Can anyone recommend pipes that have BOTH:

1) stock Harley sound (a little louder is ideal, but not too obnoxious)

2) the look of the V&H Big Shots?
...like this:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/attac...t-bob-vh-3.jpg

I installed V&H Big Shots but thought they sounded awful. Too loud, the resonance was irritating, too deep, and lost that beautiful pop-pop Harley sound. And it burbled, decel-popped a bit, etc. Just wasn't happy with it.

 

the V&H's BBS that you have can install a quiet baffle the they offer a but still will not sound like stock, I've read it takes it down 6 Bd's which means from 98 to 92 where as stock is around 83....
no baffle is some where around 104 or there abouts//

 

I should have mentioned I did try the pipes with both normal and quiet baffles.

The difference noticeably quieter, and exhaust note may have been a bit lower (could just be the volume difference fooling me). I don't have enough experience with them to confirm that it shifted torque to the low end as I've heard.

But anyway, even with quiet baffles, it's just the exhaust "signature" that I don't like. Not specifically the noise, though that didn't help either.

I wonder if I could do something with my stock baffles to add more volume while retaining the general sound signature. Would need to tune, but I do have PC III so I can tweak anything.

Stock Harley sound from the 96 c.i. is one of the most beautiful sounds around. I want to retain it, but with just a bit more volume.

 

I had a set of V&H Longshots on my previous bike and installed a set of these. The directions say to remove the stock baffle and install these. Didn't make much of a difference to me. I took the sturgis baffle and ground 3 small V's along the edges so I could tach weld them onto the stock baffle. Once I did this it really made a big difference. You can actually adjust them from mild to wild. The mild setting is not much louder than stock.

 

Remember the Big Shots I griped about? I just reinstalled them. The great looks of the Big Shots and Heavy Breather won me over. Uploaded new fuel map, but reduced all values to 67% of Power Commander's default settings for these pipes plus SE air cleaner, thinking that might help reduce the (increased) idle revs and burbling on decel. With rain in the forecast for the next seven days, doubt I'll get to test any time soon. But it sure is nice to look at. I'll just have to get used to the noise and exhaust note.

 

High idle was solved by simply recalibrating the throttle cable position on the Power Commander III, which means selecting the calibration feature in the software and moving the throttle from zero to full. Takes about 60 seconds start to finish.

After second install of Big Shots Staggered, I took them off again and bought a set of Straight Shots. Look is okay -- not as nice/aggressive as Big Shots Staggered but not bad, still a very clean, low-slung look. With the standard baffles I found them too hard on the ears at certain RPMs, and slightly lacking in low end torque, but a very nice tone. With the quiet baffles installed, easier on the ears, not as nice a tone, but still not bad, and nice low end response.

I experimented with various baffle configurations. Standard baffles too loud. Quiet baffles too mushy. Quiet baffles with all wrapping removed, too harsh at certain RPMs and borderline too loud. Quiet baffles with one of the two layers of wrap removed from each baffle, just about perfect in terms of tone, loudness and torque.

Then a few days later I tore everything off, put back the Big Shots and heavy breather, new circlips / flange nuts / gaskets. I hate to admit it, but looks wins. And I'm really warming up to the sound. Gotta keep in mind.. sounds a lot different sitting in the saddle (muffled) than it does out the back (a little snappier, and it's what everyone else hears). Let someone else ride it away from you (under load) and then judge.