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Guys i hve been reading all over the place and cant seem to get a straight forward answer.
I have a 2012 Harley Davidson 883 iron that i am looking to add the V&H black staggered exhaust system to. I went to many places and they said it would take all this work and i dont want to drop 1400 for just exhaust.
Others say i just need to buy a V&h fuelpak with the exhaust. Now i am reading about XiED? Can someone please help so i can get this done. I plan on doing the work myself but have no clue what this fuel pack and Xied are what they do and how hard it is to do.
If you have left your air cleaner stock, the upgraded exhaust should be "OK" as a stand alone upgrade. If you are happy with how the bike runs and sounds after install then enjoy. Now if you upgrade your air cleaner to compliment your new pipes you will aggravate a already lean set up that comes with all the new Harlies - you will need to richen up your fuel ratios. Buying a less expensive fuel aid like XIEDs or buying a nice fuel tuner like Power Vision - well, all I can say is you generally get what you pay for.
If you can afford it, I highly recommend an aftermarket air cleaner that catches your fancy and a decent fuel tuner and enjoy the extra performance.
Last edited by HD Pilot; Jan 11, 2015 at 04:32 PM.
First thanks for taking the time! 2nd i like the power and everything with the bike stock just need sound. What would an air cleaner cost? Whats the name or whatever that would be the next step up from stock. Would a fuelpak be better then xied? Like i said i am not looking to go crazy. I have no need for more power i killed myself on an 07 R6 7 years ago so i love the speed and power to my 883 just want sound. I just dont want a crappy running bike
If you are completly happy with stock power then go get those pipes and put them on and ride. I am kind of a power junkie, so was just thinking after buying nice pipes you are pretty close to picking up a fair amount of easy hp/tq, so just finish off the Stage 1 upgrade with a new air cleaner and fuel tuner. Pretty much every after market air cleaner is great for a Stage 1 so just find one that is attractive to you, maybe Screaming Eagle, S&S, RSD, whatever - they run about $150 up to $400.
Fuel devices/tuners can get a bit more complicated - my best advice for you(if you decide to go this direction) is to call Fuel Moto and that company will pick out the best device for you and your budget. Fuel Moto has earned their stellar reputation and will not steer you wrong.
Good luck, I love my Fat Bob but itching to get a 883 Iron as a sidekick!
I would not mind stepping up power and stuff i just wanted to start with exhaust. I was told if i didnt order a fuelpaf orr xied my bike would run like crap and i dont want that.
As pilot said fuelmoto is great. I believe they have a stage 1 ac on the cheap. It will go directly under your stock cover. Tuners can get expensive, but do your homework. That said if you only want sound , you can get a pipe only, and be ok i believe. Take a look at d and d exhaust. They have a sound clip of a sporty with the bobcat pipe. Youtube also has a couple. You c s nnot beat the fit,finish,.... and performance rivals the best out there. Good luck
My understanding on doing exhaust only is this: stock cams have no overlap, so exhaust alone should have minimal to zero affect on the fuel ratio that the engine is operating at. So the engine should not be running any leaner than stock, so you should not have any changes in how the engine is running. However because the stock HD engine runs on the lean side, more open pipes may allow decel pop to occur which can be somewhat embarressing but not harmful. I hate the sound, but others don't seem to care as much - you can go ahead and install the pipes and if it sounds OK just enjoy. If you get some decel pop and want to get rid of it, then finish the Stage 1. You will not be hurting anything to give it a try.
Last edited by HD Pilot; Jan 11, 2015 at 09:29 PM.
OP, the bike will run fine with just a pipe change.
However, fine is not optimal. Here's why... These things run lean from the factory. Smell your exhaust when the engine is running. STICK YOUR NOSE IN THE OUTLET AND SMELL IT!
No fuel smell at all. Nothing. That's how lean these engines run!
Xied's (or their variants) are the easiest and cheapest way to solve this problem. By no means are they a tuner, but they richen the mixture. Install the Xied's, AND THEN STICK YOUR NOSE INTO THE OUTLET AND SMELL IT!
Now there is the faint smell of hydrocarbons. This means they work!
Exhaust/Intake change or not, the mixture needs to be richened up some.
How much money you are willing to spend will most likely dictate the route you need to go, but pipes and an inline enrichment device is a good start for any owner looking to do the work themselves, easily, and on a relative budget.
Last edited by mike hawk; Jan 12, 2015 at 02:49 AM.
Guys i hve been reading all over the place and cant seem to get a straight forward answer.
I have a 2012 Harley Davidson 883 iron that i am looking to add the V&H black staggered exhaust system to. I went to many places and they said it would take all this work and i dont want to drop 1400 for just exhaust.
Others say i just need to buy a V&h fuelpak with the exhaust. Now i am reading about XiED? Can someone please help so i can get this done. I plan on doing the work myself but have no clue what this fuel pack and Xied are what they do and how hard it is to do.
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