Installed Rush baloney cut slip on w/ 1 3/4 baffles ... V&H Naked performance air breather ... and Mullen XiEDs. I posted earlier that XiEDs have little or no impact on temperature and that I could not find any discernable performance increase. This was after installing pipes .. but before swapping in the Vance and Hines big sucker kit. Rode bike from Venice to Tarpon Springs, FL yesterday. Only detectable difference was when I was pulling out of toll booth and wanting to catch up with my posse .. I rolled hard on the throttle and shot gear upshifts out fast ... engine seemed to have a little more oomph as it rolled up the revs past 70 mph all the way up tp 90 mph. She didn't seem to run out of energy as quick on the torque curve. The Rush's sound better with more air coming through them and you can hear the air sucking in ... a good sound.

My guess ... along with advice from Steve Mullen ... is that engine computer has strong bias table and that its dragging the AFR back to stochiometric (14.7) inspite of the XiEDs ... so ... ECM is making up for more air coming in and more air going out ... and after 350 mile ride ... no damage to engine .. no pinging .. no dead spots ... so much for warning from stealership ... they wanted around $1000 to install after market computer and dyno time ... to install their pipes and their K&N big sucker (that allows water in) ... that $1000 does not include costs of pipe or big sucker. Motor Company warns of danger to engine w/out reprogramming ...

So ... if you want to add mild Stage I mods ... all I can tell you is that I did ... and didn't reprogram or buy a new programmable ECM as recommended by Motor Company and Stealership. How it will work out for your softail .... I don't know ...

 

i have never seem MO CO say you have to reprogram anything and i dont believe you would be any leaner that stock when you change pipes and breather. The harley ecm will run 14.7 same as stock and can provide enough fuel to adjust for the increase air flow. The only reason i went aftermarket ecm was for the coolness i get at 13.5. you can also run a cooler richer mixture just by running the harley ecm in open loop all the time

 

This was actually one reason I just stuck with the Rush pipes. The dealership here warned of engine damage if I went full pipes and air filter without some reprogrammable unit. So far, I'm still saving up the $2k for that upgrade. Pipes+filter+dyno=$2k

 

like i said the dealer cannot tell me why it would run any leaner than the 14.7 stock does. the harley ecm can run a stock engine as rich as 12 to 1 in open loop.

 

....some people are just blind.....

 

$2k is very rich territory for a stage 1 even with a programmable unit ... which is the way to go if you are going to add more performance junk later on. I stuck to the poor man's route since I'm not going beyond this point ... pipes $225 ... filter $130 ... XiEDs $100 (and I don't think they are doing squat) ... so ... I shelled out $455 ... and while I am not blind and I can see ... I think HD and the Stealerships just want to fleece you ... and I could have gotten away with just the filter and the pipes given I know believe you don't have to reprogram unless you really go radical "improvements."

Once I get the 1k mile service ... I NEVER go back to a stealership unless its dire do-or-die warranty service. I'm glad once the warranty is over 'cause then I don't have the pressure of having to take it back to a stealership.

MY EXPERIENCE ... best to turn whatever wrenches I can manage myself ... and for more complex or tedious jobs ... find a good, trustworty local wrench turner ... and develop a relationship with his shop ... no better place to hang out than your local Harley mechanic shop. From the $2k ... I figure you are working with a stealership ... walk away .. run away ... before they take your money and screw up your bike!