gas mileage this bad?

[willprevale]

I was averaging 58mpg until I reinstalled my stock mufflers. Now I'm lucky if I get 40mpg. Does it make any sense that I'd lose that much merely by installing a restrictive exhaust?

[collinsb]

Willpre,
How come your sneakin around with those quiet mufflers anyhow? Now you've lost gas mileage , your no longer scaring people or making them mad (that's a big part of the fun), and dogs will start chasing you again! What were you thinking?
Billy

[willprevale]

I have to preserve what's left of my hearing.

[sportymark]

Did you adjust your jetting for the free flow mufflers and did you jet it back for the stock ones?

[toe]

You're probably giving it more throttle to make up for the corked up exhaust....................

:bump

[willprevale]

I don't know if that's it or not but it's totally unacceptable. If I can find a baffle to replace the one I lost, the SEIIs are going back on.

[willprevale]

Did you adjust your jetting for the free flow mufflers and did you jet it back for the stock ones?

no do ya think I oughta?

[stevo]

What was changed when ya went to the other mufflers????????

ie: what else is different to stock

[willprevale]

What was changed when ya went to the other mufflers????????

ie: what else is different to stock

I have the 45 jet from the original stage 1. Other than that, it's bone stock.

[stevo]

bugger..........

Did it come with a 42 or 40????

Either way that ain't gonna make much difference, certainly not anywhere near what ya got.



What year/ model and is the pilot jet the only thing that's been done to the motor???

[willprevale]

Like I said, it's bone stock. What's your advice?

[stevo]

Doesn't make any sense to me.

I can recall doin an FLH while I was at the dealership, the salesman talked a guy into an SE filter with bog stock mufflers...man that thing was a bitch to try and get right...ended up havein to go to other mufflers.


I've had customers sporties with stock mufflers still with the baffles (in fact I did a set of 883 heads last week off one that was goin to 1200) but have never encountered that sorta problem....

The only thing I can think of is operator, as was suggested earlier in the thread,,,,maybe you're crackin the throttle too much due to the loss of noise and power and usin the acc pump more than ya should.

Are ya travelin the same route ya normally travel?????
Had a customer the other day that said he was gettin worse fuel economy but he'd moved from 20 kays out of town to right in town, instead of a 20 k straight trip twice a day he'd gone to a 5 kay in traffic, on and off the throttle and acc pump.

[Dave downunder]

I have to preserve what's left of my hearing.

G'day Willprevale........ I have to tell you with my 2001 XLH1200 which I owned for 2 weeks before finding out for rego I had to stick the factory pipes back on (good thing the bike came with them, only now owned it for near 2 months, yes, I'm a newbie) I was interested to see what was in the pipes that came off, this is just the bits after the clamps, well except for a single bit of metal sticking up in each of them, I could see straight through. I don't know what these pipes are called...."straight thru's", "drag pipes" ???? Don't know, would like to know though. Gang, let me know !!!. BUT with the stock pipes back on, I find it almost embarrasing.... it is no longer a Harley in my opinion. I've had a discussion on this site already, with confirmation that if I wear ear plugs I am not a wimp. I also considered the scenario of being heard, I reckon with the stock pipes and no ear plugs I still cannot hear what is going on around me clearly. Indeed, with straight thru's? fitted and ear plugs jammed in my ears, I'll hear diddly squat. Other traffic will hear me. I tend to think this is the safer way to go. Certainly my bike feels much free'er without the constipation system on. I'm yet to get my loud pipes back on the bike, but I will be doing it. Ideally I'd like something in between, I gather SE 2's might be ideal. But then I'd own 3 sets of pipes, nuts. I could drill the baffles on my stock pipes, but then if I get pulled over for an inspection I'm buggered. It seems to me my choice is loud or painfully (jap bike style) quiet.

I appreciate you've admitted to your concern of hearing loss. Had you considered ear plugs? Also do you disagree with my thinking of traffic awareness and that hearing traffic is not so relevant anyway?

I'm keen to read what you think and also the rest of the gang.

Let's face it... straight thru pipes (what are they called?) are frigg'in loud.
Is it better to have loud pipes and ear plugs. Or is it in fact more sensible to have quiet pipes and attempt to listen out for the traffic???

Gang..... spill your ideas on this, please.

Best regards to all, a great site, great bikes, great people... Dave.

[FastFwd]

Dave,
Your concern with sufficient hearing while riding is admirable. I too wondered about being "out of touch" with the other motorists. In my honest opinion, everyone should wear a helmet whenever they climb on. This will conquer nearly all noise effects from engine and exhaust. That being said, I DO NOT usually wear a helmet on in town and short rides. (Do as I say and not as I do kinda crap). Please read the thread about ear protection and wind noise because it is informative and these old men know what they are talking about. That being said I would like to recommend my particular type of pipes. SEII's. Good sound after about 5k (in my case - 35k). Others have opinions on different slip-on muffs (Cycle Shacks, etc.) Drag pipes (straight throughs) reduce low end torque and really only prove themselves in racing applications (WOT-Wide Open Throttle). Do your best to judge based on differing opinions and go with your ear or wallet or gut. Sorry about your dilemma regarding so many different sets of pipes. My 2 cents. YMMV.

[Moved On]

I wish I could get better milage too.

Gazza