Ok I have a 07 1200 XL50 14,300 miles. Bike runs great-no isses at all. It's been sitting all winter and I got new/used Martin Bros Two Down pipes for it last weekend. The pipes were used one season on a 08 1200. This past weekend I installed the new pipes, put new plugs in gapped to .040 like they should be and a new stock air filter-that is all I did engine wise. I installed a new HD exhaust gasket in the rear CYL, but the front gaskets looked good and did not want to come out so I left it in there-that is the only differance from front to rear CYL. Well Last night I took the bike out of the house to fire it up with the new pipes. I had a smoke and before I finished my smoke I noticed smoke or steam comming form the front CYL area and then looked at the front pipe and it was glowing almost red at the bend by the O2 sensor-I mean glowing. I shut the bike down and let it cool for a few. The Garage was about 35 degress so it was nice and cold. I fired the bike bike up and with in a few mins and a few revs the pipe started to glow again so I shut it down-the rear pipe never glowed, but also does not have the bend liek the front one does and is alot shorter. Also the pipes have baffels in them and on back idle it blew flames. My bike is stock with the pipes and the HD down load since I use to have SE slip on's

My Grandpa said it seems like that bend in the pipe is holding heat and I looked at the stock head pipe and it makes like small bends to get down and this new front pipes makes almost a 180 right after the CYL port. It is only glowing by the bend. So what do you guys think is up? I don't want to damage anything. I know when pipes glow that means it's super hot or there is a blockage, but the pipes are fine.

I'm also going to call Matin Bros today and see what they say.

 

If the exhaust is leaking at the gasket it can cause them to get hot. Also the front cylinder running lean could cause this. I would buy two more gaskets and put them on, retorque to spec and see what happens. Where you getting any popping sounds from the exhaust/head mating area?

 

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No I did not hear any leaks from the flangs and I even held my smoke by flang to see if the smoke blew and it did not. I guess i can pull the pipe again and install a new gasket and go from there.

 

I never would never reuse an exhaust pipe gasket, and I never use the stock gaskets to replace the originals. The SE exhaust gaskets are well worth the money.

 

Well I have one more new stock type gasket so I will remove the front pipe and dig the old gasket out and install the new one-what a pain in the A++ and see how it goes.

So you guys don't think it's a tunning issue at this time?

 

Can't say for certain, but since it is just the front that is hot I would speculate using the old gasket has caused a leak at the mounting point. This will cause the pipe to get hot and if left will cause your exhaust valve to burn out. It is possible you will have to retune for the new exhaust. I had SEII's on my 06 and had the stage 1 done on it with a/c jets and dynoed when I bought it. After installing short shots I had to have it retuned and I also dynoed it again just to see where I was at.

 

Well I installed the new gasket in the front CYL last night and snugged the flang bolts up and the pipes is still glowing on idle. I'm so pissed at this point. I know the bike "Should" be tuned for the pipes, but I mean I don't see it being that off at idle. I'm thinking about getting the new Power Commander and seeing if that helps since a HD race tunner and dyno tune is not in the budget-hell the PC is not in the budget. This sucks big time.