big shot or stright shots
HDF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,866
Likes: 524
From: The 1980's
RE: big shot or stright shots
Had a set of the shorter Big Shots on my 02 Fat Boy. Good look, good sound, but they're a horsepower thief. Do a little snooping around and try to get a good combination that will bump up your HP or at least keep it the same but still give you the sound that you're looking for. The pic of my bike shows that I went with a 2 into 1 Hooker but a lot of people want the look of dual pipes. But as the old marketing line says, "I Love My Hooker (headers)". As a bonus in addtion to the extra HP, I think they have a growling, much more mean sound to them instead of the blat of my old Big Shots.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,472
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: big shot or stright shots
Neither. The Big or Long Shots aren't nostalgic looking at all. Of course, that's just my Not-So-Humble-Opinion! 
If you're wanting to do something that fits with the bike's character, as it is styled to look similar to a rigid frame Pan (1948 - 1957), then check out some pics of those years. You'll see that most have a 2-into-1 head pipe with a single muffler on the right side. Common modification was a "fishtail" muffler. Another was a "fishtail" straight pipe extension to replace the muffler.
None of these are "performance" exhausts. For that you gotta do the 2-into-1 equal length tuned headers.
Here's a pic of my '78 FLH with the 2-into-1 headpipe and a 30 inch fishtail extension.
If you're wanting to do something that fits with the bike's character, as it is styled to look similar to a rigid frame Pan (1948 - 1957), then check out some pics of those years. You'll see that most have a 2-into-1 head pipe with a single muffler on the right side. Common modification was a "fishtail" muffler. Another was a "fishtail" straight pipe extension to replace the muffler.None of these are "performance" exhausts. For that you gotta do the 2-into-1 equal length tuned headers.
Here's a pic of my '78 FLH with the 2-into-1 headpipe and a 30 inch fishtail extension.
Banned
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,496
Likes: 156
From:
RE: big shot or stright shots
>>>>>>>Just installed Big Shots and I thunk I lost power to.
Did you ever think of the butterfly trick in the end of the pipe??
It consists of a 1/4"x1" thumb screw or taking a 3/4" outside diameter washer and weld it to the top of a 3/4" x 1/4" bolt.( looks like a lollipop) with 2 nuts, one on the inside of the pipe and one on the outside as a locknut. Requires drilling a hole in the tail end of the pipe a few inches in (usually in the underside or slightly inboard so it's not visible) and mounting this setup into the hole with the thumbscrew in path of the exhaust. This makes it tunable by turning the thumbscrew to either restrict the exhaust or the other way to let the exhaust bypass with out restriction. You can turn the thumb screw in many positions ( to tune) the exhaust where ever you feel it runs best. It works wonders to give you back low end torque where you loose with these and drag pipes because all you need is a little backpressure to make them work.
[IMG]local://upfiles/2318/7BE52A3AD45B4050BBAE0165FAF40562.jpg[/IMG]
Did you ever think of the butterfly trick in the end of the pipe??
It consists of a 1/4"x1" thumb screw or taking a 3/4" outside diameter washer and weld it to the top of a 3/4" x 1/4" bolt.( looks like a lollipop) with 2 nuts, one on the inside of the pipe and one on the outside as a locknut. Requires drilling a hole in the tail end of the pipe a few inches in (usually in the underside or slightly inboard so it's not visible) and mounting this setup into the hole with the thumbscrew in path of the exhaust. This makes it tunable by turning the thumbscrew to either restrict the exhaust or the other way to let the exhaust bypass with out restriction. You can turn the thumb screw in many positions ( to tune) the exhaust where ever you feel it runs best. It works wonders to give you back low end torque where you loose with these and drag pipes because all you need is a little backpressure to make them work.
[IMG]local://upfiles/2318/7BE52A3AD45B4050BBAE0165FAF40562.jpg[/IMG]
Trending Topics
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 223
Likes: 1
From:
RE: big shot or stright shots
I had a set of Big City Thunder baffles with that in them. Had great horse power. I have the quiet baffle wich has a plug so there should be some back presure.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
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
Verdad Gallardo
Road Captain
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 708
Likes: 0
From:
RE: big shot or stright shots
Damn, my Big Shots are in now and the dealer is supposed to install them tomorrow along with some other performance upgrades. I may switch to the Big Shots staggered if it's not too late. They're supposed to add horsepower...[sm=WTFsgign.gif]
Kurt
Kurt
Road Captain
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 708
Likes: 0
From:
RE: big shot or stright shots
One of the reasons I'm having the dealer install the pipes is they're installing a race kit and putting it on a dyno, I wonder if that will make a difference in power loss or not?
Kurt
Kurt