Are there really advantages to getting pipes for my new heritage?
Are there any negatives? I am a new rider, please let me know. The dealer was trying to talk me into it. I guess the advantage is that the sound makes you more likely to be heard by other motorists. Does this really make that much difference?
Thanks
David

 

If you are a new rider, you have plenty of torque and ponies for you to handle on the stock machine. You'll know when it is time to upgrade.

 

Pipes give you horsepower and a personal signature for taste. I would shop around before making a decision and go to some shows or shops to listen to various bikes to see how they sound. If you change your pipes, look into getting a PCIII or SERT. They are noted for performance when doing a stage 1 upgrade. Search the forums and read different articles on pipes and performance.

 

Beyond sound changes and performance, they also seem to help the motor run cooler.
You probably don't care about that now, but wait until July when your thighs are cooking.

Nothing to rush into, and the sound can get very loud compared to stock which can either enhance your detract from your riding experience.

 

I've never heard that the engine runs cooler.. What an exhaust upgrade will give you in performance will be a bit more air flow.. Because a fuel injected bike would need probably a stage 1 air breather kit, the chip and some remapping to the exhaust, it will run you a bit.. You'll gain a few ponies and maybe (if you're smart with your selection) you'll gain some torque.. Keep in mind, the kind of riding folks typically do with harley's is mid-RPM pulling power for winding curves and pulling hills, etc.. as well as just cruising or touring.. Once you really get used to the bike, then you can investigate the kind of upgrades you might like to do. If it's just sound you're after.. an inexpensive way to do it is just with aftermarket slip-on mufflers (again do the fuel injection download for those slip-ons).. That will give you some sound with a slight bump in performance that isn't too drastic and won't cost you too much in fuel economy. Get around some other bikes and learn about the different types.. talk to other bikers about what they like/dislike with their exhaust, then judge based on the type of bike and rider they are. If it's just a hotrod cruiser with drags, they might just be after sound and horsepower, but that particular setup might not be so great for pulling mountain roads and/or fuel economy. Not all exhausts setups sound alike also.. There are lots of variations.. 2 into 1's, drags, 2 into 2's with crossovers, etc. along with just the slip-ons to your stock headers. Also consider the look you might be going for with your Heritage. The downside of course is cost and some pipes can actually decrease torque performance or put dips in the torque powerband.. bad. Drag pipes are problematic for this type of problem unless the bike is tuned well for them.. then still drags are basically a horsepower pipe.. Keep in mind, it's a cruiser, not a dragster just running full throttle.. The real power you want is in the mid-RPM range (streetable power).

sorry to babble.. hope it helps.. congrats on your new heritage.