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SuperTrapp 2:1 Super Meg Installed

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by Red Rider, Jul 23, 2017.

  1. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    Put the Super Meg on my '99 Road King to replace my similar Vance & Hines 2:1 that kept shaking the baffle loose to the point I'd either have to weld it on or replace it. To be fair to the V&H, I didn't do that install myself and I doubt the bolts were Lock-tited, but still, the dang thing burned brown & blue on the muffler too quick for my taste. It did have about 50K miles on it, too. Whatever, it is awaiting the junkyard trip.

    So I put the Super Meg on myself (not that tough), and my only complaint so far was the heat shield does not fully cover the collector (where the pipes meet, for non-wrenchers) as evenly as it should. My own, inelegant (yet pleasing to me), solution was to cover the collector in exhaust tape. It actually serves two purposes - it hides the uneven match and it keeps the passenger (on the rare occasion I have one) from burning his/herself on the pipes.

    I opted for all 20 discs (and if you're unfamiliar with this muffler, ya get to chose low end torque or high end hp - I went for hp 'cuz that is where I ride most) for the freeway performance. What this has done is make for a much quieter, but still deeeeep rumble over the V&H. So I have to be more careful when lane-splitting in my California runs. More revs and horn than in the past. So far the bike feels like I'm getting more efficient performance where I want it, but I'll update that later when I can tell you the whole truth about the performance.

    Oh, I opted for the ceramic coated black pipes. Less chrome, but I kind of like it better - makes the engine stand out more.

    My only remaining question: should I ditch the heat shields and just wrap the whole thing, or keep it the way it is? Thoughts?
  2. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Photo(s) would help!
  3. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Depends on the look, I've wrapped a few pipes it looks good, the heat shields are a bit cleaner look and less to maintain, you'll probably have to change out the tape after a year or so, I'd probably stick with the heat shields, but mainly because I don't want to spend a night wrapping up a set of headers LOL
  4. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    I'd heard somewhere that retaining the heat in the header led to higher efficiency of the burn, and that taping it would do that, but I don't know how real that is. I guess I'll stick with the shields for now, unless anyone knows different. Not too concerned about looks, though I do like the taped look - just real performance.
  5. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    it supposedly helps most of that is in drag racing, helping keep the heat
    down in the engine compartment, and helping transfer the heat out the exhaust
    helps performance.

    I doubt you'd see any significant gains on the dyno or street, it still gets hot
    and when you wash your bike, a start up after is a nice steam bath if yer into that
    stuff...

    If its what you want go for it, the stuff is a PIA wear gloves if you get the black
    wrap or you'll become a black wrapper!
    Red Rider likes this.
  6. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, I've wrapped pipes before, so familiar with the hassle. Fiberglass splinters can be the worst part of it.

    I'll get a pic of the already wrapped collector portion for Fatboy128...when I get around to it. Still owe JohnnyBiker and HotRider pics from the trip here out West!:wtf:
  7. timsmcm

    timsmcm Member

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    What does that super trap pipe sound like? I am looking for a better sounding pipe for my 85 softail and it is one of the only pipes out there that says it will work with that kicker bike.
  8. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    As I've installed, the ST pipe is a deep rumbler, quieter than the V&H pro pipes it replaced. That said, the ST pipe has an open-cone end cap option accessory that is available if folks want louder. I have all 20 discs in the muffler, which is to improve mid & higher range performance, which also reduces sound.
  9. charlie46

    charlie46 Well-Known Member

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    Vrooom,Vroom. LOL
  10. timsmcm

    timsmcm Member

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    Is the build quality ok? I have a pro pipe on a 13 slim softail. I am not very happy with the build quality of my pipe. Lower tone and a little more quiet is fine by me. Loud is not fast or powerful. And I can't stand a loud drone on long trips. Is the sound smooth or raspy? My pro pipe has a raspy sound on the end of the note that I don't like. I sound rather picky don't i.
  11. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Not only can you tune the pipe to make the bike run better you can tune up or down the sound as Red said, cap on quiet, cap off loud. It's not going to sound like a pro pipe, but they have a nice sound to them, one of the better performance pipes made.
  12. Fatboy128

    Fatboy128 Well-Known Member

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    Potato potato potato! LOL just a little more levity. Sorry
  13. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    Overall, the quality is good. My heat shields did not equally meet at the collector to the precision level that I desire, but functionally the pipe is great.

    I just got back from a road trip, and the pipe performed fine. Had a bunch of lane-splitting to do in California (where it is legal) and the pipe was a lot quieter than the Pro-Pipe - had to rev to get some attention. I might go to the open end cap configuration (not the same as leaving the cap off) for more noise, but maybe not - the bass rumble is awesome from these pipes and it could get lost with the higher pitch bark of open cap.
  14. timsmcm

    timsmcm Member

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    Thanks Red Rider. You have a pict of it on your bike? Sounds like what I am looking for. In the days of my youth I wanted loud but now not so much nowadays.
  15. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Either take the cap off or leave on, I wouldn't punch a hole, it could end up
    with a whistle or some other odd sound....

    Was the trip easier on your ears overall ?
  16. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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  17. Red Rider

    Red Rider Well-Known Member

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    SuperTrapp is very specific about how to manage their pipes for more sound. I'd take their advice to heart, otherwise it makes no sense....I mean, it is what they do for their profession.

    The quieter ride was easier on the ears, but more importantly it let me hear clearly how the engine was running. Mileage was up a little bit over the V&H, but that was to be expected as the V&H was set up for more lower end torque than freeway blasting.
  18. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    I ran a white bro's E series on my heritage had about 40 disks on it and the open end cap, it still couldn't keep up with the 124, but that was fine as it was a lot less noisy than the Bassani stepped racing headers.

    Put the supertrapp on a buddies 113 and it did very well, we ran the open end cap as well and also on a set of true duals on my friends 113 we built, he had Kuryakyn Crushers on, looked good, loud, both preferred the quiet power of the Supertrapp.

    less disks - less hp more tq less sound
    more disk - more hp, less tq, more sound

    it's a balancing act to get the right number of disks but they work great.
    Fatboy128 and Red Rider like this.
  19. JohnnyBiker

    JohnnyBiker Well-Known Member

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    Red, from seeing your bike recently with the Pro Pipe and having the wrap on it, I think you could go either way, a full wrap or just the head pipe. Your bike would look good either way. JMO

    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
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  20. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Here is the wrapped E series on my Heritage.

    [​IMG]
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