Bonafide
NBR founder
Original author is kdlutes
Step 1 is to drill through the flange at the end of the baffle (figure 1a and 1b). I used a 1 1/4" hole saw in my variable speed, reversible drill. I originally bought the hole saw from Ace hardware to drill a hole in a stainless steel sink. Just chuck it up, stick in the end of the pipe, and drill until you get through the flange. Took me < 30 seconds per pipe.
see images 1 & 2
Step 2 is to break the two welds holding the inside of the baffle. As others suggested, I held a socket with channel locks against the flange I just finished drilling through, then I hit the socket with a hammer a few times (see Figure 2).
see image 3
(That’s chrome-plated channel locks holding a chrome-plated socket in the end of chrome-plated pipe in front of a chrome-plated wheel. Too bad my driveway isn’t chrome-plated.)
I didn’t feel the welds snap when hitting with the hammer. Rather I could just see the socket slowly going into the end of the silencer with each hit. I used a 15/16†socket because that’s the first one I grabbed that fit over the end of the baffle's pipe. I think I should have used a slightly smaller socket because the 15/16" socket just fit over the flange I just cut with the hole saw and the socket got stuck on one of the pipes.
Step 3 is to remove the baffles. Most of the other instructions I've read said to use needle-nose pliers or something to remove the insulation, then drill more holes for the broken welds to come through. But I read one post that suggested using a 13/16†EZ-out and the whole thing would come out in one piece. I don’t have that big of an EZ-out but this technique sounded much easier than drilling more holes. I figured I could find something that would fit in my dill that I could wedge into the end of the baffle pipe. I found that a 3/4" spade bit fit right in there. To give the spade bit something to grab onto, I used needle-nose vice grips to de-round the end of the pipe (see blurry Figure 3a). see image 4
I stuck the spade bit in the de-rounded pipe, held on tight to the drill, and pulled the trigger. After a few spins forward and backward, I started to pull and the baffle pipe, with the insulation and the wire wrap, came out pretty much in one piece. It seemed to come out easier with the drill running forward (see Figure 3b). see image 5
Figure 3c shows the baffle after I was able to pull everything out. see image 6
Figure 4 shows the two inner welds that had to be busted in step 2. see image 7
The sound difference isn't huge, but they seem more "growly" without the baffle and at least you can hear the pipes over the engine noise now. I'm happy with the results and this was the easiest mod I've done except for removing the reflectors off the rear fender.
I recommend listening to your pipes from the back before and after the mod. If no one is around, point your pipes at the side of your house or run inside your garage for a minute or so. I think the bafflectomy does change the sound but sitting on the bike you mostly hear engine noise.
**** RodBurner Tip –
When you drill thru the end of the pipe, you are removing the core only. Right inside the end of the pipe there is still a short piece of baffle that is under the rolled chrome lip of the pipe. After a while, mine started to rattle a bit. I drifted them forward and got a punch under the little rings of metal, deformed them and removed them with pliers. They make the pipes opening look even bigger. You can see the rusty pipe in fig.2 surrounding your socket. Good improvisation on my EZ-out too.
***** Koifarm Tip –
When doing the bafflectomy, especially the grinding with the hole saw part, cover your bike and especially the tire/rim with a drop cloth. When you grind, small metal particles land everywhere and if they end up on your rims, spokes or any unpainted metal, they will rust within a day’s time.
Use a dust mask for the same reason. Sweep up under the mufflers after you are through or better yet, vacuum the dust up.
I used a "remgrit" 1 1/4 inch carbide grinding tool which you can find at home depot or lowes. The cost on those is only about $7 and it works to grind rather than cut it's way through the pipe.
On the 07(mine) the baffle is shorter than the 06's.
I've enclosed a pic to help you see the difference. see image 8
Step 1 is to drill through the flange at the end of the baffle (figure 1a and 1b). I used a 1 1/4" hole saw in my variable speed, reversible drill. I originally bought the hole saw from Ace hardware to drill a hole in a stainless steel sink. Just chuck it up, stick in the end of the pipe, and drill until you get through the flange. Took me < 30 seconds per pipe.
see images 1 & 2
Step 2 is to break the two welds holding the inside of the baffle. As others suggested, I held a socket with channel locks against the flange I just finished drilling through, then I hit the socket with a hammer a few times (see Figure 2).
see image 3
(That’s chrome-plated channel locks holding a chrome-plated socket in the end of chrome-plated pipe in front of a chrome-plated wheel. Too bad my driveway isn’t chrome-plated.)
I didn’t feel the welds snap when hitting with the hammer. Rather I could just see the socket slowly going into the end of the silencer with each hit. I used a 15/16†socket because that’s the first one I grabbed that fit over the end of the baffle's pipe. I think I should have used a slightly smaller socket because the 15/16" socket just fit over the flange I just cut with the hole saw and the socket got stuck on one of the pipes.
Step 3 is to remove the baffles. Most of the other instructions I've read said to use needle-nose pliers or something to remove the insulation, then drill more holes for the broken welds to come through. But I read one post that suggested using a 13/16†EZ-out and the whole thing would come out in one piece. I don’t have that big of an EZ-out but this technique sounded much easier than drilling more holes. I figured I could find something that would fit in my dill that I could wedge into the end of the baffle pipe. I found that a 3/4" spade bit fit right in there. To give the spade bit something to grab onto, I used needle-nose vice grips to de-round the end of the pipe (see blurry Figure 3a). see image 4
I stuck the spade bit in the de-rounded pipe, held on tight to the drill, and pulled the trigger. After a few spins forward and backward, I started to pull and the baffle pipe, with the insulation and the wire wrap, came out pretty much in one piece. It seemed to come out easier with the drill running forward (see Figure 3b). see image 5
Figure 3c shows the baffle after I was able to pull everything out. see image 6
Figure 4 shows the two inner welds that had to be busted in step 2. see image 7
The sound difference isn't huge, but they seem more "growly" without the baffle and at least you can hear the pipes over the engine noise now. I'm happy with the results and this was the easiest mod I've done except for removing the reflectors off the rear fender.
I recommend listening to your pipes from the back before and after the mod. If no one is around, point your pipes at the side of your house or run inside your garage for a minute or so. I think the bafflectomy does change the sound but sitting on the bike you mostly hear engine noise.
**** RodBurner Tip –
When you drill thru the end of the pipe, you are removing the core only. Right inside the end of the pipe there is still a short piece of baffle that is under the rolled chrome lip of the pipe. After a while, mine started to rattle a bit. I drifted them forward and got a punch under the little rings of metal, deformed them and removed them with pliers. They make the pipes opening look even bigger. You can see the rusty pipe in fig.2 surrounding your socket. Good improvisation on my EZ-out too.
***** Koifarm Tip –
When doing the bafflectomy, especially the grinding with the hole saw part, cover your bike and especially the tire/rim with a drop cloth. When you grind, small metal particles land everywhere and if they end up on your rims, spokes or any unpainted metal, they will rust within a day’s time.
Use a dust mask for the same reason. Sweep up under the mufflers after you are through or better yet, vacuum the dust up.
I used a "remgrit" 1 1/4 inch carbide grinding tool which you can find at home depot or lowes. The cost on those is only about $7 and it works to grind rather than cut it's way through the pipe.
On the 07(mine) the baffle is shorter than the 06's.
I've enclosed a pic to help you see the difference. see image 8
