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another new guy exhaust question

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k8mcn

New Member
Hi--new rider here-after 35 years off a bike have started
again, so please excuse the newbie question-searched old posts but to no avail,as i see exhaust questions are common.
---have a 2002 xl1200 with stock exhausts.
What do you all think of American Custom slip ons? Can an oldster like me put em on? Will i have to re-jet the carb? Just after a nicer sound out of the bike, not particularly after any extra performance. If you all aren't a fan of American Customs, suggestions welcome. Thanks for your patience!
 
Slip ons are not difficult to install. Pretty straight forward if you look they system over prior to installation. If you change slip ons with a carb, you may have to up the jetting on a sportster. They seem to have a lean setting to begin with and will end up popping back if you don't rejet.

That also isn't difficult to do.

Harley Davidson Community
 
I don't think I'd heard of American Custom exhaust before. I just browsed through their site. Nice looking products, and reasonable prices. Google them for reviews on quality from people that have bought them. Cycle Shack also makes good value slip ons (but not the prettiest chrome).
 
I have an '02 1200 XL and got all my slip-on's off eBay.
Always able to find SE mufflers and even found NIB SE mufflers.
They sound good and I really like them.
 
gusotto said:
I have an '02 1200 XL and got all my slip-on's off eBay.
Always able to find SE mufflers and even found NIB SE mufflers.
They sound good and I really like them.
Click to expand...

did you re-jet the carb on your 02 after the install? Any pics?
Thanks!
 
k8mcn; even though I never owned a set of Am Custom pipes - heard/read good things about them...especially the bomber pipes. Seems like a decent deal, quality product & very economical price so I say give 'em a shot.

Pipe change on Sporty is very easy...just have new set of pipe clamps, tube of high-temp silicone (i.e. liquid copper) for pipe/header joints & torque wrench. Good luck & post some pics when you get a set picked/installed.
 
I have S&S slip-ons on my '02 XLH1200. They are not super loud, but they are louder than the stock ones were. I never rejetted, but you should. It wasn't difficult to swap em out either. I did it over the course of a day or two (missing parts, etc.) but if everything goes smooth you could probably swap the mufflers in an hour or two. Get some extra exhaust clamps and the mufflers and you should be good to go.

Keep some pb blaster around too. Some bolts of mine were near impossible to undo. That stuff saved me a lot of time.

I have heard of people needing to get a new rear brake pedal because it kind of gets in the way of one of the mounts for the muffler, but I was able to work around it.
 
Easy job, hard part is deciding what mufflers to buy. One thought if you do the job at home a bit of high temp silicone to seal the joints on the mufflers:s
 
k8mcn said:
did you re-jet the carb on your 02 after the install? Any pics?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Dealership was offering a sale on Stage 1.
SE A/C and SE mufflers.
They did re-jet the carb.
I could really tell the difference on the ride home.

Not much to see for a picture. Pipes look almost the same. Just say SE on them instead of HD.

I use anti-seize on the mufflers. It seals the exhaust but allows for removal at a later date.
 
I just recently removed my Vanes and Hines slip ons (that came on the bike when I bought it) and installed some stock pipes on my 2007 Sportster 883. I'm new to HD so I read as many posts as I could and then just dove in. It was simple to do...the hardest parts was removing the slip ons because they are tight on the pipe. But wd40 really helped that. I have notice a slight decrease in mpg gallon after switching to the stock pipes. Everything else works great.

Good luck and welcome back to riding.
 
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