05 1200 custom
SE II pipes....removed the packing from the pipes and it is louder - quite nice - seem to get a bit more carb farting though. Tried it without the baffles and really liked the sound but seemed a bit too loud on the highway for me.

I was reading that ThunderCity Baffles sound nice.....wondering what others have experienced with them with my pipes and how the differences were with and without baffles and or TCB's

Also, I had my carb adjusted at the Harley dealership (3 hours away is the problem) with the new slip on pipes and carb mod.......now if I take out packing does it make it run too lean and how about with no baffles????

I have also noticed that without the packing that when I start bike I see more black smoke on the first couple revs....which seems to me like running rich??

Thanks for your help
Randy

 

I to Would like to know about these baffles, I have D&D slip ons that don't have the baffles in and would like to make it louder and not sure how? Heard these baffles could help but not sure.

 

Baffles will restore the low end power and torque you lost when gutting your pipes. BCT baffles restored all my lost power in my drag pipes and made it finally possible to tune the bike though the entire RPM range.

The only thing open pipes are good for is WOT drag racing period.

 

I've got BCTs in my SEIIs and while sounding pretty decent they're not more than expensive noise makers. You can keep your stock SE baffles and bend open the ramp near the end of the baffle and get a deeper sound without spending $$$ on BCT.
I bought into the hype I read from some others when I was thinking of getting different pipes and while I'm not entirely dissatisfied it was money wasted in my opinion for a little sound and no noticeable performance change (if anything I lost a bit of low end torque compared to SE baffles).

 

so you would say to just cut out the bent piece of restriction spot on the se 2 baffles then? Would that still allow for back pressure?
Do I need to have my carb set again if I do that?

 

No cutting, just bend it open more, a little will change the sound and still maintain back pressure. No, if jetted already and tuned nothing further really needed. I play with my fuel air mixture seasonally as needed but thats it.

 

So I pull out the baffles, start it up again...way too loud....so I take the baffles, try to pry the bent metal part...too stiff, cannot do it .....took the angle grinder and cut the bend out.....put them in....wow, deeper, louder, nice rumble on throttle let off....but, I get home and my ears are ringing a bit.......what did I do...

Now what...do I cut the baffle piece out that I removed in half and weld them back in....what can I do...I think they are officially too loud for me...maybe not for others, but I don't need a headache each time I drive.....help please!!!!

 

Wear ear plugs. This is why you don't cut up anything just to try it. That ramp in the baffle could have been bent open hammering a dowel through the opening. It was necessary to leave it intact for backpressure thats why I said bending it a little will change the sound (without being obnoxiously loud and maintining needed backpressure). I doubt you could weld that back in correctly so I guess you're buying new baffles since you've essentially created a drag pipe. If you thought that was loud you won't like BCTs either.

 

Ya I cooked that one....I went back last night and read yours again about bending and laughed and said - I was warned.....I tried bending them, but it was not a nice job...and I thought, hey, bend or cut that piece out what is the diff.....then I saw you said a little makes a big difference.
I am a good welder, so I know I can get them back in exact, just a hassle taking it all apart and welding and fiddling, but I think I will weld them back in with a little lift...just tack and go and keep trying to find that sweet spot of sound, back pressure ......
It is still quierter than pulling the baffle right out and has more back pressure than pulling it right out...so not quite a drag pipe.
I might try put the packing back in first to see if that combination with the baffles punched out will be a little quieter...will see....

 

If you're good at welding then you might also try tacking a lollipop in the baffle first to see how it sounds and performs (basically a washer on a stick). This is essentially what the BCTs are for the most part (of course there is porobably a little more engineering and flow testing involved with them). Additionally, some fiberglass packing wrapped around the baffle and reinserted will quiet them down some.