What is the difference between adding new head pipes and removing the catalytic converter in the stock head pipes?

I think most aftermarket head pipes are straight through pipes with no catalytic converter but maybe I am wrong.

 

The catalytic converter is a box designed to contain the converter media and flow characteristics are ok at best with the media still inside. Remove the media and you change flow and the box with corners may not flow as well as original, not as good as aftermarket. Aftermarket headpipes are designed to enhance flow and reduce heat with removal of the cat

 

Without getting too technical the better aftermarket head pipes have the o2 sensors placed properly and have a collector that enhances the scavenging effect. Also some have a coating on them to reduce heat transfer.

 

What are you after? Little more noise, little more power? Removing cat will help at a relatively cheap cost. I hear the stock head pipe with cat removed is good up to around 100h/p +/-, just saying. Both will need to be tuned with some sort of a programmer.

 

Does anyone know if the head pipes from a 2000 road king fit onto a 2008 ultra? I want to go to true duals with a limited budget.

 

Should be pretty obvious??? Proper aftermarket headers provide better flow which equals better performance and less heat.

 

According to a dyno run that used to be posted on the Fuel Moto site the difference between a performance head pipe and a stock pipe without a cat is about 1.8 HP. Not enough to make any difference.

If you are just changing mufflers, AC, and possibly installing cams, you will not gain enough with a performance head pipe to justify the 500 cost. Installing heads, bigger jugs, etc. then you will benefit from the head pipe.

Know that mufflers, AC and no cat will require some sort of tuner.

Bill

 

Do a search for 'gutted cat' 'de catting' something along those lines, many threads about how-to's, performance differences, etc. You'll find all the info you want or need.

 

As others have mentioned, once the cat is out it will defenetly run better and hotter (leaner), you need a tuner. At that point the question becomes who is doing the tuning and what do they recommend. Many discussions on the sensor crosstalk when the cat is removed. If you want to ring out every last bit of power you need a quality head pipe. Fulsac makes a sport pipe which is a stock head pipe with a modified cat chamber, and they have an exchange program that is reasonable. I use it no complaints, probably leaving some power on the table, but not enough to worry about. Talk to your shop what they use for tuners, or if you are going to do it yourself do some more reading. Think of future mods so the tuner, the head pipe will suit your needs.

 

I believe the chart you are referring to on our site is the chart comparing the Jackpot 2/1/2 head pipe to the stock NON-catalyst head pipe on a 2009 96" bike, in that example while peak Hp gain was not huge there were still significant increases in torque. On the later model engines and bikes with catalysts there are much more pronounced gains. Below is a chart from a typical stage 1 combination; slip on mufflers, air cleaner and tuner showing the difference between the stock head pipe and secondly with the Jackpot 2/1/2. Besides the increase in performance there are large reductions in heat which radiates and contributes to parasitic loss as it affects the surrounding components, the non-catalyst pipe also provides more powerful sound.