Get a new cat-less header pipe and some Xied's and your good to go do the ac someother
time and ride it.

 

That pic proves absolutely nothing. If you have had one of these cut in half you can clearly tell that a paddle bit stuck in the end of the outlet in no way shape or form will remove all the material. You cant achieve the angle required to remove it all. I'm sure your getting a lot of it out but definitely not all of it. What kind of pizza is that???

 

Leave the cat alone. It won't help performance at all. If you wear boots and long pants (and your passenger does too), the heat is not an issue, even in the summer.

Get a better flowing air cleaner (the biggest choke point), some pipes and a tune (or download) and let it go at that.

 

I would agree with you on the performance part, but I will disagree completely about the heat. After de-catting mine, the heat on my right thigh decrease significantly. And yes, I could still feel the heat on my thigh while riding at speed. It was less noticeable in a colder environment, but in 70/80+ degree weather... it didn't matter if I was moving or sitting still. That is the ONLY reason I choose to do it. I did not see feel any major increase in performance and to be honest, it didn't really do much to increase my exhaust note. If I take the slip ons off... then yes. Its much louder. But I only ran it like that to check for any exhaust leaks at the heads before I completely put it back together.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I agree completely. Exhaust is a little louder, or different, not sure which. But the heat is definitely more tolerable.

 

Heat Living in florida, i agree with the heat advantage. When I bought my new touring bike, I wouldve removed the cat purely for that advantage (had i not bought an 09). I had rented TC 96" touring models with cats and the heat was noticeably worse than my 09. I ride with boots/jeans ALWAYS and insist that passengers wear jeans and boots (sneakers at minimum), FWIW

Sound Having heard two bikes with the same slip ons, one with the catalytic converter still installed, I would agree with assertions that removing the cat will provide additional increase in volume/deepness when you install slip ons. I have also heard exhaust manufacturers state that removing the slip ons can be the answer if a customer "expected more" (as far as volume/tone) from installing their slip ons. This is partially subjective though, because sound is in the ear of the beholder.

Performance The performance (on a stock or stage 1 bike) is a nominal change that the rider will not feel. Ive seen stage 1 dyno sheets of '09 (no-cat) and '10 bikes with the same motor/tuner/slip ons/ac and the numbers are generally the same, with maybe a couple more hp on the cat-less (which could be attributed to variation of bike/tune/weather/temp/etc). From what I understand, it is not restrictive enough to noticeably hinder performance until you are in the 100hp+ range.

 

you can achieve the angle with the drill bit and you can run a wire though the cross over pipe and tell there is nothing in it. i have a small dental mirror that i stuck in there with a light and after working on 4 different bikes that pipe is clean. the cat material starts breaking up and most of it falls out of the pipe. i did'nt think it would work either until i gave it a shot, but works good and so much easier than cutting and welding, plus you not losing any strength in the pipe maybe causing cracks later.

 

i also have a 2012 SG with a decatted headpipe modded stock mufflers and screaming eagle intake with only FL xeids and my glide rips!! No popping, pulls hard from idle to redline, and i get 48 mpg.

 

my 103 was so hot i rode my evo alot last summer. dumped the cat and it was like another bike. i could feel the heat off of the cat going down the road, and i do wear lace up boots and jeans all the time. that's the dumbest thing harley has ever done was to put the cat in the header, it melts brake switchs and wires and your foot.

 

Well i can provide some evidence! two touring bike's bought new modded the same except one had the cat gutted, if you rode them both you really wouldn't notice to much in the way of performance but the one with the gutted cat feels smoother and sounds much stronger. Also the difference in oil temp alone was almost 20 degrees. Now i weigh 40lbs more then my buddy and when our bikes were stock he would pull me by a bike length, but now i take him by three so some may not feel the difference but it is absolutely there.