Tbh with you Nick, I reckon that's the real reason for the silencer on the latest HW95K. Let's face it: Silencers are otherwise pretty pointless on springers (for noise reduction anyway) and on my '95 there is no noticeable difference to the report whether the silencer's on or off.
Big difference to the handling, though...
Although IMO, HW could have achieved the same thing by just fitting the '98 barrel instead.