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[Midnight Rider]

Got the new V&H pipe installed last night, and finished up tonight by uploading a MAP for the PCIII that I found on the Vrod Forum for another 2 into 1 pipe on a 1250 with no lid on the breather box (more air).  The pipe is awesome sounding...a nice rumble of medium to deep tone, and at constant throttle a nice steady, throaty sound.  But when you crack the throttle on this thing, it sounds like a Funny Car...Holy Chit!!!

Here's the first pic of the new stuff laid out on the floor with a few tools and a cold Heiney to get started.  Beer, tools, and an exhaust system...what more can a man ask for?

[Midnight Rider]

Next, the old pipes mufflers are off...both muffs and collector come off as one piece, making things a bit easier, though like any exhaust, it takes a little persuasion.  Left on are the stock headers w/heat shields, which also come off as one piece.  To get the left side rear nut off the exhaust flange, it is necessary to remove the front sprocket cover for the drive belt...three allen head bolts...no big deal at all.  The front left flange bolt is easier to remove if you have a set of universal joint sockets....it's 1/2 inch, like all the other HD's.  Loosen all the heat shields on the old pipes to give yourself clearance to back the nuts off the studs.

[Midnight Rider]

New headers on, with front heat shield, lower heat shield, and collector heat shield.  Put the rear pipe in first, then stand on one foot, put your tongue out the right side of your mouth, and wiggle the front one into place.  It is a very tight fit, so getting it lined up right takes a few tries.  Hand tighten the flange nuts at this point in the process.

[Midnight Rider]

Rear header shield on...ready to slip the muffler on.  The black plate you see replaces a similar one that came off the old exhaust.  It supports the rear of the collector pipe and the middle part of the muffler. Install all support bolts and heat shields loosely at this point, as final adjustments will be required to ensure everything is lined up properly.

[Midnight Rider]

Muffler installed with heat shield.  At this point, beginning with the exhaust flanges....tighten them up to seat the assembly into it's proper location, line up the header heat shields with the collector heat shield, then tighten all shield clamps for upper assembly.  Make sure lower collector pipe clamp is located in it's maximum clamping location, tighten it down.  Align lower collector pipe heat shield with front collector, then tighten those clamps.  Tighten bolts holding he lower collector pipe to the black support piece.  Then tighten the clamp that holds the muffler to the lower collector pipe.  Finally, tighten the bolts holding the muffler to the black support plate.

Wipe down all chrome surfaces with cleaner to remove all fingerprints BEFORE you fire the bike up for the first time, unless you want your fingerprint permanently burned into the surface of your new heat shields.

Those boxes to the right in the photo...don't pay any attention to them.  They are secret parts for the SEUC and it's build next year.  Shhhhhhh!

[Midnight Rider]

If you've never seen one, this is the lower part of the air box on a V, along with the K&N filter.  There are two velocity stacks under there.  This is where I chose to locate the PCIIIUSB, attached with two strips of velcro on the back.  I also Dremeled a contour for the wiring harness to pass through.  I am about to load the MAP.

Many people choose to run the bike "topless", which means you leave things just like this and relocate the Temp sensor...that's the gray connector you see in the pic.

[Midnight Rider]

Instead of going "topless", I chose to go "semi-topless" because of the huge sucking noise the bike makes without the plastic cover over the velocity stacks.  So, what you do is remove some of the material from the front of the box cover.  You can drill holes and cut away material from the grids on front as shown in the next photo.  Doing this method allows the temp sensor to remain mounted in the stock location. as shown.

[Midnight Rider]

This shows the area where I cut out material, and the temp sensor.  The round part you see was the only area for air to enter previously, so I have more than doubled, perhaps tripled the area for intake air.  I loosely used the size of the two velocity stacks for a reference point to determine how much material to cut away.  Leaving the grids and cutting away the area between them keeps the integrity of the box intact.

[Midnight Rider]

Other side of the front of the box...it ain't pretty, but it works.  It's all covered up by sheet metal when you get the painted cover back on.  You can see the filter inside there...

[Midnight Rider]

Here's the finished product...front the front

[Midnight Rider]

Another

[Midnight Rider]

From he side

[Midnight Rider]

This is me, twisting the wick to hear the new pipe.  You can see that I have a very cluttered basement, but I've got a lot of chit in a small space.

[Midnight Rider]

...and this would be my reaction to the sound of a SEVrod quickly revved to 7K with an awesome exhaust in place.

An added benefit is that the pipe tucks closer to the frame on the right side, allowing my leg to be closer to the bike when stopped, and foot flat on the ground.

That's all folks...I put this down here because the Vrod section doesn't see much action.

[HogDude]

Another

Very nice Terry 
Nuttin wrong with the V & H product line, that's for sure

Enjoy the new rumble

[Fired00d]

Terry,
Great job, looks nice. I've always liked the sound of V&H's products and I'm sure they sound sweeeet on the V.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[lilbear]

Nice job Terry,

Thanks for the details of the install.  It's great to see some action in the V section.  Care to share the Map?  Let us know how the V is running with the new setup.  I really like the look of the new 2 into 1 on the bike and I'm sure the sound is awesome!

[Midnight Rider]

Nice job Terry,

Thanks for the details of the install.  It's great to see some action in the V section.  Care to share the Map?  Let us know how the V is running with the new setup.  I really like the look of the new 2 into 1 on the bike and I'm sure the sound is awesome!

Will be happy to share the MAP, provided I'm happy with the results.  I'm going to really watch what he does, and go over in great detail what I expect with regards to decel popping, fuel economy, etc.  I'm not into absolute peak numbers, but good drivability.  Since so few have this pipe, and even fewer with the 1250 SE engine, it'll be a good MAP to put out there for everyone to use.

You can send me a paypal for the small fee...

[Gettinold]

Terry thanks for the step by step instal. You almost had me thinking you were a tech for V & H instalation support dept. How many cold beverages did it take. And not one time did we see your new ocd seat creeper with your cup holder instaled. Enjoy your new chamber and leave the rice rockets alone.     

                                      Dave

[Midnight Rider]

Terry thanks for the step by step instal. You almost had me thinking you were a tech for V & H instalation support dept. How many cod beverages did it take. And not one time did we see your new ocd seat creeper with your cup holder instaled. Enjoy your new chamber and leave the rice rockets alone.     

                                      Dave

Three Tuesday night and two Wednesday night.  I guess the whole thing took maybe 5 hours, taking my time, taking a swig and a smoke on occasion.  Not a bad job at all...only bled once    I used the seat creeper a few times, but some things just require me to sit on the basement floor.

Rice Rockets?  They're fun to mess with on the V...

[Special_Ed]

Terry,
Great report, that setup looks awesome! I like it better seeing it on the bike. Nice job. My SE's with the V-Mod cut should be back Tuesday, I'll let you know how they sound.

Ed

[Midnight Rider]

Terry,
Great report, that setup looks awesome! I like it better seeing it on the bike. Nice job. My SE's with the V-Mod cut should be back Tuesday, I'll let you know how they sound.

Ed

Got the bike tuned Saturday at Rod's Performance (an Indy shop).  V's don't get great fuel mileage stock, and with a bad MAP they can really suck the fuel.  So, I talked to Rodney about what I was looking for before it ever went on the Dyno.  The muffler on this pipe has a baffle that must have a hole drilled in it to insert the sniffer for the Dyno, so we did that. This thing could be drilled out completely to open the pipe up more, but it would also make it much, much louder.  I got Rodney to tune the bike for two things...drivability, and decent fuel economy.  With a 3.7 gal tank, fuel mileage becomes important.  There is a notorious "stumble" in most of the V's from the factory setup on the ECM...very lean in the 2500 to 4000 RPM range, so if you cruise there, the bike surges, etc.  Past there and all is well.  Cruise on the interstate in 5th is from 4500 - 5500, so a good cruising A/F mix should happen between 2500 and 5500 RPM.  Numbers on the Dyno run after tuning were 110HP and 78TQ, so a few more pounds of TQ and virtually no extra HP.  Might could have thrown some more fuel at it, drilled out the baffle a bit more, etc to get the numbers closer to 115/and low 80's.

Put a couple of hundred miles on the bike, a hundred or so of them two up.  Bike is getting a solid 36mpg, very smooth cruising around at 3-3500, and when you go WOT, it will still go waaaaaaay the f fast.  Sound of the pipe is just a bit louder than the SE Slips at idle, but when you get on it, it'll talk, but not obnoxiously so.  Just about right for this bike, for what I want to do with it which is ride to work and back, take 150 mile rides, give or take 50.

Overall, I'm happy with the exhaust system.  Higher numbers would have been nice, but getting a bit more TQ out of the motor was more important to me than anything else, plus getting a bit better sound from the motor.  Accomplished those two things nicely. 

[REGGAB]

New headers on, with front heat shield, lower heat shield, and collector heat shield.  Put the rear pipe in first, then stand on one foot, put your tongue out the right side of your mouth, and wiggle the front one into place.  It is a very tight fit, so getting it lined up right takes a few tries.  Hand tighten the flange nuts at this point in the process.

That sounds very familiar.  Had to use the same technique during the V&H BS Long install on my 02 Ultra. 

[Freja]

Nice looking bike....