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[glens]

I hadn't ridden for nearly 20 years when I became aware of the '07 Road King Classic and bought one in June of that year.  Since then I've "upgraded" to an '09 Ultra Classic and to replace that after a deer used it to commit suicide a '12 Ultra Classic.  The '07 had a "standard" muffler on the right with two tubes, one from each end, overlapping in the middle.  The left side was basically a hollow can with a thin layer of insulation around a wire screen lining the inside of the can and with an outlet configured (what appears to be) exactly like is shown in this thread.

The '09 had a different headpipe setup but each muffler internally was exactly like those from '07.

The '12 has the same headpipe configuration as the '09 except there's a catalyst in the "collector" chamber.  Both mufflers are configured just like the previous left-side mufflers were.  Just an empty can with some sound deadening lining the interior of the shell and an outlet (which appears to be) exactly as show in this thread.

Of course I removed that short outlet tube from the left muffler from one of the old sets, and the "standard" guts from the right (which also had the can lined with insulation the same as the left) to install the Fullsac cores.  If I'd merely remove the outlet tube as shown in this thread, it would've been quite loud, I'm sure, even if I'd left the cat'd headpipe installed.  How differently the CVO mufflers are configured internally is unknown to me.

About that EPA stamp on the muffler and it thereby being still legal...  Sorry to say that would not be the case.  The stamp is only good so long as the muffler remains unmodified in any way.  Once it's modified, the stamp is invalid and it falls outside the realm of "legal".  I don't like it any better than anyone else, but that's the way it is.

[Forrest]

My 2011 CVO street glide exhaust looks nothing like this. Any suggestions?

[RoadRunnr]

My core also looks different, I forgot to take before pictures, but here is what they look like now.
I removed about half the fiberglass

[RoadRunnr]

and drilled holes, as well as cut out two sections to allow a straight through path.

[RoadRunnr]

Here is a close up of the section cut out.

[RoadRunnr]

Here is a look through the core, when all on the bike, it looks stock, but sure isn't as quiet as it was.
I like the sound now, but will sound better once I put on the fullsac 2.25" cores and headers.

[Unbalanced]

How well does the stock ECM handle the change?

Does this cause a loss of back pressure and torque?

I would assume the emissions are still within EPA limits?

This doesn't help with any of the heat issues on the 110s, tho.

I'll be interested to hear what the CVO Ninjas (Jerry, Don, Hillside, Dewey's) have to say...

While not knocking anyone listed here, I would be interested in what Steve Cole has to say about it, as he is the developer.

Don't recall where, but I thought I read/heard that the ECM was capable of up to a 5% compensation for changes

[Midnight Rider]

Yep, the cores in my '11 SERGU looked like the ones in Roadrunners pictures, before he modded them.  They now have Fullsac 2" cores in them.  I would assume the '10 models are the same.

But, on a '12 this appears to be a viable alternative to replacing the whole core.  As far as the ECM is concerned, this would be like putting a pair of slip on mufflers, which in theory does not require a new map.  Asside from the noise level violation regarding EPA regs, I would assume the emissions would be virtually the same.

I wonder what his mod would sound like with a stock head pipe that has the cat removed?  Of course, that would require a modification to the ECM to run right.

[Steve Cole]

Without doing some testing, here are just a few thoughts. By removing the restriction you have increased the flow through the CAT and the exhaust systems and reduced the back pressure. Does this violate the Law, yep in most states it does. Anyone going to say anything to you provided you ride nice, No. Now as for what it will do to the ECM is unknown but the ECM can handle a change of about 8 - 10 % max. in fuel requirements. So I would assume with No other changes you would be OK but if you got a good running bike from HD it will not, as they were already using part of that 8 - 10% before your modification.

[ultrarider123]

All great comments and after posting this, I've looked into three different CVO's of local folks in the Knoxville, TN area.  The stock 2010 SESG I viewed has a core that is different than the one in my 2012 FLHXSE3.  Funny, however, that the two other bikes were both 2011's (SERG and SESG) and both were stock (at least so far...) and one had the internals similar to the 2010.  The other one (and yep, I checked...it was made closer to the end of the 2011 model year) looked just like mine.  Looks like the motor company made a mid-cycle change sometime in 2011 to the current muffler configuration.

I've looked at three new 2012 CVO's (Ultra and two Road Glides) and they all had the same config as my CVO so please review/look at your muffler before starting this (or any) project as some of the details for modifications on a thread may not match what is staring you in the face.

As for the ECM, yes, they are designed for modest modifications without any changes to the programing.  This would be a modest mod.

Some follow-up from the last bike I worked on using this procedure.  At first he was hoping for a bit louder result.  However, when he was riding behind mine last weekend, he noted just how much better it sounded.  As he was use to a V&H system on his wide glide where the exhaust was right under his right ear, he realized all the sound on his SERG was way behind him.  He was pleased after hearing and riding behind another bike.  Again, no money out of pocket for this mod.  It's not for everyone but it's a very inexpensive way to make a modest noise change.  If not loud enough, there are plenty of vendors out there ready to take your money.  My opinion and the route I would go if I were to make any addition mods were to go with the Fullsac system.  I like the idea of looking stock but not sounding that way.  Thanks for all the great comments

[mtkajoe]

Just did this modification to my stock 2012 flhtcu, what a differnce! My stock pipes were slightly different. I used a 1-3/8" bimetal hole saw from home depot. $9.95. What a difference! Bike runs cooler and sound, well like it should.
thanks for sharing.

[..Hawk]

Nice option mtkajoe,  any chance of seeing a photo of the completed work?

[Bowman1836]

Well I know what I'll be doing later this week  nice write up thanks for the info. Now let me ask this. What would it hurt to remove the baffles completely ? Can you run the bike without them in ?

[RoadRunnr]

Well I know what I'll be doing later this week  nice write up thanks for the info. Now let me ask this. What would it hurt to remove the baffles completely ? Can you run the bike without them in ?

i did for about a week, in several configurations, by removing the cores and fiberglass, it was pretty loud, a little too loud for me. with no fiberglass and the cores in, it was a little too tinny sounding, I kinda like the present config as shown in the pictures I posted. I still plan on doing the FullSac 2.25 inch cores to get a deeper sound.

[Bowman1836]

i did for about a week, in several configurations, by removing the cores and fiberglass, it was pretty loud, a little too loud for me. with no fiberglass and the cores in, it was a little too tinny sounding, I kinda like the present config as shown in the pictures I posted. I still plan on doing the FullSac 2.25 inch cores to get a deeper sound.

Cool so it wouldn't hurt the bike to run it with no baffles or packing?