How do the Harleys do it?

IA Leo · Sep 23, 2011

I hear alot of unmuffled Harleys and they apparently go a lot of miles that way. In my experience when we took the muffler of the Case SC because it wouldn't fit under the machine shed door due to snow build-up, we often had to do a valve grind in the spring. I recently ran a 13 HP Tecumseh vertical shaft with a jury rigged Allis C muffler pointing away from my ears. Of course the whole works broke off at the manifold (too much vibration) so I continued mowing for another couple of hours and right away had bad plug fouling. So do unmuffled Harleys have valve problems? Would make me feel real good if they did
Leo

Dodgeit · Sep 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 09:28:13 09/23/11) I hear alot of unmuffled Harleys and they apparently go a lot of miles that way. In my experience when we took the muffler of the Case SC because it wouldn't fit under the machine shed door due to snow build-up, we often had to do a valve grind in the spring. I recently ran a 13 HP Tecumseh vertical shaft with a jury rigged Allis C muffler pointing away from my ears. Of course the whole works broke off at the manifold (too much vibration) so I continued mowing for another couple of hours and right away had bad plug fouling. So do unmuffled Harleys have valve problems? Would make me feel real good if they did
Leo

No problems at all. Not any different than running a tractor with out a muffler.

JMOR · Sep 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 10:28:13 09/23/11) I hear alot of unmuffled Harleys and they apparently go a lot of miles that way. In my experience when we took the muffler of the Case SC because it wouldn't fit under the machine shed door due to snow build-up, we often had to do a valve grind in the spring. I recently ran a 13 HP Tecumseh vertical shaft with a jury rigged Allis C muffler pointing away from my ears. Of course the whole works broke off at the manifold (too much vibration) so I continued mowing for another couple of hours and right away had bad plug fouling. So do unmuffled Harleys have valve problems? Would make me feel real good if they did
Leo

ll that is necessary is to have a few inches of pipe so as to not suck cold air back to the hot valve.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 23, 2011

The world is full of engines being run without mufflers. This is common on almost any competition engine. Performance dropped of in 2 strokes but 4 strokes that are healthy don't need mufflers. Your ears do, however.

Dean · Sep 23, 2011

Bingo.

Dean

SJ · Sep 23, 2011

Ive heard from Harley owners that the new EFI engines have to be dynoed with a new chip or MAP to open up the pipes and they dont have any problems after that.I hope to buy a new Harley next year.Yes I will open up the pipes somewhat because they sound like a sewing machine now.If Im gonna ride a Harley I want it to sound like one.Yeah I know this is a sore subject with a lot of folks these days.But Im not gonna make it crazy loud and I will show respect at certain times and areas.

Fritz Maurer · Sep 23, 2011

How DO the Harleys do it? How do they get away with making all that racket while there are signs posted in every small town in the U.S.A. prohibiting the use of your Jacobs engine brake (a potentially life-saving device) under the guise of a "noise ordinance"? Some of these guys spend several thousand dollars for these modifications, and in the end get dusted by a clapped-out KZ1000. Furthermore, the non-offensive riders have to take a black eye because of the good-time, plastic-banana maggot-infested, pot-smoking drunks

Rick Kr · Sep 23, 2011

12 years no valve job yet. But ear plugs and muffs for any extended driving.

oldtanker · Sep 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 08:32:42 09/23/11) How DO the Harleys do it? How do they get away with making all that racket while there are signs posted in every small town in the U.S.A. prohibiting the use of your Jacobs engine brake (a potentially life-saving device) under the guise of a "noise ordinance"? Some of these guys spend several thousand dollars for these modifications, and in the end get dusted by a clapped-out KZ1000. Furthermore, the non-offensive riders have to take a black eye because of the good-time, plastic-banana maggot-infested, pot-smoking drunks

It ain't about the speed.....it's about style!

Rick

Geo-TH,In · Sep 23, 2011

When I was a kid, my parents said that kids should be seen and not heard. Now the kids have grown up, they have become the "look at me now generation". They want to be HEARD AND SEEN.

Sean Feeney · Sep 23, 2011

Fritz KZ1000
That was over 25 years ago

Susuki Hayabusa, Ducati, are the current rockets

snoop-nc · Sep 23, 2011

...or even the difference between a 2 cyl. JD (unmuffled) vs. a smooth running & mufflered Farmall H. The JD's do have a unique sound!!

Rick...who likes em q-u-i-e-t !!

ohiojim · Sep 23, 2011

most need to be re-jetted for top performance, or run good

Traditional Farmer · Sep 23, 2011

Yea oil leaks are really cool(LOL)

Mike M · Sep 23, 2011

I hear lots of loud Harleys too. If I tried it in a truck or car I'd have a ticket for sure. I guess the cops are just scared of the biker gangs ?

I see a Harley at a stop light, it and it's owners just shaking away. I don't know how they can stand it ? I'll take a smooth idle any day.
2cyl JD don't vibrate unless someone puts the flywheel or clutch driver on wrong.
Deere used to demo them running blocked up on coke bottles.

Dean · Sep 23, 2011

Agreed, but those on the road today will still suck the headlights out of just about any HD.

Dean

PaGlenn · Sep 23, 2011

I like the sound of a Harley. Music to my ears. A
couple neighbors have them and ride by often.

gbs · Sep 23, 2011

just curious as to how an engine that fires 1,2,and coast a revolution could be so well balance to were it would sit and run upon drink bottles, don't ever remember any of the ones i ran being that smooth

Anonymous-0 · Sep 23, 2011

so what do harleys have???

Dick L · Sep 23, 2011

Probly need to look a little deeper for the fouled plug problem. I run those little Allis engines with straight pipes and have not had valve or fouled plug problems. I have had fouled plug problems on tractors with mufflers and the cause each time was rings.

showcrop · Sep 23, 2011

It's because they never go far. They can pi$$ off their quota of people in 10 miles, stop for something to eat then head home and never get it really warmed up.

barnE · Sep 23, 2011

Noise is to keep half asleep dummies from hitting you. On the older ones you increased size of pilot jet in carburetor same time as opening up muffler. No blue pipes and would run okay. I run 2 farmalls about 20 years no mufflers, no valve problems. No carb jet resizing. Fact is for long time didn't know tractors had mufflers. Ignorance is bliss, huh? Dave

jddriver · Sep 23, 2011

so your saying that the straight piped diesel pick ups are ok too.Loud pipes save live is stupid excuse I show straight pipe bikes no extra courtesey

Fritz Maurer · Sep 23, 2011

You're right about that, loud exhaust everywhere. But common sense must be exercised, particularly on snowmobiles, when they're run near houses late at night. The only way we can keep our riding areas is to be considerate of other people. For some reason, Harley riders seem to be immune to loss of privileges. Two thumbs up to you motorcyclists with stock exhaust. You are definitely an asset.

MO8N4ME · Sep 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 22:28:13 09/23/11) I hear alot of unmuffled Harleys and they apparently go a lot of miles that way. In my experience when we took the muffler of the Case SC because it wouldn't fit under the machine shed door due to snow build-up, we often had to do a valve grind in the spring. I recently ran a 13 HP Tecumseh vertical shaft with a jury rigged Allis C muffler pointing away from my ears. Of course the whole works broke off at the manifold (too much vibration) so I continued mowing for another couple of hours and right away had bad plug fouling. So do unmuffled Harleys have valve problems? Would make me feel real good if they did
Leo

Nope Harley’s don’t have valve problems. Generally if you remove a muffler or remove the baffles in the exhaust the fuel system needs to be richened up. Most times, not 100% of the time, but most times when a motor is un-muffled it releases the backpressure on the exhaust system……..more air out, more air in. When you have more air going thru the manifolds the fuel mixture needs to be increased to correct the air to fuel ratio.

IF……a manifold is broken or an engine is run without exhaust manifolds, the valves will bend/warp from being hot and then cool down to rapidly.

If your tractor muffler was removed and it allowed cold air or snow or rain to get to those hot valves, it might cause them to warp.

On the other hand………. You could have a lean condition from releasing the exhaust backpressure, but more often then not, it will start eating pistons because the cylinder is to hot from lack of cool fuel and the piston will have a burned hole or it seizes in the cylinder. That usually occurs before it burns valves although a burnt valve is also a possibility.

A lot of the Harley owners remove the factory exhaust and run straight pipes or high performance exhaust systems. The carburetor will need to be adjusted richer. If it is EFI, the control module needs to be reprogrammed to send the increase in fuel to the injector(s).

Why Rejet Carburetors

MarkB_MI · Sep 24, 2011

Harley engines are pretty understressed, much like a tractor engine.

As for why the cops leave Harleys with loud pipes alone, that should come as no surprise: Cops and Hawg riders have a lot in common; they're both usually fat, middle-aged white guys.

MO8N4ME · Sep 24, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:30:55 09/24/11) Harley engines are pretty understressed, much like a tractor engine.

As for why the cops leave Harleys with loud pipes alone, that should come as no surprise: Cops and Hawg riders have a lot in common; they're both usually fat, middle-aged white guys.

I know both quite well, cops and Harley riders. Your statement is false.

showcrop · Sep 24, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:00:05 09/23/11) Noise is to keep half asleep dummies from hitting you. On the older ones you increased size of pilot jet in carburetor same time as opening up muffler. No blue pipes and would run okay. I run 2 farmalls about 20 years no mufflers, no valve problems. No carb jet resizing. Fact is for long time didn't know tractors had mufflers. Ignorance is bliss, huh? Dave

hat is something I here a lot is that the noise keeps people from hitting them. Well, how does that work? We all know that 80% of the noise is behind them. I have rarely heard of any motorcycle being rear ended and if they were it would be because they are stopped or braking, and I don't believe that they are cranking them up while braking. So how does that work? And I have had my MC license for over 40 years and I used to compete.

bison · Sep 24, 2011

I'm sixty years old and turbo back straight piped (3 1/2")my 98 GMC 2500 with 6.5 diesel last may. 8)

Oh the sweet sound of it when i step on it

There's still some rebel left in me :twisted:
My wife says i'm nuts,...but she smiles while saying it. :wink:

IA Leo · Sep 24, 2011

At 76 years and thousands of dollars of hearing aids, I cannot appreciate the sounds of machinery I used to love: A muffled M Farmall under load, a John Deere 2 cyl doing its thing, a Ford industrial muffled laying into a welding generator load, my old 56 Chevy Wagon with normal cheap mufflers (dual exhaust V8 running with the rear window open)...what a cool sound. In the 1950's a Chevy or Chrysler six with split manifolds and glass-packs was a sweet sound. It was near rapture to stand by the John Deere V8 used on powershift transmission in the test dynos under full load, manifolds cherry red, of course the exhaust was piped through the roof. And the reasonably muffled Harleys are sweet. But feeding hot exhaust out a straight pipe to everyone else is a sound "finger" to any innocent bystanders who neither appreciate nor deserve it. Ah, well it seems to take all kinds....Leo

MarkB_MI · Sep 24, 2011

MO8, thanks for setting me straight.

So tell me, are your young, thin, non-white friends all in law enforcement, or all they all Harley owners?

36 Coupe · Sep 25, 2011

Friend closed a snow mobile trail that ran very close to his house.He said too many riders didnt know enough to go easy late at night.Motor cycle noise is awful now.Couldnt do it 50 years ago.Its a pleasure to hear a quiet bike go by, brings back good memories of good friends and better days for me.The blatting roaring bikes make me wonder whats wrong with the current bunch of riders.You can hear some bikes comming from 3 miles away here.Some bikes will cause pain in your ears when they pass by at 10 feet.

How do the Harleys do it?

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