Since 1903 the young upstart Harley-Davidson Motor Company has been focused on being the number one motorcycle company in performance, endurance and style. The “potato-potato” sound of a big v-twin engine has become a soundtrack for American Freedom of the Road. From Daytona Beach, Florida through Sturgis, South Dakota and Hollister, California you hear the historic rumble of biker rallys. The root vegetable sound rarely carries south of Hollister in the foothills of the California Coastal Range at the historic Laguna Seca Raceway just east of sleepy Carmel-By-The-Sea.
The weather was just right on the starting line in late October of 2020. Normally you would hear the whine of MotoGP sport bikes. Not today. Today it’s that rough and tumble roll of big-bore American V-Twins. The buzzards sitting in the oak trees on the rolling hills wake up and scurry east. Whales off the coast of Monterey head for deeper waters. And the clouds part. 12 insanely customized saddlebagged cruisers get ready on the starting line pointing towards the viscous downhill corkscrew dropping 5 ½ stories in a matter of 400+ feet. It’s the classic battle of Indian v Harley. In this first ever “King of the Baggers” race touring bikes are hittind a buck and a quarter as they dive in unimaginable lean to the maneuver a turn with another 700 pound beast right on your tail. That’s how the ridiculous notion bagger racing was first premiered.
It all started when a handful of moto-aftermarket companies got together in the Elks Club in swanky Newport Beach, California and invited Fred Fox then chairman of the LeMans Corporation to discuss the wild concept. A few logistical items later, the beginning of a pandemic and the event goes past the hurdles and is an instant hit.
Today the racers go at it to win a 5-digit purse and bragging rights. Or shoud I say Bagging Rites! In 2022 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship is running on 6 tracks from New Jersey to California. (See schedule below). Now that we have wet your appetite, what how about beefing up that exhaust with our “No Holds Barred” NhB exhaust for baggers!
Burns Stainless has developed an exhaust system unique enough to complement the classic styling of the Harley-Davidson. Burns background in performance is highlighted on this exhaust with horsepower and torque gains. The systems are all handcrafted in the USA with all the TIG welds being perfected by hand. It has been designed and tuned for max torque and increased horsepower.
Proper Port Fitting Design
Due to the high velocity at the exhaust port, it is imperative that the flow be unobstructed. We have seen as much as a 5% loss of power for poorly matched headers and ports. To ensure proper flow, Burns has designed port fittings that properly align the exhaust header to the port. Also, the exacting dimensions of the fitting allows for better, more repeatable fabrication ensuring a proper fit on the motorcycle. On the Milwaukee 8 system, we have engineered a CNC machined fitting to improve the fitment of the pipes.
Stepped Primaries
By keeping the header size close to the exhaust port size, exhaust gas velocity is kept high at the port reducing the possibility of reversion. This is especially important with the unequal firing impulses inherent to the V-Twin single pin crank arrangement. Enlarging the tube with stepped pipes ensures that wall drag losses are minimized keeping the exhaust potential available for maximum power but also allowing for broad power band.
Collector Design
The 2-into-one collector helps minimize exhaust reversion while helping to scavenge the exhaust cylinder during each exhaust cycle. The efficient scavenging of the cylinder during the exhaust and overlap period allows for the maximum amount of air and fuel in the cylinder assuring maximum power.
Muffler
The Burns megaphone muffler provides the Pro-Stock appearance of the exhaust while maximizing performance and reducing the sound of the exhaust. The deep, mellow sound is a by product of the specially designed core perforations.
The small holes provide effective damping of sound waves while allowing for a smooth bore minimizing drag losses and improving power output.
