2013 V7 Special

[roofus]

I just picked up my 2013 V7 Special at the dealer a short time ago. I purchased it last year at the end of the riding season so yesterday was my first trip. It's a real looker and the previous owner had done a lot of upgrades including Mistral reverse cone mufflers. It only had 48km on the clock because the previous owner decided he wanted a bigger bike and traded it on a Griso after only one ride!

When I fired it up I got a surprise because the Mistrals had the dB killers removed. It sounded like a Harley!!! When I revved it up the ground was shaking!

However, when I went out for a ride I started to like the rumble, especially when accelerating. I could feel my IQ start dropping as I roared around terrorizing the neighbourhood!

I have this strange urge to buy a beanie helmet and chaps with fringes and fingerless gloves!!!! Is this normal???? Is there a cure??

[Vasco DG]

Yes, stick the dB killers back in or revert to the factory pipes. Disconnect the battery for a few seconds to clear the trims and then go for a longish ride. By the time you get home you will if forgotten the annoying racket. Your neigbors may take a bit longer to forgive you.

Pete

[JeffOlson]

Looks and sound are important to our riding experience, and it is important to like what we ride. You have nice silencers. I suggest you give it a try both ways. Now that you have heard and experienced what they sound like without the DB killers, try riding it with the DB killers installed. (Do what Pete suggested re the battery.) You might find that the bike actually runs better, and your ears might prefer the more subdued sound.

Also, and it is hard to know without actually swapping cans, but your stock cans may be louder than the after-market cans with their DB killers installed. Maybe not. Even so, you mIght prefer the tone of the exhaust better with the after-market cans, even with their DB killers installed. On my Norge, my stock can is louder than my Agostini can with the DB killer installed but quieter than the Agostini can sans DB Killer.

[bpreynolds]

Congrats.  Fantastic bike.  Ride it how you want and most enjoy.  And also,  :PICS!:

[roofus]

Congrats.  Fantastic bike.  Ride it how you want and most enjoy.  And also,  :PICS!:

Here you go:

http://thedonald.smugmug.com/Bikes/i-h8d3sDv/0/L/IMG_0172%20%281%29-L.jpg

[JeffOlson]

That's beautiful! Congrats!

[drlapo]

too bad about the wrapped head pipes, can you save them?

[roofus]

too bad about the wrapped head pipes, can you save them?

I am sure if I unwrapped them they would be blue . . . or turn blue . . . I only have 350km on the clock so far. I am not sure if I will leave the wrapping on or not. I would have preferred white wrap rather than grey. The previous owner put it on. I can take it or leave it.

[Kev m]

I think it looks fine.

[salf]

Your bike looks great!! A V7 stone is on my short list.  :bike

[leafman60]

Nice-looking bike.  Enjoy those Mistrals and ignore the old fuddy-duds telling you to reinstall the wimpy stock pipes.  Good lord.  Sounds like a Real Motorcycle!

[LaGrasta]

Congrats. I really like the mods, wouldn't change any.

As for the DB Killers, I recently removed mine for the first time ever. I love the sound, not reinstalling them anytime soon. Braaaapppp!

[JeffOlson]

I agree: DB killers are fun killers!

[John A]

Kids. Haven't lost hearing yet. Loud exhaust is fatiguing on long rides as it destroys your hearing. On the upside you won't have to spend more than 15 bucks on a stereo system to enjoy the full sound!

[JeffOlson]

^ Ha ha!

Well, a little fun never hurt anyone! (What? I can't hear you.)  ;)

Honestly, our bikes are nowhere near as loud as the vast majority of the Harley-Davidsons I see (and hear) at my H-D/Triumph dealership. They are not even as loud as my Triumph Thruxton with British Custom Predators or my Ducati ST2. They are just loud enough to hear and feel and enjoy.

[Yukonica]

I have had about 1000km personal experience with Mistrals (shorties) without DB killers on a 2013 V7S. Bike is certainly loud... no mistake. Love the look of the short pipes.
It also ran like crap at anything under 4000rpm. This was especially irksome riding around town. It felt like I was riding down the street screaming 'look at me!'
My pipes came direct from the factory without DB killers. I've re-installed the stock pipes until the killers I ordered from US arrive.
By the way; I like your red/white better than my black/yellow. It suits the nature of the bike better.

[roofus]

I have had about 1000km personal experience with Mistrals (shorties) without DB killers on a 2013 V7S. Bike is certainly loud... no mistake. Love the look of the short pipes.
It also ran like crap at anything under 4000rpm. This was especially irksome riding around town. It felt like I was riding down the street screaming 'look at me!'
My pipes came direct from the factory without DB killers. I've re-installed the stock pipes until the killers I ordered from US arrive.
By the way; I like your red/white better than my black/yellow. It suits the nature of the bike better.

Thanks for the compliment!

The photo doesn't quite do justice to the red colour. It has a bit of brown in the red, so it's almost a cinnamon colour in bright sunlight . . . .and slightly metallic. I have had a lot of compliments about it in a short time.

I put the dB killers back in the other day and reset the trim as Pete described. Oddly enough the dB killers didn't make much difference in the noise level. I have a dB meter and I should have taken some before and after measurements but I didn't. The bike is much louder than my 2010 Cafe which has the same Mistral pipes. It's an earlier version of the V7 engine but that shouldn't make much difference?

However, I rode past a police car parked by the roadside the other day . . . with no db killers in and he didn't give me a second look!

[JeffOlson]

I don't know how Harley riders get away with it. Your bike, even without mufflers, could not be as loud as many Harleys...