JeepinBueller
Well-known member
I was talking to a friend who does welding/fabrication for a local H-D race shop, and we got around to the subject of modifying my stock exhaust to release a bit more thump and volume in the auditory department. I wasn't really trying to make it super loud since my girlfriend rides pillion often and I like to be able to talk at stops—if it's equal to or a bit under my old Barker's exhaust in volume, I'll be happy.
Even though it weighs quite a few pounds, I decided to keep the stock look and just gut the rear-most partition in the can, which basically dumps the header pipe into the last chamber and outlets. Probably how most guys have done theirs, including Dean's KEDA MT-1. I was going for the same outcome. With radiused turn-outs, straight slash-cuts, ovaled-out tips all been discussed, my friend ended up wanting to showcase some weldment skill with a pair of 2" dia. pie-cut turn-outs in the stock location. I'll never turn down nice TIG work!
Finished it off by scuffing up the whole exhaust with 320 grit and shooting some rattle can 2000ºF (overkill much?) black paint on it to replace the faded factory job. The headers, collector at the front of the muffler, and tips were all sanded down with 600 grit to bring back some shine and uniformity.
The sound is perfect: nice and deep at idle up to 3.5k rpm at low throttle, but wakes up and barks if you crack it open quickly. At highway speeds above 4k–5k rpm, it quiets down a bit and the wind noise elevates. There's no reverberation in my helmet, or my girlfriend's as she's reported, so no annoying headache after long rides.
Rear end of the can cut off, along with a window along the top-left side for tool access to cut out the internals. All pipes were cut flush at the last partition wall in the muffler, including the small wall at the very rear of the muffler, and welded securly to that last wall.
The end cap removed. You can see the old exhaust outlets and how much larger the new 2" ones are. The exhaust path now follows the header pipe all the way down to the last chamber where it dumps out, and the 2" exhaust tips tap directly into that last chamber. Everything in front of the last partition wall in the can is stock.
Pie-cut pieces for the tips
Pie-cut pieces mocked-up
Tips welded up beautifully
Give it a quick look installed, start it up, idle, quick rev (link here)
Start-up and give it a quick ride down the street and back (link here)
Even though it weighs quite a few pounds, I decided to keep the stock look and just gut the rear-most partition in the can, which basically dumps the header pipe into the last chamber and outlets. Probably how most guys have done theirs, including Dean's KEDA MT-1. I was going for the same outcome. With radiused turn-outs, straight slash-cuts, ovaled-out tips all been discussed, my friend ended up wanting to showcase some weldment skill with a pair of 2" dia. pie-cut turn-outs in the stock location. I'll never turn down nice TIG work!
Finished it off by scuffing up the whole exhaust with 320 grit and shooting some rattle can 2000ºF (overkill much?) black paint on it to replace the faded factory job. The headers, collector at the front of the muffler, and tips were all sanded down with 600 grit to bring back some shine and uniformity.
The sound is perfect: nice and deep at idle up to 3.5k rpm at low throttle, but wakes up and barks if you crack it open quickly. At highway speeds above 4k–5k rpm, it quiets down a bit and the wind noise elevates. There's no reverberation in my helmet, or my girlfriend's as she's reported, so no annoying headache after long rides.
Rear end of the can cut off, along with a window along the top-left side for tool access to cut out the internals. All pipes were cut flush at the last partition wall in the muffler, including the small wall at the very rear of the muffler, and welded securly to that last wall.
The end cap removed. You can see the old exhaust outlets and how much larger the new 2" ones are. The exhaust path now follows the header pipe all the way down to the last chamber where it dumps out, and the 2" exhaust tips tap directly into that last chamber. Everything in front of the last partition wall in the can is stock.
Pie-cut pieces for the tips
Pie-cut pieces mocked-up
Tips welded up beautifully
Give it a quick look installed, start it up, idle, quick rev (link here)
Start-up and give it a quick ride down the street and back (link here)
