after market pipes - put HD on there?

[blackdogbrian]

Hi folks,

I'm kicking around the idea of getting some new pipes for the nomad, but don't want anything too loud.
(In truth, I am kicking myself because I had a line on some in the fall for the nomad, and I let them slip away from a fellow out east..... I don't even have his contact info anymore to see if he still has em - vance and hines).

anyways, back on topic.
I keep seeing good deals on stock HD pipes. I recall reading about people using them before, but cant' recall why or if they can use them with the stock nomad parts - or do you still need V&H uppers.

so, here's the meat of my question....
A - can I mount hd pipes on the nomad
B - is there any benefit? With baffles in do you get more air out of it?
my main reason here is part 3 of the nomad trifecta (tfi, intake, pipes)

Thanks for your thoughts
B.

[MAS Tequila]

I have HD bagger mufflers hanging on V&H headpipes.

Why...they're quieter but still have a nice rumble, and I got them as take-offs for $10 at a local dealership.

MT

[rewindgy]

You will need different head pipes. Theya re not the same size as the Nomad - and the mufflers on a stock Nomad do not attach the same as Harley muuflers - left one has a bend in it. The main advantage is you lose the Goats belly ( weight) and the bike does breath easier. You can run a stock Nomad with Vance & Hines front pipes and a set of stock Harley mufflers without any mods to intake - it will just sound better. If you go with the V & H front pipes and then modify the intake and add a processor any Harley style 1 3/4" muffler will slide on and you can go from wild to Mild as your heart desires.

[macmac]

Yer gonna need V&H bagger head pipes fer sartin!.. Then any HD mufflers will slip on, leaving you to figure out how to support them.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by blackdogbrian

Hi folks,

I'm kicking around the idea of getting some new pipes for the nomad, but don't want anything too loud.
(In truth, I am kicking myself because I had a line on some in the fall for the nomad, and I let them slip away from a fellow out east..... I don't even have his contact info anymore to see if he still has em - vance and hines).

anyways, back on topic.
I keep seeing good deals on stock HD pipes. I recall reading about people using them before, but cant' recall why or if they can use them with the stock nomad parts - or do you still need V&H uppers.

so, here's the meat of my question....
A - can I mount hd pipes on the nomad
B - is there any benefit? With baffles in do you get more air out of it?
my main reason here is part 3 of the nomad trifecta (tfi, intake, pipes)

Thanks for your thoughts
B.

There are no slip-on mufflers for the Nomad because the stock Nomad exhaust pipes aren't a standard size and there is the goat belly to deal with. Now an aftermarket set would give you the basis to attach different mufflers, HD or whatever.

[blackdogbrian]

thanks all
that confirms it - unless I happen across some aftermarket headers, I'm really no further ahead.


Anyone got a set of after market headers they're not using?

[shnyroq]

I've got Samson Rolled Thunder slip ons on Cobra headers. The sig pic shows Harley Screamin Eagles, which I liked the looks of, but were too quiet.

[billmac]

On Kawanow, it doesnt take long to get the answer to a Nomad question. Some smart fellows on here :)

I just bought a set of V&H baggers from Dennis Kirk for my 06 Nomad. (Manufacturer Part #: 18369) They were about $440 shipped. Dennis Kirk will beat any advertised price and have always treated me right.. The V&H sound good to me, but still isnt the Harley sound I prefer. I did not prefer the tinny sound I got at an idle from the ultimate baffles on my other Nomad. Just sayin.

FYI. I started my Nomad with the stock headers and goat belly with no mufflers. The bike was still way too quiet. Obviously, its the goat belly that chokes the flow and the noise.

[GIBBY]

Check out the RoadHouse Dooley;s over in the for sale section. Super good price and I love the sound of their pipes. Keep in mind that they are out of business so replacement parts will be an e-bay hunt. I have the Dooley's on my Drifter and prefer the sound over my V & H on my Nomad.

[macmac]

Ain't neva gonna get any HD sound out of a Nomad no matter what you do unless you put a harley engine it. That's the only possible way. HD doesn't get that sound from pipes and mufflers in the first place.

The only other way to get that sound is buy a HD first off.

[rez]

I installed stock Harley mufflers on Cobra head pipes. Sizing is correct for the mufflers to slip on. You have to make some adapter plates to adapt them to the Nomad mounts. I used some stainless flat bar for this and drilled holes to suit. Pretty simple process. I also removed the 'cat' from (inside) the right side Harley muffler. I wasn't particularly looking for the 'Harley' sound but looking for something quieter for longer distance highway riding. Just found the Cobra mufflers a little too annoying. This turned out to be the cheapest way for me....since I didn't have the stock Nomad exhaust...and still gives a nice rumble.

[blackdogbrian]

Mac - I agree, I remember the battle between honda and Harley over the ace....
I'm not looking to replicate the sound of an HD, I was just looking for some cheaper aftermarket pipes that would allow more air to flow through the system.
To be honest, I'd love to get more air through but keep the sweet silence of the stealth nomad (the cobra's I had on my shadow gave me a headache when I rode, and one one would ever ride behind me).

I just need to find some cheap aftermarket headers now........ but it seems like you only get these when you order the whole system! so, buy a whole new exhaust to throw 2/3rd of it out and then put on some cast of HD pipes..... well not for me unless I get the whole set up for a song....

Anyone have some unused aftermarket headers kicking around gathering dust in their garage? I could find em a good home (on my bike that is)

[MAS Tequila]

That is why I put the HD mufflers on mine.

Last year riding back from Daytona, I realized that I didn't like the sound of my V&H mufflers like I used to.

I went to the HD dealer and asked around out back and came away with an almost new pair of stock slip ons from an 09 EG for $10.00.

They are much quieter than the V&H but still have a rumble.

MT

[macmac]

Originally Posted by blackdogbrian

Mac - I agree, I remember the battle between honda and Harley over the ace....
I'm not looking to replicate the sound of an HD, I was just looking for some cheaper aftermarket pipes that would allow more air to flow through the system.
To be honest, I'd love to get more air through but keep the sweet silence of the stealth nomad (the cobra's I had on my shadow gave me a headache when I rode, and one one would ever ride behind me).

I just need to find some cheap aftermarket headers now........ but it seems like you only get these when you order the whole system! so, buy a whole new exhaust to throw 2/3rd of it out and then put on some cast of HD pipes..... well not for me unless I get the whole set up for a song....

Anyone have some unused aftermarket headers kicking around gathering dust in their garage? I could find em a good home (on my bike that is)

Well things depend on what it is you want to do. I am on my 2nd set of V&H Baggers.

I had set 1 on my 1500, which was stolen.

Set 2 is on my 06 16, and was picked up used here in the for sale section in 06. They do come up from time to time.

I run the baggers as they came, never pulled a baffel yet, and I don't fiond them overly loud in the first place. Then adjusting my wrist a little I can get it to a dull roar pretty easy.

The V&H mufflers are very adjustable.

You can add more glass wrap, you can add sheet metal wrap, you can add both at the same time, and you can dream up anything else to stuff up them mufflers as you see fit.

The reason I did it on the 1500 was to get more power. By doing a duel cadman, a TFI with the baggers I got apx 10% more power as expected.

I got a cooler running engine as expected, but then I got apx 10% better MPG's which was a total shock!

Doing all that killed the ping I had, and got me into 87 octane like it was religion.

I was riding across the country when that happened to the 1500 with my wife and a trailer in tow. I got better MPG's that riding that bike alone with no trailer!

So for me it was a must do the day I bought my 06.

It did take some getting used to, to be able to controll my wrist

I left the TFI set to cackel on a downshift slowing rapidly, by choosing to not close the throttle I can calm that effect to nil.

I use that effect as a weapon in heavy traffic if I think the guy behind me isn't paying attention well, and wake his ass up!

I am old school anyway, and bikes used to act up because they didn't have economy cams in them like they do now. So once it was typical for a bike to speak and act up, with popping and be loud at times.

In my way I still like that effect. I like the popping and growels I can make. I like that modern car drivers don't like it a bit and it scares them some, and they think something is wrong with my bike.

When that idea gets in a cagers head they want to be as far away as they can be from me so I consider that a win.

This is no argument for loud or exessively loud pipes as it isn't, but in tight traffic where people BEHIND you are not paying any attention, which is typical, you can get someone to stop sexting sometimes.

If that won't work I try to convince them I am drunk, by riding irradicly, weaving a lot, and not staying at a steady speed.

I like a little elbow room.

[rewindgy]

The only thing you have to remember if you are putting stock Harley mufflers onto a Kawi is that with either Cobra or V & H they are true duals and the stock Harley is 2 into 1 into two. The left muffler is not a true muffler but more of an expansion chamber. Only the 2004 and under were both sides mufflers. You always need to look into both mufflers and compare them (make sure they look identical and also weight the same) before putting onto any bike with true dual head pipes.