So what does everyone have after the Stage I upgrade, SEII or those pipes with HD stamped in them?
After numerous posts about exhausts I'm exhausted don't know head from tail anymore HELP

Do the street legal HD stamped pipes or slipons strapons god knows(?) have the good deep sound or are they just cosmetic and not worth the money..

Doe the SEII's since they're not street legal make you fail inspection?

WHAT TO DO??? :frownthre

I have no idea what the laws are in "eagles country".

How about Georgia? Are SEII's legal? Are they just illegal in Cali? Seems like everything performance is illegal there

It's only illegal when you start sending more money to the courthouse than you put in the gas tank.

I just put on Thunderheader 2-1 pipes at Stage 1. Great low rumbling sound. Much louder that the stocks. Great high rpm performance. Looks very nice. More expensive than most, but I think pipes are one of the most important taxes to be paid.

JR

How about Georgia? Are SEII's legal? Are they just illegal in Cali? Seems like everything performance is illegal there
Nothing that exceeds the established db level is legal in any state. However, if the boys in blue are lookin' to write tickets, SEIIs might slip through a lot easier than others. IMHO.

The good news is by virtue of sheer numbers alone, it's difficult to enforce on a wholesale basis. Discretion will net a lot less problems.

I've ran Vance and Hines Straightshots with and without baffles, and now a Thunderheader and the only complaint I ever had from an officer was when I had removed the baffles from the Hines and was letting her rip on a city street:) The officer just instructed me to put the baffles back in and use better discretion about when I'm going to let the Harley rumble. But this is in Illinois and I know other states and particlular cities are not so open minded to noise pollution violations. I think the EPA has a rating of 85 Decibels at so many feet at a 45 degree angle at so many rpms or something like that.

Here is a link to a section of the EPA website:

http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/noise/vehiclenoise.htm

My SE Pro II slip-ons state right on the mufflers that they are for off-raod use only. They are different from the SE II slip-ons that you find in the regular H-D catalog. The 'Pro' II are only found in the Screamin' Eagle catalog.

However, these SE Pro II muffs are a liitle quiet and I think have too much backpressure for an engine that has been modified with cams, heads and/or high compression pistons.

I modified the baffles in mine ... I feel they are much better now.

:smoke Jaws, most any pipes talked about here and elsewhere other than the ones in the '05 HD catalog are in one way or another illegal everywhere because with the enhanced breather they exceed federal emissions requirements and/or are too loud. HD and independent makers know this, but to date the profit they make has not been reduced by fines, etc., but that may change one day soon with so many bikes on the road with too many of us making too much noise unecessarily and more restrictive future emissions standards.

I blew some milk thru my nose when you referred to sipons as strapons! There are no strapons in my catalogs, but its not a bad idea for a name since "wet dreamz" is taken!

On a sporty the SEIIs you find in the latest ('04) Screamin' Eagle catalog are excellent. I had them on my '04 sporty, not the loudest by any means, but loud enough. Also they perform well, are finished well, and overall do a nice job. They look like they belong, sound like they belong, and if you don't get too busy with the throttle they can fly under the radar. If you want, you can make your presence known. There are a lot more radical ways to go, but unless you're a performance guy wanting a 2 into 1 for max torque/hp or want window rattling loud (unbaffled drag pipes), SEIIs are a good standard at a decent price point.

Lefty
(thinking about strapons, not healthy)

:tour One other thing, failing the inspection is not likely if you have the inspection done by the shop that installed and/or sold the pipes! It's a conundrum for the shop! I don't know about NJ, but here in MO dealers do state inspections.

Lefty

:smoke Jaws, most any pipes talked about here and elsewhere other than the ones in the '05 HD catalog are in one way or another illegal everywhere because with the enhanced breather they exceed federal emissions requirements and/or are too loud. HD and independent makers know this, but to date the profit they make has not been reduced by fines, etc., but that may change one day soon with so many bikes on the road with too many of us making too much noise unecessarily and more restrictive future emissions standards.

I blew some milk thru my nose when you referred to sipons as strapons! There are no strapons in my catalogs, but its not a bad idea for a name since "wet dreamz" is taken!

On a sporty the SEIIs you find in the latest ('04) Screamin' Eagle catalog are excellent. I had them on my '04 sporty, not the loudest by any means, but loud enough. Also they perform well, are finished well, and overall do a nice job. They look like they belong, sound like they belong, and if you don't get too busy with the throttle they can fly under the radar. If you want, you can make your presence known. There are a lot more radical ways to go, but unless you're a performance guy wanting a 2 into 1 for max torque/hp or want window rattling loud (unbaffled drag pipes), SEIIs are a good standard at a decent price point.

Lefty
(thinking about strapons, not healthy)


Jaws...According to Donny Peterson in his pipe's article (March 2005) the best slipon is the S & S. If you aren't concerned with performance go SEII's.
As far as Inspection goes, use an indie..They don't care.
As far as the Cop's go, I got a pipes ticket because my T-Header was not the "Stock" pipes. The cop didn't care how loud or quiet it was, it wasn't "Origional Equiptment". You're never gonna win with the cops.

So what does everyone have after the Stage I upgrade, SEII or those pipes with HD stamped in them?
Do the street legal HD stamped pipes or slipons strapons god knows(?) have the good deep sound or are they just cosmetic and not worth the money..
Doe the SEII's since they're not street legal make you fail inspection?
WHAT TO DO??? :frownthre

There are many choices out there other than the SEII or the HD stamped mufflers..................
I have the Khromewerks 2" drag pipe (slipons).

I don't know about where you live, but here in MA the motorcycle dealers and indy shops are the ones who issue inspection stickers and from what I've heard, they don't care about noise. If they were to start whining about loud pipes I think 75% of the bikes on the road here would be cruising without a sticker.

edit: The strap on comment was too funny. :D

Thank you Bob Graham for repealing Florida's vehicle inspections so many years ago! :)

Kim

thanks guys...Now for another question and hopefully I won't get ripped for this :D I am by no means a wrench. I am one of those guys that really has almost everything done...cept for oil changes and bulbs and that kinda stuff :D never attempted anything bigger.

How hard is it to put those slip ons on? Doesn't seem that complicated, but it's never as easy as it seems...can you tell me what is involved?? was it eeasy any problems or potential problems I should look for??

It's a piece of cake. Take a look at your pipes and you'll see they're held on with nothing more than a few nuts and bolts. The hardest part of wrenching on any part of your bike is being patient and NOT scratching anything. ;)

I'm confused too - in the Dreaming Beagle catalog there's Baloney Cut Pro ll slipons 80424-04, and the accessory catalog has '49 state legal' tapered baloney cut (which I think looks better) 80412-04, in the Dreaming Beagle section.

I want to pay my taxes through the dealer, so there's no warranty comebacks, even though I know it'll cost more, so I'm using SE slipons for my stage 1. I'd like the tapered baloney ones for the looks, but does '49 state legal' mean quiet? (I'm sick already of the California legal mufflers that the International models come with making it sound like a sewing machine) How many Db is legal in the US?

Obviously I'd also prefer the 'Harley Davidson' stamped on the tapered pipes to the 'Closed competition only' or whatever on the Pro ll's if I was arguing the toss with a 'cop at 3am................

It's got to go 'potato potato' though or it's just not H-D. Anyone here use the tapered pipes that can reassure me before I part with money?

We could round up all the bunny-huggers, eviro-whackos, and pompous khaki wearers and put them all on Manhattan Island. You know, "Escape From New York" style. Yeah, yeah and Snake Pliskin can be in charge of their tofu and soy milk rations. Oh and we can resurrect Lee Van Clief (complete with earring and toothpick) and make him the Island's only Toyota Prius dealer. Only difference between this and the movie would be that the explosive neck implants would go into the "citizens" and activate if they crossed the wire. Like a shock collar only with a bit more boom. Man that's a nice thought...

Oh sorry, you may now return to your regularly scheduled program.

I want to pay my taxes through the dealer, so there's no warranty comebacks, even though I know it'll cost more, so I'm using SE slipons for my stage 1. I'd like the tapered baloney ones for the looks, but does '49 state legal' mean quiet? (I'm sick already of the California legal mufflers that the International models come with making it sound like a sewing machine) How many Db is legal in the

49 state legal is for normal people like us. The "50th state" legal is California which ruins anything their liberal, treehuggin', enviromental whacko little hearts deem a danger to the snail darter..ETC.

I've had tried the Screaming Eagle slip-ons with the HD label stamped on them. They a tiny bit louder than stock but not as loud as SE II. Check out this thread

http://www.xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2630

I recieved my V&H Straighshot HS for my 05 883XL and installed it today. The first thing that came to my mind "Is that my bike!! Sounds like a mega BT!". These pipes have a very nice deep low rumble and mighty roar when accelerating, I really like em :wonderlan
The installation took me around 2 1/2 hours (First time wrenching on my bike :shhhh ) but it was worth all the effort. I know I've probably voided my warranty but I'll worry about that later :rolleyes:

What Maddog said!

But don't confuse "49 state legal" as meaning legal everywhere in those 49 states. It just means in those 49 states, they do not have state laws prohibitting them. That doesn't take into account county/city ordinances, or God forbid, home association rules!

My bike is at the dealer as we speak getting a Stage 1 done. SE Slip-ons, K&N A/C filter, and rejetted. I'm picking her up tomorrow afternoon and will write my impressions in the Review Forum thread I've got going.

The hardest part of wrenching on any part of your bike is being patient and NOT scratching anything. ;)

Ditto That!

I know I live into another country, so my situation is a lot different and desn't apply where you live.

But I think sometimes it's interesting to learn new things about other countries, local costumes and so on... But mybe in what I'm going write there's something useful also for you.

Here in Italy, but the laws are applied with small difference in all the EEC, there's the homologation number, something like yours, that is written on the mufflers, and on the bike's license document.

When Police stops you for controls it's rare they look at the pipes, and they look if yours are obnoxious loud, or if you are going fast in that roads commonly frequented by sport riders...

Our law says that if the homologation number match the one on the bike's license document and the pipes are loud, there's been a stock pipe failure or modification for loudness and the ticket is near $50.

If the homologation number doesn't exists or is different from the one on the bike's license document the ticket is near $950, they take your bike's document and oblige you to mount back street legal pipes for your bike and go to a government office for a new practice to make the bike stree legal again.

On aftermarket there's a lot of pipes for many bikes that are street legal. They have a number on the can or the muffler that is different from the one on the bike's license document but there's also an official certificate made by the exhaust producer where is written that pipe is street legal for that bike.

Now lot of guy who love to change pipes know some tricks to avoid the most expensive ticket, and the goal is to stay into the first law's case, the exhaust has homologation number that match the bike's license document or it's aftermarket and you have the street approving cetificate, but you exhaust is loud due to failure or modification.
If you're not lucky they'll do a $50 ticket but nothing more.

For this purpose one of the most famous trick is named like Exhaust Mafia Kit. Yes into lot of forums and newsgroup it's named MMF: Marmitta (exhaust) Mafia Kit.
The way is to produce a fake small plate with the homologation number that match the number on the street use approving certificate. Or both a fake plate and street legal document of an aftermarket exhaust that match your bike brand and model.

There's also the possibility to print with a percussion panthograph or with laser the numbers directly on the mufflers.

Discovered this trick to go around the law, now lot of aftermarket exhaust producers are selling pipes with street legal baffle and certificate number on the can/muffler but with removable baffles to change with race loud baffles maintaining the homologation number on the can/muffler to avoid the bigger ticket.

But I think that the above tricks are something known for you, I've listened that in Califonia this tricks are common from when the EPA laws are so much restrictive.

Here in Italy...they look if yours are obnoxious loud...


Huh? I don't speak Italian. :laugh

Interesting write up Mr. Mechano, always cool to learn about other locations and their tricks. Sad that enviro-nuts have to make such stupid laws and force folks to be criminals for something so silly.

Huh? I don't speak Italian. :laugh

Interesting write up Mr. Mechano, always cool to learn about other locations and their tricks. Sad that enviro-nuts have to make such stupid laws and force folks to be criminals for something so silly.

In Europe, lot of small cities and small towns are old medieval towns, small spaces, roads not enough large for an overpass between two SUVs and often for two small cars.

You can understand what fastidious noise if all the motorcycle riders mount loud pipes.

Everytime I went in the centre of Verona, the Romeo and Juliet city, made of small XV century houses and roads, with my previous metric 1500cc Vulcan and now with the XL1200C you can see all the glass windows of the small nice shops to shake with the pipe noise.

Now you can understand why drag pipes and other open exhausts cannot be used here, and not only because of laws...

Fortunately for lot of intelligent motorcycle riders here the purpose of an open exhaust and motorcycle mods are not only the max power at useless engine revs, so from few years riders like more to research for the right things, a good deep exhaust tone (expecially Ducati owners) and an overall good power expecially on mid range.

jaws.i live in jersey too,and have the seII's and even rode with the baffles out all last summer.i had no issues at all except for the loss in power.i recently put the baffles back in.

I live in California and actually had the dealer do the stage 1 mods for warranty purposes. I ended up going with Cycle Shacks, they are loud though. I now need to wear earplugs or I'd go deaf. I really like the sound at idle and the extra power kicks A$$ I just wish they were a little quieter at 70-80 MPH...

I live in California and actually had the dealer do the stage 1 mods for warranty purposes. I ended up going with Cycle Shacks, they are loud though. I now need to wear earplugs or I'd go deaf. I really like the sound at idle and the extra power kicks A$$ I just wish they were a little quieter at 70-80 MPH...

It's easy to modify baffles if you have slash cut mufflers.
Dismount them and go to a mechanic or car exhaust dealer who has oxigen flame solder, and electrical solder machine.

The way is to modify the front tab because it leave half the exhaust gases and noise to free flow directly.
Closing this side the exhaust gases a re forced to pass all thorough the holes of the baffles giving you good torque, good noise but not fatidious and no hi revs power loose.

The way is to make hot the tab, hammer it to go in contact with the baffle wall, and solder it to seal.
Mount again the baffle and try.
If you think they are still loud, wait 1-2 days I'll post an interesting baffle mod I did, with some photos.

Taxes have been paid!! and as a bonus I took a ride yesterday for the first time this year....sweeeettt!! Spring is coming!!

All of the folks I know in California who have SEII's have been flying under the Cops radars when cruising and keeping the throttle down. The beach cities are a pain and the Cops are nailing people with the Vance and Hines, Samson and others. Newport Beach, CA is the place to avoid and even with SEII's you have to keep the throttle down in certain areas. Just cruise on through.

Many choppers with straight shots get nailed all of the time. Had a friend get nailed with Vance and Hines.