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Welcome Area OnlyNew Member Welcome Area Only. Be sure to pop in here and introduce yourself & let us know what Harley Davidson you own. Save your bike related questions for the proper area.
Hello, I'm new to the forum and Harley. Took the MSF course two years ago,and bought a Yamaha V-Star to learn. (it sounds like a comercial,but true) My wife wanted a new kitchen so the Harley had to wait.....Well, yesterday I finally ordered my new Heratige Classic.I'm looking forward to learning all I can,from all of you. I think I would like to get the bike stock,ride for awhile, then invest in an exhaust system. One dealer,which I didn't buy from, told me I should put on a system now,because the engine runs evey hot in the the break-in period. What do you guys think ? My bike should be in Feb. or March. Thanks to all.
I think the dealer's trying to get you to spend more money. The bikes are made to work without any mods at any point in its life...including the breakin period. Check out the "stealers-dealers" thread to check on your local dealer.
While the bike may run a little hotter during break in period, this is due to the added friction of the new components finding their proper fit and seat within the new motor. This added heat will be unnoticed by you (particularly since you don't know hot it will feel later). This creates microscopic metal shavings in the oil and crankcase...and this is why we change all our fluids at 1000 miles.
The advantages to putting the exhaust on at build time, (as I see it) are: You don't have to make another trip, if you plan to put the Screamin' Eagles it doesn't void any warranty, you get the "Harley" sound right from the start, and most importantly, you can probably get the dealer to throw them in with the purchase (use it as a leverage point).
Welcome, hope you visit often. I have never heard of a salesman saying it is better to put any mods on the bike during break in. I bought my pipes with the bike and they did not want to put them on till after the 1000 mile service.I have also read in this forum other people saying the same thing. I personally think it would be better to put the pipes on before break in becouse i feel it lets the motor breath better. My bike before i put the pipes on felt like it was going to fall apart at highway speeds becouse of motor vibrations. After the pipes was installed it stopped that. Harley doesnt normally feel that way. They want things left alone to let the bike break in the way it was designed to. I would do what you want, put them on when you feel you want to and dont let a salesman push a set of pipes on you. Look at other bikes and listen to the sound of other bikes with different pipes. All put out a different sound and look different. I was in a harley shop and some one was outside with a salesman looking at different pipes on customers bikes. The guy stopped at my bike and he really liked the look of them. The guy asked me to start my bike. I did and he liked the sound of them. The salesman immidiatly started trying to push another set on the man. I didnt understand it unless he was trying to push screaming eagles (harleys brand). I had vance and hines on my bike. I hope the man decided to put on the pipes he wanted instead of putting on something that a salesman was pushing. Take your time on deciding. They are too expensive to buy something you wont be happy with.
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