Ragnar Cut (strange finding)

[Warlock]

I have done several of these in the past. I have a 97 with a motor trike kit. Always heard the 97's run stronger but my 98 and 99 was way more power. Decided to do the mod. Whoever had it before had drilled all the rear baffles with a 1/2 drill bit. Not uncommon. Had a heck of a time getting the baffles out. Worst I have done. Now the strange part is one baffle on each side had fiberglass in them. Didn't look and see which cylinder it was. Trying to figure where the fiberglass came from. I haven't removed the chrome heat shield to see if someone had cut the exhaust and added the fiber glass to quieten them up. Only on one cylinder each side. Makes me want to remove the shield and see. I have never run across any of theses while doing the mod. Now it runs like it should. Might have to re adjust carbs since removing the fiberglass.
David

[Chrisj CMA]

If your 97 has less power than your 98 there is something awry. We just did a bike swap for a few miles me and a friend with a good running 98. I wanted to see if he noticed a power difference. He did and he was amazed that it was that much of a difference and my 97 has way more miles on the clock than his 98 so it was a very fair test.

[Warlock]

If your 97 has less power than your 98 there is something awry. We just did a bike swap for a few miles me and a friend with a good running 98. I wanted to see if he noticed a power difference. He did and he was amazed that it was that much of a difference and my 97 has way more miles on the clock than his 98 so it was a very fair test.

I think who ever, how ever they installed the fiber glass was hurting the performance. I'm just glad it didn't hurt the engine. It is now performing like a 97 should. Even with the trike kit it will push you back in the seat. I knew something was wrong, just couldn't figure it out. It now has a IS ICM, IS carb springs, and a 4 degree trigger wheel. Very happy with the way it does now.
David

[MarkT]

The "Ragnar cut" is a very bad idea and I've been saying that for 20 years.  It's an unreversible mod most will regret.  You can get the same obnoxious sound by cutting the back baffle section OFF at 7 1/2 inches, skinning off most of the outer surface, and have the resulting "SILENCERS" available to re-insert to return the sound volume to OEM levels by inserting them into truck stacks.  The Ragnar cut is unreversible without replacing the exhaust.  Unless you buy the same silencers from some one who has them on hand - like me - and a pair of truck stacks from any truck supply store so you can replace the back baffle section you butchered - they will fit just aft of the ruined exhaust inside 36" stacks.  This latter method results in more cost as the silencer cores cost money.

Here's a pair of Silencers I just made for a customer's pipe build - these will have Organ Pipes added for his build.  These were prettied-up by media blasting them so they almost look new, and the end cap paint removed so the Organ Pipes can be MIG welded on the openings.





Man I really like having added the media blaster and cabinet - the capabiility it added.  I put up a video on youtube on how to modify the HF cabinet so it actually works - like many things Harbor Freight, tweaks and more are needed.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei5iExMcUzg

[Warlock]

The "Ragnar cut" is a very bad idea and I've been saying that for 20 years.  It's an unreversible mod most will regret.  You can get the same obnoxious sound by cutting the back baffle section OFF at 7 1/2 inches, skinning off most of the outer surface, and have the resulting "SILENCERS" available to re-insert to return the sound volume to OEM levels by inserting them into truck stacks.  The Ragnar cut is unreversible without replacing the exhaust.  Unless you buy the same silencers from some one who has them on hand - like me - and a pair of truck stacks from any truck supply store so you can replace the back baffle section you butchered - they will fit just aft of the ruined exhaust inside 36" stacks.  This latter method results in more cost as the silencer cores cost money.

Here's a pair of Silencers I just made for a customer's pipe build - these will have Organ Pipes added for his build.  These were prettied-up by media blasting them so they almost look new, and the end cap paint removed so the Organ Pipes can be MIG welded on the openings.





Man I really like having added the media blaster and cabinet - the capabiility it added.  I put up a video on youtube on how to modify the HF cabinet so it actually works - like many things Harbor Freight, tweaks and more are needed.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei5iExMcUzg

I know you sell good exhaust. But I like the Ragnar cut JMO. Have had it on 3 valkyries. For some reason my back baffles was in horrible shape. Rusted real bad. They came out in pieces. I know you have fooled with a bunch of silencers (rear set of baffles) have you ever seem fiberglass in any of them? Only thing I can think of they had too take a lot of time and shoved the fiberglass thru the 1/2 hole that was drilled in the rear baffles. Took the chrome cover off to see if they had been cut and welded back, but no signs of that happening.
David

[MarkT]

If you know you like the noise, it's OK for you.  Probably not good for resale however.  But then resale of a noisy bike helps me as the new owner has me build them a quieter exhaust or one that has changeable sound.

The mods I see the most are the rear baffles with the piggies cut off and the baffles inside drilled.  I have seen many with the Ragnar cut which ruins the silencers.  I have seen none with fiberglass added inside.  But you never know what some enterprising DIYers will try.

Heavily rusted exhausts - and with that, usually much of the rest of the bike - is generally the result of high mileage in places like Florida.  They have the worst corrosion I've ever seen.  I won't buy pipes from there unless they were removed immediately and stored inside and oiled down.  And even then the humidity is bad on them, rust is persistent there.