Thinking about getting a stage one kit for my bike. Just wondering if they are even worth the $. What if anything will a stage 1 kit do for my bike? So far the only thing I have done to my RK is V&H pipes with big city thunder baffles. What do you think?

 

If you have done the pipes you are about 1/3 of the way there. Just air cleaner and tuner to go.

 

The motor will run cooler, better throttle response, and better performance.

 

The motor from stock is restricted on the intake and exhaust for emissions controls- mostly noise emissions- and this quest for quiet by the factory has resulted in many changes to the bike design, belt drive, wet primary/clutch, motor and tranny case design and materials and cover etc.

It is a real engineering challenge to make a motorcycle quiet-

many, many riders the past 30 years have done a "stage 1" which refers to:

hi flowing intake

hi flowing exhaust

tuning compensation

depending on components chosen, the bike will gain 7 to 10 horsepower

This is the least expensive power gain you will find on a H-D, AND the most reliable.

some vendors do package a "kit"- many of us just select the stuff we want- a dealer kit can run over $2000 as reported recently by a couple of riders-

Hi Flow intake, allows more air into the motor- usually has a less restrictive filter media and no backing plate ( the black plastic plate on the backside of the filter housing).
many available- for late models, I prefer the ness big sucker. about $120 on ebay from easternpc.
This is similar to the Screaming Eagle at lower cost, with advantages: easier install, washable oiled filter media, chrome backing plate complements the motor ( unlike cast grey).

Exhaust- you have already done--- you have a hi flow header with out a catalytic convertor, right?
if so, that is done. if not you may want to look into removing the cat from your header, or a new header pipe from the aftermarket

next is tuning compensation- we now would have more air moving through the motor than stock- we have to add extra fuel so that the air to fuel ratio ( AFR) stays correct

too little fuel can harm the motor and produce poor power, too much fuel can also cause motor problems and poor power--- and emissions.

the are many devices to alter the AFR.

SOME bikes do not need any device- I have a few friends running stage 1 with the stock ECM with good results and no problems.

I also have Pals with tuning devices and poor results

This is a case-by -case judgement call.


I myself use nightrider.com XIEDS ( about $110) which are a simple device plugged into the o2 sensors which slightly richens the mixture under most conditions.


mike

 

Short answer? YES!

Longer answer? Bring in more air (stage 1), tell computer to mix in more fuel (tuner), and get a free flowing exhaust to handle the extra...well...exhaust (you already did that). It is a trifecta that needs to be done all at once. What you've already done has actually hindered the performance of your Harley b/c backpressure is important and since you do not have the added exhaust going through the free flowing exhaust you have lost needed backpressure.

Since you have a 2010 you also have a cat that needs to be added into the equation. Which would make it a quadfecta. (did I just make up a word?) You have to de-cat your head pipe or you need to buy a new headpipe without a cat.