While the performance grade complete exhaust systems offer both power and sound enhancement, many builders just stay stick to their stock systems with only changing the slip-on mufflers.
The slip-on mufflers create exceptional sounds with the best chrome or black finish to complement the stock exhausts while you may get a slight performance upgrade. However, they’re significantly cheaper than the performance systems which might be another reason to go for those.
This article brings the best sounding slip-ons for 2017 Street Glide with a detailed buying guide so that you get the perfect one for your beautiful ride.
Before getting into the review section, get an initial impression of the products on my list:
1. Vance and Hines 16672 Twin Slash: Best Overall
- All-mechanical straight through louvered baffle
- Completely blue-proof having full-coverage heat shields
- Distinctive twin slash end treatment
- Improves sound quality and performance
- Sold in pairs unless noted
2. Rinehart Racing 4″ Chrome Slip-Ons: Runner Up
- Best sounding slip ons for M8 engine
- Offers Rinehart’s signature chrome or black mufflers with black or chrome end caps
- Includes 2.5″ performance baffles
- Perfect for the Ultra-Limited models
- Backed with a lifetime warranty
3. SHARKROAD 4.4″ Slip-On Muffler: Best Budget
- Delivers premium deep tone and aggressive sound
- Removeable end tips and baffle
- CNC end tips come in different designs & easily replaceable
- Includes all hardware for easy installation
4. Cobra 4″ Neighbor Hater: Best Value for Money
- 8-inch spiraled louvered-core baffles produce an aggressive bark
- Trumpet-shaped inner tips work with the rolled muffler tips
- 4-inch tubes bell out to 4-1/2-inch for a classic rear look
- Available in chrome or black
- Manufacturer’s lifetime warranty
5. Vance & Hines Eliminator 400: Most Stylish Muffler
- CNC machined billet end caps
- Large 4-inch round muffler body
- Removable baffles
- Fits Saddlebags with extended skirts
- Optional quiet baffles available
Best Sounding Slip-Ons For 2017 Street Glide: My Honest Review
Harley slip on mufflers for 2017 Street Glide should provide the best noise and enhance the ride’s performance. There’re several mufflers available on the market from which I listed the best ones so that you don’t end up buying the wrong one. Here’s a detailed review of all of the products on my list.
1. Vance and Hines 16672 Twin Slash: Best Overall
Diameter: 4-inch
Weight: 23.8 pounds
Material: Stainless Steel
Finish: Chrome
Style: Straight
Vance & Hines is one of the most popular manufacturers for aftermarket parts. The Twin Slash Round 4-inch slip-on exhaust is no exception to that maintaining a pleasant sound. The high-quality muffler fits 2017 and up Street Glide models.
Aesthetics
The Vance & Hines 16672 offers a classic look that perfectly complements Harley Touring models. The 4-inch round bodies with twin-slash end tips enhance the beauty of your premium ride.
More Power and Throttle Response
The twin slash Vance and Hines slip-ons offer an all-mechanical straight-through louvered baffle that helps to generate more power along with a distinctive, throaty rumble. This results in a better throttle response on the road.
Heat shields
V&H twin slash comes with complete coverage of heat shield that helps the chrome slip-ons stay blue-proof. The heat shields are used to prevent the heat from reaching out to any components under the hood that may get damaged.
Note: For bikes with electronic fuel injection (EFI), installation of the Vance & Hines Fuelpak or Fuelpak 3 (for 2007 and later models) is recommended by the manufacturer.
? Pros:
- Twin slash produces a nice throaty sound without being obnoxious
- Improves power and throttle response
- Complete heat shield to be blue-proof
- Optional quiet insert available
? Cons:
- Didn’t find any significant issues!
Summary
Vance & Hines Twin Slash 4″ Round Slip-Ons Chrome delivers the best sound and performance. If you want a classy look with a performance upgrade from a muffler, the best sounding Vance and Hines slip ons are the one.
2. Rinehart Racing 4″ Chrome Slip-Ons: Runner Up
Diameter: 4-inch
Weight: 21.8 pounds
Material: Steel
Finish: Chrome
Style: Straight
Being the world leader in the V-twin exhaust, Rinehart continues to innovate excellent technologies to improve your bike’s performance. Rinehart Racing 4″ Chrome Slip-Ons are for the 2017-Later Harley Davidson Touring bikes.
Iconic Sound
The classic 4-inch slip-on muffler is designed to allow your bike to make a bigger and louder sound than that of the stock exhaust system. It is specifically designed to enhance the sound and performance of the M8 engines.
Maximum Power
The Rinehart chrome slip-on features the DBX 2.5-inch performance baffle which provides a free-flowing exhaust to unlock maximum power. Also, the perfect amount of backpressure ensures a significant spike of horsepower and torque.
Rinehart’s Signature End Caps
Rinehart Racing 4″ mufflers are equipped with Rinehart Racing popular black or chrome end caps. The mufflers look as great as they sound and they perfectly soothe the style of your Harley Bagger.
? Pros:
- Delivers louder sound while maximizing performance
- Looks great with the chrome or black end caps
- Performance baffles are included
- Lifetime limited warranty
? Cons:
- The slip-on muffler is a bit expensive than regular ones
Summary
Even though the Rinehart Racing 4″ slip-on mufflers are comparatively costlier, you’ll find one worthy of the price, especially for the M8 engines. The loudest exhaust for Street Glide is capable of generating loud noise while improving overall performance.
3. SHARKROAD 4.4″ Slip-On Muffler: Best Budget
Diameter: 4.4-inch
Weight: 15.97 pounds
Finish: Black
Style: Straight
If you’re looking for a cheap slip-on muffler, SHARKROAD 4.4″ can be a great option as they’re promised to deliver aggressive sound as any other premium mufflers do. The kit fits 2017-2021 HD Touring models including the Street Glide.
Deep Tone Throaty Sound
SHARKROAD slip-on muffler comes with the 3rd Generation removable baffle which reduces the muffled sound and produces a deep tone throaty sound. The large 4.4-inch outlet megaphone design allows the muffler to generate louder sound than that of your current stock exhaust does.
However, the sound isn’t crazy enough so that you can still listen to the music and other noises.
Distinct Look
The CNC machined end tips are available in chrome or black and other different styles. The removable end tips allow you to make different choices that would make your ride look special every time.
Lightweight and Affordable
SHARKROAD 4.4″ slip-on muffler is very lightweight. Installing this muffler lets you enjoy the premium sound of HD and the lightweight of the bagger at the same time.
Also, it costs significantly less as compared to other high-end slip-ons. You may not get much performance upgrade from the exhaust kit, but if you only want sound enhancement, this is the right one for you.
? Pros:
- Generates throaty tone
- Easy to install
- Affordable and lightweight
- Replaceable end tips for easy customization
? Cons:
- Gets discolored quickly
Summary
SHARKROAD 4.4-inch slip-on produces a pleasant sound while the performance upgrade is insignificant. If you are happy with the sound for paying less, this is an amazing Harley slip on exhaust to have.
4. Cobra 4″ Neighbor Hater: Best Value for Money
Diameter: 4-inch
Weight: 21.2 pounds
Material: Stainless Steel
Finish: Chrome
Style: Straight
If you aren’t satisfied with your bike’s sound with the stock exhaust system, Cobra 4-inch Neighbor Hater chrome slip-on mufflers would be great for you. The muffler provides a stylish look, sound, and performance gain that fits your 2017 Street Glide bike perfectly.
Aggressive Look
The Neighbor Hater features an aggressive look for those who consider only sounding loud isn’t enough. The muffler starts as round as a 4-inch tube while belling out to 4.5 inches which gives it an aggressive and classy look from the rear.
They also feature trumpet-shaped inner tips that work with the rolled muffler tips for a clean, finished style and great sound.
Pleasant Sound
The Cobra 4-inch Harley Davidson slip on exhaust can bark so loud that may cause your neighbor to hate you which actually goes with its name. The 8-inch spiraled louvered-core baffles generate loud and aggressive sounds. Moreover, there’s a set of Cobra headers which is sold separately will enhance the sound even more.
? Pros:
- Designed to have an aggressive look and sound
- Enhances power and throttle response
- Carries all installation hardware for easy installation
- High-quality pipes
? Cons:
- It may be too loud for some riders
Summary
Cobra 4-inch Neighbor Hater is a great option for those who seek a balance between the noise and performance from the Harley exhaust slip on mufflers. It’s a high-quality pipe that ensures you won’t regret buying it anyway.
5. Vance & Hines Eliminator 400: Most Stylish Muffler
Diameter: 4-inch
Weight: 20.9 pounds
Material: Steel
Finish: Chrome
Style: Straight
Vance & Hines Eliminator 400 is another high-quality slip-on muffler for the Harley Davidson Touring models. The kit fits 2017 and up models to enhance their look and sound.
Deep Roar
V&H Eliminator 400 is engineered to provide the bikes a deep and aggressive roar that was never possible on the stock exhaust system. The large 4-inch muffler makes sure you get the best sound from your bike till now.
The muffler also comes with optional quiet baffles for a more moderate exhaust sound if you find the roar too noisy.
Stylish
The large muffler of the Eliminator 400 enhances the look of your bike. To keep it more stylish and attractive it has sport CNC-machined billet end caps. The kit is available in matte black or chrome with black end caps for a custom style.
Note: Vance & Hines head pipes and air cleaners are recommended to achieve maximum performance.
? Pros:
- Improves bike’s sound and performance
- Easy installation
- High-quality materials to last long
- Optional quiet baffles available
? Cons:
- Illegal on the roads of California
Summary
Vance & Hines Eliminator 400 gets the job done providing you the desired sound from the motorcycle while enhancing the look of your bagger.
How to Get the Best Sounding Slip-On Mufflers for Harley Touring?
Well, your motorcycle’s exhaust system largely determines the performance of the engine. The main purpose of the Street Glide exhaust or slip-on mufflers is to take care of the toxic emissions that the bike produces. They efficiently blow out the hot air behind the bike so that you don’t have to suck that carbon monoxide cocktail in any way.
Choosing the best Harley exhaust slip ons is really important as it’ll determine the overall performance. So, you need to be choosy and consider the following factors before buying the right one.
Compatibility
Even though slip-ons cost significantly less than the complete exhaust systems, you still need to make sure the muffler you choose is compatible with your bike’s model. Again, some models come with a default dual-exhaust system. So, you need to buy two mufflers instead of one.
So, muffler configuration is the first thing you need to ensure. Otherwise, you may end up returning it to the manufacturer. That’d only waste your valuable time and money.
Sound
The primary reason to upgrade the slip-on mufflers is to enhance the sound and a little bit of performance. So, you should do lots of research before buying one whether it’ll be able to produce the desired sound or not. You can take help from different sources from the internet and reviews of the products.
The products on my list are well recommended by the reviewers and are proved to be sound and performance boosters for the 2017 Street Glide.
Quality of Materials
Slip-ons are built with different materials including stainless steel, carbon fiber, and titanium.
The stainless-steel mufflers are the most commonly used. They’re comparatively cheaper than other materials. Carbon fiber mufflers, on the other hand, are expensive and last longer than aluminum or stainless-steel slip-ons. However, titanium mufflers don’t rust and won’t break easily like the other materials.
Weight
Slip on exhaust for Harley Davidson are usually lightweight. In fact, your ride escapes some pounds when you add mufflers instead of a complete performance exhaust system. The results can be seen while riding. You should get better maneuverability and control over the Glide.
I prefer to go for the mufflers that are made of lightweight materials such as aluminum or carbon fiber. The rider notices a distinct performance upgrade when installing a lightweight muffler to the stock exhaust.
Longevity
Longevity is another important factor to consider as you’re spending a few hundreds of bucks for the Harley Davidson exhaust slip-ons for your bike. You will get the idea from the warranty periods that different manufacturers provide. If a muffler comes with a lifetime warranty with a blue-proof guarantee, it’ll definitely serve you for several years without hassle. Also, the materials used for a specific muffler determine its longevity.
Legal Issues
This is a question you should ask the manufacturer or your local law enforcement authority websites whether a muffler is legal to use on the roads or not. Some states, for example, California have strict laws that are concerned with the required emission level and to prevent exhausts from being too loud.
Several mufflers are declared illegal in those states. You should get the information on the websites. On the other hand, there’re lots of slip-ons that generate thick and aggressive sounds that don’t produce high-decibel noise.
Aesthetics
Most people look for the slip-ons that enhance the beauty of their bikes. Style is one of the reasons for the upgrade as they want their bikes to stand out. The finishing of the best exhaust for Harley Street Glide mufflers should be shinny and appealing so that it complements the beauty of the bike.
Concluding Remarks
A slip on exhaust for Harley doesn’t only deliver a better sounding Harley, rather it’s capable to enhance the bike’s performance as well. If you don’t want to swap out the entire OEM exhaust system, choosing the best sounding slip-ons for 2017 Street Glide is probably the perfect option for you.
You can choose any muffler from my list as each of them is proven to be worthy to keep you happy for many miles. Buy one and have a great ride.
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