| Author | Message | ||
     Silverado140 |
What's this I hear about Buell discontinuing the race kit? Is this true, and if so, does anyone know why? | ||
| Slaughter |
I don't have any information beyond what I've heard here and there - also from the LA County Sherriff's Motorsports racers who race with us at Willow Springs... here's my guess (uninformed) If I had to guess, few manufacturers are going to be supplying race kits to non-racers because smog violations are FEDERAL and local police are given the authority to issue tickets. Dealers have some liability in installing non-compliant hardware. Could be a good deal for aftermarket and do-it-yourselfers and independent shops. Here in CA - the police are looking for the official stamps and labels in exhaust systems to prove compliance. If not, you MIGHT be getting a ticket. Don't know if that's all 50 states or not. Sorry about the rant but it's a sad state of affairs. Send Dave Stueve an email to see what he says about discontinuing the race kits. I'll ping Ernie at Glendale and compare notes. | ||
| Angelwild327 |
EPA regulations is why. Harley Davidson and Buell are doing away with the Screamin Eagle exhaust line and race kits. They are going to be slapped with fines and goverment sanctions (supposedly) if they do not comply with the EPA. This is going to be a huge loss for the Motor Company and a huge gain for aftermarket companies like Vance&Hines, Sampson and the such. Get em while you still can. | ||
| Brad_buell |
This doesn't sound good.......  Daves........what's the word......???? | ||
| Chainsaw |
Just got the new HD catalog in the today's mail. The Screamin' Eagle exhaust are now ALL 49 State Legal when installed on Fuel Injected bikes.  | ||
| Chadhargis |
Daves confirmed the rumor to be true. Buy yours while you can. | ||
| Daves |
Yes, it is true. HD/Buell is taking a bold step to combat the ever increasing number of complaints about loud pipes on bikes and of course to comply with the EPA. While I do not agree with the EPA or the whiners that don't like loud bikes. It is only going to get worse. And yes, we have brought this on ourselves to some extent. I am guilty of riding loud bikes for over 30 years. Heck even my riding lawnmower I had as a kid had a pipe on it. We as riders are an easy target for those that job depends on passing/enforcing new laws every year. Get used to it. 10 years ago they started on smokers. Now you can't smoke in many,many places. 10 years from now there will be no loud bikes. Then they will need to(and will,trust me) look for something else to regulate. It will never end. | ||
| Race_pirate |
"It will never end." Sure it will when Willie G. runs for President!!!! I recently revised the exhaust on my XB9RR-R type R. I made it quieter not for those it offends, but even with earplugs I was nearly deaf at the end of a race or practice session and found myself yelling at people to answer the damn phone..... | ||
| Angelwild327 |
daveS do you have any race kits in stock?? | ||
| Daves |
No, but I have about 30 on order If you want one before they are gone,gone forever better get on the list! | ||
| Midknyte |
Will race ECM's still be available sans kit? | ||
| S1eric |
I actually see this a little different than most. I am not of the Chicken little mind set. I don`t think this will be the end of the after market exhaust. I`m sure HD Buell has their reasons for dropping non EPA legal exhaust. I have my ideas why they made this move, But I would like to here what they have to say. So lets see ----- I`m going to be forced to buy a factory exhaust if anything should ever happen to my current system. HMMMMMMM. If the muffler goes kaput on my family truckster, All I have to do is go to the local muffler shop and have it replaced. I don`t think the muffler I bought was from GM. As a matter of fact i`m sure it wasn`t. Now again this wasn`t a fart can but a nice quiet muffler for the truckster. How can this be. Where were the feds. This is surely a part of the emissions system. And it passed the feds inspection. Think about it. I can here your replies already. How about this one. Same vehicle needs new cats. Whats a consumer to do. I`m not being forced by the feds back to the dealer. No sir. I can buy new cats from a few different manufacturers, And pass inspection. Yep the stamp of approval from the feds. Imagine that. WOW ! I see opportunity for the after market, I`m sure they are not taking this lying down. Some of you are going to tell me YES you must go back to the factory in the event of anything happening to my current exhaust system. And you know what i`m not buying it. No pun intended. What makes my truckster different than my bike? They both must pass EPA regs right ? Sorry but the sky is not falling ! OPPORTUNITY is here for the aftermarket. Who will make the first DOT approved system ? I think we will see it. How about you. I usually don`t post my view point here, But just had to throw in my 2 cents. Some of you folks have blind passion in your arguments. Oh ya GO BUELL RACING ! I am really looking forward to the street version. C`mon you know you want one. I think we`ll see it. going back to fast boat board. S1Eric | ||
| Mb182 |
Sieric What you describe is exactly what the proposed regs read!! The AMA is not putting much effort into challenging it but the MRF is! Check out their web site for links to the proposed regs... People thought the same thing with building customs and now we have the one per lifetime rule!! Are the Manf going to fight it? no they would like nothing better than to be the only source for parts and labor.. We have to stand up to them or we will all pay the price. MB | ||
| Outrider |
Will race ECM's still be available sans kit? Good Question. Would like to know the answer to that question as well. Back when Buell discontinued the Race ECM's for the Tubers, I bought a spare from DaveS and still have it. If you are dependent on a to-be-discontinued part, you may be wise to pick up a spare. You can always sell it along with the bike or separately online. YMMV | ||
| Daves |
Actually now that we have the DL mapping capability it isn't as important to have race ECMs as it once was. | ||
| Brucelee |
First off, the Race Kit muffler is NOT loud by any standard. It is the straight pipe HD guys that get the normal guy up in arms, gives the EPA the ammo it needs. And this makes sense. Around my house, I can hear these straight pipe morons miles away. It is ABSURD. However, the EPA has no idea about straight pipes and does not care. Get to the phones and educate your moron congressman on this issue. And yes, the aftermarket will provide. | ||
| Mr_cuell |
No big loss on the race pipe either - I don't know how or why, but the "factory" race pipe, for all the crack engineering at Buell, does not produce as much power as a guy in his shop in NC (Drummer). Why bother continuing to make a pipe that is so average? If it were the best one out there, and patented, then it would be a loss, but its not and its not and its not. | ||
| Slaughter |
I think the biggest hit will be for people needing aftermarket parts installed. If I understand it, the Federal penalties are HUGE for dealers. All the more reason to get a manual, good tools and garage space (weellll... 2 out of 3 aint bad) and do your own wrenching. | ||
| Buellblastrider |
ive heard a rumor that harley will not honor work on screaming eagle parts. i assume this is just warranty work but thats still strange that Harley produced parts are not honored on their own warranty. | ||
| Isham |
I agree with Mr. cuell, There are better options out there. I have a race pipe but if I had the option would get a dummer or something else. | ||
| Slaughter |
The aftermarket is poised and ready. | ||
| Xbdave9s |
when is the race kit going to be discontinued? I still need a race ecm. seeing that i move into my new home next week it may be a little while before I scrape up the cash. I already got a race muffler from someone here on badweb. also have to get tires, I think that's the priority for now. Dave | ||
| Metalstorm |
Well I'll be damned.. I just went & inquired about a race kit in the sponsors' section & then I see this. I want a Drummer more than the race pipe but I'm going with the "safest" option for now until the warranty is expired. Either way, I'd still need a race ecm (no muffler valve servo motor engine check light thingy  ) | ||
| Jandj_davis |
I agree with all of you that the Drummer is a better pipe, but more airflow has to come with less sound muffling. In my opinion, the race pipe is the best sounding pipe I have ever heard on a Buell. Most of the other ones are too loud. The stock exhaust sounds like crap, but the race exhaust is much "sharper" than the stock exhaust without being too loud. I will mourn the passing of the Buell Race Pipe, and will likely have to get my race kit from ebay. | ||
| Blazinc5 |
I wouldn't dout that HD is backing up the EPA in one form or another.. Look at all the aftermarket mods out there for an HD or even any make of bike,,, With all the other companies out there selling their goods, HD is loosing big bucks.. having the EPA saying you have to use stock items forces YOU to buy only THEIR stock replacement parts... Makeing THEM an incredible amount of money more than they normaly would. So what if they loose out on the performance parts sales area,, they won't have any R&D on performance parts saving butt loads of money without having to compete for it. It's a Damn shame that our freedom and rites of beeing able to choose as Americans once more is beeing restriced.  | ||
| Chadhargis |
I see both sides of the argument. True, it should be our freedom to run a loud exhaust, but it should also be everyone else's freedom to not be bombarded with loud exhaust. Personally, I don't mind hearing a loud bike pass by unless it's at 3am and my family and I are trying to sleep. There are a whole host of people who don't ride, and don't care about those of us who do. To them, the EPA is doing exactly what they should be doing, representing the majority of citizens. Basically, a few inconsiderate individuals have ruined it for those of us who either choose not to ride their loud bike when they know they are coming home late or leaving early, or we throttle it way down to keep as much of the noise at bay as possible. I've even coasted down my street and pushed the bike the last few yards to my house so as not to disturb my neighbors. | ||
| Mb182 |
I have kept the stock exhaust for my bikes. It may come to putting them back on, I don't know if any of the aftermarket guys will come up with improved flow without the volume increase and still keep the looks. Magnaflow and others do it for auto's. I could live with less volume if I could keep the performance that the K&N and open exhaust gives. MB | ||
| Diablobrian |
Just look to the xbrr to see the next generation of performance pipes. It has been criticized as being too quiet, and it obviously flows the volume needed for big hp. | ||
| 007firebolt |
I don't get the panic guys...The aftermarket sector has been providing us buellers' with way better stuff for a long time. Who cares if HD/Buell dump their performance line. Direct Link saves us from the race ECM nonsense. All the various manuf. out there make great slip-ons, complete exhaust kits, intake mods, steering, electrical and much more. So, save your duckets and buy some better stuff and in the end provides you with more power, plus the flexibility to work out of your own garage. Look around and don't rely so much on the dealer, you might be pleasantly surprised.  MB182 :look at the micron pipes, they provide everything you could ever want and yes I do run them on my bike. | ||
| Vaneo1 |
hmmm,Im thinking of a good 'ol fashioned Bad Web Hodown maybe we can have some sort of a Buell protest. We can start at my house and ride to Capitol Hill. Then we could plug electric camping stoves into those highly coveted Ulys and have a BBQ right in the street! People ABSOLUTELY none of us can be held liable for disturbing the peace because I know someone is going to bring there gorilla named Davy who is going to take his orders from the talking walnut! (Sorry just watched 'Bad Santa'last night)  Seriously I think Eric will conjure a revelation for us in aftermarket accessories/ performance parts. BTW who actually knows who there congress reps are for their location? Did you know some of these jokers go YEARS and DEACADES in congress because nobody ever votes them out, and rarely do they have an opposition? Anyway Viva Le Buell!!  |
