DIY Cheap Mods
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 281
Likes: 62
From: Wilson, NC
Homemade baffles
Don't know if this has been posted in the previous 80 pages but here I go...
Just purchased a 2013 Breakout. First thing I did was remove those black exhaust shields because I like the all chrome pipes. This thing just don't sound like a Harley and don't want to spend alot on pipes just yet so..
I pulled off the stock slip ons and drilled the rivets and removed the stock baffles. After reading about power loss and how loud it would probably be I did this.
Went to the local muffler shop and got 2 10" pieces of 2in id pipe and had both ends swelled out to 3in od. Went home and cut diagonal cuts all the way around with sawsall. With a flat screwdriver and a hammer I dented in the edges of the cuts about 1/4" making little loovers to catch the air. I then took the wrapping off one stock baffle and cut it down the middle and wrapped both of my made ones perfectly. Drilled a hole in the bell of the out end and bolted them into the stock slip on's.
Bike has great sound now! Cruising is not load at all but it's got that deep grunt it should when you give it a twist and hopefully enough back pressure to not loose performance.
Cost $20
Just purchased a 2013 Breakout. First thing I did was remove those black exhaust shields because I like the all chrome pipes. This thing just don't sound like a Harley and don't want to spend alot on pipes just yet so..
I pulled off the stock slip ons and drilled the rivets and removed the stock baffles. After reading about power loss and how loud it would probably be I did this.
Went to the local muffler shop and got 2 10" pieces of 2in id pipe and had both ends swelled out to 3in od. Went home and cut diagonal cuts all the way around with sawsall. With a flat screwdriver and a hammer I dented in the edges of the cuts about 1/4" making little loovers to catch the air. I then took the wrapping off one stock baffle and cut it down the middle and wrapped both of my made ones perfectly. Drilled a hole in the bell of the out end and bolted them into the stock slip on's.
Bike has great sound now! Cruising is not load at all but it's got that deep grunt it should when you give it a twist and hopefully enough back pressure to not loose performance.
Cost $20
Last edited by Todd1113; Jan 30, 2014 at 03:33 AM. Reason: Forgot cost
I wanna say PLEASE take 'em back out and wrap them with fibreglass matting for doing boat work and such. I think you're gonna be very surprised at the glasspack mod to them. You might add a few more cuts to the baffles to compensate for the flow, but there is just something wikkid when you got glass!
That would be it then, great. Hey, there's a thread in here called "sound posting of exhaust systems or pipes"...something like that; they'd love to hear a sound byte over there.
Aha, found it:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/engin...t-systems.html
Aha, found it:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/engin...t-systems.html
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: IL
More than 1 way to hold a wire
Here's a cheap way to help get good solder connections when you need to lengthen, shorten, or add lines in the bikes electrical system.
The biggest problem with soldering wires on a bike is you need to be an octopus. You need a couple of extra hands to hold the wires whileyou use solder with one hand and the iron in the other. So I came up with a simple and cheap way to make a couple of different wire holders.
I think I spent a grand total of less than a buck for both of them, and that's because I wanted to get a new pair of alligator clips. The wood one was made from a pair of cloths pins glued to a couple of pieces of a paint mixing stick I got from Home Depot for free. The clips I swiped off the wife. This one is good for any wires that you can lay on a table, or you can glue a magnet to the back and stick it to any steel surface.
The other one with the alligator clips I mademade from the clips and a one foot long piece of scrap 12ga solid copper wire. Its great for using where you can use a clamp or vise grips on the wire between the clips and bend the ends to wherever you need them. Just be careful of using metal clips like these. A hot iron on the wores will have the teeth melting through the wire insulation. So you might considerfiling the teeth down a little and covering them with some tape or shrink tubing.
Soldering wires isn't rocket science, but it does take a little practice to do well all the time. But here's a tip for making solder connections that are nearly bullet proof. Once you get the wires soldered properly, like this.
Get some of the wives nail polish or some of this liguid tape and paint the exposed wire and solder connection.
When you ‘paint’ the connection pay particular attention to the ends of the insulation and make sure its well coated. This will prevent any moisture from migrating up the wire strands and corroding them. It won't bother anything today, but a couple of years down the road it will drive you nuts trying to find the electrical gremlins.
Once its dry use a good grade of heat shrink tubing to seal and protect the connection.
Done right the connection will be only slightly larger than the original wire size and last a lifetime.
This is what it looks like before I heated the shrink tubing.
And after.
And here's one where I spliced one wire to an existing line.
Ride safe.
The biggest problem with soldering wires on a bike is you need to be an octopus. You need a couple of extra hands to hold the wires whileyou use solder with one hand and the iron in the other. So I came up with a simple and cheap way to make a couple of different wire holders.
I think I spent a grand total of less than a buck for both of them, and that's because I wanted to get a new pair of alligator clips. The wood one was made from a pair of cloths pins glued to a couple of pieces of a paint mixing stick I got from Home Depot for free. The clips I swiped off the wife. This one is good for any wires that you can lay on a table, or you can glue a magnet to the back and stick it to any steel surface.
The other one with the alligator clips I mademade from the clips and a one foot long piece of scrap 12ga solid copper wire. Its great for using where you can use a clamp or vise grips on the wire between the clips and bend the ends to wherever you need them. Just be careful of using metal clips like these. A hot iron on the wores will have the teeth melting through the wire insulation. So you might considerfiling the teeth down a little and covering them with some tape or shrink tubing.
Soldering wires isn't rocket science, but it does take a little practice to do well all the time. But here's a tip for making solder connections that are nearly bullet proof. Once you get the wires soldered properly, like this.
Get some of the wives nail polish or some of this liguid tape and paint the exposed wire and solder connection.
When you ‘paint’ the connection pay particular attention to the ends of the insulation and make sure its well coated. This will prevent any moisture from migrating up the wire strands and corroding them. It won't bother anything today, but a couple of years down the road it will drive you nuts trying to find the electrical gremlins.
Once its dry use a good grade of heat shrink tubing to seal and protect the connection.
Done right the connection will be only slightly larger than the original wire size and last a lifetime.
This is what it looks like before I heated the shrink tubing.
And after.
And here's one where I spliced one wire to an existing line.
Ride safe.
Another great holder I've used is a plain 'ol mousetrap.Then,if you are working with a really short wire near a plug,sensor,whatever,or SOMEONE cut the wire too close(musta been the previous owner,lol),the wire on the mousetrap acts like a heatsink and helps prevent backheating and melting a pin,ruining a socket,or whatever.Hope this helps someone!
1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: ontario,canada
Any one know what type of crimp tool is needed to crimp (amp) pin terminals found on 82-95 handlebar switch wires. Having a hard time finding a cheap crimp tool. Most places I try don't know what I need.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 189
Likes: 7
From: Wantagh, ny
those terminals can be a real PITA to do right. by the time you buy the tool and figure in the time and energy to crimp them yourself, it's money well spent to order premade ones.
just my humble opinion.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: California
Tank Lift - Home Made
I did a Home Made Tank Lift on my 07 Deuce.
Got some flat bar, hex screws, T-nut, lock washer, washers from Lowes.
I had some 1/2 inch aluminium spacers laying around.
Front I raised 1.5" and the rear 1/2".
1.5" inch was enough so I didn't have to extend or replace the fuel crossover line.
Turned out pretty good.
Cheap alternative.
Symo
Got some flat bar, hex screws, T-nut, lock washer, washers from Lowes.
I had some 1/2 inch aluminium spacers laying around.
Front I raised 1.5" and the rear 1/2".
1.5" inch was enough so I didn't have to extend or replace the fuel crossover line.
Turned out pretty good.
Cheap alternative.
Symo
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Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 280
Likes: 10
From: Botha,Ab,Canada
I did a Home Made Tank Lift on my 07 Deuce.
Got some flat bar, hex screws, T-nut, lock washer, washers from Lowes.
I had some 1/2 inch aluminium spacers laying around.
Front I raised 1.5" and the rear 1/2".
1.5" inch was enough so I didn't have to extend or replace the fuel crossover line.
Turned out pretty good.
Cheap alternative.
Symo
Got some flat bar, hex screws, T-nut, lock washer, washers from Lowes.
I had some 1/2 inch aluminium spacers laying around.
Front I raised 1.5" and the rear 1/2".
1.5" inch was enough so I didn't have to extend or replace the fuel crossover line.
Turned out pretty good.
Cheap alternative.
Symo