Samson Pipes
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 264
Likes: 58
From: Reno, NVs
Then how does one purc hase a pipe? they all look nice, but i dont want to purchase a system and then it sounds like butt. How did you guys go about making your descision? I appreciate you guys.
Cerelious
Cerelious
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver, BC
I've had Big Guns Ripsaws on my old sporty. I can comment on both the original Big Guns and the Big Guns 2 cuz I crashed the bike with the original ones on it and the insureance company ended up replacing them with the 2s - which was a definite upgrade.
The originals were a one piece pipe - no way to fit a baffle and no heat shields. They blued but not too bad cuz I coated the inside with bbq paint before I put them on (little trick I learned from an old buddy of mine). The chrome was good and the quality was fine but they were the meanest, loudest pipes I've ever heard on any bike, ever. My sportster sounded like a V8 dragster with those things. It was pretty cool for a while but it did start to get on my nerves on longer rides; plus I always had to ride in the back of the pack on any group rides cuz no one could stand to ride next to me.
The Big Guns 2s were a 2 piece pipe and came with full length heat shields so no problem with bluing. They still werent set up for baffles but because they are a 2 piece pipe I was able to get a shorty baffle welded in from the back end of the pipe where it connected to the header portion. (The ripsaws curve down at the end so you can't just slip one in). The baffle made a huge difference in the popping on decel and really lowered the racket at highway speeds.....still damn loud though. I had some issues with the chrome peeling on these ones but thats because they scraped a bit in corners and once it started to peel there wasnt' much I could do about it.
I think the BG3s come with baffles so would be pretty similar to the set I put the baffles in . They sound killer and look good. Maybe not the best quality pipe but if sound and looks are what you're after then I have no problem recommending them - just be sure to wear earplugs. Google the word "tinnitus" to find out why (I learned the hard way)
The originals were a one piece pipe - no way to fit a baffle and no heat shields. They blued but not too bad cuz I coated the inside with bbq paint before I put them on (little trick I learned from an old buddy of mine). The chrome was good and the quality was fine but they were the meanest, loudest pipes I've ever heard on any bike, ever. My sportster sounded like a V8 dragster with those things. It was pretty cool for a while but it did start to get on my nerves on longer rides; plus I always had to ride in the back of the pack on any group rides cuz no one could stand to ride next to me.
The Big Guns 2s were a 2 piece pipe and came with full length heat shields so no problem with bluing. They still werent set up for baffles but because they are a 2 piece pipe I was able to get a shorty baffle welded in from the back end of the pipe where it connected to the header portion. (The ripsaws curve down at the end so you can't just slip one in). The baffle made a huge difference in the popping on decel and really lowered the racket at highway speeds.....still damn loud though. I had some issues with the chrome peeling on these ones but thats because they scraped a bit in corners and once it started to peel there wasnt' much I could do about it.
I think the BG3s come with baffles so would be pretty similar to the set I put the baffles in . They sound killer and look good. Maybe not the best quality pipe but if sound and looks are what you're after then I have no problem recommending them - just be sure to wear earplugs. Google the word "tinnitus" to find out why (I learned the hard way)
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,729
Likes: 7
From: Republic of Texas
To get a harley to sound like a harley you just about need 1 3/4" pipes from what I have noticed. The original big guns were I believe 1 3/4" pipes. The BG 2 were 1 3/4" with full coverage heat shields that made them look like fatter pipes. The BG 3 are I believe 2 1/4" pipes with 2 1/2" full coverage heat shields. I have heard BG 3 on harleys and they sound alot like they were on a v-twin yamaha. Probably because of the bigger pipes. None of the newer Samson pipes sound as good as the originals. Plus it could have something to do with them being on a fuel injected bike that killed the sound quality. Stick a set of Original Street Sweepers on a Evo and it is the most awesome sound in the world.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver, BC
To get a harley to sound like a harley you just about need 1 3/4" pipes from what I have noticed. The original big guns were I believe 1 3/4" pipes. The BG 2 were 1 3/4" with full coverage heat shields that made them look like fatter pipes. The BG 3 are I believe 2 1/4" pipes with 2 1/2" full coverage heat shields. I have heard BG 3 on harleys and they sound alot like they were on a v-twin yamaha. Probably because of the bigger pipes. None of the newer Samson pipes sound as good as the originals. Plus it could have something to do with them being on a fuel injected bike that killed the sound quality. Stick a set of Original Street Sweepers on a Evo and it is the most awesome sound in the world.
One thing I always did with these pipes was to run them with a set of "AR" (anti-reversion) cones. These are a little set of cone shaped metal inserts that slip into the pipe where it connects to the motor. The purpose is to increase the velocity of the exhaust gasses and prevent reversion of the exhaust waves. I found that they worked quite well (with and without the baffles) I had that bike on the dyno when I was running baffleless and it actually made some decent power (70 hp/70 tq in a 883/1200 conversion with stock heads, cam ignition etc and a modified CV carb) with a mostly flat powerband (small dip where you'd expect it with open drags but not noticable in the "seat-o-the-pants" test).
Anyway; like I said - these pipes look good, sound nasty, perform OK and I, for one at least, didn't experience any of the quality concerns expressed by others - unless you consider peeling chrome from being scraped in the corners a quality issue.
Last edited by CRF; Feb 2, 2010 at 02:19 PM. Reason: spelling mistakes and I forgot sumthn
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,919
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From: Seattle, WA
I read in a recent (within the past year to eighteen months) Donny Peterson tech column in American Iron on the subject of Twin Cam heads that the head design for the exhaust port changed in 2002 (I think) that improved the shape from the Evo and the original Twin Cam head port shape ... his conclusion was that with the later (post-'02) Twin Cams, they do not benefit from the anti-reversion cones and in fact they can harm performance ....
I don't have access to my old AIM issues, so I am not 100% certain on the year, but as I recall it was early 2000s and '02 seems to stick in my mind ....
Anybody else remember reading that article?
For that reason, I would not recommend AR cones for most of the Dyna forum members ....
CRF ... I believe you said your experience was with a Sportster ... Donny's article didn't address the heads for XL ... only Twin Cams .... I understand AR cones have a proper use with some motors ....
R/
'Chop
I don't have access to my old AIM issues, so I am not 100% certain on the year, but as I recall it was early 2000s and '02 seems to stick in my mind ....
Anybody else remember reading that article?
For that reason, I would not recommend AR cones for most of the Dyna forum members ....
CRF ... I believe you said your experience was with a Sportster ... Donny's article didn't address the heads for XL ... only Twin Cams .... I understand AR cones have a proper use with some motors ....
R/
'Chop
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From: Triad, NC
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BTW they still have em up for sale....maybe you could find ones that fit your bike and taste
http://stores.ebay.com/Holley-Perfor...subZ1083823016
just an option you might want to look into....even if you don't digg em as much as I do, you won't be able to beat that price (even used) for a decent system.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver, BC
I read in a recent (within the past year to eighteen months) Donny Peterson tech column in American Iron on the subject of Twin Cam heads that the head design for the exhaust port changed in 2002 (I think) that improved the shape from the Evo and the original Twin Cam head port shape ... his conclusion was that with the later (post-'02) Twin Cams, they do not benefit from the anti-reversion cones and in fact they can harm performance ....
I don't have access to my old AIM issues, so I am not 100% certain on the year, but as I recall it was early 2000s and '02 seems to stick in my mind ....
Anybody else remember reading that article?
For that reason, I would not recommend AR cones for most of the Dyna forum members ....
CRF ... I believe you said your experience was with a Sportster ... Donny's article didn't address the heads for XL ... only Twin Cams .... I understand AR cones have a proper use with some motors ....
R/
'Chop
I don't have access to my old AIM issues, so I am not 100% certain on the year, but as I recall it was early 2000s and '02 seems to stick in my mind ....
Anybody else remember reading that article?
For that reason, I would not recommend AR cones for most of the Dyna forum members ....
CRF ... I believe you said your experience was with a Sportster ... Donny's article didn't address the heads for XL ... only Twin Cams .... I understand AR cones have a proper use with some motors ....
R/
'Chop