Modifying Stock pipes and mufflers

[BentRod]

so heres the deal.
A while back a friend of mine, who like most people knew more than me, convinced me to switch to UNI pod filters, and dyno jets. (By giving them to me for free)
To balance the increase in air and fuel into the engine, I desided to make the exhaust more free flowing by putting a small hold in the connecting pipe.. and it worked. But it has been some time now, and the neighbours are ticked off with the noise. I need a proper solution, not jsut a well placed hole.

I have looked for the right hand side of stock pipes from an 850, but to no avail. so I'm looking to modify the mufflers on my stock exhaust.

I would like to know what can be done with them. If anyone know how they are constructed inside, that would be helpful. (Baffles? wadding?)

I'm a student, I'm poor... so getting a performace exhaust is definately out of the question.

Help me out people! Much appreciated
Kevin

[t3rmin]

Cut off your mufflers and install some Harley take-offs? Seems to be a fairly popular thing to do. How much more flow is possible with the stock headers I'm not sure, but I think the stock mufflers are the main limiting factor.

[LeeGS550E]

If you put the hole in the connecting pipe, why not just put some header wrap around it? After all, that goes along with the poor student theme....:?

The pipe may be 2 walled pipe. At least that's how the connectors are on 700 pipes.

[BentRod]

I never though of bike as being themed 'the poor student'.. more like a victom of it.

the hole was in the connecting pipe becuase it was thinest.. and would require me making just one hole.. but in retrospec i decided that I was probably really screwing with the balance in the air flow.. so I'm back to square one.

I was thinking about cutting off the stock mufflers for some bolt-on's.. I'm just not sure if that is the best course of action yet.

Keep the info coming.. please.

[Ironriot]

Somebody posted on here once that he walked into a Harley dealership and told them, "I hear you guys have tons of OEM pipes that you can't give away" And sure enough the dealer said they had tons of them because 98% of people upgrade immediately to Screamin eagle pipes. Harley pipes look good better than the megaphones thats for damn sure. And I'm sure they'll flow better seeing as there's no baffles or anything like that to restrict air

[schinae]

I feel you on the poor college thing. I was gifted my first bike (basket case xs650) at 18, by sophmore year at college I had it hopped up on flattrack parts and dresssed in cafe racer styling, always looking to spend minimal cash.

My best suggestion is that sometimes an inexpesive used part is worth its weight in gold for the time you dont spend messing with making you own. Obviously we all love to say "my creation", but you may be able to get a used exhaust (vance hines, etc.) for cheap enough to sell your stock and break even if they are nice. Otherwise, check mikesxs.com for cheap replacement mufflers in many styles at a good price.

I would recomend all college students get a bike, parking on campus is at a premium and the bike pays for itself in no time... Giving girls a ride home from class is an added bonus...

[t3rmin]

I *think* my recently-acquired XS1100 has Harley mufflers. Sounds really nice. Loud but not ridiculously-loud, and nice and throaty.

[Ironriot]

Yeah Harley knows how to do it. Some guy on here has a 250 with Screamin Eagle mufflers on it and he says that it doesn't sound 250ish at all, say it has a deeper rumble to it.