Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

exhaust mod question...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 15, 2013 | 11:22 PM
  #1  
Big-Tim's Avatar
Big-Tim
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
Default exhaust mod question...

Hey folks, I got a question; I want to change out my stock mufflers on my 2012 Electra Glide Classic, (103ci.), to new V & H, 4 1/2' high output mufflers. Everything else is bone stock, (air cleaner, head pipes w/cat etc.). Can I do this change now, without any modification to the stock ECM etc.? I have been getting conflicting answers about this, so I thought I would pick you all folks brains, Thanks for any help you can provide, Tim.
 
Reply
Old Jul 15, 2013 | 11:41 PM
  #2  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

In most cases yes.

the stock air cleaner and the catalytic convertor will still kinda act as 'bottlenecks' to flow.

Mike
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 12:09 AM
  #3  
Hausguy's Avatar
Hausguy
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 14
From: Seattle
Default

Those are nice looking mufflers. Just slap em on.
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 12:37 AM
  #4  
my67pnycar's Avatar
my67pnycar
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 12
From: DOWN SOUTH
Default

You can run em no problem. If you do air cleaner AND exhaust THEN you need a tune. It wouldnt hurt to have a tune now so you can get rid of the lean and run a little cooler. You can decat the headpipe DIY or buy one from fleabay round 100 shipped to your door to get rid of even more heat. Tuner options are abundant for our bikes. If you only plan to do a stage 1 you can throw on a set of fl-xied/vieds and forget about em, your bike will get the fuel it needs, get rid of the lean and run cooler. Welcome to the forums Tim. Stay safe bro.
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 01:06 AM
  #5  
Big-Tim's Avatar
Big-Tim
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
Default

Originally Posted by my67pnycar6
You can run em no problem. If you do air cleaner AND exhaust THEN you need a tune. It wouldnt hurt to have a tune now so you can get rid of the lean and run a little cooler. You can decat the headpipe DIY or buy one from fleabay round 100 shipped to your door to get rid of even more heat. Tuner options are abundant for our bikes. If you only plan to do a stage 1 you can throw on a set of fl-xied/vieds and forget about em, your bike will get the fuel it needs, get rid of the lean and run cooler. Welcome to the forums Tim. Stay safe bro.
Thanks buddy for the reply, and Thanks for your service to our Country! You too stay safe out there, Tim.
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 01:14 AM
  #6  
Big-Tim's Avatar
Big-Tim
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
Thumbs up

Originally Posted by Hausguy
Those are nice looking mufflers. Just slap em on.
Thanks, I will....they sound awesome too!....Me, not stock for long either....
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 01:16 AM
  #7  
Big-Tim's Avatar
Big-Tim
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Midwest
Thumbs up

Originally Posted by mkguitar
In most cases yes.

the stock air cleaner and the catalytic convertor will still kinda act as 'bottlenecks' to flow.

Mike
Thanks guy, can't wait to get them on and hear how a true Harley should sound!
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 05:08 AM
  #8  
'05Train's Avatar
'05Train
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Default

Originally Posted by Big-Tim
Thanks guy, can't wait to get them on and hear how a true Harley should sound!
Unfortunately, you're not going to.

At stock or near stock power levels, the catalytic converter presents no performance bottleneck, but it does do a tremendously good job of damping sound. Your bike will get louder with the mufflers, but you probably won't get the sound you're looking for.

By the same token, you are increasing flow with the new mufflers. Yes, your bike will still run without recalibrating the ECM, but it'll run substantially better with a proper tune. This can be achieved very nicely with a Dynojet PowerVision.

Good luck.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 05:48 AM
  #9  
slammed05fatty's Avatar
slammed05fatty
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,015
Likes: 3
From: Moline, IL
Default

siple answer yes they will work, i agree with most above, programmer, getting the air coming in and losing the cat with either a header or just decatting your stock pipe will be huge diff. you will be amazed at how much of a dog your bike was before. then you save for cams, custon tune heads ect lol and it will never end
 
Reply
Old Jul 16, 2013 | 05:59 AM
  #10  
Biker90's Avatar
Biker90
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 39
From: Columbia SC
Default

I have a set of Vance & Hines slip ons on my 11 Electra glide for the past 19,000 miles with no other modification and it gives me a 100% improvement on the sound, not too loud but sounds like a Harley should.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:37 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE