Only thing missing are the highway pegs
So I know a lot of folks immediately pull off the OEM exhaust and put on S&S or something. But I went the other way. I pulled off the S&S exhaust stuff and put back the OEM pipes. I was gifted about 4 sets of OEM Sportster mufflers. One pair had the baffles knocked out. The rest were stock. So I started experimenting. I knew what it ran like with aftermarket. And I soon found out what it ran like with bone stock mufflers (not good).
So I bought a "bell hangers" long bit in 1/4" and started drilling the center baffle. One hole in the center added some sound, but no performance. Then three more around the circumference and we had a bit more sound, but it pulled like the slash cut open pipes. Not too loud, I thought it was pleasant. I was usually the quietest in our group but no one could get away from me
I eventually ended up with 5 radial holes in the baffle and one center. I also ended up rejetting and it all came together. It was/is one of the stoutest running 1200's in the county. The new owner loves it. His wife is OK with the volume of sound. It's just a sweet thing. Yeah, at WFO it can get a bit loud, but at all other throttle openings if is mellow and cool. And I absolutely loved all the hard core guys giving me a hard time about what a wussy bike I had, then I just rode next to them as they cranked it and couldn't do anything with me.
Metzlers, RK rear shocks (not recommended solo) and my tune - you got nothing on me
That's why I'm already thinking of how I'll get another ...
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