When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
All I seem to read about on forums is...................."Stage One.............what pipes do I need ?............What's the best set-up?................What's the best fuel processor?.........How loud are these slip-ons?, etc."
My question is this....................Are there ANY benefits to just leaving your bike STOCK? Or is this something that absolutely SHOULD be done?
I kinda like my STOCK bike..............am I crazy? Everybody I talk to seems to think so.
All I seem to read about on forums is...................."Stage One.............what pipes do I need ?............What's the best set-up?................What's the best fuel processor?.........How loud are these slip-ons?, etc."
My question is this....................Are there ANY benefits to just leaving your bike STOCK? Or is this something that absolutely SHOULD be done?
I kinda like my STOCK bike..............am I crazy? Everybody I talk to seems to think so.
yes - no concerns whatsoever about getting a ticket for loud pipes
Most guys change the exhaust, etc. on a BRAND NEW bike before they even pick it up! They act like it's "expected" or something. I just don't get it, I guess.
All I seem to read about on forums is...................."Stage One.............what pipes do I need ?............What's the best set-up?................What's the best fuel processor?.........How loud are these slip-ons?, etc."
My question is this....................Are there ANY benefits to just leaving your bike STOCK? Or is this something that absolutely SHOULD be done?
I kinda like my STOCK bike..............am I crazy? Everybody I talk to seems to think so.
If stock is good for you, leave it be. Most of us like to adhere to the Tim Taylor "more power" theory.
I think the people that post on this forum are way more concerned with changing things and worry about little things way more than the average motorcycle rider. I love building strong motors and have had quite a few both car and bike.What I see a lot of on here is a lot of people thinking they must modify to fit in and they like to brag about the modifacations that thy have done or paid someone to do.Having said all this it is your bike and your money so its your choice,no one elses.My FXDC is stock except for slippons and it runs just fine for what I do.
Yes if you like your bike stock, leave it. The bikes come from the factory tuned to meet EPA emission and noise requirements. They're not tuned for optimum performance. By doing a stage one, you're tuning for the perfomance the engine would deliver without those regulations. My Road King there was a big difference between stock and stage one. The engine now revs freely to redline instead of wheezing over 3000 rpms stock.
Last edited by barjbar; Jul 29, 2010 at 10:25 AM.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
I'm still sitting on the fence about changing anything (except putting on some chrome). The Limited has just about everything I need. The power and the sound sound seem adequate (for now).
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.