[Ashley]

I am thinking of doing a stage 1 upgrade on my 2007 FXSTC Softail Custom. At present the bike is pretty much standard, there are no engine mods. My intention it not to make any radical changes in appearance of the bike.

I'm not a mechanic and am pretty new to Harleys so please forgive any dumb questions.

What I know is this involves a free flow air filter / cleaner. A new exhaust system, and some tuning of the electronic fuel injection. This produces some increase in performance and noise. How much improvements in performance and increase in noise is something I am unsure about.

Air filter. Am I right, this can be done with the stock cover, with a new back plate and other internal bits? This seems to be the least money option.

Fuel Injection. Given I am probably going to go for Vance and Hines stuff it seems a good plan to go with a fuelpak.

Pipes. As said I don't want to make big visual changes, so nothing radical. I was actually thinking of the Straightshot HS slip on. This certainly costs less than full pipes, although cost is not a major driving force. I assume these fit the standard HD pipes that I simply swap the mufflers. Am I right here?

What I don't know is how much improvement in power and performance the above would bring or whether there are better options for any of the components? Equally, does anyone know how loud those pipes are, and what difference does the quiet baffle make to performance and sound? There are noise regulations in Europe which I do not want to fall foul of.

Anyone? Thanks in advance. Please forgive me if I come back with more questions. I want to get this right before I start spending money.

 

[mungo]

Well, everything in moderation. You're not going to enter into light speed by any means, but you will feel the engine pull harder with the stage 1 components.

In terms of sound, I put a decibel meter next to my Night Train with Vance and Hines Bigshots. Twenty inches, 45 degrees from the back of the bike at idle, the Big Shots and my engine ran about 110db. Myrtle Beach, SC's new regulations state that a bike must be at 87 decibels under the same circumstances. Fairly unreasonable in my eyes, but still a fairly large gap.

There are many different options for the Stage I components. Everyone has their own preference. What you've listed out sounds good and will put in in the same ballpark with other Stage 1 bikes.

 

[NJ RIFF RAFF]

Stage 1 V&H

Just finished installing Big Radius today. Only mods were stage1, and Fuel Pak arrives tomorrow. I'm thrilled w/ the results. Mine's an FXDC. But I bet your bike would look awsome w/ the change-out.

 

[Ashley]

Thanks. It is good to know I have things about right. The upgrade will happen later this winter when I have some spare cash to play with.

I need to check how loud the pipes are in both standard and quiet configuration. I guess Vance and Hines idea of quiet is less loud rather than actually being quiet.

 

[MilesToGo]

Check out this website http://www.fuelmotousa.com/home.htm. You can get slip-ons, Power Commnader (PC), and new air cleaner for under $700. They also pre load your PC with a custom map so it's just plug and ride.

 

[gregsdart]

upgrade

I went with fuelmotto, love it. A very solid power increase. The only problem is a glich at a certain point in warmup, causing the throttle to open and close too far for a few seconds during warm up. This makes the bike lurch badly if you are riding and cut out if idling, and i highly suggest you wait for the bike to get warm enough to know you are past this point. It won't be hard to tell. I hear all the systems suffer this malady. If this is incorrect, someone set me straight. Greg

 

[DADAWG]

I went with fuelmotto, love it. A very solid power increase. The only problem is a glich at a certain point in warmup, causing the throttle to open and close too far for a few seconds during warm up. This makes the bike lurch badly if you are riding and cut out if idling, and i highly suggest you wait for the bike to get warm enough to know you are past this point. It won't be hard to tell. I hear all the systems suffer this malady. If this is incorrect, someone set me straight. Greg

my fuel moto setup does NOT do this , contact jamie and see what he says.