Removing Silencers

[blowndodge]

Well I finally did it! I removed the two silencers in my stock exhaust pipes.

This is what I did. Trust me, I did a ton of research and emails with lots of Nomad owners so I have this down. I took a 1 3/4 inch hole saw made for metal and made a wooden dowl to fit in the opening of the stock exhaust and cut through the end of the pipe.

I was a little apprehensive about it. Let me tell you, Kawasaki should be shot for putting those silencers in the ends of the pipe. The sound now is amazing! I'm not exagerating. Its real deep and the decible level is hardly that much louder than stock.

Not that I'm a huge Harley fan but it sounds like an early 90's Highway Patrol Harley now. I was on the fence with buying V&H baggers or Cobra True Duals but have heard from some of the more sensitive of hearing that they can wear on you on a long ride which is not what I wanted.

It cost me the price of the drill bit $12 at Home Depot. My neighbor who owns a Heritage Softail came over after I fired it up tonight and commented to me "what the heck did you do to make it sounds so deep?". He thinks it sounds better than his Harley because as the rpms goes up it doesn't get real loud, just deeper! He said it was perfect sounding! All this from a Harley owner!

I'm totally pleased at this inexpensive and very effective mod!!

[dip]

bd - thanks for posting...I wasn't aware that there was something actually in the pipes that made them so quiet - too quiet. I was also going to invest in some new pipes...once I've built my bike budget back up again (blew it for this year) and after I bought my heated gloves. I'm not mechanically inclined but I know folks who are, I'm going to share your tips with them and see how it works out. I don't care for really loud pipes, but I like to give a little roar now and then -- especially when some joker in a cage acts like they don't see me. Maybe you've saved me some money, that I will still blow on my bike anyway...just on something else.

what is it that makes you want to spend all your money on your bike? I use to like shopping, still do, but mostly I'm looking at stuff for my bike, apparel, equipment, gadgets whatever...it's a sickness. I need help...

[Scoot]

what is it that makes you want to spend all your money on your bike? I use to like shopping, still do, but mostly I'm looking at stuff for my bike, apparel, equipment, gadgets whatever...it's a sickness. I need help...

LOL I think we all have that sickness I know I do

[trip]

OK BD.....we need pics and an official write-up. When you get the time of course....You may be starting a trend.

Trip

[blowndodge]

Well Trip at the expense at reinventing the wheel I will post a web site that shows this procedure clearly. The only difference is that I used a smaller hole saw than the 2" saw used in this article.

Some who have used the 2" hole saw have reported that they nicked the "inner pipe" (look at the diagram) and messed it up somewhat. I found a guy that used a 1 1/2 inch hole saw and it wasn't large enough to get the silencer out so he used a dremel tool and made the hole larger until it would slide out and then measured the hole and he wrote to me that a 1 3/4 saw would be perfect! It was!

here's the site with all the pictures.

http://home.insightbb.com/~kpmh.005/N-Gut-Muffler.htm



Trip, I know you've written about not wanted loud pipes expecially on a long vacation ride and I couldn't agree more but I was tired of Nico dogging my "puff puff" exhaust note!

I would almost and I did say "almost" guarantee that it would pass your hearing test as quiet but nice and tough sounding. Just like a big V-Twin should sound!

If it still isn't loud enough for some, there are 2 more baffles further up in each pipe that you can knock out with a sharp long tool, one at a time, to increase the level of sound if you want.

[naugaman]

I cut mine out with a Dremel tool and a sawzall. Ran it for the rest of the summer and then bought the V&H pipes. Cutting the silencers out did not scare off those stupid drivers crowding your lane like loud pipes do. I would rather listen to the sound of the V&H pipes, even on my 650 plus mile days, when out running. Anyway, at 80 plus MPH, the loud sound is so far behind you that all you can hear is the wind blowing across your face.

[rlfaubion]

I cut mine out with a Dremel tool and a sawzall. Ran it for the rest of the summer and then bought the V&H pipes. Cutting the silencers out did not scare off those stupid drivers crowding your lane like loud pipes do. I would rather listen to the sound of the V&H pipes, even on my 650 plus mile days, when out running. Anyway, at 80 plus MPH, the loud sound is so far behind you that all you can hear is the wind blowing across your face.

This is why it's "different tweaks for different freaks". Some will like the mellow sound “debaffling” brings. Others want the more robust sound of after-market pipes. Others like something in between. I find my V&N Longshots on the Classic too loud. Even after adding Big City Thunder baffles. At this point I’ve driven a crow bar through the two inner baffles on the Nomad’s stock exhaust. I like the deeper sound this creates, but prefer more of it! Next rain, we’ll remove the silencers Brad alludes to in his posting. If that doesn’t satisfy the need for noise, we’ll gut the goat’s belly. Thanks for sharing your opinions. Report to follow….

[dogdoc]

Vance and Hines my 2cw

[socwkbiker]

Congrats BD! Welcome to the world of sound! I guess we can officially bury this image of your bike.

[dragon57]

Good to know, BD; I hadn't heard of that approach.....

[Top Cat]

ok BD, read the article and have a question. If this is done with out any other exaust mods like gutting the goat belly or installing a resistor etc. does it affect the performance of the bike? Thanks

[blowndodge]

ok BD, read the article and have a question. If this is done with out any other exaust mods like gutting the goat belly or installing a resistor etc. does it affect the performance of the bike? Thanks

<marquee>NO</marquee>

[lw]

Thanks for posting this thread BD. Having grown tired of being told my stock pipes sound like a "margarita machine", I'd like to have that deep rumble without increasing the "noise" factor too terribly much, so this mod will fit the bill nicely.

[blowndodge]

I think it does! rode to work today and at each light I could finally here that thumpity thump sound!!

Congrats BD! Welcome to the world of sound! I guess we can officially bury this image of your bike.

NEVER!!! It is forever the Jetsonmobile!!!!


Ridden by:

<marquee>Daddy Brad (B-Diddy)</marquee>