Too hot Pipes Burn my Right Leg! Any Solutions out There???

[jc1300]

Screwball
Its nice to hear someone agrees with me. I have wasted thousands of dollars listening to people who think they are smarter than the Harley engineers. If Harleys weren't made to last there would not be an optional 5 year warranty available at a price not more than insurance. since I have smartened up and left them alone I have had no problems and I average easily over 30,000 mile in a year

LOL - Well then here I go....The cats are Indeed in the headpipes...they are located near the passenger foot pegs as you stated. The headpipes are the entire pipe from Engine thru the H-pipe and up to the point where the "Slip-on" mufflers connect. HD engineering is not all about high output engines for Most bikes. Their hands are tied by Emission standards. They come out of the box running lean {hot} with restrictive pipes {cats and Sound deadening} to meet all the various government standards. Larger breathers - Free flowing exhaust and better tuning do NOT void the warranty {Stage 1}. HD is aware that once these mods are completed the engine runs better with less stress on the system. That there would be no lower heat temps after deleting {either by de-cat or replacement Head pipes} the obstruction in that pipe, is a thermal impossibility. The only way that would be remotely possible would be that someone went to all the expense, and then put a 10 cent tune on the bike. We can argue all day about HP and Torque improvement. But the fact is a HD engine is nothing more than a large air pump, and if more air can get in - can run cooler with better fuel management and exhaust that air faster with less turbulence, that air will be cooler.

Thanks - and no offense intended...but it's not rocket technology

 

[clint44]

Yep,catalytic converters hold heat in,that's how they function. Ever seen one glow red? Ever notice that the majority of Harley riders complaining of excessive heat are the ones riding new bikes & trikes equipped with cats?

 

[screwball]

If they are riding a Tri-glide or a freewheeler it came with a Cat. All bikes / trikes since 2008 sold in California had a cat. 2009 for the rest of the country. A cat will hold heat, but doesn't intensify or generate it. It won't get any hotter than the exhaust gas makes it. Take it out and the pipes will still be around 1200*

Air cooled motors are hot

 

[msocko3]

If they are riding a Tri-glide or a freewheeler it came with a Cat. All bikes / trikes since 2008 sold in California had a cat. 2009 for the rest of the country. A cat will hold heat, but doesn't intensify or generate it. It won't get any hotter than the exhaust gas makes it. Take it out and the pipes will still be around 1200* Air cooled motors are hot

2010 and later came with cats for the rest of the US, my dads 09 doesn't have a cat. Actually the cat does increase in temperature as the reaction increases, the cat can run between 500 - 2,000 degrees.

 

[Sidecarbill]

Richining the mixture on a vehicle with a cat makes the conerter hotter. Extreme richness will melt the ceramic.

 

[cavie]

VTX water cooled temp. 216 degrees. Gonna check the pipes today just for !@#$ and grins.

 

[rhino 2]

Wow, You guys are lucky... I'm thinking of putting my Cat back in i could use some heat on my feet in the winter, It was down to 25 this morning...:laugh::laugh: