Cobra Pipes, TOO loud

[Mike M in ohio]

I finished installing my Cobra Pipes and the Dyna Jet needle/spring kit. The pipes were new from JP cycles, and the baffles are in them, but I am stunned at just how much louder they are! I'm in a suburban area, withthe local police here and there about every mile or two. Has anyone had problems with the local police with these pipes? Or, are they just within the zone?
     If I DO have any negative encounters, are there other, slightly more muted baffles that would tone things down just a tad.They are great sounding at steady speeds, but when you are accelerating through the lower gears, they draw some real attention.  Thanks...Mike

[pvan]

I agree the Cobras are too raspy loud with the stock baffles. On my Yellow Valk I wrapped each Cobra baffle with thin fiberglass matting and used baling wire in four places on each baffle. The result was great 6 pipe sound but the raspy irritating tone was substantially reduced.

[RUDE DOG - Steelers]

I run mine cut down 12 inches with no baffles and love the sound.

[Chrisj CMA]

I finished installing my Cobra Pipes and the Dyna Jet needle/spring kit. The pipes were new from JP cycles, and the baffles are in them, but I am stunned at just how much louder they are! I'm in a suburban area, withthe local police here and there about every mile or two. Has anyone had problems with the local police with these pipes? Or, are they just within the zone?
     If I DO have any negative encounters, are there other, slightly more muted baffles that would tone things down just a tad.They are great sounding at steady speeds, but when you are accelerating through the lower gears, they draw some real attention.  Thanks...Mike

There are at least two styles of baffles.......look at this pic....the ones with that cross member little handle thinggy seem to be a bit quieter....you might talk to cobra and see if you can change them

[fudgie]

Run'm. Never heard of anybody getting pulled over. If you do, shut it off. If you get a ticket, slap the oems back on, take pic of the decible ratings, go to court!     

[fstsix]

Got Vikings, i cut the baffle down to 12 inches years ago, It sets off car ALARMS!!! lol!! My wife LOVES IT. I was at a stop light  at Myrtle beach few years back, and had enough of all the LOUD Hardleys, pulled my baffles out, sitting waiting for green and snapped the Throttle scared the $hit out 3 guys next to me, hehehehe. well no wonder Myrtle shut down bike week 

[Mike M in ohio]

Okay Guys,
     The consensus seems to be "Run 'Em." So, I'll do that for a time and see if I draw any real attention. (An Interstate really doesn't look like an obnoxious, law-breaking rig any way) Thanks for all the suggestions, and if worse comes to worse, I'll try the fiberglass wrap idea, as I do have the more open cylindrical baffles. Thanks again to all.............Mike

[Thunderbolt]

you can buy some at your local auto parts store.  It is like a piece of cloth or material that folks make clothers from.  Put a couple of layers around the baffles and use some stainless steel or similar wire to hold them in place.  Just don't run the fiberglass up on the ends of the baffle, it will increase the diameter and they won't fit.
It made mine just right and took away some of the raspy noise.

[Mike M in ohio]

P.S.: One last question: Do the baffles slide out, or are there set screws to remove first? Thanks. Mike

[Warlock]

P.S.: One last question: Do the baffles slide out, or are there set screws to remove first? Thanks. Mike

They screws in them. Takes a allen wrench .
David

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I finished installing my Cobra Pipes and the Dyna Jet needle/spring kit. The pipes were new from JP cycles, and the baffles are in them, but I am stunned at just how much louder they are! I'm in a suburban area, withthe local police here and there about every mile or two. Has anyone had problems with the local police with these pipes? Or, are they just within the zone?
     If I DO have any negative encounters, are there other, slightly more muted baffles that would tone things down just a tad.They are great sounding at steady speeds, but when you are accelerating through the lower gears, they draw some real attention.  Thanks...Mike

If you can't take the Cobra's I've got a set of unmolested Interstate pipes .... Trade ?

[Chrisj CMA]

P.S.: One last question: Do the baffles slide out, or are there set screws to remove first? Thanks. Mike

Look at the pic I posted of the baffles, you can see the screws (one each) per pipe on the side facing the swing arm

[andym]

I pulled the Cobras off my I/S ...way too loud but in retorspect I wish I had looked into different baffles since the OEM pipes are very quiet.....Regarding police............let off the throttle if you see them and the pipes should quiet down ..you can roll on the throttle slowly after you pass them

[Disco]

When I got tired of how loud my 2bros 6x6 pipes were, it got a pair of molded earplugs like these.  http://www.bigearinc.com/Products/BE-SP.aspx  I have stock pipes now but still use the plugs for mowing the lawn and tuning out the SO.   

Then I got a pair of molded earphones for my iPod from the same folks.  Not cheap, but some of the best $$ I've ever spent. Both combined are cheaper than a set of exhaust pipes. 

[Mo Lee]

I'm running unbaffled Cobras on my 97 and have not had any problems, of course this area has a very high population of motorcyclist. I have rode with several other bikes that I feel have louder pipes than mine or maybe it is that theirs sound like just noise, and mine sounds like music.

[Doc809]

I'm running Cobra shorties (cut down) without baffels and have never had a problem. They are much louder than the longer pipes.  I have never had a problem other than getting all "tingly" very time I start her!

Oh. by the way Dave, does Janet know the real reason for the earplugs?  Hmmm, this knowlege might have some value!

[fstsix]

GET DOWN!!!!  now that there is some CANNONS!

[Disco]

Oh. by the way Dave, does Janet know the real reason for the earplugs?  Hmmm, this knowlege might have some value!

In return for your sworn silence, I'm all yours at the wrench party tomorrow!  Deal?   

[Black Dog]

GET DOWN!!!!   now that there is some CANNONS!

Bad Azz Bike...  Ron Heathman's (EEEasy Rider).  Peoples Choice Winner, at IZVIII.

Here's another look (he's is always making changes, as most of us do  )...  Ron and I at Paducah KY (excuse the 'riding gear'...  It's hotter than hell, in Paducah in the summer, and that was in the Hotel parking lot).



Black Dog

[fstsix]

GET DOWN!!!!   now that there is some CANNONS!

Bad Azz Bike...  Ron Heathman's (EEEasy Rider).  Peoples Choice Winner, at IZVIII.

Here's another look (he's is always making changes, as most of us do  )...  Ron and I at Paducah KY (excuse the 'riding gear'...  It's hotter than hell, in Paducah in the summer, and that was in the Hotel parking lot).



Black Dog

Yep,Nice guy talked with him for a while at DOTS, i like the bullets he made into LED brake lights, looks like he put some BIG turnouts on it 

[Blackduck]

A question, will the Cobra baffles go in either way?
Seems much like glassspack internals,louder facing away as in the pic's and quieter facing the engine.
Cheers Steve

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Baffles will only tighten down one way with a set screw in the rear.

[Chrisj CMA]

Interesting idea though putting the baffles in backwards.....would be terribly hard to weld another nut at the other end.......you may need to tune the mixture as these things are engineered to be close to if not (in some caes) direct bolt up...........thats thinking outside the box though......hmmmm

[westsidevalk]

Cobra pipes are loud but they sure sound good. I run w/o baffles and I have never been pulled over, I don't get too crazy with them though.

[2qmedic]

OK,

To quiet down the exhaust which was too loud for me also , this is what I did. It works... ...

This is the Freeze Plug Mod.

1-Wrap the baffle with the fiberglass material or with stainless steel scouring pads stretched over the baffle (2 pads per baffle). and secure with wire.
2-Take one of the baffles to the auto parts store and match it up with a freeze plug.
3-Drill a 3/4 inch hole in the freeze plugs and secure the freeze plug onto the rear end of the baffle.
4-Reinstall the baffles.

The stainless steel wrap toned down the volume level nicely. Going to the 2nd step with the freeze plug brought the volume down another step. Where as the volume was too much at 50 mph. now I can ride at 70ish before the vol is too loud. The exhaust still sounds great, just not as loud.

There is no decrease in the seat of the pants performance, but with a 1/2 inch hole, there was. Since the stock piggie is 3/4 inch, I know that I have not exceeded the stock back pressure.

Some one else on the board had inquired and I had given him this fix. He was the person that dubbed this the "Freeze Plug Mod". He did this and said that he would buy me lunch one day , just have to go to the mid west for lunch. Sounds like a good lunch ride to me!!!

Take care and ride safe

Charles