Finally got around to changingthe exhaust on my Deluxe. I went from V&H Longshots (which I hated due to it blueing all the time by the mufflers) to V&H Big Shots Long.The heat shield starts at the jug and runs fully down the whole pipe, which makes them blue proof (I hope). The sound is much deeper. It also seems to have a little more pep, but very little. This has been a long journey for me to find pipes that will not discolor after 100 miles, and hopefully these will not. Installation was a pain in the a$$, mostly due to the gaskets and those annoying shield clamps, but the next time will be a breeze.

One more thing---I go to the dealer and ask him what I need to do this job, he tells me everything is allready there but to change the gaskets. I say sure give me some gaskets.Ok, I have read here on the forums that these gaskets have to be present when installing exhaust, but when I take off my Longshots, poooof there is none--not one or the other. I bought the bike new and had the dealer install the Longshots prior to delivery, so what gives, no way I will believe that these things just mold and become part of the head pipe. I checked everywhere, they are not there. So now I know why I constantly get this stain on my front fender, I had an exhaust leak due to the dealer hiring a complete moron who cant remember if the gasket goes on my motorcycle or his ****.

I have 2 dealers around me and Im tellin ya everytime I go to either one, they f*** something up. I now try to do more and more of the work myself.

 

This just reinforces that Ol' saying, If you want it done right, do it yourself. I would never consider allowing anyone to work on my bike. Now for the big shot longs, I installed a set on my 06 Heritage, I like the looks of the pipes, love the performance, but for me their way to loud. I am now considering installing quiet baffels, however in order to get to the screw that holds the baffel in you have to loosen those pain in the *** clamps you talk about and slide the heat shield to the rear. This is from V.H. Tech. support. You shouldn't have any trouble with blueing.

 

They are loud, but not annoying loud. Do you have baffles in them now? I do, but I dont know if they are the quite ones or not. To me these pipes areso much better than the longshots(which by the way are extremely loud). Good luck.