Has anyone noticed just how much heat I can expect to reduce if I remove the cat? I have slip ons and AC upgrade with FP3 and my bike runs about 250-275* most of the time with outside temps 80-90*

This is the first Harley (2014 SG) I have had that I have not removed the cat right away. I removed the cat in all my other bikes because of heat and they all seemed really choked up with the cat in place. The 2014 seems free flowing even with the cat still there...does anyone else agree? So my thought is, it runs so strong right now if there is no big benefit in heat reduction I might just leave it in.

 

I have read that even though the cat is dense it is not obstructing exhaust flow as You would think.I put FuelMoto ceramic head pipe on My 2012.Head pipe cooled off quickly,but the heat I was trying to be rid of was in the upper cylinders.I took head pipe off 2012 when I traded,but I am yet to install on 2014.Pretty much the same reasoning as You.It runs fine and it's a lot cooler.The heat from the cat has never been a noticeable issue for Me.

 

I think it takes about 600 degrees to light off a cat.

 

I tried to shove a cat in my tail pipe....it's would just shoot out when I started the bike. Go figure.

 

You're doing better than me. I can't catch my cat to try this!

 

You and the passenger especially will notice less heat when stopped or moving very slow. The cat is located several inches below the right side passenger floorboard. Once moving over about 25 mph the wind blows the heat to the back of the bike so you are not feeling the heat from the cat. Most of the heat you feel while moving is coming off the upper cylinders and heads. That why Harley added the cooling to the heads on the 14 Twin-Cooled bikes. It made a big difference on heat you feel.

 

Never measured the difference before with an instrument. But unscientifically, its day and night. I was going to wait till after 1k, glad I did it earlier. Much cooler and a more enjoyable ride

 

Spot on. I replaced the head pipe with Fuelmoto SS Ceramic coating and I can almost touch the exhaust anywhere at operating temp! Best mod I have ever done.

 

I agree, no hard data but I can tell you my leg notices the difference.

 

I kept looking for a good set of slip ons for some tone, and then after reading etc. I wanted to do something for the bike, reduce heat better flow etc, so I decided to go with V and H head pipes, slip ons and the head pipes have no cat.

I think removing the cat, new head pipes and slip ons will give me the tone/sound, reduce heat and be good for the engine and riders.