So I finally got around to changing out my fishtail pipes with another set of fishtail pipes. The old ones were starting to look pretty haggard and I wanted to play with the baffles a bit.
Trying to play with baffles with these pipes are kind of tricky because there is that huge hollow area in the middle (maybe 3" around) that tapers to the standard 1 3/4 at each end and of course the fishtail at the back end. In the back end of the pipe there is a machine pressed in and spot welded in baffle that is pretty much worthless since it is basically just a thin walled pipe with holes drilled in and a solid cap at the end, which is next to impossible to get out (I actually have a spare pipe that I spent hours on grinding and shoving and still haven't been able to get it to budge).
In the old set, I had added a baffle to the front of the pipe and it was mostly sticking into the header. This time I put the baffle into the rear of the pipe. I bought just some generic 8" baffles with the fiberglass wrap. In order to get the baffle to fit into the stock baffle, I had to cut one end off the baffle.
The sound result is very different from the way that I had it before. They definitely have a more thumpier and growlier sound to them. Because the sound is different, it is tough for me to say if it is quieter, louder or the same volume. I think I have gotten rid of the tinny thump sound at around 4500 rpm.
The jury is still out on how I like them. Tomorrow I am riding up to Seattle. It'll be about 3 1/2 hours each way. That'll be the true test.
If I could what I would like to do is be able to figure out a way to get rid of that stock baffle and weld together three baffles and run it down the entire pipe. That way it could be supported on both ends and deaden the hollow sound quite a bit.
I am wondering, is there any better baffle packing than just that yellow insulation like fiberglass that came with the baffles?
Soren
