Well I've been riding the Vulcan for a week or so now (between storms) and enjoying it. I've been thinking about putting the Cobras back on, and have ordered some gaskets for the exhausts (plus a spare set in case the bike doesn't run right) I'll do the cold reset and see how things turn out.
The reason I'm putting the Cobras back on isn't to increase the noise, it's just that the standard pipes are huge and look like they came off a 50's Buick with their "slashcut" ends. The Cobras look a lot better. Will let you know how I get on.