Giving a Stage I for my 103 some serious consideration

[The West Virginian]

Good afternoon, all.

Saturday morning, I am having the 1000 mile service done on my Freewheeler. With the initial break-in and first service out of the way, I am thinking of doing a Stage I upgrade to my 103. I'm not necessarily looking for more power as much as I simply want the engine to be able to breathe a little easier. My salesman, Mark, likes the Screaming Eagle heavy breather for an air intake, Vance & Hines Fuelpak 3 tuner, and Vance & Hines exhaust. I prefer the K&N AirCharger intake as I like the filter of the K&N over the filter used in the Screaming Eagle. My question, however, is about the install of all the components. I rather like the thought of saving money by doing the installs myself, as well as getting to know my trike a little better. Has anyone done one or more of the installs on their trike, and, if so, just how mechanically inclined should one before attempting?

All thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

Take care, and have a great day.
Aaron

[Sloride]

Hey Aaron,

R&R of a Air Intake is no issue at all. If you can change your oil, you can R&R a intake

Make sure you sit on a bike or trike that has a HD Heavy Breather, depending on how you sit your trike, your right knee can hit it sometimes.

Also, HD's claim of Increased HP and TQ with the Heavy Breather is pure BS. I have the dyno runs on a 2013 RGC CVO to prove this.

There are some breathers that will help a smidgen, but nothing your going to actually feel with your butt dyno.

DK Customs has some really good options and the dyno work to prove what really works and what is just Purddy

[Sloride]

IMO...buy a system (Intake, exhaust, tuner and tune) designed to work together from someone that has put in the Dyno time to ensure it's success. Like DK Customs or Fuelmoto

[HDB0B]

A simple K&N replacement filter for the stock A/C is available. DK Customs has great A/C options as well.

Doing exhaust you will need an install tool if you replace the exhaust port gaskets. A 50mm wheel bearing race installer also works great for this (cheap kit at Harbor Freight). Otherwise basic tools to do the job.

Strap wrench and Sears 1/2" offset ratchet wrench to get mufflers off.

My el-cheapo 2014 Stage 1 was de-catting my stock head pipe and adding Nightrider FL-Vied-10 fuel enrichers. Big improvement for less $$$.

Good luck!

Bob

[1dn5up]

A simple K&N replacement filter for the stock A/C is available. DK Customs has great A/C options as well.

Doing exhaust you will need an install tool if you replace the exhaust port gaskets. A 50mm wheel bearing race installer also works great for this (cheap kit at Harbor Freight). Otherwise basic tools to do the job.

Strap wrench and Sears 1/2" offset ratchet wrench to get mufflers off.

My el-cheapo 2014 Stage 1 was de-catting my stock head pipe and adding Nightrider FL-Vied-10 fuel enrichers. Big improvement for less $$$.

Good luck!

Bob

^^^^ What he said ^^^^^

[The West Virginian]

Hey Aaron,

R&R of a Air Intake is no issue at all. If you can change your oil, you can R&R a intake

Make sure you sit on a bike or trike that has a HD Heavy Breather, depending on how you sit your trike, your right knee can hit it sometimes.

Also, HD's claim of Increased HP and TQ with the Heavy Breather is pure BS. I have the dyno runs on a 2013 RGC CVO to prove this.

There are some breathers that will help a smidgen, but nothing your going to actually feel with your butt dyno.

DK Customs has some really good options and the dyno work to prove what really works and what is just Purddy

Thank you much, Sloride! The more I read about the Heavy Breather, or any forward style intake, the bullet point of space between the intake and the right knee has come up often. I'm thinking that while the forward intakes look sharp, I'd rather have a breather that is more function over form.

I sent an e-mail to DK Customs yesterday asking for recommendations.







Going by what I have seen on this forum, they are well-liked and well-respected, so a company with which I would enjoy doing business.

- - - Updated - - -

IMO...buy a system (Intake, exhaust, tuner and tune) designed to work together from someone that has put in the Dyno time to ensure it's success.

Like DK Customs or Fuelmoto

Exactly my thoughts.



I want efficiency, not just flashy components!

Don't get me wrong, my 103 is running fine as is.

I have no complaints whatsoever, but a few more ponies, a little uptick in torque, and a more efficient intake with a nice Harleyesque rumble would be welcomed additions.

- - - Updated - - -

A simple K&N replacement filter for the stock A/C is available.

DK Customs has great A/C options as well.

Doing exhaust you will need an install tool if you replace the exhaust port gaskets.

A 50mm wheel bearing race installer also works great for this (cheap kit at Harbor Freight).

Otherwise basic tools to do the job.

Strap wrench and Sears 1/2" offset ratchet wrench to get mufflers off.

My el-cheapo 2014 Stage 1 was de-catting my stock head pipe and adding Nightrider FL-Vied-10 fuel enrichers.

Big improvement for less $$$.

Good luck!

Bob

Thank you so much for the tool list, Bob! I'd like to have all my stuff together when I dive into this project. Right now, I'm pretty clueless on what exactly the best route to take may be, so I am looking forward to discussing this with DK C.

[DK Custom Products]

Aaron, Enjoyed chatting with you the other day regarding what you want to accomplish with your Stage I upgrade.

For others reading this thread-

There are HUGE variations in the results folks get from their Stage I upgrades.

Almost daily we talk to folks that have put out good $ for a "Stage I upgrade" and been disappointed with the results. Then they come to us and want to know how to get the results they were looking for. A lot of times we can help them modify their existing "Stage I" to make it a true Stage I, sometimes it is a matter of starting almost from scratch.

Where ever you get your Stage I Kit from (we hope it is from us ), there are two things to keep in mind before parting with your green:

1. What do you want to accomplish?
2. Does whoever is willing to take your $ for a Stage I Kit have some sort of proof (dyno, video, other bikes/trikes running their Stage I Upgrades) showing they can give you what you want to accomplish

Not all Stage I's are created equal!

Here is a LINK to an overview of a Stage I Upgrade.



DK offers Basic, Performance, & Performance Plus Stage I Upgrade Kits. You can see them HERE.



Kevin

[The West Virginian]

Aaron, Enjoyed chatting with you the other day regarding what you want to accomplish with your Stage I upgrade.

For others reading this thread-

There are HUGE variations in the results folks get from their Stage I upgrades.

Almost daily we talk to folks that have put out good $ for a "Stage I upgrade" and been disappointed with the results. Then they come to us and want to know how to get the results they were looking for. A lot of times we can help them modify their existing "Stage I" to make it a true Stage I, sometimes it is a matter of starting almost from scratch.

Where ever you get your Stage I Kit from (we hope it is from us ), there are two things to keep in mind before parting with your green:

1. What do you want to accomplish?
2. Does whoever is willing to take your $ for a Stage I Kit have some sort of proof (dyno, video, other bikes/trikes running their Stage I Upgrades) showing they can give you what you want to accomplish

Not all Stage I's are created equal!

Here is a LINK to an overview of a Stage I Upgrade.



DK offers Basic, Performance, & Performance Plus Stage I Upgrade Kits. You can see them HERE.



Kevin

Good morning, Kevin!

It was a pleasure and an honor to chat with you. Your knowledge, and ability to relay that knowledge to a layman such as I is deeply appreciated.



I'm still batting the Stage I idea around, but, unfortunately for my wallet, I am starting to consider the 110ci engine upgrade.

I just can't decide how far I want to jazz up my lady.

Sigh.



Aaron

[rhino 2]

I had my dealer do a Stage 1 soon after i bought my 2011 [New] and i don't know if all Stage 1's are the same....But with mine i can be going 35 MPH in fifth crack open the throttle and it will flat-out take off and hit the new red line of 6200 fast, And if I'm going 50 MPH in sixth it will take off ' And i can pass a slower moving vehicle without down shifting..
The only other mods i have ;Are rush true duels cat less' Rush 175 slip- ons With the Thunder-Torques... And my MPG Run 37-38...

[The West Virginian]

I had my dealer do a Stage 1 soon after i bought my 2011 [New] and i don't know if all Stage 1's are the same....But with mine i can be going 35 MPH in fifth crack open the throttle and it will flat-out take off and hit the new red line of 6200 fast, And if I'm going 50 MPH in sixth it will take off ' And i can pass a slower moving vehicle without down shifting..
The only other mods i have ;Are rush true duels cat less' Rush 175 slip- ons With the Thunder-Torques...

And my MPG Run 37-38...

I like the sound of your results, rhino.

I really want to go through DK Customs as I can do all V&H (VO2 naked, full exhaust, Fp3) cheaper than through my dealer, and cheaper still as I would do the work myself.

While having my 1000 mile service this past Saturday, however, it came up in discussion that my doing the work would blow the engine warranty completely.

If I ordered through the dealership and had them do the work, the warranty would most likely only be honored by them, not other dealers. It seems the EPA ruling in August had a huge impact on the engine warranty game in regards to HD. None of the guys in the shop tried to talk me out of it; they seemed to just be stating how things have become. It wasn't until I asked what could be done that wouldn't void the warranty and still give my girl a boost that the Screamin' Eagle Stage I came up. Heavy breather, Pro Super tuner, and Screamin' Eagle slip ons can be added to enrich the mix, give a boost to Hp and torque, and keep my warranty intact. That got me to thinking that maybe just paying the Harley tax was how it was going to have to be.

Fast forward to last night.

Les and the kids were asleep, I had just walked the dogs, and I was reading up on Screamin' Eagle products when I came upon a reference to the 110ci Stage V Tire Shredder. The numbers I could find seemed to indicate the upgrade might be worthwhile.

Throw in the intake, tuner, and exhaust and I suspect that while she won't win any races, she'll do quite well for a trike. She'd be in the shop for a while, but with winter coming on, I likely won't be able to ride her much.

It's expensive, and some will say the money would be better spent on a new 107ci, but I'm still reserving judgement on the 107ci for a while. Too, I'm quite fond of the rumble of my twin cam.

She might even be a collector's item one day!

[rhino 2]

I like the sound of your results, rhino. I really want to go through DK Customs as I can do all V&H (VO2 naked, full exhaust, Fp3) cheaper than through my dealer, and cheaper still as I would do the work myself. While having my 1000 mile service this past Saturday, however, it came up in discussion that my doing the work would blow the engine warranty completely. If I ordered through the dealership and had them do the work, the warranty would most likely only be honored by them, not other dealers. It seems the EPA ruling in August had a huge impact on the engine warranty game in regards to HD.

Yea i forgot about that.......Like i said i had mine done in 2011..
And at the time all dealers would honor the warranty ''
But i still have the idea that some dealers can tweak a stage 1 better than others...I say that because some people that did the stage 1 posted that it the results wasn't worth the money. ...

[The West Virginian]

Yea i forgot about that.......Like i said i had mine done in 2011..
And at the time all dealers would honor the warranty ''
But i still have the idea that some dealers can tweak a stage 1 better than others...I say that because some people that did the stage 1 posted that it the results wasn't worth the money. ...

Based on what I have read, rhino, I totally agree with your stance that some dealers can do a Stage I better than others, especially if the dealership has a dyno. I'd like to echo, too, what Kevin of DK Customs said regarding not all Stage Is being equal. I find too much evidence that components thrown together just because one likes the looks or literature never really equal the picture composed of good quality, well chosen items put together like pieces of a puzzle.