hammer and pound out some sort of baffling like is shown in the drawings.Many here have used roadking mufflers, are they ok with stock jetting? I appreciate the help guys.I wish I could get away with something.I work at a hospital.One of my good friends is an xray tech.He could shoot a film and I could see what is altered inside.I think that wuld work.But that aint happening.I spent 4 days in sturgis in 2009.I owned an ultra with stock pipes.Out of 400,000 people I was the only one with stock pipes.

[Great White]

I know about jetting.Not how to do it, but I know about it.I have been a vintage type bike for years,not any longer.I was on the suzuki gs forum for years.guys just couldnt wait to take off the airbox and go with pod filters.Then they could never get it tuned right.I also used to have a lot of 79-82 kz stuff.The head pipes blue or brown told me something.I doubt seriously any prior owner, I think I am the third owner, did anything but just take a hammer and pound out some sort of baffling like is shown in the drawings.Many here have used roadking mufflers, are they ok with stock jetting? I appreciate the help guys.I wish I could get away with something.I work at a hospital.One of my good friends is an xray tech.He could shoot a film and I could see what is altered inside.I think that wuld work.But that aint happening.I spent 4 days in sturgis in 2009.I owned an ultra with stock pipes.Out of 400,000 people I was the only one with stock pipes.

 

Can't tell you if the RK pipes work well with stock jetting or not since I don't have them. Only way to know is put them on, run them and check the plugs.

 

Or, maybe someone on the forum has already done it?

 

A lot of guys think dumping the stock airbox on a bike means more HP. That was partially true on the old mechanical slide carbs (throttle cable directly lifted the slides) but not on CV carbs. CV carbs are "calibrated" to run with the restriction of the stock airbox. Take it out and the slides don't respond correctly. That's why pod filters are a PITA on CV carbs. I built a couple like that. When they did run, they ran like a bat out of he**, but that was usually wot acceleration. Anywhere else in the RPM range they were a major PITA....

[Freebird]

They work fine with the stock jetting. No changes needed at all.

[Condor]

Running Harley RK's on my '07RSV. Runs great and 47mpg....

[cruiserlover]

thank you so much for responses.Now I will look for rk mufflers

[M61A1MECH]

Most Harley shops have bins of them laying around, seems to be the first thing Harley riders do is change the pipes.

 

Someone can advise about looking for the ones without the catalytic converters in them.

[videoarizona]

Here's some pics of my HD muffs and the way they are mounted. Not my mounting idea, but I do like it...

 

[vzuden]

Adding RK mufflers to mine now. I was given a set off an '07 model. The right one had the cat converter and the left is sometimes referred to as a "dummy" because very little exhaust passes through it on the Harley. An ebay search turned up a new left muffler so I am using two left RK mufflers. I have made up the rear support brackets and am waiting for the front chrome clamps to arrive. Since the front clamp will determine how far the mufflers slide on I have to wait to drill the final hole in each rear support bracket. Hope to have it done next week.

[cruiserlover]

Just found some on ebay $55.sounds like a plan.

[eagleeye]

Adding RK mufflers to mine now. I was given a set off an '07 model. The right one had the cat converter and the left is sometimes referred to as a "dummy" because very little exhaust passes through it on the Harley. An ebay search turned up a new left muffler so I am using two left RK mufflers. I have made up the rear support brackets and am waiting for the front chrome clamps to arrive. Since the front clamp will determine how far the mufflers slide on I have to wait to drill the final hole in each rear support bracket. Hope to have it done next week.

 

If you haven't bought the extra left muffler yet, it's pretty east to drill out that catalytic converter. I guess I forgot that to do this I removed the baffles.

[vzuden]

Just found some on ebay $55.sounds like a plan.

 

Cruiser, what model year are they from?

[cruiserlover]

I dont remember, I just made sure it wasnt the kind with a converter component

[djh3]

look up the part numbers on them and google them. You may have to go the HD parst site but you can find out if it is a cat muff or not. Only like a couple years had them unless they are calif models. I think it was 2010-12

[cruiserlover]

ok.will do.

[vzuden]

2007 did for sure and I think they still had them through 2010

[videoarizona]

Harley Davidson Exhaust System #65539-95

is what I have. BTW, still have a pair of HD mufflers from a 2012 Ultra Classic. My friend wanted $75 as they are clean... but I'll take $50 paypal...plus shipping. Would like them out of my garage!

 

See pics in my ad.

david

[Silverado6x6]

Gotta love those Harley take offs, i put a pair on my Honda cx650, sound sweet! Just about the ONLY Harley part i will ever own.

[billmac]

The bike shop I hang around had a pair in the scrap truck and bought them for five dollars and made my own bracket from some flat steel. have not change the clamp yet but works fine. had LA choppers on it but just too loud on long rides.