Revelation about my New CVO Mufflers

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Okay .. so I came back from a ride this morning, I dropped my keys under the left side of the trike. I climbed under to get them and briefly touched the front of the left muffler. Ouch ... way too hot ... hotter than the rear of the muffler ... hmmm something is amiss. So I took it apart and found out why the are so quiet. The have a cat ... so I go to the parts listing and sure enough, the are 2009 CVO's with cat. So I started to do what I told myself I'd never do again ... remove them.

Before cat removal:



After cat removal:



What was removed:



What the inside the can looks like:



Took two hours to get the left one done. Used a hammer drill with a 3/4" mason bit. Drilled 3 holes at 120*, then chiseled the remaining out. Lot of work, but, worth it I guess. I'll tackle the right one tomorrow.

[Fearless]

Fuzz let me know about sound changes I may have located a pair reasonable like get them out of his way kinda thing ride safely fearless.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Will do ... I'm guessing the Cat's are what made it soooo quiet ... hopefully they will stay mellow, but better performance.

[Moneywoes]

Fuzzy
I just received a pair of CVO mufflers off of ebay today. The listing listed part numbers66219-06 and 66220-06 off a 2015 flhtkse. These would NOT have a cat in them, as the CAT would be in the headpipe. What I received are part numbers 65913-06 and 66080-06. These would be off a 2006-2008 CVO and have the CAT in the muffler intake. Now I'm stuck with requesting a refund from the less than forthright seller and dealing with return shipping and will I actually ever see a refund, or installing them with the cats in, or doing as you are and drilling the CAT out. For what its worth, all the searching I've done tonight on these mufflers since I found they have the cats point to drilling the cats out doing very little to change the sound or power output. Since your this far into it, I think I'll wait for your final report before I decide what to do.
Right now I'm not real happy with my transaction.

How thick was the CAT material? about 3"?

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I didn't measure it .. but a 3/4" mason bit about 5-6" long, went through it. I'm guessing 3-4" sounds right. When you get the baffles out, it's just in the inlet section.

I have my old Vance and Hines, and may take the baffles out and see if they fit in the CVO, but that might make them too loud.

[DK Custom Products]

Fuzzy,

Try the Thunder Torque Inserts...will make it a tad quieter, a tad deeper tone, and will give a low and mid range boost in power that you will feel!

LINK

Kevin

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I'll add these Kevin ... what measurement on the slip ons do I use to determine which family ... the inlet 1 3/4" or outlet 4"?

[Moneywoes]

Fuzzy,
I'm I interpreting your pictures correctly that you removed the baffle from the can before drilling out the CAT? If so, once you ground down the welds at the outlet end securing the baffles, how are you securing the baffles when you put them back in?

Thanks,
Ken

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Fuzzy,
I'm I interpreting your pictures correctly that you removed the baffle from the can before drilling out the CAT? If so, once you ground down the welds at the outlet end securing the baffles, how are you securing the baffles when you put them back in?

Thanks,
Ken

The end cap has three screws through it to the can. The baffle rests right up against the end cap when fully inserted. Also, it takes some fairly decent raps with a rubber mallet to seat it all the way. I've done this before and nothing moves when it's all back together. But if you're worried, you could drill a small hole through the can and the baffle on the top by the mounts where it won't be seen, and put a bolt and nut on it, preferably stainless steel so it don't rust. IMHO it 's not necessary, but it you wanna be safe, go for it. If you've seen the welds that hold the baffle in, you'd know they aren't much, just a tack.

[Moneywoes]

The end cap has three screws through it to the can. The baffle rests right up against the end cap when fully inserted. Also, it takes some fairly decent raps with a rubber mallet to seat it all the way. I've done this before and nothing moves when it's all back together. But if you're worried, you could drill a small hole through the can and the baffle on the top by the mounts where it won't be seen, and put a bolt and nut on it, preferably stainless steel so it don't rust. IMHO it 's not necessary, but it you wanna be safe, go for it. If you've seen the welds that hold the baffle in, you'd know they aren't much, just a tack.

Thanks,
Have you had a chance to ride since you drilled out the CAT? How much, if any, did it increase the sound level?

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Thanks,
Have you had a chance to ride since you drilled out the CAT? How much, if any, did it increase the sound level?

No .. I'm still with only one cat drilled out ... the dreaded W$$K thang is keeping me from my true passion, it is after all, pool season. I did a cover today, and just as I finished it, it started raining ... torrential down poor stuff ... ... I'm hoping to drill the other one out tomorrow and get the CVO's back on the trike. I'll report my experiences when I ride it after that.

[screwball]

2008 and 2009 touring bikes in California had the cat in the right muffler. I guess the thinking was enough pollution was cleared by the one side it passed the ARB. When the whole country went to cats, California got the cross-over cat like the rest of the country.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

2008 and 2009 touring bikes in California had the cat in the right muffler. I guess the thinking was enough pollution was cleared by the one side it passed the ARB. When the whole country went to cats, California got the cross-over cat like the rest of the country.

I wish these only had it in the right ... I'd be done ... kinda dragging my feet on the other one ... first one took 2 hours .. LOL.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Okay, so I drilled and chiseled out the other baffle. While I had them out, I painted the end with high temp satin black, then went to eat lunch. After lunch, put the slip ons back together and put them on the trike. The sound is slightly louder, maybe a little deeper. Power is okay, not as good as the vance and hines or the screaming chickens for that matter. Maybe as good as the screaming chickens. I like the look of them and they are epa stamped, so I'll leave them on for awhile.

I think my next project will be to take the baffles out of the vance and hines and see if they fit the CVO cans. The fiberglass packing in the cans would mellow them out some I think and they'd still be epa stamped. If that don't work, I have another set of CVO baffles from a pair I put rheinheart baffles in. Lots of options .. benefit of being a pak rat.

[msocko3]

Okay, so I drilled and chiseled out the other baffle. While I had them out, I painted the end with high temp satin black, then went to eat lunch. After lunch, put the slip ons back together and put them on the trike. The sound is slightly louder, maybe a little deeper. Power is okay, not as good as the vance and hines or the screaming chickens for that matter. Maybe as good as the screaming chickens. I like the look of them and they are epa stamped, so I'll leave them on for awhile.

I think my next project will be to take the baffles out of the vance and hines and see if they fit the CVO cans. The fiberglass packing in the cans would mellow them out some I think and they'd still be epa stamped. If that don't work, I have another set of CVO baffles from a pair I put rheinheart baffles in. Lots of options .. benefit of being a pak rat.

In years to come that EPA stamp could pay off, I have to believe sooner or later there will be a crack down. The epa stamp is one way they could weed out some of the undesirables. By nature I'm a people watcher, I notice facial expressions and watch body language. I've seen some pretty sour looks when some asshat sits at a traffic light and blips the throttle. We as bikers have to remember not everyone is impressed with the sound of our toy, and blipping the throttle is senseless. Modern fuel injected bikes don't have idle issues like some of the older carb bikes, there is no need to blip the throttle.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

In years to come that EPA stamp could pay off, I have to believe sooner or later there will be a crack down. The epa stamp is one way they could weed out some of the undesirables. By nature I'm a people watcher, I notice facial expressions and watch body language. I've seen some pretty sour looks when some asshat sits at a traffic light and blips the throttle. We as bikers have to remember not everyone is impressed with the sound of our toy, and blipping the throttle is senseless. Modern fuel injected bikes don't have idle issues like some of the older carb bikes, there is no need to blip the throttle.

I have heard of 5 guys this summer pulled over at the Utah boarder. They used to ticket for loud exhaust, but most of those have been beaten in court (test cases). The law says 88 db's, if an officer tickets you for loud exhaust, he has to prove you were over 88 db's. If he tickets you for none compliment mufflers, all he needs is a lack of an EPA stamp. For what it's worth, 4 of the 5 I know pulled over where ticketed for non compliant mufflers. They paid the fine, no way to fight it. I don't want my bike tp be loud, but I do want it to perform. That's a tall order. Exhaust manufacturer's are not gonna work to get the EPA Stamp as long as we continue to buy them for "off road use" or for "racing only". I'm assuming that it's pricy to get EPA certification.

[dirtdobber]

Some ormost of the cities/towns have anti loud laws but the state and county has a demonstration law. If you get one you won't beat it. Those that check them is done 2 ways, stick up the muffler or a epa stamp.
Almost always its because you got stopped for something else.
I always keep my take offs for that very reason.

[RickDeVon]

I can say my CVO cans w/ 2" Fulsac cores are getting louder and louder as more miles get put on them...about 30k now...I am looking for a set of 15 CVO Street Glide stock slipons w/ black end caps to replace mine with...I am not so into loud now with the Tri Glide...may just pull my 2" cores out and replace with 1.75 cores and the black end caps...

[WindyOne]

Fuzzy Am I reading this correctly, that you had a cat in the header pipe and a cat in the muffler?

[Gorilla]

I can say my CVO cans w/ 2" Fulsac cores are getting louder and louder as more miles get put on them...about 30k now...I am looking for a set of 15 CVO Street Glide stock slipons w/ black end caps to replace mine with...I am not so into loud now with the Tri Glide...may just pull my 2" cores out and replace with 1.75 cores and the black end caps...

The 1.75 might just kick your lo end torque up a little too.