True Duals question
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Ohio
Performance isn't necessarily my holy grail, but I sure don't want to give up power in an already less than powerful engine.
OK, let's shift gears...... would a SuperTrapp 2/1 do anything to cut down on the right leg heat situation?
OK, let's shift gears...... would a SuperTrapp 2/1 do anything to cut down on the right leg heat situation?
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 369
Likes: 1
From: Land of the sunstroke
Well I will give you a little update on mine, I did the true duals 2 weeks ago, my bike was sputtering and running like a turd after. I went to have it dyno tuned saturday out in Scottsdale at the bike week gathering. Turns out I had some massive intake leaks. So saturday night, Off comes the S&S. Turns out the prior owners shop didnt use intake manifold seals, and instead utilized large amounts of Blue RTV sealant to make the seals. I pulled the carb off complete, and basically did a rebuild on everything but the accel pump. New float needle, seals, orings, idle mix screw all the springs and new orings all around. the bike runs 100% better. EVEN after going through the carb complete and setting timing, there is still LESS power from the 1500-2500 rpm with a fully reset and tuned carb over the intake leaking stock headpipes. Now with that said, my bike still pulls hard, and I dont drag race it, and as it was close to 100* this weekend, the temp difference on my legs was WELL worth the performance dip. When its cool out, she still runs hard.
I do think my next purchase is going to be the V&H HIPO 2/1 black ceramic coated setup.
I do think my next purchase is going to be the V&H HIPO 2/1 black ceramic coated setup.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
Did 130 miles this morning (Ive got a really long commute) in 70 degree wx. R leg heat is much better, but Left leg is quite a bit warmer. And I did lose a little low end tq, but not enough to bother me. I have the HD plastic shields that go under the frame over the pipes. Doesn't help on the L side anymore. I guess with the larger exhaust flow down that side and the short distance from the port and your leg, it is still pretty hot gas when it passes your leg. But with my improved performance over stock and the much better sound, I consider it a fair trade.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: leominster, ma
Did 130 miles this morning (Ive got a really long commute) in 70 degree wx. R leg heat is much better, but Left leg is quite a bit warmer. And I did lose a little low end tq, but not enough to bother me. I have the HD plastic shields that go under the frame over the pipes. Doesn't help on the L side anymore. I guess with the larger exhaust flow down that side and the short distance from the port and your leg, it is still pretty hot gas when it passes your leg. But with my improved performance over stock and the much better sound, I consider it a fair trade.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Ohio
In my search for the Holy Grail, I came across this thread at the Supertrapp forum:
http://forums.supertrapp.com/showthr...light=supermeg
I'll quote the post by the moderator:
"Our 2:1 is pretty quiet by 'industry' standards. Performance wise is by far the best choice.
True Duals, just by design, seperating the exhaust pulses, increases noise over the stock head pipe. Perfomance wise, true duals are more for looks than anything. The stock head pipe will provide a slightly better/broader spread of power over the duals, as well as being quieter."
Coming from a company that does nothing but make exhausts, I'll put a lot of faith in his answer.
http://forums.supertrapp.com/showthr...light=supermeg
I'll quote the post by the moderator:
"Our 2:1 is pretty quiet by 'industry' standards. Performance wise is by far the best choice.
True Duals, just by design, seperating the exhaust pulses, increases noise over the stock head pipe. Perfomance wise, true duals are more for looks than anything. The stock head pipe will provide a slightly better/broader spread of power over the duals, as well as being quieter."
Coming from a company that does nothing but make exhausts, I'll put a lot of faith in his answer.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 404
Likes: 0
From: L.A. (Lower Alabama)
I agree, 2-1 is a superior exhaust. When I win the lottery, Ive got about $13000 planned for the motor alone. RB Racing 2-1, Branch Heads, Zippers Computer, the list is endless. And I dont drive fast, so have no idea why I want tnis stuff, I just do. Until then, what a fine sound on a sunny day!
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Qld, Australia
gwcrim, I too liked and agree with the Supertrap blurb..... but all manufacturers say they have the "industry's best" product. After trying a few of the so called "best" (big name parts that weren't cheap) I've come to one conclusion; it's all a sales pitch. They tell you what you want to hear to make a sale whether the product is up to the job or not. Lets face it, manufacturers of bike parts aren't going to advertise the "industries 7th best" exhaust/parts.... would they?
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay, WI
True Duals
From my personal experience with the dyno going to a true dual heads is NOT a significant gain in any area across the powerband. Stay with what you have or go to a 2 into 1. Personally I don't care for the look of the 2-1 on a bagger but it will make a difference performance wise.....
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 288
Likes: 1
From: Jacksonville, AL
As I've been finding out, the exhaust you run can make or break a bikes low end performance. I've just swapped out the original headers on my 2010 Street Glide for V&H Dresser Duals (still running the same RSD Tracker slip-ons)... now lets get one thing straight, I'm chasing performance on my 103" stage 4 and not looking to "bling" my bike up with a set of pipes. That said all the true duals did was make my bike run like a dog down low in the rpm's. After allot of banging my head on the wall and talking to guy's in the same position as me it has become apparent that you don't run true duals if your chasing performance as you NEED the across-over which my set doesn't, they are true duals.
Bumped into a guy on the weekend with the IDENTICAL bike/engine mods as me apart from the headers, which are 2-1-2, and he is getting more top end hp as well as a clean hard pulling bottom end. He said he was in my shoes when he was running true duals and since the change to 2-1-2 "it's a new bike"!! My next move is going with a 2-1-2.
2-1 would do the same thing I presume.
I also have a '07 softail running a 103" stage 2 running V&H True Duals and it it runs flawlessly. Off the lights it's identical to my friends 103" stage 2 in his 2010 Street Glide running factory headers (with cat in-tact) with slip-ons. So from what I've learnt, the higher the mod's are on your bike the more it matters you run a tuned set of pipes.
On a stock bike I don't think you wouldn't notice the difference. I do love the look and sound of the true duals though..
Bumped into a guy on the weekend with the IDENTICAL bike/engine mods as me apart from the headers, which are 2-1-2, and he is getting more top end hp as well as a clean hard pulling bottom end. He said he was in my shoes when he was running true duals and since the change to 2-1-2 "it's a new bike"!! My next move is going with a 2-1-2.
2-1 would do the same thing I presume.
I also have a '07 softail running a 103" stage 2 running V&H True Duals and it it runs flawlessly. Off the lights it's identical to my friends 103" stage 2 in his 2010 Street Glide running factory headers (with cat in-tact) with slip-ons. So from what I've learnt, the higher the mod's are on your bike the more it matters you run a tuned set of pipes.
On a stock bike I don't think you wouldn't notice the difference. I do love the look and sound of the true duals though..
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Ohio
gwcrim, I too liked and agree with the Supertrap blurb..... but all manufacturers say they have the "industry's best" product. After trying a few of the so called "best" (big name parts that weren't cheap) I've come to one conclusion; it's all a sales pitch. They tell you what you want to hear to make a sale whether the product is up to the job or not. Lets face it, manufacturers of bike parts aren't going to advertise the "industries 7th best" exhaust/parts.... would they?
When I had my Sportster, I tried over a dozen different exhausts on it. I know the seat of the pants dyno is a very bad dyno. I won't comment on power delivery but I do recall that running w/out the cross over made the exhaust sound raspier. I also believe that if the cross over is useless, then Mother Harley sure wouldn't go to the expense of using one on all of their bikes.
Here's what I'm after:
1- Eliminate the heat. Well, cams are the real answer to that.
2- Low noise. True duals are a bit louder.
3- Good power delivery. I really don't think that TDs are the best. Certainly not as bad as drag pipes, but not the best.
So, my conclusion is that TDs will make two of my criteria worse and they aren't the best answer to the third. Maybe my reasoning is warped, but that is the tortured mess that whirls around my mind.
Thank you all for your input. Now let's all go RIDE.