exhaust question
exhaust question
happy memorial day everyone. i have a question about my bike. i have an '11 street glide with the 103 engine that i bought last summer. it needed to be louder so i bought rush slipon mufflers. they were the cheapest, and having just bought the bike i wanted something that wouldnt set me back too much $$ haha. so they improved the sound but after a couple weeks i took the baffles out and it REALLY gave me the sound i wanted. not obnoxious jut that good throaty rumble on and off the throttle. well after talking to the guy at the dealership he said that could cause it to run too rich and burn the valves. im not one to hit the panic button. i looked thru the baffles and i cant see how they would give the bike THAT much back pressure especially since theres a catalytic converter in there. so i figured he was just saying that to cover harleys *** so to speak. but ruling on the side of caution i put the baffles back in for a trip to atlantic city this weekend and it was back to that muffled sound that im not crazy about...
my question is this...since im not worried about performance or the 5 extra horepower you get from true duals all i want is something that isnt going to cost much. can i take the baffles back out and get the bike tuned to run properly that way and rest easy that its not going to damage the engine?
hope you all are enjoying the 4 day weekend, i appreciate any input
my question is this...since im not worried about performance or the 5 extra horepower you get from true duals all i want is something that isnt going to cost much. can i take the baffles back out and get the bike tuned to run properly that way and rest easy that its not going to damage the engine?
hope you all are enjoying the 4 day weekend, i appreciate any input
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,811
From: Centennial, CO
Too rich is not gonna burn the valves. If anything, taking the baffles out will lean it out cuz the engine will pass a little more air, all things being equal. I don't think you'll need a retune until you put a stage 1 air cleaner kit AND aftermarket exhaust or remove the cats from the current pipes. Some others in here may know more about the newer bikes.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,172
From: Oxford, Nc
Too rich is not gonna burn the valves. If anything, taking the baffles out will lean it out cuz the engine will pass a little more air, all things being equal. I don't think you'll need a retune until you put a stage 1 air cleaner kit AND aftermarket exhaust or remove the cats from the current pipes. Some others in here may know more about the newer bikes.
i might have said it wrong. dont remember to be honest if he said rich or lean. it wasnt a mechanic either it was a salesman haha but he said about taking the baffles out being a bad idea and i couldnt get it out of my head just wanted a couple more opinions. so you guys think its probably not going to hurt anything
Cat provides very little back pressure.
I am running Rush slip ons with no baffles in my 103, but I do have some W258 Thunder Torques in there. $25, gives you back all your low and mid range power/torque, does not take away from the sound, and yeah, it is better for the engine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6VwWeIyjeU
I am running Rush slip ons with no baffles in my 103, but I do have some W258 Thunder Torques in there. $25, gives you back all your low and mid range power/torque, does not take away from the sound, and yeah, it is better for the engine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6VwWeIyjeU
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DKCustomProducts.com
DKCustomProducts.com
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I get frustrated reading these threads! Your new expensive bike which you have just fitted cheap mufflers to has a delicately balanced set-up so it meets EPA regulations. Every manufacturer in the World has to do that now, just so you can buy your lovely new bike. Harley, the dealer and you have no choice.
Despite what others say you have now messed up that delicate balance. Regardless of whether your bike is now running rich or lean, if you want to do the decent thing and have it ride as well as possible, get the poor thing tuned properly so you can enjoy it to the max. Don't be a cheapskate!
Back street tuning techniques are a thing of the past.....
Despite what others say you have now messed up that delicate balance. Regardless of whether your bike is now running rich or lean, if you want to do the decent thing and have it ride as well as possible, get the poor thing tuned properly so you can enjoy it to the max. Don't be a cheapskate!
Back street tuning techniques are a thing of the past.....
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i got a tuner installed and the dealer set it up to run correctly without the baffles. it wasnt cheap but i love the sound again
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