The top 3 Loudest Exhausts for the Harley Milwaukee 8 (M8) in 2024

This is my buying guide on the best motorcycle exhausts for the M8 in 2024. Below is a quick summary of my top recommendations. Scroll further down to read in depth, hands on reviews for each exhaust.

LOUDEST SLIP-ON

Vance & Hines 4” Eliminator

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• Highest grade stainless steel of any slip-on exhaust
• Minimalist look
• Lightweight build
• Sturdy and durable
• Available in chrome and matte black
• CNC machined billet end caps
• The chrome version comes with a contrasting black end cap
• Free-flowing exhaust design
• Significantly louder than stock
• Exhaust note is deeper and more rumbly
• Throttle response is improved

Overall loudest

Bassani Radial Sweepers

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• 16-gauge double-wall steel
• Pipes are backswept and slash-cut
• Pipes are positioned higher on the bike
• No scraping on large bumps in the road
• Lightweight build
• Improved power-weight ratio
• Grunty exhaust sound
• Loudest exhaust for Milwaukee 8
• Improved low-end torque
• Faster acceleration off the line
• Makes passing and merging easier
• Integrated heat shields
• Easy installation
• All mounting hardware is provided

WORTHY CONSIDERATION

Two Brothers Comp-S 2-Into-1 exhaust

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• Race-inspired Milwaukee 8 exhaust pipes
• Comes in chrome or matte black
• Up to 5 HP boost in power
• TIG welds for better structural rigidity
• Faster acceleration
• Top-end performance is also improved
• Stainless steel design for weight savings
• Carbon fiber end-cap adds a bit of flair
• Improved power-weight ratio
• 2-into-1 style exhaust enables scavenging
• Megaphone style muffler enhances volume
• Deeper sounding exhaust
• Compatible with both forward and mid control bikes
• Compatible with stock O2 sensors

In this review, I’m diving into the world of the loudest exhausts for the Milwaukee 8 (M8) engine from Harley Davidson, something that’s close to my heart.

I’ll be honing in on the features that matter most to me and likely to you as well: the build quality, the performance enhancements, the sheer volume of the exhaust, how it genuinely sounds, and, of course, the cost.

I found that the loudest exhausts for the Milwaukee 8 have to be Bassani’s Radial Sweepers. When I fitted this full system exhaust to my own Harley, I was met with higher exhaust flow and improved performance, not to mention one of the loudest exhaust notes I’ve ever heard on an aftermarket pipe designed specifically for the Milwaukee 8.

Riding Harleys has been a lifelong passion for me. These days, a couple of my own bikes are powered by the M8, so I’m always on the hunt for the loudest exhausts out there. With a decade spent testing motorcycle accessories, I’ve got the hands-on experience needed to find them.

So buckle up, and join me as I share more of my thoughts on the loudest exhausts for the Milwaukee 8. You’re in for a ride!

IMPORTANT! – Make sure you have the correct sizing and fitment so you don’t waste your money.

Bassani crafts some of my favorite exhausts for Harleys, so it’s no surprise to me that they produce far and away the loudest exhaust for the Milwaukee 8. The Radial Sweepers, which I had the pleasure to install, are a loud and boisterous set of pipes. They bring best-in-class performance and a unique, short design that looks incredibly slick on my bike.

When I first laid eyes on the design of these pipes, I was taken with the 16-gauge double-wall steel build. The ends are slash-cut, lending these pipes a menacing, aggressive look that perfectly complements the backswept design.

These pipes are shorter and mount higher than your average Milwaukee 8 exhaust, a design choice that I found brings a couple of benefits for both bike and engine.

For one, the lightweight build and short design mean I feel less mass bogging down the bike. I noticed that the higher mounting ensures the exhausts don’t scrape on large bumps in the road. Moreover, I can lean the bike farther into corners and turns, thanks to the higher ground clearance.

I’ve always believed that shorter exhausts tend to deliver higher performance, and my time with the Bassani’s confirmed it. The free-flowing exhaust architecture translated to a healthy boost in power and noticeable gains in low-end torque for my Milwaukee 8.

In everyday riding, I felt noticeably faster acceleration, improved throttle response, and I found passing on the highway to be effortless. The added torque and lower weight made maneuvering the bike in tight spots a breeze.

But the real thrill? The loudness. That same free-flowing exhaust architecture and short pipe make this one of the loudest exhausts for the Milwaukee 8. The exhaust note is deep and rumbly but still manages to be about 25% louder than stock. When I open up the throttle, there’s a thumpy, grunty noise that I can only describe as fantastic.

I must mention the creature comforts; the Bassani pipes come with full coverage heat shields that lessen exhaust heat falling on me as the rider. But I’ll be honest, the short design and unconventional mounting mean I still feel quite a bit of heat on my legs and torso. That’s pretty much the only drawback, but in my view, it’s a small price to pay for the sheer enjoyment these pipes provide.

When I got my hands on the Comp-S from Two Brothers Racing, a 2-into-1 style exhaust, I knew I was in for a treat. Besides being one of the loudest Milwaukee 8 exhausts I’ve ever heard, it’s also easily the most powerful, and the deep, gurgly exhaust note immediately made me feel like I was on the racetrack.

Wanting to give my Milwaukee 8-powered motorcycle a retro bobber look, this exhaust seemed like the perfect fit. I was drawn to the large, rounded, megaphone-style muffler that splits into the individual header pipes. I chose the matte black version, and the end-cap trimmed in carbon fiber added a bit of flair that caught my eye.

What impressed me about Two Brothers Racing (TBR) was the thought they put into the fitment of these pipes. The unique design allowed me to fit them to my Milwaukee 8 bike without any hassle, despite the forward controls.

Before I even discuss the sound, let’s talk about the performance, which really defines this exhaust. I could sense the racing pedigree in every rev. Having known that Two Brothers Racing made some of the most potent exhausts for race bikes, I wasn’t surprised.

Once I fitted the Comp-S to my Milwaukee 8 motorcycle, the almost 5 horsepower increase was noticeable. Testing it out, I found my bike was faster to 60, felt more confident when merging on the highway, and even seemed to boast better top-end performance.

I quickly learned that’s pretty much par for the course with 2-into-1 style exhausts. I also appreciated how these exhausts gave my Milwaukee 8 better backpressure and benefited from ‘scavenging,’ a process that noticeably improved performance.

But what really caught my attention was the functional weight savings compared to the stock exhaust, adorned with TIG welds that looked as good as they performed. The whole package is designed to withstand the highest exhaust temperatures and pressure, something I could feel in every ride.

Now, moving on to the sound, I must say I was thoroughly impressed. The exhaust note was crisp and beefy, boosting the overall volume so much that I knew my bike could be heard from miles away. It’s indeed one of the loudest exhausts for the Milwaukee 8, though not quite as rowdy and wild as the Bassani, which I had tried before.

Lastly, I appreciated how this aftermarket exhaust for the Milwaukee 8 uses the stock O2 sensors that came with the bike. The convenience of having all the mounting hardware provided in the box saved me a trip to the hardware store looking for that one pesky bolt. Overall, this exhaust not only gave my bike a new sound but a renewed sense of power and performance.

I’m looking at another V&H pipe here, and it’s every bit as well-built and sturdy as the previous one. It’s a slip-on exhaust, but don’t let that fool you. It still packs a decent punch in power and stands as one of the most deafening exhausts for the Milwaukee 8.

The free-flowing design of this slip-on caught my attention. It might not be the most powerful exhaust on this list, but it surprised me by squeezing just that little bit more power from the Milwaukee 8. In fact, during my test runs, I noticed the throttle response was subtly smoother with this slip-on fitted to the bike.

The real show-stopper, though, is this exhaust’s booming loudness. Hands down, it’s the loudest exhaust for the Milwaukee 8 in the slip-on category. It’s not just louder, it’s beefier too. V&H seemed to have poured their efforts into infusing loads of bass into the exhaust note, giving it an intimidating aura.

In all honesty, I was so smitten with the sound of this roaring Milwaukee 8 exhaust that I ended up fitting it to my personal bike.

Now, let’s not overlook other features. Starting with the robust build quality – it’s something I’ve come to expect from a Vance & Hines exhaust. Some of the highest-grade stainless steel used in any slip-on style Milwaukee 8 exhaust can be found here, which not only keeps the pipe lightweight but also adds to its durability.

You have a choice between chrome or matte black for the finish. I found the CNC-machined billet end cap added a nice design touch to an otherwise simple and minimalist look. As for its physical design, this Milwaukee 8 exhaust comes with a full-coverage heat shield, making long rides a lot more comfortable.

Rather than traditional alternatives, TIG welds were used, significantly boosting the durability of this exhaust. It means the exhaust can stand up better to high exhaust pressure and the most scorching exhaust temperatures.

The entire build is ‘blue-proof,’ so it won’t discolor over thousands of heat cycles. Also included is a set of removable baffles, which can add a couple of dBs to the bike if that suits your preference better. All in all, this exhaust not only amped up my bike’s roar but gave it a durability boost too.

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