Loudiest HD muffler?

azbob09

250+ Posts
Dec 1, 2009
251
27
Wickenburg, AZ
Name
Bob
What's everyone's opinion on the loudest HD mufflers off their shelf to use with a stock header w/the cat? I don't like the looks of the plates on the Nightstick.
 
Thunder headers mufflers have always been the loudest in my book (way to loud for me) but I don't know if they fit the trike!
 
Harley doesn't sell a loud muffler. They comply with the EPA noise regulations for the 50 states.

You can get CVO 4" mufflers used and do a Fullsac baffle change to get more sound. It Will only be a few decibels though. The cat in the head pipe will restrict the exhaust from getting loud
 
Harley doesn't sell a loud muffler. They comply with the EPA noise regulations for the 50 states.

You can get CVO 4" mufflers used and do a Fullsac baffle change to get more sound. It Will only be a few decibels though. The cat in the head pipe will restrict the exhaust from getting loud

Sure ain't like the old days when you could get a set of straight pipes installed at the dealership...

I had an 82 Electra Glide and the dealer installed straight pipes for me. That SOB was loud too. I got a ticket a week for noise until I got wise and put two sheet metal screws through the bottom of the pipes (before Decibel meters they would run their nightstick up the pipes to check for baffles). The downside to loud pipes is you don't realize until much later that you lose hearing because of them.

Bubba
 
Most anything with a 2 inch baffle will be loud. I know Rineharts are.
 
A few years and a couple of Harleys back wife had a Nightrain, and I had a Dyna. Both with full Python exhaust systems. This was before V & H bought them. We pulled into the local mall parking structure, gave the throttle a little blip and set off 6 car alarms on 2 floors. REALLY liked that sound. Not sure if it would be appropriate on a Trike, they are too civilized :laugh:
 
A friend of mine who I ride with in Arizona. Traded his 12 on a 14 Trike. Then he put PYTHON'S on his. WOW! Sounds Nice and deep. Not overly loud. Just enough to know he's coming down the rd. To me its sound DAMN good.
 
Loud? You actually want loud? Deep is cool, loud is childish. Loud is what's gotten 'the Man' after us in way too many places. Gives him "ammo" to stop us when he otherwise couldn't. Get smart n make it harder for the feds to be able to pull you over. Yer already ridin the coolest iron on the road everybody notices that to start with. Dam citizens out number us so they can out vote us too. Don't make it any easier for em to make it harder on us than it already is.

Don't get me wrong. You can ride your bike as loud as you like but it's gonna likely have unintended consequences that we ain't gonna be happy about. A little restraint at the right time could pay big dividends.

Phu Cat
 
Loud? You actually want loud? Deep is cool, loud is childish. Loud is what's gotten 'the Man' after us in way too many places. Gives him "ammo" to stop us when he otherwise couldn't. Get smart n make it harder for the feds to be able to pull you over. Yer already ridin the coolest iron on the road everybody notices that to start with. Dam citizens out number us so they can out vote us too. Don't make it any easier for em to make it harder on us than it already is.

Don't get me wrong. You can ride your bike as loud as you like but it's gonna likely have unintended consequences that we ain't gonna be happy about. A little restraint at the right time could pay big di

Phu Cat

I had Rienharts on my previous bikes & they weren't too "LOUD", at least to me.
To each his own!!!
 
To each his own!!!

Yep, agree with you. Keep in mind what we hear from the saddle is not what others hear, especially those behind us. A few can ruin it for everyone and we'll all be ridin around on bikes that sound like they're electric. It's the restraint thing that's important. There's a time and place for everything IMHO. Hope this doesn't come off as being too harsh. Have had our dirt bike riding club shut down that was 'out in the sticks' because it made too much noise.

PC
 
To each his own!!!

Yep, agree with you. Keep in mind what we hear from the saddle is not what others hear, especially those behind us. A few can ruin it for everyone and we'll all be ridin around on bikes that sound like they're electric. It's the restraint thing that's important. There's a time and place for everything IMHO. Hope this doesn't come off as being too harsh. Have had our dirt bike riding club shut down that was 'out in the sticks' because it made too much noise.

PC

I agree. I was made out to be a %$#@# on another thread when I disagreed with the idea of having loud pipes.
Yesterday driving home from work I "saw" a bike coming toward me. As it passed I heard the LOUD pipes - that really helped me notice the bike didn't it -??? Bulls%$# Not for a second.
The" loud pipes save lives" crowd loves that motto - unfortunately it's not correct in most cases - maybe in some extream cases it is.

First of all you have a moron in their Cadillac Escalade with the windows up/A/C on high/stereo blasting and looking for a garage sale. Do you really think he/she is going to hear a bike with the pipes pointed in the opposite direction???? Not a chance.
To be fair, a while back I took a step back while talking to some friends and one of them pulled me back quickly because a guy on a GoldWing came riding by and I didn't hear him, but that is an entirely different situation.
I love a deep mellow sound not a painful loud sound. And in most cases just throwing loud pipes on a bike actually makes it run worse unless additional work is done. Maybe a louder horn is a better solution at least it's not obnoxious 24/7. Cheaper too.
I think a modulating headlight and paying attention to the cars around you will have a better effect on being noticed and being safe. If you see someone weaving - get away from him instead of "hoping" he'll hear you. Hell! people can't hear a fire truck with it's lights and siren blaring or they walk into a moving train. Sound doesn't always tell you from what direction it's coming from so in some cases it just might make it worse. for the biker.

PhuCat is right, the non riding public has way more influence with politicians then we do and if they get annoyed enough guess who's going to loose some freedoms???

I bet there are some here that can't stand the sound of loud rice rocket pipes, right?? :)

Stay safe and let's try to keep as many freedoms we enjoy for as long as we can.
 
10% Of the public hate bikes....
10% Of the public love bikes....
80% Of the public couldn't care one way or another.... That is in till some Yahoo drives by their house at 4am with loud/obnoxious pipes....
Then all bets are off about the 80% ....
 
10% Of the public hate bikes....
10% Of the public love bikes....
80% Of the public couldn't care one way or another.... That is in till some Yahoo drives by their house at 4am with loud/obnoxious pipes....
Then all bets are off about the 80% ....

That sounds about right. Whenever there is a parade and when the Harleys go by the people are waving and cheering. Bet it's the opposite at night when they're trying to sleep or get the baby to sleep. :)
 
I agree. I was made out to be a %$#@# on another thread when I disagreed with the idea of having loud pipes.
Yesterday driving home from work I "saw" a bike coming toward me. As it passed I heard the LOUD pipes - that really helped me notice the bike didn't it -??? Bulls%$# Not for a second.
The" loud pipes save lives" crowd loves that motto - unfortunately it's not correct in most cases - maybe in some extream cases it is.

First of all you have a moron in their Cadillac Escalade with the windows up/A/C on high/stereo blasting and looking for a garage sale. Do you really think he/she is going to hear a bike with the pipes pointed in the opposite direction???? Not a chance.
To be fair, a while back I took a step back while talking to some friends and one of them pulled me back quickly because a guy on a GoldWing came riding by and I didn't hear him, but that is an entirely different situation.
I love a deep mellow sound not a painful loud sound. And in most cases just throwing loud pipes on a bike actually makes it run worse unless additional work is done. Maybe a louder horn is a better solution at least it's not obnoxious 24/7. Cheaper too.
I think a modulating headlight and paying attention to the cars around you will have a better effect on being noticed and being safe. If you see someone weaving - get away from him instead of "hoping" he'll hear you. Hell! people can't hear a fire truck with it's lights and siren blaring or they walk into a moving train. Sound doesn't always tell you from what direction it's coming from so in some cases it just might make it worse. for the biker.

PhuCat is right, the non riding public has way more influence with politicians then we do and if they get annoyed enough guess who's going to loose some freedoms???

I bet there are some here that can't stand the sound of loud rice rocket pipes, right?? :)

Stay safe and let's try to keep as many freedoms we enjoy for as long as we can.

I read your post twice, just to be sure I wasn't seeing things. I agree with every word. There is a reason that EVERY vehicle out there has the horn on the front and the exhaust at the back. I have yet to see a bike with the horn mounted over the straight pipes.
Loud pipes may make the 15 year old next door happy, but he doesn't vote. His father and mother do. Remember that when you go roaring thru a residential area.
 

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