Shifting? Just me?
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 107
From: Houston
Shifting? Just me?
Hello all. I have a 1997 Fatboy with Vance and Hines duals, screaming eagle slipons with thunder torque 158s. Mikuni 42(20 pilot,98 needle,165 main,AF screw 1.5 out). Recently swapped to this exhaust (got a good deal) and also installed an energy 1 extra plate clutch kit.
So the reason I swapped to this clutch was because I thought I was getting some slippage at high rpms, and also to get rid of the rivet plate.
SO. Everything is adjust to spec, fresh fluid, but clutch feels the same. If I ride it hard like 30mph in 1st it feels like it starts to slip, I can rev up and barely pick up speed. Is this just me? Am I asking too much? My riding style has changed with this exhaust, I love the sound so I ride it hard. Thats all thats changed. If I ride it modestly like shifting out of 1st at 20mph, it feels normal. Same thing in 2nd, if Im doin like 45 in 2nd and try to speed up it just revs and I barely pick up speed.
Am i slipping the clutch? Is it possible to run out of gear? I ordered a heavy spring 25% stiffer just to try.
Any thought?
So the reason I swapped to this clutch was because I thought I was getting some slippage at high rpms, and also to get rid of the rivet plate.
SO. Everything is adjust to spec, fresh fluid, but clutch feels the same. If I ride it hard like 30mph in 1st it feels like it starts to slip, I can rev up and barely pick up speed. Is this just me? Am I asking too much? My riding style has changed with this exhaust, I love the sound so I ride it hard. Thats all thats changed. If I ride it modestly like shifting out of 1st at 20mph, it feels normal. Same thing in 2nd, if Im doin like 45 in 2nd and try to speed up it just revs and I barely pick up speed.
Am i slipping the clutch? Is it possible to run out of gear? I ordered a heavy spring 25% stiffer just to try.
Any thought?
Last edited by Fblo1690; May 25, 2018 at 08:09 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,323
Likes: 3,868
From: Upstate New York
Well, in the 24 years I've owned my bike, I've NEVER done 40 MPH in 1st gear. That figures out to 5400 RPM in low gear! Maybe that's why my bike has run its original clutch for 216,000 miles. For that reason I haven't a clue what your problem might be. Somebody else will have to field this.
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 107
From: Houston
Well, in the 24 years I've owned my bike, I've NEVER done 40 MPH in 1st gear. That figures out to 5400 RPM in low gear! Maybe that's why my bike has run its original clutch for 216,000 miles. For that reason I haven't a clue what your problem might be. Somebody else will have to field this.
sorry, edited for exaggeration
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 107
From: Houston
So I read that open pipes can cause a rich/flat spot at certain rpms, even though mine arent completely open. So I lowered my needle 1 notch. Seemed to help a little. Any direction from here. Id say the flat spot is at about 1/3 throttle.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 190
Likes: 25
From: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Maybe sounds counter-intuitive, but in 1st gear, the clutch does its work with 2 fingers up its nose. If it is slipping in 1st, you'll never reach 5th. If you really want to test the clutch, put it in 5th gear and try to stall the engine on max torque. If you can, than the clutch is good. Don't try this for 2 minutes in a row, or your testing will be the cause of a bad clutch 
About your pipes... I ditched my V&H crap 2 days ago, and will never put them back. I'm driving around with default headers and $&$ slipons and all my mixture problems are suddenly gone. It picks up the pace much better, and pulls noticeably stronger in mid range than with my big sheits.
About your pipes... I ditched my V&H crap 2 days ago, and will never put them back. I'm driving around with default headers and $&$ slipons and all my mixture problems are suddenly gone. It picks up the pace much better, and pulls noticeably stronger in mid range than with my big sheits.
Last edited by Daedalus; May 26, 2018 at 05:53 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,024
Likes: 12,545
From: South Carolina
It doesn`t sound counter-intuitive, it sounds non-sensical...
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; May 26, 2018 at 05:59 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 190
Likes: 25
From: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Touche 
Especially for you:
Especially for you:
Maybe sounds counter-intuitive, but in 1st gear, the clutch does its work with ease.
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 107
From: Houston
Maybe sounds counter-intuitive, but in 1st gear, the clutch does its work with 2 fingers up its nose. If it is slipping in 1st, you'll never reach 5th. If you really want to test the clutch, put it in 5th gear and try to stall the engine on max torque. If you can, than the clutch is good. Don't try this for 2 minutes in a row, or your testing will be the cause of a bad clutch
About your pipes... I ditched my V&H crap 2 days ago, and will never put them back. I'm driving around with default headers and $&$ slipons and all my mixture problems are suddenly gone. It picks up the pace much better, and pulls noticeably stronger in mid range than with my big sheits.
About your pipes... I ditched my V&H crap 2 days ago, and will never put them back. I'm driving around with default headers and $&$ slipons and all my mixture problems are suddenly gone. It picks up the pace much better, and pulls noticeably stronger in mid range than with my big sheits.
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 190
Likes: 25
From: Rotterdam, Netherlands
On the other hand, so were my mirrors, and I removed one of them as well
Choices...
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,062
Likes: 4,547
From: Haslet Texas
Turns out stock pipes worked best with 2-1's a short step behind and a long step behind those were the 2-2's.
Now not all 2-1's or 2-2's have the same performance. You have to find a good set.
D&D Fatcat are good pipes (if you can make them fit (I couldn't)), Bassani Road Rage are also good but to the best of my knowledge Supertrapp are the current top dog in 2-1 pipes.
FWIW I also hate the look of the stock pipes crossover.