Mistral DB Killers: To Drill, or Not to Drill

[Kane]

Hey folks,

I am curious if people like to drill out the cap end of their DB killers or leave them closed. I know it’s a matter of adding flow and opening up the sound more, without going all the way to no baffle. I have been enjoying a pair of Mistral slip-ons that I acquired recently from a forum bro. He had drilled a 1/2” hole in the cap end of the DB killers. With these Installed the bike sounds great, a healthy bark, and it runs great, too. There is some popping coming off the gas, so I figured that it was running a little lean. Out of curiously I ordered a pair of the stock Mistral DB killers with solid undrilled end caps. After removing the original drilled DB kIllers I ran the bike sans baffles, and it sounds like Holy Thunder! I felt like I was a kid back at the Fremont drag strip! However, I don’t think my quaint tidy little neighbors will like me anymore if I were to run it like that, especially as I get up pretty early. Then to the new undrilled closed cap DB killers, and went for a ride. The bike does not sound that much quieter, but the bark and percussive tone of the drilled baffles is muted. I also was surprised that with the closed end baffles it’s still doing the lean popping when coming off the throttle.  From the short time that I have run it with the closed end baffles I can’t say for sure if there’s a difference in torque or power between the two. I am Interested to see if the stock baffles give the bike more mid-range torque, that’s one of the reasons that I wanted to try them, but I need to live with them a bit more. I can say for sure that going from the stock mufflers to the Mistrals as they came with the drilled baffles was an improvement in how the bike runs, albeit sounding a bit lean.

So, as I am testing the two versions of baffles, I would love to hear how you all feel about this. If you feel that one way or the other is the better way to go in terms of the bike’s performance. Cheers!

[footgoose]

I can't make a fair comment as I don't run baffles and would recommend leaving them out. I take it easy around the house and the neighbors make plenty of noise so that's a wash. I'd be tempted to make the half inch hole a lot bigger since I'm playin anyway. Make sure the rest of the exhaust system has no leaks, at the head too.

[Kane]

Thank you. I’m going to take some time and test the three modes of bafflement I have on hand more thoroughly; i.e., full baffle, reduced baffle, and no baffle. I think I got a little scared by the glorious roar of the V11 engine running on unbaffled Mistrals. I was under a carport roof, and that likely pumped up the sound. On the open road, surrounded by all the straight piped Harleys and street racing Hyundais and Hondas with their glorified lawnmoweresque exhaust tone that we have around here, it might not be so bad.

[guzzler]

I also have Mistral carbon cans with no baffles!

Really don't think the sound is offensive at all, in fact I love it.

My wife who is not into bikes in any way also thinks the greenie sounds really good too!

And she winces when ever the shotgun piped /unbaffled  Harleys go past as well so does know the difference eh.

Cheers Guzzler