DO NOT BUY THIS EXHAUST


I recently purchased the Roland Sands Design 2 to 1 slash cut exhaust black ops edition for my forty eight. I put it on and the forward controls no longer fit. It is made for the sportster and the authorized dealer I bought it from made no mention of it not fitting. after I mounted it and realized the front controls weren't going to work, I looked it up and in the description on the RSD site it made a very brief and somewhat misleading mention of it in the very last line.

So I called RSD and spoke to one of the technical service operators who informed me that the exhaust SHOULD fit with the forward controls. I told him that it does not and asked him if there was any options or alternatives. He said I was the first to call about this and no there are no options. This was after I was on hold for probably around a half hour total. the holds were interrupted every couple of minutes by someone asking me to repeat my question then returning me on hold again. He finally told me I should call Vance and Hines.

So I called Vance and Hines, After the same type of run around with the on hold, repeat question, on hold, repeat question, on hold system, I was finally told "They do not work with forward controls and there are no alternatives", followed by all the ways they can't help me. They brushed me off the phone as fast they could with an ok have a nice day sorry theres nothing to help you thanks for your 900$.

I looked back on the site to see what the promotional bikes were using, They showed mid controls. As much as I wanted to keep forward controls of some type, I was ok with getting mid controls if I absolutely had to. I looked them up and found......nothing. So I called Harley davidson part support. I told the woman I was speaking with that I was interested in purchasing mid controls for my bike and couldnt find them online. She put me on hold for another long while and when she came back she simply said there are no other controls for your bike other than the forward ones. I was very surprised by that and asked if she knew of any aftermarket companies that would carry something like that. She said no as was expected but once again I was pushed off the phone as fast as possible.

Now I'm stuck with a 900$ exhaust that was made for my bike and has no way of fitting on my bike with ANY controls. How can a company make an exhaust that makes your bike un-rideable?

I'm sharing my story so that others know not to buy the RSD / Vance and Hines 2 to 1 slash cut exhaust. It is a pointless endeavor.

my options are:
1) unbolt and return the exhaust
2) get foot controls custom fabricated
3) keep using the jerry-rigged foot control setup i have which is the mount being held by 1 bolt and twisted 90 degrees with the peg taken off so I can make right turns without scraping. The 90 degree twist makes my brake lever impossible to use as no ones foot can bend that way.

 

Why can't you just use mid controls off of another sportster model?

 

Sad but that is what happens when new bikes are made- Some aftermarket companies push there parts as if they actually installed them on the new bikes when in reality they just assume all sportster's are the same. I would send them back and look more carefully at buying something that is made for the 48.

 

So you misread the description, and now you are angry that it doesn't fit? Just return them.

 

I'm guessing he can't return the exhaust cause he rigged the bike so he could run it. Now it is used?

 

Sucks but it sounds like you've already run the bike with the exhaust on it. Not much you can do accept try to sell it and recoup some of your money or you should be able to get mid controls from any other sporty and throw them on there. Went to V&H website and when you click on the detailed fitment for this pipe it states the following.

"Note: Will not fit with forward controls.
Note: Requires use of o2 sensor extension lead P/N 71001 (Drag ID 1861-0827)"

Looks like you are SOL for forwards unless you custom fab something.

 

You got to do your research brother. Education costs $. Within 1 hour 29 minutes of your post, somebody found some pretty important info you should have had.

Sell the pipe or get yourself some mid controls in the parts for sale section. Heck, somebody might even trade you straight up for the forwards. We've all made mistakes. If you want to learn lessons just one time each, you have to recognize when you made one. It ain't Vance & Hine's fault.

 

how much $ for them?

 

Wait, wait, wait. You can put mid controls on a 48. Go talk to someone at the parts counter at a dealer. The instructions on how to install them are in the service manual.

I'd either sell the exhaust and start over and get something that fits forward controls. Or, get the mid controls and keep the exhaust. The mid controls in black seem to be easy to find. And, you can always sell your forward controls. Those sell fast.

 

Just CHECK the frame of your bike if you can fit mids, I'm sure you can. Then buy some used mid controls off ebays.