Well, I scored a great deal on Craigslist on a set of Screamin Eagle II slip ons yesterday for my Iron. I'm almost never satisfied with the way my vehicles sound and I had Cycle Shack 2.5" slash cut slip ons on from about day three.

I had played around with different baffles but never really got the tone I wanted and the harshness on the highway ws still present. Just too much of a high pitched harmonic that was leaving me with a headache when I reached my destination.

I swapped them out for the SEIIs last night and wow... The tone is SO deep now and the overall sound, while not as loud, is so much better. Sounds like a Harley should. I took it over to my parents' house and had my dad ride it and from several blocks away you can hear the rumble while downshifting and when on the throttle it just roars. Nice and deep, and loud enough to be noticed without being annoying.

If anyone is unhappy with their exhaust and can find a set of the older SEII slip ons, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Note: the SEIIs are the older non road legal mufflers, and in my opinion sound way better than the new 49 state EPA legal ones.

 

I had Python slipons (made by Vance & Hines) and it was LOUD but they didnt sound nearly as good as my SEIIs

 

I couldn't believe the difference in the tone honestly. The Cycle Shacks are LOUD, but they are metallic sounding, even after a few sets of different baffles. The SEIIs are just a smooth low bassy rumble. Still plenty loud when you want to be, and no more headache on longer highway rides.

Having said that... I have a set of Cycle Shacks for sale Also a set of Smart Partz Hard Kore baffles.

 

I remember the day I fired up my 48 after the SE11 install...I was like Holy $heet! Love the sound!

 

Are your SE 2's the ones currently sold by HD or are they an earlier model?

 

I had the exact same problem with the Cycle Shacks. The harmonics at highway speeds were killing my ears and giving me headaches - every ride. I sold them after getting the original SE II's off eBay as you did, but I went a step further. I bought a set of Big City Thunder Baffles for them and the sound is now "spot on" for me. If you like the sound with the stock SE II baffles, that's great. If you want a little more of a deep Harley sound without it being too loud, try the BCT baffles in the SE II's, I think you'll like them. It's an easy 30-minute 4-bolt swap.

 

I'm pretty sure they are the old one's. I just got a 2013 1200 Custom and the one's offered now, that I got, are called "SE Street Performance Slip-On Mufflers - Sportster Shorty Dual" and the description mentions that they are "comparable to Screamin' Eable II mufflers". The new one's sound sweet too, a nice low rumble, exactly what I'd expect from a Sportster.

 

Here's my issues with the '07+ EFI models. They don't sound nearly as good as the carbed models. Especially at idle. There is quite a difference in how a carburetor V-Twin sounds compared to the current EFI bikes. Most of us that are old enough to remember the older bikes probably keep trying different exhaust/baffle combos trying to get the sound "right" expecting (or hoping) to get the rumble to sound like we remember it being. I know using one of the tuners the EFI's idle can be lowered a bit, but I'm not sure that still accurately replicates the carb sound.

I have conceded that I have to treat the EFI sound separately.

 

It's my understanding thet all SE 2's (11's) are the old not for street use models. My are actually marked that.

The ones marked Screamin' Eagle are the newer, quieter ones that are road legal.

 

I may try the Big City Thunder baffles, but for right now I'm pretty happy with how they sound. Yes EFI bikes sound way different than carbed models, so we don't have that slow lopey sound, but the deep rumble is something that's nice to have instead of the tinny metallic sounding Cycle Shacks.

Some people like them, but my ears couldn't take them on the highway.