Questions About Reverse Megaphone Mufflers

[poorman9]

I'm gonna be running an 81, stock engine, pod filters, jetted carbs (probably) and stock pipes. I'm looking to get a reverse cone megaphone shorty muffler. So far the best deal I've found is on ebay - Seller KWQC owner of Hoos racing has got them for $40 each.

Questions:

1. He sells them at 12 and 14 inches, would one or the other be better for my setup in terms on compression/back flow/whatever the hell else matters?

2. He says the have "No packing" I'm guessing they'll be crazy loud. I live close to a lot of neighbors and would probably want them toned down a bit, what's my best route for doing that?

3. Has anybody got this specific exhaust setup, or opinions on it? I also could go with something like this 17in, baffled and chromed.

Thanks!

 

[jayel]

1. probably wouldn't make much difference on a street machine
2. no packing = track pipe, get a different muffler
3. look like that muffler has a removeable end cap, you can pack the tube with stainless steel wool for sound and/or tuning

 

[poorman9]

Oh okay, these mufflers are made for racing, that explains why they're so cheap.

It seems like Emgo Roadhawk is about the only other short reverse cone megaphone I can find. Maybe I'll go with these ones.

 

[jayel]

if you want a short megaphone they will work baffle is re-packable so you can stuff it to alter sound the fiberglass packing that come in them blow out fairly quick and they are a bit LOUD

 

[XSLeo]

I have an Emgo's that looks like them but the end isn't removable. A bit louder than stock but not ignorant loud. You can hear them upto about 55-60 before wind noise covers them up. Bike runs good.
I don't think mine have a packing. All mechanical silencing.
Got them off Ebay from Niche Cycle. Around $45 as I recall.

 

[5twins]

The stock mufflers are welded to the headpipes on the Special exhaust. When you saw them off, you're left with a short headpipe, shorter than the Standard headpipe or aftermarket ones. Graft a shorty muffler onto that and it looks just plain silly. There's also the problem of the double wall headpipe and exhaust gases running up between the walls and out the vent holes. You'll have exhaust leaks unless you fit an adapter between the inner and outer wall. Pamcopete figured out a good solution. Do a search for it.

My buddy had this exact set-up. It looked silly and was loud as hell. He got the mufflers cheap slightly used from someone who also found them to be loud as hell. It didn't take my buddy long to come to the same conclusion. You can pack a roomful of insulation in them, they'll still be loud. They're too small to have enough volume to quiet effectively. My buddy finally got some Mike's Commando mufflers last year after seeing and hearing mine. If you want a nice looking, sounding, and performing muffler, that's the one to get. It's not much more than the ones you're looking at and I think you will be disappointed if you go with the shorties.

 

[pa23driver]

i really like my commandos, great sound to em - not too loud when you're cruising and got some bark to em when you open the throttle up. only complaint with the commandos is that they go just far enough back to block easy access to the rear axle nut

 

[poorman9]

My buddy had this exact set-up. It looked silly...

As far as look are concerned, they can't be much shorter looking than these -

And I love that bike!

Sound though, I am concerned about. That's understandable that a 12inch muffler just isn't able to quite the sound well enough. When I bought this basket of parts, the mufflers had already been cut off the headers. I just measured my pipes and they're both 32 inches long, I didn't think that was much shorter than stock, but you've got 1200 posts so I believe you.

Also using that adapter that Pamcopete posts about was my plan. If done correctly, that will solve any leaks between headers and mufflers I'm guessing.

Any other problems I might run into?

 

[5twins]

Whatever muffler you choose, if it has that sliding track mount, use the tapped steel bar from Mike's (part #07-0116). A single strap with one bolt head in the sliding track doesn't hold up for long on these vibrating 650s.

 

[nj1639]

The long Commandos would add to the lines and flow of that bike imho.

 

[poorman9]

Well thanks everybody, but I think I'm still going to go with the a shorty muffler.

Any advice on custom packing for a muffler?