Going to buy new header pipes for my 09 RK , i already have monster ovals on it.

Which one are better

http://www.vanceandhines.com/products/touring-09dresserduals/dresserduals.html

or

http://www.vanceandhines.com/products/touring-09-powerduals/powerduals.html

 

any opinions or other reccomendations on which pipes to put on or other brands.

Thanks

 

Ditto from Australia, the crossover style of the PowerDuals acts like an extractor on the cleaning cylinder....  Our Dyno tests show HP better...

I have had them on a Road King 96,  c.i. and then a Ultra 103,  and I currently have then on a CVO Street Glide 110...  Dunno, I am used to the look, and it says PERFORMANCE...  I am going to put them on BIG BLUE coming in July to Australia.  It says immediately CUSTOM EXHAUST, and PERFORMANCE, and I actually kind of like the look as there is beauty in performance...

Regards from Cowboy

 

I went for the Dresser Duals & Monster Ovals on my 2011 Road King. Very happy with the sound.

Didn't like the "bow tie" on the Power duals, but that's me.

 

just fit the dresser duals today, they've only been sitting in the shed for 4 months.....any way - huge difference, look good, makes a big difference to the sound (v&h basic slip ons)
Thats my 2c worth.

stumbly

 

Hello Friends in America, I am tortured while waiting a further 11 weeks 6 days 13 hours 41 minutes, but who is counting... heh he...

Look, on the cosmetic Sheila look of things, the Dresser Duals do look better... And yes the V&H Power Duals do create the most power.  Myself?  I think you Guys have talked me out of the Power Duals on my Dresser coming, BIG BLUE in July...  But I have to say, while I am not sure I like the look on the BIG BLUE Dresser, they DO LOOK GOOD on my CVO Hot Rod Street Glide...   So, EXPERTS, how much power do I lose going the Dresser Duals on Big Blue... Is enough to worry about or is this look worth it... heh he..?

Best regards from Down Under, the Beer is on me...!!!

Wasn't going to say anything, but think you read my mind Phantom.
"EXPERTS" I'm not, but I quite like my "cosmetic sheila" dresser duals. Not sure of HP difference, but then, I don't really give a fuck......

Hey, my Bad.......

A couple of glasses of wine, and I THOUGHT I WAS ON THE AMERICAN FORUM....  My bad.... to late at night..

Personally I like the look of the Power Duals on the Street Glide,  but I have a new CVO Ultra coming, and on it I like the look of the Dresser Duals. 

Anyone know if the power loss is significant or if the crossover is necessary?  The look of the "Dresser Duals" is better,

somehow the power duals don't look quite right on an Ultra like on this picture

Yeah i think im going with the dresser duals they look better.
Thanks guys.
Look out M&M there i come with the dollar being so good at the moment might get the dresser duals and some other bets and pieces.

How is the sound ? I am looking at changing my stock pipes on my 2011 Road King, I was thinking of ordering a set of Monster Oval mufflers and leaving the rest. Did you have any issues with warranty ?? on hte new bike?

Malibu,

You will enjoy the sound of the new pipes without the cats.  On my 96, a RK as well, it seemed to add maybe 4-5 horsepower.  With opened up exhaust and a big sucker air cleaner of some sort, you may need a tuner as it will run leaner and hotter and need more fueling on the low end.  This was true with my 96 and my 103...

If you are going to do the job yourself, it is not hard, maybe an hour or two if you are slow and enjoying yourself.  The chrome guards are on stainless hose clamps.  The fat clamps on the mufflers come right off.  On the cross over under the belly of your RK there is a mounting bolt from memory.  Other than that the mufflers slide on a rubber mounted rail under the boxes which makes it easy.  I did everything up sort of finger tight, before doing up the flanges on the heads.  

The only problem I have had was with the slip ons over the pipes.  They have a locking split on top and bottom of the tube of the muffler where it slips over, and with the clamp off it just did not want to budge.  A sharpend screw driver tapped up the split to open it up on top and bottom, then a drift and hammer it moved.  Then it can be worked off easy enough.

Any problems, get back to me, I have done a few of them, not because I cannot afford the Dealer to do it, just that I used to build my own scooters and still like to tinker.  Waaay back, had a 66 Shovelhead jammed into a 57 rigid frame, suicide clutch and stick shift, that was fun but impossible these days as everyone would have to wait up for you on old tractor like that... Heh he....

The other Brother asking about sound, Fat Boy 1 was it? Sorry if I got the name wrong... 

The 96 was muffled in my Road King, and the V&H really let it thump.  A big difference from muffled to pounder.   The exact same result in my 103 later on.   Your 2011 is a 103?  Big difference when you open up the exhaust and feed it some air, it becomes a real thumper and you can feel power difference.  But again, with a 103, you will really need a tuner as it will have no5 have power on the low end out of the hole...  It will not CRACK and CACKLE when you open the throttle, if you know what I mean, without a tuner putting more fuel in on the lower end.  I am sure it is not good for the engine to run lean on the low end either...  On my 103 I used an HD race tuner, but there are other ways to go.  I think in any case you will have to do it, to reprogram the fueling on the ECM once you remove the restriction in the air and exhaust... Then even at an idle, when you crack the throttle it gets fuel and sounds like it.

Let me know if I can help.  Done up both the 96 and the 103.  

Cowboy

Cheers Cowboy,

 Thanks for the info, I will be ordering the Monster Ovals and I will let you know how I go..

Thanks Cowboy and Phantom
I'm going try and fix them myself. What do u do with the Butterfly on the old exhaust just discard it all together

Malibu.

When you change the header pipes to Dresser Duals, the flapper is no longer used (part of the old headers).
I removed the actuator motor as well. You will need something like TTS to disable the Active Exhaust.

Critcho

 

Hello Malibu,

On my Ultra, I just disconnected the actuator was cable drive, just disconnected it and stored it under the seat all wrapped up.  There was no problem doing this as a "long term" temporarary measure..  The ole "Sheel be right" temporary permanent fix....   .  

Anyway, the HD Techie told me there was a way to reprogram the ECM to do away with it altogether on the computer, but I don't know if they did that on the stock HD ECM or the Race Tuner installed.    I never did get around to doing that ...  It ran just fine and did not know the flapper was not on the bike at all.  However, I think long term you need to disable the function on the ECM with a programmable function on a tuner, the same way you do away with emission controls in a modded car with a Tuner. 

However, for all of you that are opening up air intakes and cleaning out exhausts:  I still say from my study on a 96 and a 103, and now the 110,   longer term I think you can hurt the engine if you do not richen up the fuel/air ratio...  Running too lean, I think you can harm the engine of any of the Fuel Injected Twin Cam types..  You need the Tuner, because manipulation of the fuel/air ratio with the stock ECM is very limited to nil.   I have the Programs to do some vehicles, clearing trouble codes, modding ECMs for things like EGR (exhaust gas recirculator valve) functions, and so on, and when you get a Tuner you get a VCM with most (Vehicle Communications Module) to plug into a laptop to modify the stock ECM Program or replace it altogether.  

 I just have not bothered to look into getting the HD computer program, or know if it is readily available.  You could probably download it from HD if you had a Dealer Pal..  With the HD Race Tuner, you get the VCM and they just plug it into their Laptop to mod the program and that is when they can also disable the flapper function for you..  

Unfortunately for us, dollars for them, the Race Tuner is VIN Lock Programmed and you cannot use it to mod other bikes.  That way they can sell more of them.. 

Regards, Cowboy

Hey Cowboy,

I have a race tuner already installed and a heavy breather on it.

I'm getting the bike serviced in a couple of weeks so i mite see if they can disable it while it's getting serviced.

yeh you blokes ive just rescently purchased a 09 RK with 30,000 kms on it , it has se air cleaner and monster ovals on the standard headers, is it realy worth spending 3,500 k on v and h dresser duals,103 big bore kit,se race tunner . just looking for a little more bite out of her. would greatly appreciate some feedback , cheers!

Helloo  Shamus,

Being Old School, a fair Engineer, and having owned both the exact same year in a Road King and having switched to a 103, I thought I might be of help Mate....  This Post was relayed to my email address, and since I have a real engineering answer with experience and not just a random opinion, see if this is a hand up..

The 96 in the Road King in 09, was a combination that was a VAST new improvement for HD, in that it has a hugely better frame for handling and you get the ABS Brakes which can save your ass in a pinch..  Running with various Clubs you would find you are in the middle of the pack with the 96.  Now the 103 was a "happier motor" combination with the same gearing, and that is not just my thinking as everyone I talked with in a couple of Clubs I ride with, plus the Mechanics in three HD Shops were about 95% of the same opinion.  The practical difference is about a half a gear on the hills.  Where the 96 feels like you need to downshift a gear, the 103 rolls along up the hill.  Something about the gearing, makes the 103 feel smoother and happier, even with the top end noise at an idle all the way through the power band it feels and sounds better.  It is a good combination, but not a huge power difference.  A hot cam would increase that if you need more..

I have also done the exhausts on all the modern Twin Cams, 96, 103, and 110s,  and getting rid of the cats does help, but  the Race Tuner is a necessity.  We are talking not only performance but also getting the right fuel air mix through the power band for longevity of the valve train even the whole engine.  Getting rid of the cats is a minor thing, the the race tuner is a MAJOR... It is important for the longevity of the engine from a practical Engineering standpoint of the right mix.

What I cannot tell you is if you are over spending when you say it is "worth" doing..   I am a fair engineer with HD stuff all the way back to 900 and 1000 Sporties and the first Shovelhead..  I buy them and play with performance for fun and ride more than some maybe 15,000 kms a year..  Worth?  Worth it as a ride yes, on money it is a different answer: Depends on what you paid for the RK, and if you are keeping it long term... If you got it at the right price, you will get your money out of it if you upgrade later.  If you are going long term, and the money does not hurt to much, you will be happier with the 103.  It is not a huge difference, but you will feel it.  The only problem is you get used to what ever power you have and want more... Next comes a cam..  heh he...  I am thinking of jamming a 120R Drag Motor into a Granny Glide just to blow the socks off Brothers that give me heaps...  heh he..  Worth? In the measure of the 103, I really liked it.

Road King, nice bike, if you got a good deal, you can afford the upgrade: Go for the lot.  In the last month I just found a 2010 103 Ultra Limited, for a Sydney area Brother, and organized a Brisbane Bro for a 09 96 Road King ... You are right in the best range...    I don't think you will regret it.    Cowboy

thanks cowboy,a lot of blokes bag the se stuff, and yes there are cheaper and probably better ways to get to the same destination, but the feedback from many people that i no give it the thumbs up, haveing the same thing done to my 07 softail makes my descion all the more easier. ive had 2 late model softails and to tell you the truth they handled to say the least 'poorly'- suspension, poor braking and most of all comfort, i went to an 09 fatbob after that, and although it was an improvment i still wasnt that impressed with it, its not untill i jumped on my mates road king that i realised what id being missing all these years. many of my mates give me shit for buying an old mans bike as they say, but the silly pricks have never thrown there leg over one. brembo brakes, cruise control,abs,air suspension need i go on. best god damm harley i have ever ridden and i dont say that lightly, one day i would like to catch up for a beer or two cowboy thanks for your informed opion!

i put on the dresser duals last week and love the sound of them with the monster ovals

Great Malibu,

BUT THIS POST IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT THE PICS...     heh he

We want to see the "Look"...  Congratulations!!