2012 Tri Glide CAT removed

[koproppop]

I got a wild hair, pepper, yesterday to attempt to remove my cat from my 2012 Tri Glide. I do custom steel fabrication, so I was not to afraid to try this. So I bought a thin 4-1/2" cut off wheel, left pipe on trike, wrapped every thing with moving quilt (looked like a surgery about to be performed), leaving "window" area exposed. cut window out in about 30 seconds. Cat was dead center of opening. I chiseled and took pcs of cat out, until I could pry the thing out. (how exhaust even gets past thing thing is bewildering).
I cleaned up in side pipe and shop vacuumed all lose particals. I have a mig welder, so I welded window closed, check for exhaust leaks, then reassymbled. Whole project too less than two hours. Went for a test ride (with shorts and sandles on), and ALL the excessive heat is GONE. Has a tad deeper tone as well. So, a 2-1-2 head pipe cost me a whopping $2.50.
Attached are pics of procedure.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Nasty lil bugger wasn't it?

 

[bobknife]

need to do this to mine thanks for the photos

 

[trikermutha]

Man I would be worried about welding on the bike with all the electrical components now a days on the bikes..

 

[DTR 11TG]

I got a wild hair, pepper
... So, a 2-1-2 head pipe cost me a whopping $2.50.

Did you keep all the pieces of the catalyst so you can sell it to a Precious metal recycler, my might just MAKE money on that 2-1-2 head pipe! pepper

 

[Shredder]

once you remove the cat your way , do you have to have the engine
remapped or tuned again? is the performance better or worse ?
is it much louder? Here in Arizona they just eliminated emission testing
motorcycles every year so this might be worth doing to help get rid
of some some of the heat these engines put out.

Shredder

 

[PIGGI]

once you remove the cat your way , do you have to have the engine
remapped or tuned again? is the performance better or worse ?
is it much louder? Here in Arizona they just eliminated emission testing
motorcycles every year so this might be worth doing to help get rid
of some some of the heat these engines put out.

Shredder

I just removed mine too, but pulled the pipe off the bike to weld it. A little louder, maybe a little more high rpm power, a lot less heat.

 

[GoSlo]

I just removed mine too, but pulled the pipe off the bike to weld it. A little louder, maybe a little more high rpm power, a lot less heat.

Glad to hear your project went well. You need to reduce the heat for sure living down there. Much too hot for me! About melted at 105° riding through Kansas.

 

[PIGGI]

Glad to hear your project went well. You need to reduce the heat for sure living down there. Much too hot for me! About melted at 105° riding through Kansas.

Yup, we have had 32 straight days of over 100 since 6/1 with some 110+ days. To hot to drive a car let alone a HD. Just got back from dealer for the 7500 service, seemed to be much cooler. Time will tell.

 

[Casper]

I removed mine from my SG, also wrapped header tape on rear exhaust and area of the cat...much better( cooler)

 

[KindaOldTriker]

I had mine done at the dealer I bought the bike from. They have a nice swap-out deal where they pull off your pipe and replace it with one they have already done. Pretty quick and easy. Pretty cheap IMO. They said no problem with engine adjusting for the slight difference. I think I payed $100 plus an hour labor.

 

[downstream]

Does this not make the trike run too lean if you do this without a tuner? Isn't leaner also hotter?

 

[cajunrider]

Man I would be worried about welding on the bike with all the electrical components now a days on the bikes..

disconnect the battery

 

[cajunrider]

I would disconnect the battery I would think that may help the electronics think that is what I would do

 

[Sloufoot]

Ya know,,,,,, All it would take is about 30min to remove the header...... All it would take to destroy the ECM is about a half second spike in an electrical circuit connected to it & you will find out what being lazy costs you !
Do it right & don't worry about it.:xszpv:

 

[msocko3]

Ya know,,,,,, All it would take is about 30min to remove the header...... All it would take to destroy the ECM is about a half second spike in an electrical circuit connected to it & you will find out what being lazy costs you !
Do it right & don't worry about it.:xszpv:

+1 Don't weld on the trike unless your forced to, expensive things can happen when you do.

 

[Oldmsocko]

Ya know,,,,,, All it would take is about 30min to remove the header...... All it would take to destroy the ECM is about a half second spike in an electrical circuit connected to it & you will find out what being lazy costs you !
Do it right & don't worry about it.:xszpv:

+1. A little extra time can save BIG money.

 

[JimMc]

I removed my cat today off my tri-glide. removed the chrome shields, cut out the window, removed the cat (tough job) welded the window back. I have a 140 Lincoln mig welder that runs on 110. welding was a snap with it.

the trike seemed to be a bit louder, but it definitely had better pick up from a dead stop. Usually, the trike would bog down when taking off from a dead stop, but not there is no bogging down, no hesitation, no feathering the throttle, it just goes. I like it.

 

[Sloufoot]

I removed my cat today off my tri-glide. removed the chrome shields, cut out the window, removed the cat (tough job) welded the window back. I have a 140 Lincoln mig welder that runs on 110. welding was a snap with it.

the trike seemed to be a bit louder, but it definitely had better pick up from a dead stop. Usually, the trike would bog down when taking off from a dead stop, but not there is no bogging down, no hesitation, no feathering the throttle, it just goes. I like it.

What wire did you use on that stainless header? Just curious ......................

 

[JimMc]

What wire did you use on that stainless header? Just curious ......................

stainless steel wire

 

[Sloufoot]

stainless steel wire

:10:ThumbUpThumbUp

 

[Ohio Eddie]

I'm going to take the cat out on my 2012 this winter, thanks for the photos "a picture is worth a thousand words"

 

[BinIdaho]

Had catalytic converter taken out (thanks for the step-by-step photos)...just got home from 1K coast trip. Did the SE tuner when purchased the '13...noticed a few "blips" on decel....thinking tuner needs remapping ($88). No more heat, runs smoother and throttle is instant....having checked mileage.