exhaust theory question

[Flat6Valk]

I have been reading, reading, reading and more reading about exhaust mods for the beloved VALKYRIE.  Since I cant attend INZANE (thought I might be able to) I need to throw this out there on this board.  I have two valks (lucky I know).  Valk #1 had the piggies and baffles drilled front and rear prior to my purchase.  Valk #2 only the piggies cut.  Both I did not like the resulting sounds.  After reading Exhaust 101 several times along with ALL the other info I could muster I drilled the rear baffles on bike #2 and still was not as pleased as I wanted to be.  Budgeting is a problem and I want better sound for #2 so.....I decided to do the ragner cut rather than drill the front baffles like bike #1.  So I drilled around the piggies as instructions say.  At that point I thought I'd test the noise level at that point in the process.  Better.  Much better.  Silencers still in place too which I considered to be a great thing because if I had a change of heart I could simply spot weld the holes I drilled around the piggies and could mostly return the exhaust back to factory noise levels.  Only the baffle plates, rear, would be missing and the piggies could be restored if necessary.  cost so far $3.50 for the drill bits.  The 1/2 in. drill bit I had.  I drove the bike in that condition for 50 miles and its better like I said but still not quite right as I would like.  It has a very nice sound under acceleration.  Ok now comes my question.  If I drilled 1/2 in holes on the very end plate of the muffler in each of 3 sections ....  wouldnt that be the same as a ragnar cut without removing the silencers?  Then if necessary the muffler could still be restored to almost factory noise levels at a very reasonable cost.

Bike #1 with the front baffles removed I am going to install a set of purple hornies and go that direction.

Thoughts and feedback welcomed before I step forward with this.  With luck I will see my way to INZANE but its doubtful even though I live in central Ohio. 

[scoobydoo]

What kind of tips do you have? still the stock ones? I drilled out front & rear and cut piggies then put on 18"  90 degree turn out extensions on sounded much better. Extensions act like a megaphone. Not Harley loud but a good sound.
Scoobydoo

[BF]

"If I drilled 1/2 in holes on the very end plate of the muffler in each of 3 sections ....  wouldnt that be the same as a ragnar cut without removing the silencers? "



I'm thinking not.  Isn't there still a plate between the rear baffles and the front set of baffles?  If so, I'm thinking it wouldn't be the same. 

btw.....a hole saw works better than drilling a bunch of little holes around the end of the baffles for the Ragnar cut.  Clamp on with a set of vice grips and give 'em a twist motion back and forth.  You're ripping them off of that plate that's between the rear and front baffles. 

[Flat6Valk]

I know there is a rear plate on the rear baffles but the exhaust and noise travels through the baffle tubes and some exits through the new holes I have made.  To save the silencers intact I think, but do not know,  the silencers effect would be minimized further by making addtional excape holes on the rear plate of the muffler.  Perhaps capping off the shortened piggies (or whole piggies if they were still there) would give the same effect of a ragnar cut and still maintaining sufficient back pressure to avoid having to rejet, reneedle, or shim.   Although I am coming up with this to save money I think this is valid and puts the mufflers in a position to be repaired if an owner does this but deceides the noise is not to their liking.  New replacement mufflers are expensive, used ones are too.

Please comment.

[Flat6Valk]

my update.......on bike #1 i have the following condition.  Drilled baffle plates front and rear (all 6).  Additional 1/2 in. holes drilled close to each cut piggie, resulting in 6 holes in the rear of muffler.  Then I drilled out additional 1/2 inch holes (3). in the rear plate that holds the baffle/silencers.  I was hoping for a deeper sound like the ragnar cut would sound but there is no apparant sound difference than before drilling the additional holes in the rear plate.  I am considering  temp plugging of the silencers hoping that the sounds gets a little louder and a little deeper. 

Please comment if you have thoughts on this. 

so far my adjustments have been working.  the resulting sounds from the exhaust are not overly loud or offensive in any way.

[fudgie]

I originally had pigs neutered and rears drilled to 3/8". 2 springs ago I added truck stacks. While doing this I just used a saws all and hacked off 3'' of the entire muffler. Sounds great! Louder but eh, I'm young. I can be heard 5 miles away. Low gear and high rpm's sound great!

[Ricky-D]

Gryphon Rider posted a cut-away of the stock muffler on the Valkyrie.

Seeing it will give you a better insight into what's going on when you modify your muffler.

***

[96valk]

Drilled both front and rear with 3/4 bit still not loud enough. cut last 2 inches off pulled the baffles out. No extended stacks just the shorty look. I,m careful around town but out in the open and on the hyway I love it. Louder than my other bike with Viking pipes. Just checked  plug, a light tan .

[Hoser]

Cut the piggies, drilled rear baffles, installed truck stack tips,  94 hp on Dyno.
Got this after installing Grumpy's tips:

Also quieted the exhaust.  Hoser

[Gryphon Rider]

Gryphon Rider posted a cut-away of the stock muffler on the Valkyrie.

Seeing it will give you a better insight into what's going on when you modify your muffler.

***

Here's the drawing.  I didn't draw it.

[BF]

"Got this after installing Grumpy's tips:"


Hoser.......what are Grumpy tips?

[MP]

Like Rytek tips.  Mount in the rear of truck staks. Round.  Provide some backflow resistance.
Search for hosers posts.  He has posted pics many times.

MP

[Flat6Valk]

ok another update.  bike #1 has the following.  all baffle plates drilled.  rear plate of muffler has 6 additional holes 1/2 inch in diameter (two per section of each silencer area), and 3 holes of same size in the rear internal plate.  Im still not getting the sound that the ragnar cut would achieve.  To restate my objective, I am trying to modify the muffler so that it can be 'repaired' in principle to a near factory sound if desired by me or another owner.  I assume, and correct me if I am wrong, that if I were to put plugs in the silencers shortened piggies I would further enhance the sound more towards the ragner cut.

If any of the exhausts experts are willing to provide their thoughts I would gladly accept them.

Thanks,  Greg