I hope I don't open a can of worms here, but I am getting several conflicting results researching this. I have a 2015 Triglide that the only mod I have done is to lose the cat. Otherwise all is stock. My local dealer told me I needed to put on the Screamin' Eagle Stage 1 air cleaner or something similar to breathe better. He also said I needed to get a different header, slipons, and a tuner for a small fee of around $2000. I have no desire to go to those extremes and didn't tell him what I had already done.
I have seen it both ways. Some research says the more open air cleaner would be better both performance and mileage-wise. Others say the cleaner on the Rushmore trike is plenty for what little I have done. I don't want to waste $170 on a mod I don't need. Has anyone done this with a similar trike and was it worth the money? There are plenty of other things I can spend the money on if it is not worthwhile.
My wife says a trip to the HD shop costs her a hundred bucks a time, so the cost is nearly 2 trips to the shop.

 

What you've been hearing is true, there really isn't anything to be gained by switching to a Stage 1 air cleaner on a very lightly modified Rushmore. Harley improved the stock air cleaner for the Rushmore bikes and trikes. Unless you're going to be doing cams and maybe some head work, save the money for some other upgrades you might like.

 

Thanks. I was hoping you would chime in. Seems you have been there and done that on a lot of these things.

 

I say thanks also! I am like the OP, decatted headpipe and the rest is stock. Winter hit before I could ride it much after the headpipe replacement, but it did seem a tad louder (wife even commented on it). I think I will ride it as is next summer and then decide if I want to go farther.

 

That motor will only take as much air as it needs, nothing more. You could put an air cleaner on the size of a trash can lid but unless it's so modified it needs that extra air, it's a waste of money. The Rushmore cleaner is the most free flowing the MoCo has had yet. Will I put on a Stage 1, yea, not because it needs it, just because I do that stuff.

 

You could say I like to tinker and also stay up on as much as I can, glad I was able to help. Now down the road, you might want to do some cams or maybe ported heads. Then I'd be getting a good free flowing air cleaner to go with the cam and heads.

 

I noticed my 2010 Triglide got louder once I lost the cat, it also got cooler. You have the right idea, ride the snot out of it and then decide if you want something more.

 

I just the bought this 2015 TriGlide with 1700 miles which had the Screaming Eagle Air Cleaner, Screaming Eagle Tuner with V&H Headpipes and V&H Slip Ons. I rented a 2016 before I bought this one and there is a world of difference with the amount of less heat the 2015 had over the 2016. My 15 will get down on the road when you twist the throttle.

 

I will probably start tinkering with mine a few years down the road, but for now I am happy and the wife is happy. No major changes in the near future, but I want it to run as well as possible as it is now. That was the reason for my question. I didn't want to starve it for air if losing the cat caused that to happen. Thanks for the replies.

 

Several local trike riders have modded their rides, from just what you did to much, much more.

If you removed the cats, as you already noticed, the bike will run cooler, and a little louder. The cats absolutely muffle some sound.

However, you still have the stock A/C and the stock mufflers, so you haven't made a significant difference in air flow. So, you really don't need to retune it unless you want to, and you absolutely don't need to do any more hardware changes, again, unless you want to.


So ride it like ya stole it!