Quiet Mufflers

I'm looking for mufflers to replace my old "baffle less" mufflers that I have now. I would like to achieve close to original sound (read quiet). It seems like when most everyone else is looking to replace their mufflers they are looking for louder pipes. Not me. Personally I like the whir/purr of the original sound.

I've read quite a few people mention using Harley Sportster mufflers. Would these be quiet? I can't even begin to imagine Harley mufflers being quite.

Also, FWIW, I'm looking at putting a piece of "S" pipe between collector and muffler so that I can "straighten" out the mufflers (parallel to the ground) and still maintain my center stand.

I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks.

 

BUB, MAC and Jardine all still make "slip on" type replacement mufflers, in a variety of styles, that will fit your bike. Quietness varies with manufacturer and style, none will be quite as quiet as stock.

Or, troll eBay or go the salvage yard route and get real stockers. Not easy but it can be done, I did it twice (both my 550 Secas.)

I know someplace that has NOS but one side is $273 and the other is $341.

 

www.jcwhitney.com i got a set off there with steel baffles and they were pretty loud. but they have about 10 different pipes to chose from for cheap cheap. picked mine up for 50 bucks a piece. nice slip ons with clamp.

 

I found several after market mufflers that will fit on these XJs, but all of them are too loud (for me) Now I found that the Harley sportster mufflers (stock) are about as quiet as the stock mufflers. Nice and quiet will a little rumble at idle. That's what your looking for. I got mine at a swap meet, but you can find several pairs on Ebay for cheap. You will like the sound.

 

Harley mufflers. I used a pair of 1200 Sportster mufflers on my XJ650 and really love the sound and the plug reads look very good as well. For some reason they are usually free to free plus shipping. You'll need to be able to get the old pips off (can be a PITA), own a hacksaw, and a squirtgun (MIG) welder to attach the Harley units. I really should post pics of mine for reference one of these days (maybe when the darned snow finally melts). I reattached the mounting brackets from the old mufflers and even used the kickstand and center stand bumpers off the stockers on the Harley mufflers.

 

Thanks guys! That was EXACTLY the information that I was looking for.

Everyone says "look on JC Whitney" but then they say "but they're not quiet". What I want is quiet so why would I look at something that everyone already says ISN'T quiet. Anyway...

I'm going to have to "swallow some pride" to stick something Harley on my bike but if it works I'll do that. And considering that the Harley guys don't want them then maybe it won't be so bad after all.

My BIL bought a Sportster last year and replaced the mufflers. But he already sold the originals on CraigsList. I've found plenty on eBay cheap. So I'll go that route.

Thanks again!

 

kgriff: let me know how they sound. I'm looking into the same thing.

Does anyone who has done this have pictures? The ones I have seen seem to bee a little short for my liking.

 

Man is this place awesome!!! The PO cut the factory mufflers off, found some 1 3/4" pipe and a set of used jardin mufflers and tried to put them together, i said TRIED. Need less to say it will not work.
I just got home from the local muffer shop, i had him bend a peice of 1 3/4", and flare it on one end to fit over the factory pipe, the other end i'm going to weld to the muffler,(once i cut the factory end off.
I have a baffel idea. the 1 3/4" piece that is going to go into the muffler, i'm going to leave it long and extend itinto the muffler a bit. I took another peice and had the end flared to fit over the 1 3/4". I'm going to use that as a baffle, cut some holes in it, wrap it in muffler material and secure it to the muffler.. Will it work?? How should i cut/drill the bafflel for maximum silence? Any idea thoughts????
I will post some pics tonight!!!

 

Here's my bike with the sportster mufflers on it. I see I didn't have the saddlebag mounted right on that photo, but you get the idea what they look like:

 

I put some Harley mufflers on my 650. I love the look compared to the trumpet mufflers. The sound is more to my liking as well it is just about as quiet as the originals just a little deeper but if you really lay on the throttle it is pretty loud. Its the best of both worlds in my opinion. quiet when you need it or loud when you want it. If anybody wants I can see about taking a video with a drive by. Just shoot me a pm. Drive safe

 

That's a NICE looking bike PainterD! Is that a cup holder too? So can you still use your center stand? If so, did you have to do any mods to make that work?

OK, so do I need to look for a specific Sportster muffler? From a certain year or a certain length or any other specific need? Or will any Sportster muffler do? (Except for the Screamin Eagles. Heard those were LOUD.)

 

Any of the sportster mufflers should fit. The one thing you have to look at is if the mufflers are welded to the rest of the system. If they are then you would have to cut them off and weld on some pipe that the mufflers can slip-fit onto. As for the stands you can still use them but you need to come up with a stop for them because at least on my 650 the stop was on the muffler. Not hard to do just takes some time. Good luck.

 

Kgriff,
Thank you for your observation! Yes, the center stand is still functional. I was tempted to remove it, but it's just too handy to have. All I did was fabricate a bracket to bolt the muffler to and then extends down along the muffler (L-shaped at the bottom)with a rubber bung (one of the rubbers off the bottom of the stock seat where it sits on the frame) for the center stand to hit when it flips up. I didn't want it to hit the muffler.
The mufflers you are looking for are the ones that clamp to the header pipes, not the ones that are welded on. You should be able to find them on Ebay or Craigslist.
I just started mine up yesterday, and noticed how quiet they are in the shop (everything echoes in there with the door open) and are not loud at highway speeds either. I get a low rumble at idle (which I like) and just a smooth prrrr at speed. I don't have to crank up the radio so loud now when I'm riding. >PD<

 

That is an awesome bike Painter. Nicely done. Can I assume from your name that did the paint job your self? Time to start watching ebay for a deal

 

Thanks!
Yes, I painted it myself. That's actually tractor/implement paint with a hardener in it. It turned out so well, I'm planning on doing my old '88 Honda Accord with it. For $28 for a gallon of paint and $30 for the hardener, it's a pretty cheap alternative to using automotive paint and it lasts. I got the idea from a friend of mine who used it to do his farm truck and it held up well, so I thought why not?!!
Hey...John deere green with yellow wheels!!!! ...ah, no I don't think so.