Removing Silencers off of a '80 850GL?

[theprotege]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering whether anyone has ever removed the silencers off an 850? I've been thinking about doing this for a while as I find my new bike's exhaust note surprisingly tame for an 850. It also has a strange tone, something I would liken to "whirring" at higher revs, rather than a "burble" I was hoping for.

The questions I specifically have:

1.) Is it Harley-with-aftermarket-pipes-obnoxiously loud?
2.) Is it difficult to take the end plates off the pipes?
3.) Does this procedure require a rejet? I just rebuilt my carbs and would prefer not to have to crack them again and make my apartment smell like Carb Cleaner for 2 weeks.

Any insight is greatly appreciated as always!

Best,
Damian

[teddux]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering whether anyone has ever removed the silencers off an 850? I've been thinking about doing this for a while as I find my new bike's exhaust note surprisingly tame for an 850. It also has a strange tone, something I would liken to "whirring" at higher revs, rather than a "burble" I was hoping for.

The questions I specifically have:

1.) Is it Harley-with-aftermarket-pipes-obnoxiously loud?
2.) Is it difficult to take the end plates off the pipes?
3.) Does this procedure require a rejet? I just rebuilt my carbs and would prefer not to have to crack them again and make my apartment smell like Carb Cleaner for 2 weeks.

Any insight is greatly appreciated as always!

Best,
Damian

Hello?
SPEAK UP!
I can't HEAR you.
I ride with NO pipes.
"Loud pipes saves lives"

[dcil]

Hello?
SPEAK UP!
I can't HEAR you.
I ride with NO pipes.
"Loud pipes saves lives"

HUH? lol welcome to my world

[teddux]

HUH? lol welcome to my world

Thank you for the WELcOMe, dcil!!!!
I think my problems is that I HAVE NO PIPES, not only LOUD!
Whaddaya think?

[dcil]

my 750 pipes are cut off at the pegs. Harley riders even say it's too damn loud!

[Steve]

The questions I specifically have:

1.) Is it Harley-with-aftermarket-pipes-obnoxiously loud?
2.) Is it difficult to take the end plates off the pipes?
3.) Does this procedure require a rejet? I just rebuilt my carbs and would prefer not to have to crack them again and make my apartment smell like Carb Cleaner for 2 weeks.

I am one of the many that is in the "quieter is better" crowd, but you asked for opinions.

1.) I have not heard an 850 with stock pipes and no silencers. I have heard an 850 and a 650 with 4-into-1 headers with nothing after the collector. Actually the 650 seemed to be louder. Neither one made it to the street, I only fired them up in the driveway to see what they were like.
2.) The pipes are welded from the engine to the tip of the exhaust. If you want to remove the end plates, you will have to use a "blue-tipped wrench".
3.) Yes, it will likely require a re-jet. Especially if you also go to pod filters on the intakes. I don't know why it is, but many here feel that the 850 is the hardest bike to tune for pods and a pipe.

If you are considering cutting up your exhaust, and it's in decent shape to start with, please ask if somebody here might be interested in some nice pipes. They might have a set to trade that are worth cutting up or you can get a nice shiny MAC header or 4-into-2 system that will accept different silencers.

A decent stock system is hard to find, please don't cut one up.

.

[dcil]

Just saw the magic word, "apartment", trust me there obscenely loud, or at least the 750 is. Do it right, get 4 into 1 mac or similar. saw a kerker setup on ebay, always a good place. Putting harley baffles in a couple straight pipes as soon as they come in, will let u guys know how loud they are and how it runs. Might save you a lot of trouble.

[koolaid_kid]

So, a silencer is a muffler? We do it on race cars, but it tends to burn the valves because there is no backpressure, hence cold air hits hot valves. Does the same occur for bikes?

[Steve]

So, a silencer is a muffler? We do it on race cars, but it tends to burn the valves because there is no backpressure, hence cold air hits hot valves. Does the same occur for bikes?

Would you believe me if I told you "it will happen with ANY internal combustion engine"?


EDIT: OK, let me ammend that: how about any internal combustion engine that has valves?

.

[theprotege]

I should probably clarify what I meant. I was thinking about just removing the end plates at the very exit of each exhaust (or perhaps adding more holes?). The plates with several small circular openings around the perimeter where the exhaust literally exits, so silencer does not equal the entire muffler portion in my vocabulary, I was just thinking of the little end plates. Again, I'm not going for extra power and I'm aware of a possible loss of back pressure. Nor am I interested in going to pod filters. I just want a little more noise and a little lass "whirring." Would drilling more holes be a better idea? If so, is there a science with regard to their placement? I figure this would maintain most of the back pressure but make the bike a bit more intimidating on approach. I do have access to an oxy-acetalene torch, as well as a plasma cutter, so I can do this correctly without ruining an exhaust system. I'm not interested in any 4-1 or 4-2 aftermarket systems mostly because I'm not a fan of the look and am definitely not a fan of rejetting. The 850 has plenty of power for my tastes, I just wish others were aware of it as I passed!

[exbellicus]

I drilled out 3 of the holes on my 450 exhaust (the other 3 are rivets for the baffle). Glad I did it, I really like the sound improvement.

[teddux]

So, a silencer is a muffler? We do it on race cars, but it tends to burn the valves because there is no backpressure, hence cold air hits hot valves. Does the same occur for bikes?

Can you compare an air cooled engine with a water-cooled?
Well, the temps. of the valve in an air-cooled engine would ALREADY be burned by the standards of a water-cooled engine.

[theprotege]

I got a suggestion from a friend about possibly drilling a larger hole in the center of the end plate with a hole saw? Any feedback as to consequences?

[koolaid_kid]

Can you compare an air cooled engine with a water-cooled?

I don't know, teddux, hence the question.

Well, the temps. of the valve in an air-cooled engine would ALREADY be burned by the standards of a water-cooled engine.

The temps you have to consider are these: The temps of the metal valve itself, versus the temps of the incoming air (from an open exhaust). It is the temp differential that causes the warping of the valves.

[Skunky]

I have an option that will save the pipes and doesn't require difficult mods....

Just clip a baseball card to the spokes like we did when we were kids?

Blap Blap Blap Blap Blap
YEA!!!!!