So why you run drag pipes?

Cause I think I ride a drag bike, duh!

Thanks for posting but this probably won't end well...it'll be interesting though.

I probably wouldn't go out and buy a pair,but that's what was on my sporty when I bought it,along with a super e.I know the mechanic that worked on the bike,He's very patient.He either lucked out or spent some time getting her spot on.I'm not gonna change a thing ... unless I start rackin' up citations.I plan on wrapping them though. Got anything on how that might change things ?

1ironhead said:

I plan on wrapping them though. Got anything on how that might change things ?

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Yes. It'll look like shit.

There is a very slight performance reason to wrap pipes, in that it will 'keep things moving'. As exhaust gases cool, they slow down. Header wrap, as well as ceramic and other coatings, insulate the pipes and there's less cooling. Most useful in turbo applications. Won't make any noticeable difference on a naturally aspirated street bike.

TR6: Amal Carb' + TT pipes + 6" baffle(unwrapped) + wing nut + stock pancake filter + 240main + needle pos' 2 + No.3 throttle valve with add' 1/64 to cutaway.

It runs better than with a silencer/muffler set up, but put the above set up on another TR6 and it runs like sh*t, go figure.

ps wish my physics class had been run with examples like those given in the vid'; i may not have skipped as many!!

Thats weird adding drags to a 2002 Dyna with a CV we had to richen the mixture from stock and up the pilot jet among some needle position changes and added small unrestricted baffles , the dropoff wasnt nearly that bad.

I make my own pipes to go with the bike. I don't send anything for chrome, so I hide my welds with wrap. I don't wrap them to be "cool" it's just a simple solution to hide the welds.

I guess when I think "chopper" A thunderheader or mufflers don't come to mind. Thats just me though. Like everything else, everyone has a different OPINION on what looks good. I ride within a tri-state area, not coast to coast, and I've never had any problems running sxtraight pipes.

I'm sure the optimum in preformance would include a muffler of some sort, or even a thumbsrcrew. I've never put any of my bikes on a Dyno, never attempted to figgure out gas mileage or anything like that either, so again, thats just my opinion.

O, and I think they sound good, they are cheap and all the cool kids have them

Sixball

The same reason I ride a rigid, kick start, no turn signals, big ole Super-B hangin out.
I grew up lovin the look and function of the parts and design. Throw some short baffels in there and they work fine.

Not new twin cam bagger, electric everything fine, buy beautiful classic, ride'n
love'n it fine.

I just love the old stuff how it looks and the simplicity.
Hell, if I flew airplanes it would be a old prop job not a Lear jet.
Love my AR's but also love to shoot Black Powder.

Enjoy, keep it simple, lifes hard enough.

A great and informative video, I was amazed that a 1/4" bolt could improve performance

Thanks for that video. Good information there.
Last year I put a set of straight fishtails on my 79 FLH 80. My first run, my buddy riding behind said he could smell gas from my bike. It also performed like a pig. At one time I removed the air filter for the ride home. While riding along I could actually see the cloud of gas, form outside the carb inlet.
At home I put in the lolly pop at the end of the pipes. After several test runs and adjustments, problem solved. Spark plugs show signs of good burn.

I thought loud meant it was fast?

Dan Boy...in the name of all that's holy, change your damn avatar.

Thank you-
The Whole Board.

I agree with the good Dr. I almost fell off my stool as I was reading and scrolling down.
Back on topic....I like the simple lines of drag pipes. Straight or curvy.

sweet sporty!!

dhallilama said:

i've run my '67 sporty with slash cut drag pipes, a 2-1 similar to a thunder header, a stock exhaust with straight-through mufflers... and the funky unequal length curvy pipes on it now...

the best all around performing was the 2-1 thunderheader style deal...
then followed by the stock exhaust.
the curvy left exit thing thats on the bike now feels better than the open drag pipes, but there is a new flat spot that i haven't been able to tune out. its got washers that are adjustable. i've got it "close"... but nothing compared to the 2-1. looks purdy, though... and the bike is fast enough for me as is.

interesting video... thanks for sharing

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I know that the bolt and thumbscrews are considerably cheaper than those S&S mufflers.

Well I ran drag pipes back in the day to piss off the neighbors. Then I started to work on the neighbor hood. I think that the best sounding and working pipes are the up sweep fishtails on my panhead. Just my opinion.

if the main goal is performance he should've thrown the dyna in the dumpster. pretty sure there's more options between the thumbscrew and those god aweful baffles

straight pipes aren't as cool as you think! its like yelling " everybody look at me, i'm bad" while you're riding

snatchleeka said:

straight pipes aren't as cool as you think! its like yelling " everybody look at me, i'm bad" while you're riding

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i actually yell that, continously, while i ride

I don't think there is a set of pipes out there that sound as good as drag pipes. Especially on an ironhead Sporty, a Shovel, or a Pan. We all know they are probably not the best performance wise, but growing up in the 70's and 80's, that is what most people ran and I fell in love with the look and the sound a long time ago.