Bobber exhaust ideas

[underwel]

I just bought a bobber project that was starting, I'm guessing, in the 1960s. An old guy bought it in the late 1960s and basically just rolled it in his garage where it has sat since at least 1969. I feel it is a 1950 FL roller with a 1947 FL engine. I'd like to keep it as close to original as I found it but I'd like to do something with the exhaust. It appears to just have some pipe welded together on there now. Any ideas on what exhaust someone would have used back in those days of building bobbers? Stock? Aftermarket? Thanks for any advice or opinions!

[Rollo]

I have a 46 knuckle bobber that I have had for almost 50 years and when I bought and for the first couple of years it had "goose tip" turn out straight pipes. They kept snagging and coming out of the front head so I switched to stock header pipes with the stock squish pipe and then a buddy gas welded a Superior shorty muffler I had to it and that is what is still on it today. Sounds good but gets over the old issue of having mufflers or baffles on the pipes which back in the day was a constant issue and getting pulled over for. Short, sweet and to the point. Good luck!

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA #12766

[RichO]

Endless possibilities. Some run dual shotguns with either cocktail shaker mufflers or cowbell tips, etc. Some like mine run a single as it is one more thing you don't have to worry about (the extra muffler). I took a stock rear pipe saddle and added it to a shotgun rear bottom pipe for the rear head pipe tie in with a cocktail shaker muffler on it. More ground clearance and low end grunt. Not bad in the middle either. Good luck!

[govmule84]

I used a repop factory setup and made a little turnout. Seems to work OK.

[T. Cotten]

... It appears to just have some pipe welded together on there now. Any ideas on what exhaust someone would have used back in those days of building bobbers?..

I like just some pipe welded together, Underwel!

Especially duals.

DIXIE Superior 'shot guns' were popular.

....Cotten

[kitabel]

One factor to consider: do you have enough ground clearance (large front tire diameter, extended front end) to use a "drag pipe" that fits under the frame and will reduce cornering clearance, or are you limited to an original-type head pipe + "squash pipe" that fits between the engine and frame rail?

[underwel]

The bike has a stock hydra glide front end with 16" rims. I may be limited to the squash pipe.

[underwel]

Current setup

[exeric]

I used a repop factory setup and made a little turnout. Seems to work OK.

Geeze, Liam, your knucklehead looks fantastic. I remember when you first posted pictures of it when it was in process, but holy cow, you have really made some progress !

[govmule84]

Current setup

I kind of dig it. Yeah, it's hokey, but it's memorable and looks like it blends in well with the rest of what I can see. I have a set of real, real old crunchy drag pipes that would look right at home on that mo'sheen. (Not for sale... wouldn't even pay to ship them. But I bet you could find a set real affordable at a swap.)

Geeze, Liam, your knucklehead looks fantastic. I remember when you first posted pictures of it when it was in process, but holy cow, you have really made some progress !

I finished that bike up in... late '17? '18? It's been done for a while. Been riding it around. I really, really like it.

[underwel]

Thanks everyone for the Advice!

[Rubone]

I save all the bent and scraped pipes I run across for nothing as they make good donors for odd bends, sweeping curves, and flanges/ends. On custom stuff I just cut them up and weld them back together in whatever shape I feel like. There are also catalogs of various bends available to the good auto parts stores and I have bought raw stock from them as well.

[govmule84]

I do those same things. My little tailpipe you see up there is a cut down automotive reducer. It's held on with the exhaust clamp from a 2013 Street Glide.

#nota99pointer

[JohnA]

nice fish tail

[T. Cotten]

The only thing worse than riding next to sharktails, Folks,...

Is megaphones.

Trying to tune sharktails is a close third.

....Cotten
PS: Anybody want me to bring these to Dport?
(Better let me know very very sooon....)