Well everybody, I went to the dealer today and had them look at my bike. The download is correct and they tell me the plugs look great. ( '05 RKC. After a couple miles of riding the exhaust pipe begin to glow red. Stage 1 download, SE mufflers and Air cleaner.)
They called Harley Davidson and H/D says it is perfectly normal for the pipes to glow 6-8 inches from the heads. I'm kind of worried about the long term affects of the alluminum components like the heads and piston domes.
What do you guys think?

 

I've seen racecar headers glow, but never the pipes on a street Harley.

Think I'd solicit a 2nd opinion on that one!

 

if my headers were glowin on the racecar, we usually had to put pistons in it cause of an overlean condition...take it somewhere else

 

There's only one way to know for sure, use a WEGO. If your dealer won't do that, go somewhere else. The pipes should not be glowing red from normal ridinh. Mine don't.

 

Hey uh Bobcowan, whats a WEGO?

 

Wide band oxygen sensor.

 

My 06 roadglide's glow also. Dealer said it is normal. Called harley customer service myself and they said it is normal. I know it's not, but what can you do now?

 

Hey guys with the glowing pipes, are they glowing at idle or while you are actually moving? Someone posted a while back about their head pipe glowing when they let the bike idle for 2 minutes after the bike was ridden a short distance. I believe his dealer said it was normal and blamed it on the fact the pipes are of single wall construction. I have heard two theories on this, one being a too lean condition and one being a rich condition where the fuel is actually burning in the pipe. Maybe shovelhead bob can shed some light on this...................... BG

 

Mine glow after a few mile ride and come to a stop like a traffic light or stop sign. Not really idling for long. Just a few seconds.
I can also pull into the garage and get off the bike and the pipes are glowing.

 

My 02 carbed bike does not glow. If it did, I would be looking hard at the mixture. Although this may be 'normal' for emissions, that is a lot of heat for an air-cooled engine.