Well, I've got to pipe in on this one. I'm torn between two schools of thought, and I'm just giving my 2¢. When I first built my bike, I ran it the way it should be, with all the muffler fastened together. Then one day I noticed a sudden surge in power, with a much louder motor. I looked down and noticed my muffler was coming apart! The bottom cylinder had come apart because the long bolt had vibrated loose. Once the muffler was cool, I removed then entire bottom outer cylinder and rode around with it like it was. I LOVED it!! Sure, it was much louder, but the extra boost in power was like a drug. I've never looked back, and I've never once had a complaint or pull-over. Of course, there are other factors to consider, such as: I don't ride nearly as much as most of the guys on here, I don't ride in the wee hours of the morning or after 9 p.m., and the cops in my locale may be more tolerant to me, especially if I don't ride stupid. If I'm concerned about the neighbors, I'll kill the motor and just pedal in. Also, my spark plug is brown and dry, and my motor is still running clean.