I have a 06 sportster custom and looking to put an exhaust on. I hear different things from different people. I would like to put drag pipes on but people are telling me that with the evo's you loose a lot of power were you need it compared to a tuned exuast were you have it throught the rpm's. Does anyone have on opinion on this?

 

Well I just picked up a 96 FXSTSB with drag pipes. Makes a lot of noise but goes nowhere. The bike is well maintained, carb jetted, doesn't blow smoke or backfire or anything. Just doesn't have any git up and go. From what I understand about drags they are more for look and sound than performance.

I had a 2-1 pipe on my dyna and loved it. I am looking at the Rheinhart 2-1 for this bike or the Hooker Dark Sides with baffles. Either way I dumping the drags and going with something else.

I'm sure there is someone out there that can quote some tests or something but that's my two cents. I'll look for you post when I change over and let you know if I notice any difference.

 

You actually gain horsepower with drag pipes, but only when you're drag racing. So, unless you like to ride at wide open throttle all the time, forget them. There's a big hole in their performance at anything resembling legal speeds. Not to mention the deaf-in-the-right ear thing.

 

Iron head or Evo... Drags suck all possible RELIABLE performance out of the equation.....

For drag pipes to be effective, they must be tuned (Length and diameter) for each cylinder.....

Really great article this month in the THUNDER PRESS, about exhaust systems and how they are so dependant on what is in front of it in how they perform.....

It is a great read and is broken down "Barney Style"... Even I understood it....