Okay I currently own a 2009 sportster just bought it last summer and it is my first bike so I am pretty new to the Harley world but this January I am trading it in for a 2012 fatboy. The first thing I am gonna do is put on a big radius exhaust from Vance and Hines and I am just wondering what else I will have to do to my bike for it to run right. Any opinions would be really appreciated. Like I said I am still pretty new but I am good wth tools so do you think this is manageable to do by myself to save on labor costs? And another thing is later I want to get a SE high flow air intake. Opinions on that would be great too!!
Thanks in advance

 

That question has been asked countless times. If you add only the exhaust you will be fine. If you add the exhaust and intake you will need to run a tuner or have the ecm flashed. But, then again there are people that have changed the intake and exhaust and did not add a tuner or have the ecm flashed and their bike runs just fine.

 

I had screaming eagles slip on's when I bought my bike so I changed them to the big radius 2 into 2 and my bike ran horrible! I already had the stage 1 air cleaner on it with the slip on's. Soon as I changed the pipes it started poping and back firing! I than put a power commander on with my D&D Fat Cat and now it runs like a raped Ape!

P.S. I think the D&D sounds way better than the V&H big Radius but that's just my IMO!!!

 

As far as the labor goes it really isn't that hard. I would suggest getting a service manual before you do anything to the bike. It will come in handy at some point especially with things like torque values.

 

Its a nice quality exhaust with a good sound...you will like it.

As for some peple not tuning with a stage 1 I have always wondered if these are the EFI bikes. In a car the PCM/ECM would be able to make subtle adjustments for increased airflow but I guess I dont know if the Harleys have the same type of sensors like MAF, MAPP, IAT,TPS and all that other stuff that helps cars adjust the air fuel ratio. Im no bike mechanic but maybe one will chime in on this?

 

Wow you guys are alot of help. Much appreciated. I love the look and sound of the big radius 2 into 2. So I am gonna get the Air intake also so will the fuelpak change the f/a ratio?

 

If I were going to just do exhaust and intake I would just have the dealer flash the ecm with a stage one.

 

The V&H BR w/ BCT monster baffles sounds pretty decent. I had the combo on my Street Bob.

http://youtu.be/xr2GcZvtWNY

 

If you can turn a wrench and understand the directions (download them at your convenience from V&H and H-D), you can do all of it yourself- Pipes, intake, and the FuelPak. The only issue I ran into was getting the FuelPak and original connector to fit (barely) under the seat somewhere after you plug them together.

 

^^^^ This..

I have BCT baffles in my BR 2-2.. if you have the money, hold out for a Power Vision when they are available for the 2012. Excellent tuner IMHO