Nice looking BO! Take off those front peg feelers, you'll get quite a bit more lean angle

You WILL have decel popping with the VH pipes. just the way it is. Not indicative of an exhaust leak. if you see black soot lines around your head flanges or put your ear up close to the head flange and hear a high pitched "pap-pap-pap" sound, then you have an exhaust leak. TQ is only like 10lbs max. tighten up both bolts on each hed pipe flange evenly, don't crank one down while other is loose. Go a few turns on each one until 10lbs.

I just put the Thunder Mountain BCT baffles in my VH pipes and wow they give you a bit more TQ, and are loude / more authoritative in tone. but even more decel popping. but I like loud pipes, it's an HD, after all

here's mine, just got her a few weeks ago- yes we love pics- congrats on your BO!

 

I'm not basing the leak on the decal pop, but I do know a leak can contribute to decel popping. I haven't tested using the candle/lighter or smoke method, but I have started the bike cold and have felt hot air coming from around the headers and I can also smell exhaust from around the flanges when i get really close. I don't know how reliable that is, but it leads me to believe I have a small leak at the flange on both pipes. There is no "pap-pap-pap" sound or soot around the ports, but I also only have about 150 miles with the pipes on.

In regards to the torque specs, I initially torqued to 10 ft lbs, but tightened to 15 to see if it would resolve my suspected leak.

Thanks for the advice guys, I've been lurking in this thread for a while, but waited till I had something to show off

 

I could never determine wether heat is coming from an exhaust leak or just radiating from the pipes. And know way could I ever smell it. There's no difference between the smell of the air "leaking" at the flanges and the air coming out of the end of the pipe 2 feet away.

Decel popping is happening because you have pipes without a tune. If you want it gone get a proper tune and get her dialed in right and the pippin will go away.

 

I'll check with a lighter tomorrow. Tuner is getting ordered this week. If there is no leak should I back off the torque to 10 ft lbs or just leave it?

 

Torque to the specs or go with "tight is tight". I torqued to spec on all but the forward most bolt. Just couldn't get a torque wrench to it.

When I installed my v&h the bolts that secure the pipes to the bracket came loose after around 500 miles to the point where I lost 2 bolts. I only. It iced it because the piece they screw into was rattling. May be worth keeping on mind to check in a few miles.

 

Feeling some hot air and smelling exhaust right from the head port locations is actually a good indication of leak. will be more noticeable when starting bike cold. IMO I would throw another set of gaskets in it. if you did / do have a leak, it may have already scorched the gaskets- or, the gaskets have already been to deformed. anyway it is pretty cheap to try that and get rid of any wondering.

Note that my technical term of "pap-pap-pap" is not "de facto" of leak sound. It could be totally silent, or "pip-pip-pip" or "huf-huf-huf". Or, if you do really ghetto mods to your bike, it can sound like "boom-chica-wow-chica-wow-wow" -You want to avoid that one at all costs...

An update tune for the new pipes is important- won't run optimally without it but not end of world if you don't. Even with a tune you'll still get some decel popping with these pipes. just the way it is.
I have no idea why anyone thinks that is a bad thing- goes with the territory of adding performance pipes. Sounds cool to me

Now, popping on acelleration- ya that is definitely bad news, but on decel, performance pipes will do that. the popping should be reasonably smooth / regular though- shotgun "bangs" at decel and super erratic decel sounds mean somethhing is amis- but those would be really obvious sounds.

 

It's a feasible method. This has alerted me to exhaust leaks on my bikes in the past. but you're only going to detect it if you have your head near the ports and bike is not in a garage / carport where all the sound and exhaust from end of pipe is reflecting back at you.

Pipes will still decel pop. only way to get rid of decel pop is go back to stock cans or mild / long baffled aftermarket pipes or slip-ons.

Also - don't ride your gears down and decel pop never happens.

 

deal up on ebay for 2014 BO, 7 miles on it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-David...US_motorcycles

 

I like it a lot. My bar should be here tomorrow, but won't be able to put it on till Friday. I will post a pic after I get it installed(hopefully on Friday).

 

I actually paid less new