Intake and Exhaust on stock trike

[Kilratha]

I just purchased the 2018 Harley Anniversary Trike last month. It is still at the dealership because my garage isnt heated yet and its still to cold to ride here in Michigan. I am thinking about a high flow air intake and maybe some headers and was wondering if it is worth the price. Will I get much benefit from it. Id love some feedback.

Thanks

[1dn5up]

Being it’s new, I would wate till after the first 3 hole change b4 desciding. I hear the 18s are great out of the box. It’s ok to think, but I’d wate.

[rhino 2]

I agree with Frank.......I had a 2011 Tri, And i did all that stuff , Stage 1 true duels ,slip-ons....Now i have a 2017 Tri, And right out of the box it is night and day between my 11 even with all the extra go fast stuff....My 2017 is staying stock...

[Fearless]

Ride it first you may be able to spend money on Chrome rather than on Go things. Everyone says the new ones run really Good!. Waiting is horrible Like us in Pennsylvania we will ride very soon very soon... travel safe Fred

[Capt.Bob]

I too am staying with stock on my 2017 TGU. The stock pipes are really fairly loud and the engine seems to run great with the stock air cleaner and stock pipes. I did however add the DK Custom Lift Kit and the DK floor board extenders which I consider MUST HAVE items. If I were frequently riding it two up, I would ditch the air shocks in favor of shocks that DK Customs sells. However, with rear tire pressures at about 21lbs, front tire pressure at 38 pounds and air shocks at about 15 pounds, my ride is quite pleasant.

[ISP-FL]

I don't disagree with anything that has been said. When I bought my 2016 I waited until after the 1,000 miles service at my dealer before adding slip-ons. Not sure if I bought a 2018 I would even do slip-ons again.

I would possibly change the windshield and look into getting a LRS. They have tons of really nice ones in clear and different tints. I have been putting off raising my tank but finally ordered the kit from D&K. That is suppose to be an easy mod that will help with rider comfort (less heat) and less wind. I really like my new Harley windshield bag. Then there is the issue of how will you protect those exposed fenders sticking out there. Harley bras, aftermarket bras, or some type of clear film?

If I had just bought a 2018 and couldn't ride yet I could probably come up with about $1,000 worth of goodies without even messing with exhaust or air.

[ultrafxr]

I second what others have said. The new M8 bikes in my opinion are way, way better than the previous twin cam models. I had a 2017 CVO Limited and which I traded last Sept for a 2018 Tri-Glide. I made no performance mods to either bike as they are plenty strong for me in their bone stock configuration. I've had loud pipes before and personally prefer mellow but subdued. I'm much much more into enjoyment than absolute performance.

Wait until you have a chance to ride the trike and evaluate its performance before you spend the $$$ for mods you may not need and/or don't do much to enhance your enjoyment of the vehicle. JMHO

[Jack Klarich]

IMO, with the HD controversy from the EPA you are limited to exhaust and intake choices that will not void your warranty

The M8 runs strong out of the box

Check what others have said and done first

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I would agree to ride first ... spend money later ... who knows ... you might save a bunch

Having said that, can you really ever have too much power?

[rhino 2]

I would agree to ride first ... spend money later ... who knows ... you might save a bunch

Having said that, can you really ever have too much power?

The problem with getting more power, The quest for it isn't Linear...Sometimes its more like 2 up one back, If your lucky ....Been hot rodding stuff since around 1960....

When you add performance parts, You will find you'll need to add parts to compment the parts you just added, And sometimes that doesn't work so you just added more parts $$$ to your scrap pile...

[MikeyTX]

I would agree to ride first ... spend money later ... who knows ... you might save a bunch

Having said that, can you really ever have too much power?

Actually, yes.

[njtrike]

I moved from a 2010 to a 2018. I was going to put the high flow exhaust/mufflers and air intake hd sells with their tuner. The mufflers have the cats in them rather than in the head pipes. In the end I left it stock because these mufflers are 5 inchers rather than 4 and would not work under the trunk. Harley seems to very limited on what changes they are allowed to make. I’m glad I left it stock. It runs great. Got around 2000 miles on it at this point. Put the lift kit on it, some blue tooth add ons, and a roadzeppelin seat. I’m thinking it’s a keeper.

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I came off a 2016 trike with gutted head pipe,stage one air cleaner,Street Cannon mufflers and a Fuel Motto download.My 17 trike runs better in stock form than my 16 did with the mods,I have added the Street Cannons off my 16 to my 17 and i am very happy with it.I do have a stage one air cleaner for my 17 but have yet to install it.

[Kilratha]

Thanks for the input.

Ill leave the pipes and just do a K&N air filter. I use those in my Escape too.

[graygoat]

I came off a 2016 trike with gutted head pipe,stage one air cleaner,Street Cannon mufflers and a Fuel Motto download.My 17 trike runs better in stock form than my 16 did with the mods,I have added the Street Cannons off my 16 to my 17 and i am very happy with it.I do have a stage one air cleaner for my 17 but have yet to install it.

Not to hi-jack this thread, but I am wondering if you noticed a sound difference with the SC on the 17 vs the 16. Reason I ask is that the cat is in the head pipe on the 16 and in the mufflers on the 17 (if I understand that correctly). That said, with the SC on the 17, there would be no cat?? I have heard that without the cat, the SC are much louder than with the cat. Your thoughts??

[MikeyTX]

I installed a tuner, fuelmoto head pipe, S&S mufflers and, H-D high flow air cleaner on my '17. Guess what ? Bike ran better stock imho. Removed and sold everything but the tuner. Kept it since it's married to the bike. Save some bucks. Install DK's comfort lift kit and floor board spacers. Then ride the trike and enjoy it. Break in the factory seat before you spend tons of money on other seats. All I did to mine was add a "Pro Pad" under the factory cover. https://www.thepropad.com/

[kingfish108]

Left my '17 TGU stock except for a behind the engine cooling fan. I think it runs great, but I went from a '99 Softail EVO to a '14 CanAm RTL to my '17. I looked into changing the mufflers, air cleaner and tuner, just thought the money would be better spent on comfort items.

[MikeyTX]

what i wished i'd done to start with.

[rhino 2]

what i wished i'd done to start with.

Mike that wisdom only comes with age, And after years of trying to reinvent the wheel, And trying to out think the engineers ....

[MikeyTX]

Mike that wisdom only comes with age, And after years of trying to reinvent the wheel, And trying to out think the engineers ....

yup