Harley Sportster08 want slip on for louder pipes, not for preformance, In beginners terms do I need to remap

Question

I am new at this and don't really know all the lingo. but I do know a sales man when I see one. And at Harley I feel like I am being sold big time. What I want is for my 883 to sound a bit more manly or should I say hoggly... I just started to ride and I LOVE it! But everyone I ride with have bikes that sound much better. I am not looking to be the loudest. I just want it to have a bit more thunder. The performance I am fine with, again I am new at it so I don't need more power for now...

I would like to know with a slip on do I really need to re-map, re-jet, or anything else every one is saying? Please keep it elementry for me.

Also any suggetsions on what slip ons to get and if anything else I need.

On the internet, everyone gives a different answer. Please please help. Just want a little bit better sound with out interrupting her main functions... Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

you should not have to remap if all you change is the mufflers. the fuel injection system can handle that small change without much problem. if you later decide to  change the breather (open it up so more air gets through) then you will have to remap.

harley screaming eagle slipons are a good choice for the price. not too expensive and good mellow sound. cycle shack might also be a good inexpensive choice. try j&p cycles online for other options.

Answer 2

Ok, short and sweet: If you change the slipons to a better performing (free flowing) muffler, you should also change the air intake so that it gets more air in. A stage 1 kit from HD is easy to install yourself and gives you the larger air intake, the mufflers you choose are more of a personal choice, but the screaming eagle's from HD do work and give you the Harley sound without being too loud. Now, adding either one or both will make your motor run leaner. Lean means heat and can burn a valve etc if it is too hot. Performance also suffers with loss of power and poor MPG. the easiest cure? get the one time only download. None of this is cheap. You may want to buy the pipes this time and store them, buy the stage 1 kit and store it, and then next time around install them yourself and buy the downloud and have it downloaded at the dealership.That is what I do. The benefits besides the sound, are better gas mileage, more horse power and more torque. How much depends on which pipes you use. On my Ultra, I added python slip ons, a stage 1 kit and a race tuner and gained 29 horse power and a lot more torque ( I forget the torque gained) But, I also gained MPG. On my Dyna wide glide, I added the screaming eagle pipes, the stage 1 kit and the download and gained 12 horse power and 9 mpg. On my electra glide I used the Vance and Hinse slip ons, and the stage 1 kit with a race tuner and gained 22 hp and 14MPG. On my shovel, I changed to V&H pipes an arlen ness big sucker air kit and re jetted the carb to gain power, and MPG. I'm sorry you got the 883 instead of the 1200 which is far and away the better motor, but the 883 can be made to run decent, although it is more of an around town bike.

Now for tha bad news, it is illegal to change the exhaust on the newer bikes under EPA rules. I didn't say you couldn't, and most people do, you just make sure you do not get rid of your stock pipes, and if you are ever cited, you just switch back to the stock pipes, but you could still be fined. The only ones getting into trouble now are the extra loud ones that like to run full throttle thru town etc and get pulled over for noise violations by the cops, but you should know that they may start citing for the epa stuff soo as well. Also, certain liberal townships, like Denver etc, have strict noise laws and they love to cite ANY bike with other than stock pipes.And lastly, if you change the pipes, some dealerships will not honor you warranty at all, some will not honor it on anything affected by the non stock parts (like the motor) and some dealerships will honor it no matter what. But I would get it in writing from your dealer if he will honor it if he sells or installs the parts.  My dealership will honor the full warranty as long as you buy the parts from them, and can priove you are qualified to install them yourself ( I have been doing my own work for many years) But, I know that i I am out on the road, and have a problem I can't fix, the nearest dealership may not honor any part of my warranty. Just food for thought.

Ride safe

Answer 3

if all you do is install slip-on pipes you do not have to have the bike re-mapped ,if you install a stage 1 air filter with the slip-on pipes then you have to have it re-mapped ,I installed a set of pipedreamz Insomniac's drag pipes with the torque cones on my 07 sportster 883 and never had to have the bike remapped and the bike looks a lot better and sounds awesome check there website at pipedreamz.net  

Answer 4

2008 Sportster is fuel injected so forget 're-jet,' that's for carburated bikes.I would put them on, and then if the bike runs crummy, then re-map the computer. Or just run it until you can save up the extra dough for re-map and stage-1 hi-flow air cleaner.

Answer 5

Like Randy sed. Baloney cut slip ons, new air kit and a re-map. Get the slips ons and air intake on the web for cheap and get a re-map done by in a local shop if you give a c**p about warranty work.

I would say f the warranty and do the slips and air yourself. Re-map if you are feeling froggy.

Answer 6

No you don't....you can if you are looking for performance gains, but you do not have to.  Look into Vance & Hines monster oval slip ons....they are great....not too loud....just right.

Edit:  Scratch what I said about the monster ovals....I was thinking about touring models....I dont think the ovals are for the Sportster....still look into Vance & Hines tho...great slip ons.

Answer 7

It depends on the baffles. Check with fuel moto out of Neenah WI...he is a master of pipes and what needs to be remapped!

Answer 8

I put Rush slip-ons on my Deuce and did not need to remap it, but it was a c**p-shoot. It works for some and doesn't for others. I had them put on the bike before I drove it out the door- A purring Harley makes about as much sense as a roaring kitty-kat IMHO.