V&H or Bassani

[chaserband]

I have been getting ready to do my winter projects. I am caught up with the exhaust part. Do you buy some drag pipes and cones for half the price or do you spend around $400 for a set of baffled pipes. I have been eyeing rhinehart (chrome problems)...Straight Shots by V&H...or Bassani pro street pipes.
Does any body here have a good or bad story to share with me about exhaust for a 1200c sportser with factory fwd controls? :wonderlan

[maddog]

As everyone on the Forum knows, MADDOG will always say...."BLOW THE $400 ON A THUNDERHEADER!"

[xllent01]

The V&H straightshots are well constructed,durable
pipes. I have been running them since 2001
on the 1200 custom with factory fowards.
These pipes are high quality, excellent chrome
no discolor and they have plenty of clearence
on the foward controls, so rubbing isn't a problem.
They also come with the baffles, these pipes need
baffles to help make bike run good.
Check outhttp://www.gopartsdirect.com
they have excellent prices on pipes and everything
else you need for your sporty. :yikes

[dmraco]

I would seriously looking at spending the $$. It is well worth it. The Vance and Hines are real nice. D&D makes both a 2 into 1 and a 2 into 2 system and have always had good quailty products. I love my Bub Jug Huggers but had problem with them rubbing on my forward control. I solved the problem but others who have these pipes have not had an issue.

I also agree with other posts...you need some sort of baffle. It sounds better and makes more power. ALso..go with somthing that has a heat shield...unless you like blue pipes

[chaserband]

Way cool site Xlent01 ... Sampson I ahave heard have a bad rep about chrome ... I really like the Biggun II Long Cannons ... Hell I don't know? The V&H straight shots look awsome too. I guess I need to go to a bike nite and listen to all of the sportsters and check what they sound like!!!

[rottenralph]

I am with maddog. Buy a thunderheader so you can go fast and look cool. They work and look great to those that like the 2to1.

[SportsterBart]

I'm gonna be buying a system soon and at the moment it's a toss-up between the ThunderHeader and the V&H ProPipe.

Decisions, decisions.....maybe I'll just flip a coin. :D


Bart

[chaserband]

Do they make a v&h propipe or thunder header for factory fwd controls? 2ndly do they sound good...I want good performance and a great sound...harleys have got to be loud!!!

[Trout]

I'm on the Thunderheader bandwagon myself. I have a black one and love it. It sounds great, but is not excessively loud (like drag pipes) and the performance is awesome. They do make a model for forwards.

Your original question asked about the V&H or the Bassani. The big difference between these two (besides looks) is the step-tuned construction of the Bassani. The Bassani pipe is advertised as a performance pipe, the V&H is not. The looks of the V&H is hard to beat, but it's pretty much a straight pipe terminated with a small baffle. The Bassani has 3 steps in the pipe and also terminates in a small baffle, but the step-tune design really adds to the performance. My friend has the Bassani on his 2001. He loves it. The Bassani is louder than my Thunderheader, but not to the point of too loud (IMO). The Bassani comes without shields, and my friend was careful to break-in the pipe as per the instructions, and after a summer of riding, the pipes are just starting to turn golden brown on top. This was not casual riding, I might add. Our last trip in Sept. was around 1400 miles in 4 days.

I have another friend with a set of V&H on his Dyna. The pipes look cool, but he took a performance hit when he swapped out the SE slip-ons that the V&H replaced. He loves the sound, but I think they sound a bit ratty.

[dmraco]

As trout said..a stepped pipe is a good way to go. Both the Bub and D&D pipes are stepped with baffles and heat shields. Also the style is different than the traditional drag pipe and gives the bike a different look.

Follow the links to Bub and D&D. I have attached the Bub jug huggers photo and the D&D 2 inot1. I will put the D&D 2 into to in another post

www.danddexhaust.com
www.bubent.com

[dmraco]

D&D 2 into 2

[arby]

Just installed Vance & Hines straight shots yesterday. Finished just as it started to snow. Did not get a chance to ride but they were no trouble installing and look great.
Bob

[engine]

the Jug Huggers look cool.

[dmraco]

Just installed Vance & Hines straight shots yesterday. Finished just as it started to snow. Did not get a chance to ride but they were no trouble installing and look great.
Bob

I live in Philly and had a chance to ride on Wed. It is supposed to be 50 this coming wednesday. If PenDOT can keep the salt off the road is may be a good day. Shine those pipes up nice for their 1st ride! Don't want any greasy fingerprints being melted inot the chrome!!

[dmraco]

the Jug Huggers look cool.

I loved them the moment I saw them. Sound even better. Bub makes a very nice pipe (reinhart) and the customer service was excellent. They are a stepped pipe than came with removable baffles. Bub also offers a torque cone at an additional cost. I am not real familiar with torque cones and the bike is running so well know, I hate to mess with a good thing.

[chaserband]

I don't believe I have seen a set of Jug Huggers for a XL1200C. I have seen them for the 04 but not a 03or older. :( I am not really big on the 2 into 1 look. Maybe just the hoosier in me!!!

[chaserband]

I e-mailed Bub about availability of the the Jug Huggers for a 2003 XL1200C. They are great looking pipes. I like the long looking duels...ie sampson big guns. Just too many bad stories about sampson big guns!!!

[dmraco]

Not sure. My bike is on 05. They were new pipes for 2004. they may be making them for the rigid mounts now. good luck and post some photos when you decide!!

[chaserband]

Bub has replied to me saying pre 2004... no jug huggers available....damn it I thought I might have found performance and the looks. Well back to the V&H or Bassani question. they are both great systems I am looking for that old school racken of the pipes when I let off the gas!!!! :smoke

[dmraco]

DId you look at the D&D 2 into 2 system. Very similar to the Bub's. They are a high quality product. I had them on my softail. AWSOME. Again, there may be a problem will the year.

Check it out

www.danddexhaust.com

[xllent01]

The V&H's will give you that WABAA WABAA
feeling when you back off the gas. When properly tuned they
Will not back fire like cheap cheesy drag pipes do :yikes
Because of the wire mesh screen baffles that are run inside of them.
Which are about a foot long.And yes they are 2-1/4" wide
o.d., they also come with the heat shields included.

Nothing worse than following a harley and listening to those
Crappy a$$ straight pipes pop, spit, sputter when you roll
off the throttle. :yikes

[engine]

Just too many bad stories about sampson big guns!!!
what have you heard about the Big Guns that was bad? I ,myself only heard pretty good things.

[chaserband]

Yes I have to agree cheeseball pipes are crappy sounding...almost as bad as stock crossover without the baffles. I have not heard a set of V7H straight shots yet 2 foot of snow out side. As far as sampsons go I have heard alot of storys about the chrome not being correct and that they have bad customer service dept,. My favorite pipes as far as looks is thesampson big gun II street sweepers!!!! Just don't want to fork out the money and have a bad trip!!!

[dmraco]

Nothing worse than following a harley and listening to those
Crappy a$$ straight pipes pop, spit, sputter when you roll
off the throttle. :yikes


AGREE :clap

[chaserband]

I have a chance to buy a set of sampson rip saws new in box for $200. Do you think this is a good deal?

[dmraco]

I like the look of the sampson pipes and $200 is a great price. I have heard stories about chrome problems. But they have only been stories. For $200 bucks I would do it. Its worth the risk. If you have problems with the chrome. you can work it out with Sampson pipes mfg.

Good luck :smoke

[chaserband]

Yes that is what I was thinking, I am going to purchase the rip saws and some t-cones. I still think that the Bassani pipes are better for the performance but heck $200 dollars...can I go wrong!!! If I don't like them I can always buy the Bassani or maybe Bub will have then made the Jug Huggers for the 2003 XL1200C. Thanks for all your help...now I need to find some 10" over apes and a solo seat and pillion for the beast!!!!

[mountbkr]

GO WITH V&H'S HERE IS A PICTURE OF MINE THEY SOUND GOOD AND LOOK GOOD :clap

[Rondall]

As an FYI, according to my 05 J&P catalog, Bassani now offers heat shields for all their Sporty systems.