Anyone who owns a Rocker and has thought of installing a set of Vance & Hines Big Radius 2 into 2 pipes (or any V&H pipes for that matter), has come to the realization, that they don't fit. Plain and simple, these pipes do not fit the rocker. Nothing aftermarket really does fit this bike...get used to it.
But I love the look and sound of these pipes and had to have them as soon as I bought my scoot....so like some others, I bought them before doing the research.
Vance & Hines says they're working on a new set of pipes, and it's anyone's guess as to how long it will be before they get them to market. They also know some people have mounted the pipes anyway, and they claim they won't honor warranty claims on any pipes that have been installed on a Rocker. While this may turn off some people....the thought of a warranty claim on these pipes seems unlikely to me anyway. What's the worst that could happen? (no - I don't really need you to answer that).
Some people take their bike to the dealer's service department for everything, including the installation of aftermarket accesories. While that is not for me, I do respect that decision. Some people may not feel they have the mechanical aptitude necessary to do the work themselves, may not want to deal with the hassle, have no time to do their own work, or just trust their service techs to do the job right so they don't have to. If this is you, that's great, and you'll have no use for this post. But to anyone else out there, who either owns these pipes and a Rocker, or want the pipes bad enough they can't wait for V&H to come out with their new (surely more expensive) solution, I offer the following:
I built a new bracket to properly install these pipes on an FXCW or FXCWC. The end result was a set of pipes that look like they belong on the bike, and align properly. Now, the work wasn't easy, and it took some trial and error, but we finally got it to work. The pictures below are of the prototype part, which works great, but the final design will be one piece, with no spacers as I can't leave well enough alone. Now, I have no interest in going into business building Harley parts, but I am willing to help others who are in the same boat as me, get this issue resolved. Check out the pics, and if you're interested in a bracket for your bike, let me know.
Vance & Hines Big Radius on Rocker: Problem SOLVED! (pics - 56k warning)
