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First thing I needed to do after buying this by n riding a bit for a couple weeks, was to start to look at ways to get the bike to fit me. I added a Mustang touring seat. This seat set me back inch and three quarters due to my tall height. I also had custom solo seat by C&C with blue flames on it that I removed off of my streetglide. This seat is cool looking but not very practical for long rides
Next step was adding color handlebars. I did not want to make the same mistake I had made in a previous life by getting to tall ape hangers for touring bike. I decided to go with the factory 47 Malott handlebars, it is a 14 inch meat hook. The beautiful thing with installing these handlebars I was able to use the stock cables and most of electrical wiring. I did have to add extensions for the throttle and the cruise control. It definitely was not an easy implementation getting the plugs through the handlebars was a pain in the ***. It came out pretty cool, like the bars alot. I decided to use the Avon grips.
After finally getting thru break in, wanted to get some vocal cords on this thing. After watching hundreds of you to videos and reading posts on multiple forums. I am so confused I can't decide whether to go **** or go blind. :-)
I call my friends over at Bassani to talk about their head pipe. I was assured and then the testing and eliminating catalytic converter will definitely increase power. I do the same with V&H on the high-output slip ons. I add a K and in high low filter with the V&H fp3 tuner, $800 later and one trip over to Bennett performance in signal Hill California, they dyno the bike only to find out that I have lost power and exhaust way too quiet for my taste.
I had some pretty frustrating phone calls with both the manufacturers only to get no answers at all. Decided to sell the head pipe and the slipons n start over
Last edited by chilidipper; Feb 8, 2018 at 11:56 PM.
Reason: update
Sorry for confusion nobodynome, Just creating a thread for my mods on my bike.
It's all good and apparently I caught your thread between posts. You seem to have a couple different seats? Welcome to my world... Like your apes and just got a set to go on this new bike. 12" Meathook Monkeybars.
Have not had my RGS on a dyno but went with RC headers because of their claims of increased performance. I surely felt it wake up the bike. Will be curious what route you end up with. The M8 I guess can be a tough nut to crack regarding performance upgrades.
Yeah, Nobodynome it has been a learning curve on finding the right performance mods. Lets face it I am not the brightest bulb on the billboard, but there are some things about this M8 baffles me. Also learning that some of these well meaning keyboard jockeys may not have all the answers> :-(
V twins taught us all that you add just about almost any headpipe, Hi flow AI or Tuner and see dramatic improvements and you could easily get a desired sound from mufflers (cans).
I have been a big fan of Bassani pipes, ran em on my SG, and all my dynas. Got a bit loud toward the end, but loved the results.
Here is what I have learned about these vendors that took old V Twin products and adj to fit M8. Just cuz it worked on VT, does not mean it will be a good fit for M8. Bassani and Vance and hines and two good examples of this!
I ended up removing the Bassani headpipe and V&H slipons. I lost torque and they sounded like crap!! I am attaching the dyno report.
I decided on the D&D Billet cat 2 into 1 with a ghost pipe on the port side. D&D out of TX have done their homework on M8 and more importantly built a pipe exclusively for M8. Here is a sound clip/video of a guy running it.
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