2017 Baffle punched

[Mack]

Can the baffles on a 2017 be punched out? Has this been done yet?

[rhino 2]

Can the baffles on a 2017 be punched out? Has this been done yet?

Welcome to Trike-Talk...

To answer your question' Anything can be done... Just remember if you don't like the end results.. Your next option is slip-ons... Done that many times over the years...

[FuzzyWuzHe]

You might ask your dealer if they have a stock set of slip ons they'll sell ya cheap ... my deal has boxes of them. Then you can keep the originals stock incase.

[Bill G]

With the laws getting the way they are concerning bikes. There is no telling when they will check your bike or even start smogging them. Just buy proper slip on mufflers. (That way you will have the stock mufflers if you need them). Also having the stock mufflers available is better for resale on your trike.

Also if you modify the stock mufflers your bikes performance may suffer. Also there is no guarantee the mod will sound good and now you have wrecked your stock mufflers.

To be honest on our 2015 Freewheeler the stock mufflers have performed better than the aftermarket ones I have tried so far on it. I put it back to stock happy with the sound and performance. We have since traded our Freewheeler for a 2017 Tri Glide.

2017 Freewheeler mufflers are the same and have not changed and have a crimped end at the end of a shorter plug like baffle. Pic below of a set of stock baffles cut out of a Freewheeler I saved from an old thread on this subject. Same type off baffles on my new 2017 Tri Glide stock mufflers. These type baffles are why the stock exhaust sound as good as they do better than older stock HD touring mufflers. They also by design help maintain low end torque.

Ride Safe,

Bill G

[Jack Klarich]

Yes I did mine, look inside you will see a flower petal, hit it dead center with a long screw driver, after opening it up use a long tapered punch to finish the job, have a helper hold the muffler so it does not move. No reason to take it off the bike


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With the laws getting the way they are concerning bikes. There is no telling when they will check your bike or even start smogging them. Just buy proper slip on mufflers. (That way you will have the stock mufflers if you need them). Also having the stock mufflers available is better for resale on your trike.

Also if you modify the stock mufflers your bikes performance may suffer. Also there is no guarantee the mod will sound good and now you have wrecked your stock mufflers.

To be honest on our 2015 Freewheeler the stock mufflers have performed better than the aftermarket ones I have tried so far on it. I put it back to stock happy with the sound and performance. We have since traded our Freewheeler for a 2017 Tri Glide.

2017 Freewheeler mufflers are the same and have not changed and have a crimped end at the end of a shorter plug like baffle. Pic below of a set of stock baffles cut out of a Freewheeler I saved from an old thread on this subject. Same type off baffles on my new 2017 Tri Glide stock mufflers. These type baffles are why the stock exhaust sound as good as they do better than older stock HD touring mufflers. They also by design help maintain low end torque.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

They are the same but inlet diameter is bigger different part number

[1dn5up]

Back pressure--You need the back pressure 😤

[rhino 2]

Back pressure--You need the back pressure ��

Yep... But to some noise equals power.....So who needs stinken back-pressure....

[Bill G]

Yes I did mine, look inside you will see a flower petal, hit it dead center with a long screw driver, after opening it up use a long tapered punch to finish the job, have a helper hold the muffler so it does not move. No reason to take it off the bike



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They are the same but inlet diameter is bigger different part number

Inlet to mufflers on trikes is the same as before it is only bigger on the 2017 two wheeled HD touring mufflers because of new header design. Trikes still neck down after the new bigger design on the right side with a new style Z pipe so muffler inlet is same as before on trikes it is 1 3/4

See pic below right side muffler inlet on 2017 trike is the same size at muffler still.

Bill G

[Bill G]

Yep... But to some noise equals power.....So who needs stinken back-pressure....

Noise = power to the top end most of the time no back pressure as they call it you loose low and mid torque/power. One has to pick there medicine. A loud exhaust does not always mean more performance especially in the low mid range where most of us ride most of the time where the power and torque is needed on the heavy trikes. Keep in mind here how often de we really ride on the top end high RPM range where those small increases from a loud open baffle in HP would show up or even be needed?? maybe on the race track..Lol.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

[vito]

Noise = power to the top end most of the time no back pressure as they call it you loose low and mid torque/power. One has to pick there medicine. A loud exhaust does not always mean more performance especially in the low mid range where most of us ride most of the time where the power and torque is needed on the heavy trikes. Keep in mind here how often de we really ride on the top end high RPM range where those small increases from a loud open baffle in HP would show up or even be needed?? maybe on the race track..Lol.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

I'm with you, Bill. Few seem to understand exhaust/inlet tuning, which is physics and luck much like tuning a pipe organ. In our real EPA governed world, more noise seldom means more power ... even top end power. Engineers spend countless dyno hours designing pipes that are as efficient as possible whilst meeting EPA rules. It is unlikely that one will improve their effort with a punch.

[rhino 2]

Noise = power to the top end most of the time no back pressure as they call it you loose low and mid torque/power. One has to pick there medicine. A loud exhaust does not always mean more performance especially in the low mid range where most of us ride most of the time where the power and torque is needed on the heavy trikes. Keep in mind here how often de we really ride on the top end high RPM range where those small increases from a loud open baffle in HP would show up or even be needed?? maybe on the race track..Lol.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

And that was precisely my point.....
And thanks for explaining it much more better than i can ever 'What with my Brooklyn typing Accent.....

[Bill G]

I'm with you, Bill. Few seem to understand exhaust/inlet tuning, which is physics and luck much like tuning a pipe organ. In our real EPA governed world, more noise seldom means more power ... even top end power. Engineers spend countless dyno hours designing pipes that are as efficient as possible whilst meeting EPA rules. It is unlikely that one will improve their effort with a punch.

I agree 100% brother. I have been twisting wrenchs on Harley's and other bikes my hole teen and adult life. I have always done my own work. Yes there is more to tuning than just loud mufflers. The hole exaust system plays into things.

And you are right about the modern design and how the EPA rules will start to play into things. Their will be many that regret there mods down the road because of this.

People can play blind to this if they want to but times are changeing weather we like it or not.

Ride Safe All,

Bill G

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And that was precisely my point.....

And thanks for explaining it much more better than i can ever 'What with my Brooklyn typing Accent.....

I hope I did not offend that was not my intent..

I got what you were saying. Oh and by the way I love your Brooklyn typing Accent

Ride Safe Brother,

Bill G

[rhino 2]

I hope I did not offend that was not my intent.. I got what you were saying. Oh and by the way I love your Brooklyn typing Accent

Ride Safe Brother,
Bill G

[Bill G]

Yes I did mine, look inside you will see a flower petal, hit it dead center with a long screw driver, after opening it up use a long tapered punch to finish the job, have a helper hold the muffler so it does not move. No reason to take it off the bike



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They are the same but inlet diameter is bigger different part number

Another pic for you the right side Z pipe from the header on a 2017 trike they are the same size as before on the muffler inlets on the trikes 1 3/4". Yes the right muffler inlet on the 2017 two wheelers has a bigger inlet because there is no Z pipe used on them.

Inlets are 1 3/4" inlets to both mufflers left and right side, see pic's 2017 Tri Glide.

Ride Safe,

Bill G

[Jack Klarich]

Do it, it is cheaper than 600.00 mufflers iMO
I have an unmolested pair of stock 15 Freewheeler mufflers 4 sale if any one wants to play with them

[Bill G]

Do it, it is cheaper than 600.00 mufflers iMO
I have an unmolested pair of stock 15 Freewheeler mufflers 4 sale if any one wants to play with them

Jack punching out the stock mufflers may save money sort of the poor boy way to make sound and many do it. With that said its really not an engineered performance way by any means and one is just guessing on the outcome.(Also now the stock mufflers are no good as an EPA legal muffler). You never know a person may need for them to be EPA legal again down the line. Really it is sort of a Gerry Rigged way of accomplishing more sound and does not always sound that good or that much better. Also in most cases but not always the performance drops off.

I know sound in the end is subjective. Also the butt dyno is as well on perceived small gains in horse power because a small mod was done.

Ride Safe,
Bill G

[Jack Klarich]

Here is where u start with the screw driver then the punch to finish the job

[Springman2007]

Well, I took a VERY different approach on my 2015 Freewheeler. I used a hole saw and drilled out the stock HD baffle and replaced it with a Vance&Hines baffles. And, just like V&H does it - they are removeable.....

I like the sound better and I can also say I increased the average MPG by a mile. ANd, the running temp dropped by 5 to 6 degrees.

Finally to the untrained-eye....they look absolutely stock........

all for less that $100.00.

Springman

[Bill G]

Well, I took a VERY different approach on my 2015 Freewheeler. I used a hole saw and drilled out the stock HD baffle and replaced it with a Vance&Hines baffles. And, just like V&H does it - they are removeable.....

I like the sound better and I can also say I increased the average MPG by a mile. ANd, the running temp dropped by 5 to 6 degrees.

Finally to the untrained-eye....they look absolutely stock........

all for less that $100.00.

Springman

Springman I have mentioned this to you before about your mod but I will say it again,

You did it the right way by changing out the original baffles to a designed new complete replacement baffle instead of drilling or punching holes in the stock baffles . Now you have a proper designed baffle mod that was cost effective done right that produced the sound and performance you wanted. Also was very cost effective.

Ride Safe,

Bill G

[Springman2007]

Springman I have mentioned this to you before about your mod but I will say it again,

You did it the right way by changing out the original baffles to a designed new complete replacement baffle instead of drilling or punching holes in the stock baffles . Now you have a proper designed baffle mod that was cost effective done right that produced the sound and performance you wanted. Also was very cost effective.

Ride Safe,

Bill G

Thanks!

At the time, it just seemed to be the best course of action; given the very slow aftermarket support of the FLRT at the time. I did not want a stock-type touring muffler sticking 6 or more inches out the back and looking goofy (IMHO) and nobody had FLRT-specific mufflers available. I

have to say it has been one of no regret. The whole experience has made me rethink my beliefs on slip-on mufflers. I have always been a V&H man....

But, when I think back to all the money I spent over the years for a whole slip-on muffler, when I could have just bought the baffles and re-cored the stock mufflers.........

Well, I guess its a lesson learned.

Springman