I'm relatively new to the Harley brand, though I grew up lusting after a Softail (hehe) I somehow ended up on a Ducati Monster when I started riding and never got off that brand. 15 years later I have graduated to a Diavel, and the kind-of-cruiser vibe has brought me back full circle to Harley Davidson. I love the looks, I love the idea and, most of all, I love the sound!

My question is do Sportsters sound as good and as the bigger displacement bikes. I have recently only heard Dynas and Tourers with wide-open cans, but I like the looks of the Forty-Eight better than any of those bikes. So what do you think? Has the 1200 got a different sound than a 103"? They're all 45-degree twins, right? Just wondering what this board thinks.

Thanks, Matt

 

Yes & No...Sportsters can sound almost the same a big twins depending on the exhaust system. One big change to Sportster sound came in 2007 with fuel injection that makes it very difficult to slow down the idle. An 06 or older with a carb can be slowed down to 850-900 RPM giving it more of a bit twin "potato-potato" idle however engine damage can be done if turning a Sportster motor too slow so you can never get just quite the sound of a big twin at slow idle.

 

Slap on a set of Vance & Hines 3 inch staggered slip ons($300) and you will be amazed how it sounds. Big twin riders at work tell me the Sportster sounds better then a Sportster should.

 

Or do this:

Radii slip-ons on my 48. I've had lots of comments on how good it sounds from guys with big twins.

 

I couldn't agree more. I've rode big twins all my life and only had 1 Sportster. It was a 2006, 1200cc with drag pipes. That was the absolute best sounding bike I ever had. It sounded similar to a 1966-69 Shovel Head running straight pipes with a 412 Sifton cam. But the Sporty sounded even better.

Unfortunately with the todays high idling EFI engines, that's a sound of the past. Even my S&S V111" requires the idle to be set at 1000 RPMs to keep it lubed. And it's carbureted as well.

But to answer your question, IMO today's Sportsters can sound just as good as today's big twins.

 

They go wa wa wa if that helps

 

This my 883, made with my phone about a week ago.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...l#post14514905

 

Sound is good but idle is still too high, needs one of these. (jump ahead to 1:05 to hear the motor running)

 

who needs a proper lubricated valvetrain anyway.....

 

Are either V&H 3" slip ons or the Radii louder than VH short shots or the Thounder Header or the Patriot?