How are you North Dakota riders doing? Has anybody lost a bike to flooding? Did you sandbag your Harley's before your houses?

It sound like there are some real hardships up there. I am sorry you are not getting the sympathies that the mob in lousiania got. I know you are going through an even tougher time.

Let us know how you are doing!

S. Dog

 

I picked my bike up from my dealer yesterday morning and, as I mentioned earlier, they had slipped on some stock pipes from an '09 Ultra. I can tell you after 150 miles that the difference is unreal. The bike has a nice mellow Harley rumble and there's no noticeable change in the throttle. The bike was stumbling and faltering - with the engine light coming on - with the old pipes. I think the poser who owned the bike before I bought it (he traded for a new SE Ultra on which to pose) never did any of the other stage one mods to go along with the pipes so it was running too lean as well as making a racket. All "problems" are now fixed. I rode 50 miles to work this morning with my stereo earplugs, listening to the morning news on the radio with the sound and feel of purebred rumble below me. Nirvana!

Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. I think most dealers have an atic full of stock pipes they'd be happy to give you, too, if your aftermarkets prove too noisy.

Curt

 

I had to pick myself off the floor after reading this one. Now here's a fellow with a sense of humor.

I don't own an H&H...can't afford one and my neighborhood, thus far, doesn't have an elephant problem anyway. I don't know any Penobscots and I try to ride by myself, not in groups because they hold me up and back. My leather is pure Corbin, so go ask Mike if it comes from Corinthia.

 

I'm not at all surprised that your neighborhood has'nt had an elephant problem. They don't like loud pipes. Wait 'til they find out you've had 'em changed. You're going to need a King-Size pack of RepElephant.
BTW,lighten up.

 

Silverstone - I've been having a hoot through all of this. While my question was honest and sincere - and the solution has been found - I'm amazed at how thin-skinned and defensive some folks really are. When it comes to pipes, however, we are seeing some serious legislation coming down the pike and it's going to pick up steam if folks are intransigent in their demands about keeping straight pipes on their bikes. I was looking at putting an Akra set on my R12S, but it scares me to put $1,000-1,200 into an exhaust that might need to be removed in a year or two. In each case, however, I think the stock bikes offer plenty enough power for what the bikes are intended to do. Even my old Harley with its 1340 Evo engine...just fine!

 

Kind of funny, I was at a Honda store picking up some parts for my son and notice the guy next to me trying to get his money back on a half helmet that didn't fit. As we got to talking, I found out he owned the 1200 BMW parked outside. When he found out I had a Harley, his face lit up as he bragged about the Harley he used to have. This guy travels a lot for his business and puts about 3000 miles a week on his bike. He said the only reason he bought the BMW was because it gave him the longest distance between gas stops. He missed the Harley, but the thing he missed the most about it was the louder exhaust. I wonder if he heard about the bigger gas tanks on the Harley touring bikes.

hcmiller92, if you would have stayed away from the silly comparisons and analogies to force everyone to agree with you, you might have come out of this with a little respect. It is true that there is legislation because some folks find loud pipes annoying and it is true that you find loud pipes annoying. But that is as far as you should have gone and just simply respected everyone else’s opinion. We seem to live in an age where we have become intolerant of the free thought of others if they disagree with our own.

Beary

 

that's a GREAT billboard, I don't remember seeing it at the 100th.

Curt,
I have V&H Monster Ovals on my new Ultra. They're very throaty at idle or low RPM's, but they actually seem to get quieter at higher (read: highway) RPM's. They look good and sound good (although there are a number of guys here that think they're too quiet). Again, exhaust volume is a very subjective topic, what I like won't work for a lot of the other guys.

What type of helmet are you using? Full face helmets tend to exacerbate the noise from a Harley exhaust, mine sounds louder with the helmet than without.

Good luck with your pipe selection.

 

Your interaction with people is the problems you have, not your opinion on sound levels from pipes. I'm not disagreeing with you about loud pipes and never said I was. I don't like them super loud.
Like I said before read YOUR posts and if you don't understand your problems in that area you need to seek professional help to understand why and how you are offensive
Very simple
I will also stop to give you a hand if you need it. I don't dislike you. I don't know you other than your treatment of others with your words. I dislike the way you treat others, I do understand your comments are coming from a troubled person. That trouble may be from events in your life that have shaped you and I'm sorry you've had to go through those events.
Your offensive comments are in almost all the posts you have written look at this one post listed here you refer to "YOUR BRASS *****" (legend in your own mind comment) "couldn't care less (opposite of many other comments you've made), stupidity.smarta$$" (just a mean comment) all those words are in this one post.
If you don't understand why you have generated a negative persona about yourself, seek professional help to try to understand, maybe you can better yourself in the future and gain knowledge on how to communicate.
I am not hurt by you, and I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm completely serious about you getting help I'm not flaming or making fun, mental health issues are common and hurt many especially the person who needs treatment. I just hope you can learn something from these last couple of days that will help you with the rest of your life.
Best wishes and ride safe

 

For the original poster/troll:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How.../9781416535546

 

Beary - loudness isn't subjective, it's measurable. I don't much care if others want loud pipes on their bikes but on my bike, the noise caused some serious ear pain. I rode a friend's Sportster 1200 a couple of years ago for 25 miles, the whole while in absolute agony from the noise pressure. When I got it to the inspection station, they wouldn't pass it because the aftermarket pipes had the baffles removed. The owner loved the noise, but for me, it caused pain. Real pain. This isn't about opinion, this is about measurable values. I couldn't care less how loud your pipes are, just don't make me ride your bike!

As far as the anecdote about the Beemer guy missing his bike, that's bull**** reasoning. I go just as far on my Harley between stops as on any Beemer (and there are many 1200s, both twin and in-line 4s). My Harley actually gives me better fuel economy (probably because I have a heavy throttle hand) than my BMWs.

Look, the difference between Harleys and BMWs is like the difference between a great big, thick juicy hamburger and steak tartare. I love both foods, sometimes preferring one to the other. One is not better than the other, just different. I OWN both brands and wouldn't own the Harley if I thought it was second rate to the BMWs. It gives me great joy. But there is a huge performance difference between the two brands. My BMW touring bike weighs 600 pounds and has a 152 hp motor with 95 pounds feet of torque. It's like a jet. Period. But my Harley rumbles and rocks and feels great, too, and gives me tremendous pleasure.

Remember, too, I don't pose. I'm riding upward of 30,000 miles a year. That's more than most on this list, I'll bet, and I get to appreciate the differences between and among lots of different bikes, that's why I've settled in on these two marques. I live in the northeast - snow country - and it's still early April. I've ridden THOUSANDS of miles already this year.

I'm feeling a bit like John Travolta in his role in Wild Hogs in this forum. I ride. I love bikes. I love Harleys, just like you. I just need to tailor it to my riding habits, that's all.

Curt