First thing I did when I bought my bike new was PCV, SE AC, and Bub 7 slips. I was happy with depth of sound and power but it was quieter than I wanted.

About a year later I purchased Big City Thunder (BCT) baffles. The QQ's. Pulled the Bub 7 baffles when I did so. I lost some depth of sound (sadly) but got the loudness I was looking for. I left it that way for a while.

It still wasn't exactly what I wanted. I wanted TD's. I wanted deep, and I wanted loud. I set out to do the perfect exhaust. I talked to a few experts and read everything I could. I decided on MGS TD's, with BCT QQ's, and a custom straight pipe where the MGS baffle would be. Here is a link to a thread I made for what I did with a bunch of pics: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-bct-pics.html

I'm very happy with backroads. My problem is highway. I lost my top end. I used to have no problem in the 80-90 range. Even going up a mountain I could accelerate if I wanted. Hitting a hundred wasn't a problem. Now I struggle about 20 MPH lower than b4. I thought TD's were a little bit like going with higher gears in a sports car. Loose low end and gain high end, (loosing torque and gaining HP), but I feel like I achieved the opposite. The other problem is that the pipes will not settle down on the highway as far as loudness goes. My previous setup was loud around town, and when I bliped the throttle, but quieted down on the highway.

I can't believe this has anything to do with the BCT's as I used them previously and was extremely happy. It doesn't seem likely it is all the work I did to the cans either as nothing after the BCT's in the header should matter except sound. My work should have deepened bass but not increased loudness?

B/C of the way MGS machined the baffle/slip-on connection, and b/c of the work I did, my graduating straight pipes really can't be removed from the cans without a lot of PIA fighting.

No, I have not done a dyno. I know I should but I can't afford it. Things have been real tight the last couple years.

Not sure I'm really asking a question. I'm just thinking/bitching/crying out loud I think. Any input is appreciated though.

If anyone has TD slipons (larger diameter) with baffles they wanna let go cheap lemme know. Preferably Bub 7. It would be interesting to see what difference that might make.

Otherwise I'm going back to my previous setup I think. Factory '09 2-1-2 headers (no cat), BCT, and no baffle Bub 7 slips.

 

By the sounds of it you basically created a set of straight pipes. Without some back pressure the motor will be a slug. I'm no expert by any means, but, there are things that come into play, i.e. pipe diameter/length, exhaust scavenge etc... that will determine how the motor runs (how much power, how efficient it will run and so on). Add to the fact that you have an Ultra and not a Dyna, or something else light, you just compound the problem. Loud doesn't mean power, just noise. You need to have some back pressure, so going back to the stock 2-1-2 pipe will help. If you look up Fuel Moto's site and Facebook you will see a lot of mention of their "Dyno Tuned" mufflers; they basically dial in the right amout of back pressure and balance it with good sound, but, not just loud. Without a dyno tune there is no way the motor could work with all the air that it is able to exhale.

My suggestion would be to find a set of pipes/mufflers that will have the noise you want, but will be livable (power, highway loudness).

 

I ran Bub 7's slip's on my bike since new up until few months ago. There are great for that deep throaty sound & power on 2-1-2 setup. I think they were a little louder than my FM slips ons. You must like loud

 

I think all those crazy step ups are making the exhaust stack up inside the muffler - each increase in size causes the flow to slow down and a reverb wave to start. I can't imagine what three of them in a row would do when they get back to the combustion chamber... You would be better off with one long smaller pipe and weld something to the outside to hold it in the muffler case. It won't be as loud, as the increasing sizes also act like a megaphone. Also, in my opinion straight pipes don't belong on street bikes...

 

I did basically create a set of straight pipes. straight pipes that graduate in size, but straight pipes just the same. I think you missed that I installed BCT's though. Or you don't know what they are. BCT's are a very small baffle that installs in the end of the head pipes. They are engineered to create the perfect amount of back pressure that the bike needs w/o quieting anything down.

Yes, I am totally aware loud does not create power. In many cases it does the opposite. I was consciously trying to do both. I either failed or I need a new map.

 

I do!
I may have gone just a little too far though.

Very interesting Joe. I talked to the man that designed BCT's at length and he said this is what he did on his own bike. I talked to an engineer at Bub who agreed it made sense. I talked to a local dyno shop and a second dyno shop owned by a friend. Everyone said that as long as the exhaust opening gets continually larger that there would be no negative back pressure effect. B/c all proper backpressure is being achieved already by the BCT's in the header. That everything after didn't matter.

As far as sound goes I do agree totally with the megaphone effect. I was going for loud. I did put the QQ version of BCT's on and I did put a bunch of fiberglass insulation between the graduating straight pipe I made and and each can. I did this to absorb high pitched sound since i was really only looking for low pitch sound. Sound locally isn't bothering me and everyone who hears it says it's incredible sounding. At highway speeds it is a bit much though. Doesn't quiet down as much as other exhaust seems to.

Even if a tune fixed my problem I feel like I might want highway speed loudness dialed back. Hoping to put serious miles on this summer too.

 

Looks like the TTi blocks 90% of the outlet. How in the heck....?????