Hello all!
I have been looking all over the place (Internet) for aftermarket exhausts for my 99 Magna. The only ones I have seen that are still being made are the Cobra slip-ons. My main question is: Are the Cobra slips worth it? Do they add to the performance? Make it sound deeper? I was really wanting the Jardine straight pipes, but that idea has since went out the window with my recent discovery. :-(
In my opinion the best sounding exhaust was the Vance and Hines, but they were glass packs. I don't think straight pipes on a Magna sound deeper. They just sound louder... Really loud. Lawrence has the Cobra slash cuts and can let you know they sound.
The dyno runs I've heard of show a little bit more power with free-er flowing exhaust. I think it used to be said that with K&N, rejetting, and aftermarket exhaust you could go from 76 to 82 HP. I had that set up for awhile. And while the Magna had more top end power, the power curve wasn't as smooth. I've actually gone back to stock exhaust and jetting and enjoy riding the bike more because I don't have to ring it out all the time.
But if you want to try aftermarket exhaust Cobra is going to be your only affordable option I believe.
I have had Cobras twice and don't care for the sound, if that is your only option it will give you more sound than the stock. I have a set of Vance and Hines I put on every now and than but they do get loud (where it hurts my ears) on the highway.
The second Magna I bought (out of a guy's garage who had put it down and was afraid of it) had some off brand loud pipes. When I reconfigured the two bikes to take advantage of the lower mileage and not-leaking-oil-from-the-top engine in the second one, I switched the Cobras to the bike I ride most. They are loud, but not nearly so loud as the Vance and Hines that Terry references.
I am already mostly deaf, and replace my hearing aids with foam ear plugs when I ride to protect what little hearing I have left. (No, I didn't lose the hearing with loud pipes -- spent a day in a closed garage with a nail gun building a raised floor for a disabled friend --without protection -- max stupid, I agree, but I have never found the "rewind" button of life.)
I have never ridden with stock pipes. I think if either bike had come with them, I would be riding them. I did rebuild the carbs, install K&H filters, and I love the acceleration that either bike provides. They did run too lean, with popping on deceleration, as they came to me with stock filter and carbs, but free-er flowing exhaust.
If someone offered to trade me for stock pipes, would I do it? Naaahh, don't think so. Too much work to undo the carbs, and I am quite accustomed to the loud pipes after 50,000 miles or so...
Your other choice is either to remove the resonators (Look on the Tips and Tricks page) or just drill the end plates.
I drilled 2x 3/8" holes in my yellow bike went to to 42 on the idle jets and up one size with the main jets. with one shim..
It ran best with a stock filter, and the bike had a lot more zip and pulled well at anything over 4K..
On my newer bike I went with three larger holes and wish I had gone with just 2. I will probably have to go up another main jet size to get to where I'd like to be..
The bike is louder, but not obnoxious. It is the cheaper route to go.
IF you want the bike to sound like a Harley.. Buy a Harley! Porsche's don't sound like Corvettes and they never will..
You can't make 4 tiny pistons sound like 2 big pistons.. Can't be done...
Hoot's right. The V4 will never sound like a Vtwin. But if you have a nice set of stock pipes and you want to try the muffler mod, let me know. I have a nice set of stock pipes that have already been modified and I will trade them out for a clean set of stock pipes.