Best QUIET Exhaust For Shovelhead? Harley Exhaust Discuss Best QUIET Exhaust For Shovelhead? in the Harley Tech & Harley How-to forums; A friend was asking me about a Shovelhead he was thinking of buying as a regular daily rider. And his main question was what's the best performing exhaust for a ...

[Buzz Kanter]

A friend was asking me about a Shovelhead he was thinking of buying as a regular daily rider. And his main question was what's the best performing exhaust for a Shovel that's not real loud.

He knows many guys run straight pipes on Shovels and doesn't want to go that route but he also doesnt want to give up any horsepower if possible.

Any recommendations?

[frisco-rigid]

Hi Buzz

I'm still impressed with the Kromewerks AR-100's I put on the 120"..
Darn good power and not much noise..

That is until I cut them up to experiment with..

In my experience a good generic muff will work good on shovel as well as on a big EVO ..

[chrispfryd]

I have had basically the same question. I have a 76 FLH with drag pipes (no low end power) would like to switch to a 2 into 1 performance pipe only I haven't been able to find any to fit.

I don't mind doing custom mounting but not sure what pipes would mount to the shovel motor and still clear the frame and battery box.

any suggestions would be appreciated.

[frisco-rigid]

Hey Chrisp

I looked in a couple of my catalogs that I am sure used to have 2-1's for our Shovels but didn't see any except ThunderHeaders W/O floorboards, I bet you still run boards huh..
Anyway I have a whole group of catalogs I'll look in for you..

There is nothing preventing you fron slipping on a couple of good muffs on your drags.. Even if you need to fab a couple clamps or brackets heck you must do what you gotta do..

I've never bought a "set" of pipes or exhaust,, I always just bought drags then built up a system from there..

I know all of the research on exhaust shows that baffled pipes produces better power. However, when I bought my 81 Shovel FXEF it had 1 3/4" drags on it. The bike pulled like a freight train. The motor has 10 over stock compression ratio pistons and stock everything else. I have since changed it to an FLH. FLH fenders, front fork, floorboards, 5 gallon tanks etc. It still pulls like a freight train with the added weight and I am still running the drags with no baffles. The low end torque has always been great. If I was to put a quiet exhaust on I would put on the factory staggered duals with the cross over pipe. Then I would experiment with different slip on mufflers. 2 into 1 pipes might produce better power but none of them look nice at all. 2 cylinders 2 pipes. That is my opinion.