I have SE slipons on my 2010 iron. I liked the performance and the sound but wasn't very loud. I thought I would try the Big City Thunder monster baffles that fit in the head pipe. Basically it is a post with a washer and thats about it.

I called them before ordering and asked some questions, they said that I should remove existing baffles but if I wanted them in still, needed to modify them so I could see through them to be used with the new one. I completely removed my SE baffles, took it for a spin like that to compare, sounded ok but popped like crazy. installed the BCT baffles and the sound is awesome and performance seems better, definitely not worse. They are smokin loud though, not too bad burning around town but just did a ride for a couple hours with ear plugs in too and an hour later my head is still ringing. I wish I could handle it but there is no way I can keep these things in as is. Am I just a *****? haha... don't know how other people can tolerate that?

Is there something I can do to take that edge off a bit, ideally somewhere in between the two would be best. I don't really want to put more money into it if I dont have to, was planning on getting new exhaust in the winter but this was to hold me over.

I was thinking about removing them and adding more and bigger holes to my original SE baffles and just putting those back in. should be able to get some cash for my BCT's.

 

I suggest you reassemble the SE's without modifying them, remove the BCT's, and sell them both. With the $$ from the sale of the aformentioned buy a set of Khrome Werks slip-ons. They are of straight-thru design with a very narrow spindle like center post and perforated inner shell with fiberglass between it and the outside casing. Think glasspack.

The inner spindle [as per manufacturers claims, and it appears to be true according to my ears] reflects the higher pitched sounds back to the motor allowing the deep sounds out.

When I was looking for a more 'Harley sounding exhaust for my lowly '883 I about went nuts and noticed very quickly how there seemed to be a "standard" answer given whenever the topic came up, and that answer was either Cycle Shack[s] slip ons or Vance & Hines staggered short shots. I was like WTF[!], there HAD to be some other options, and not wanting to walk off the cliff with the rest of the sheeple I started a more detailed information quest. And low and behold I found this underdog company, Khrome Werks, and me being of German heritage [I don't think they're a German company; the name caught my attention], on principle I had give them a go! And I'm glad I bucked the masses because these slip-ons were just the ticket...fit and finish are superb, the sound is generously loud AND deep, and call me nuts but I really like the look of the factory tapered mufflers so I ordered the '3" +HP' tapered variety. Well I tell ya' - I couldn't be happier because they look great and sound great! And you can find these anywhere between $259-$299 so they're not too bad of a hit on your wallet.

If you can find a used or new pair of the earlier "SEII" slip-ons I understand them to be "louder" than the currect SE slip-ons, so that'll be another option if you for whatever reason wanted to stay with the SE line of exhaust.

There are however as many opinions on exhaust as there are ears out there so in the end about the best advice I can give is for you to go to some bike nights, indy's or dealerships and hang out a bit and observe and listen to the bikes that roll up and out, and I'd venture to guess that before too long you'll have a pretty good idea of what most of the available exhaust systems and slip-ons sound like, and you'll then be able to make some kind of educated decision on where you'd like to spend your $$!

=8^)

 

Thanks for the response. I think I will try drilling the SE slip-ons baffle holes a little bigger and see how that goes. BCT is closed till friday so might wait till then and see if the techs there have anything to say about it or if I can use them with my se baffles. In the mean-time will check out those Khrome Werks.

 

Here is the update.

So, called BCT and they said I could put my old baffles in or modify them along with theirs. Apparently my 3/4 face helmet is part of the problem as the sound waves are getting amplified in my helmet.

I recorded the audio separate from video using a Zoom h4n Audio recorder. The bike is so loud, the recording still doesn't do it justice.

First part of the video is just the BCT baffle and a gutted slip-on. nothing to reduce noise whatsoever, just changed it.

Second, I put the stock SE baffles back in except one doesnt have the packing, have to repair it.

Third, got some more packing and drilled out the 3 rows of holes to 3/8" diameter and added 3 more rows of holes. put those in with the packing.

It is quite a bit louder then stock SE and deeper. will ride like this for a while and see if it satisfies me. if not, may experiment in cutting the baffles shorter as some have recommended.

 

Nice sounding pipes there...I like the first sound though...for me, the louder the better.

 

So quick update. The ringing in my ears hasn't stopped since I installed the BCT baffles. only did about 4-5 hours riding with them before modifying back. Never heard of Tinnitus before but it looks like those baffles killed my ears. Been almost 2 weeks and the ringing is as loud as ever.

PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE MAKING YOUR HARLEY LOUDER.... TINNITUS IS PERMANENT.

imagine this sound 24/7 in your head

 

they sound great with them wear a ff helmet.