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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
| After lusting for a Vision for over two years, I finally got one on New Year's Eve. I love it. Right now my seat is at the shop increasing my leg room and then I want to help it sound like a motorcycle. My Harley came with Thunderheaders on it and I got spoiled. The only thing I miss about that bike is the deep throated sound of a motorcycle. Would someone explain to me my best options in replacing my exhaust? I'm still not clear on what "stage one or two, levels 1 or 2" mean...I know, I'm an idiot. I'm also a bit surprised that I don't do much better than 35 mpg. I thought it might be closer to 40. Would the exhaust upgrade help that? And, what is the best place to get it done in the Houston area? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 70
Iowa | welcome, I have the stage one level one with the gunner tips, it looks cool but its pretty quite, I have heard the stage one level two pipes and its louder than mine, but I don't think its what your after, you will need the thunder sticks or big honkers(ness). those will give you the sound level you desire. my gas milage was very poor until my 500 mile service, it will get better when its broken in. hope this helps ya! ride safe |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | I have the Ness Honkers and did my own install. No mapping necessary but the Big Shot adjustable fuel tuner is a nice addition. At an idle it has a nice V-8 sounding rumble. Louder cruising but not obnoxious, can still hear the stereo. If you drill out the cat inside the header pipe it gets quite a bit louder. I left mine intact. It has a softer rumble but when you twist the throttle it really comes to life. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 203
Rapid City, SD | you-tube has a fair amount of clips in which you could hear the differences between pipes. Just hop on you-tube and do a few searches (victory vision, exhaust, ness honkers, big shot, atom bomb, stage one, etc) |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | I have Stage 1 Level 2 pipes from Victory. The pipes let me leave the driveway without waking everyone up. When I give it a good twist the Vision has a really nice deep rumble. I can always hear the sound system. It is the right system for me.
If you want it as loud as my fiends V and H Big Shots you will have to look somewhere other then the Victory Catalog.
Ride Safe |
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Visionary
Posts: 1340
Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | DO NOT get the Thunder Sticks. They are loud, but suffer from drivability issues. If you want loud, and a good strong package; get the Big Honkers, and use either a VFC3, or a S1L2 Victory map. For full sound, and performance you will want the Gatling gun tips. The stock tips are overly restrictive. Don't forget to get the high flow air filter, and remove that rediculas intake baffle Vic put in the intake track. As for the Big Shot Fuel controler. Nobody at Ness runs them on their bikes that I know of. |
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | I got the Big Honkers and removed the insert from the stock tips. You might have to add a few shims (washers) to get the stock tips to fit better but the sound is real good. I had a D&D Boarzilla on the Harley and truthfully the Honkers sound better. Not as loud which is good but the low rumble, and will bark when you get on it. Next is Lloyds cams and controller, and i said i wasn't gonna touch this motor. Yeah right.
mike |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | Many dealers have in their store a display usually along side their exhaust and pipes retail area. You can press the display and listen to an actual recorded sound of each of the exhaust and pipe options. For me personally, the bike is a piece of art, its meant to not
sound like HD or other loudmouths, thats what makes it classy and above the rest. Sometimes a loud bike is nothing more than
a compensation tool just like guys who have to drive corvettes during mid life crisis's personally, id rather be seen and admired, not heard and annoying. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | +1 on the Honkers. It sounds like a Mack truck now! Very deep and significantly deeper and louder than S1 or S2. Congrats on your purchase! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | revkerry - 2009-01-08 3:56 PM
Would someone explain to me my best options in replacing my exhaust? I'm still not clear on what "stage one or two, levels 1 or 2" mean...I know, I'm an idiot. I'm also a bit surprised that I don't do much better than 35 mpg. I thought it might be closer to 40. Would the exhaust upgrade help that? And, what is the best place to get it done in the Houston area?
Forum search "exhaust" and read what is posted. That's going to be the only way to get where your needing to go. Otherwise you're dealership will help you configure your exhaust vs. what you're willing to spend. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | Arlen and Corey Ness and Kevin Ness Arlen's brother all run the Big Shots on their bikes. I think that is a significant pitch for the product. I had mine installed after they did the testing on their own bikes. No popping or backfiring. |
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Tourer
Posts: 320
Savannah, GA -Year round riding!! Yay! | Yeah, I'm still pretty in the dark about the whole "L1S1, L1S2" system, too.... (I noticed an improvement in my gas mileage after the bike got into 4 digits. I was worried, too...)
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | I have the L1/S1. Now I want louder. Anybody tried the Atom Bombs? Also my K&N filter got ruined and I went back to the stock filter for now. It seemed to run better. What it the intake baffle you speak of? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | Intake plate pic - Goes underneith the center console - right now there is a solid plate there.
More info here: http://www.quickvic-usa.com/vision.shtml
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | Can the original solid plate be drilled out with a hole saw to match this plate's functionality? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1340
Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | okthenbye - 2009-01-09 11:29 AM
Arlen and Corey Ness and Kevin Ness Arlen's brother all run the Big Shots on their bikes. I think that is a significant pitch for the product. I had mine installed after they did the testing on their own bikes. No popping or backfiring.
The ones I saw had PCIII on them. That was in Vegas in July.
Edited by kevinx 2009-01-09 3:34 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1340
Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | okthenbye - 2009-01-09 2:38 PM
Can the original solid plate be drilled out with a hole saw to match this plate's functionality?
Sure, but you will still need ot add a filter media to it somehow |
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Cruiser
Posts: 87
Lusby,Md | Great I just ordered the Thunder Stick mufflers,what do you mean drivability issues,back fire or what? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Thanks John |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | I've been dealing with the Dublin, Ca location. I'm sure he has bikes at all of his locations. I set mine up after they did the testing on their bikes. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | VaParadox - 2009-01-08 10:26 PM
For me personally, the bike is a piece of art, its meant to not sound like HD or other loudmouths...
If you feel your bike is some kind of art, put a frame around it and hang it on your wall. It's a machine and as such men are always going to strive to make it what they consider better. If you feel it's such a "piece of art" why did you slap all kinds of chintzy-looking chrome all over yours? Why is it alright for you to do that, but you feel the need to put down others that want something different for their bikes? Quit being a hypocrite.
VaParadox - 2009-01-08 10:26 PM
Sometimes a loud bike is nothing more than
a compensation tool just like guys who have to drive corvettes during mid life crisis's personally, id rather be seen and admired, not heard and annoying.
The thing I find really impressive about the Vision--the real beauty of it if, you will--is that it appeals to so many different kinds motorcycle enthusiasts. It is drawing people to it that come from HDs, Goldwings, BMWs, metric crusers, and sport tourers. So many diverse tastes all find the Vision better than what they had before.
With that diverse group of riders comes a very diverse group of preferences in what each rider wants from his or her bike. Some riders want very quiet exhaust so you can't even hear the bike, like a Goldwing; some want more growl from their exhaust so that it sounds more muscular. These riders are trying to make their bikes into what they personally desire. If that's not what you want that's fine, too. But for you to come on these boards on more than one occasion and insinuate that fellow Vision riders who want to change their exhaust have small penises or are having a mid-life crisis is beyond disrespectful, it's down right dispicable and I refuse to tolerate it. You should be ashamed of yourself. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | revkerry - 2009-01-08 4:56 PM
After lusting for a Vision for over two years, I finally got one on New Year's Eve. I love it. Right now my seat is at the shop increasing my leg room and then I want to help it sound like a motorcycle. My Harley came with Thunderheaders on it and I got spoiled. The only thing I miss about that bike is the deep throated sound of a motorcycle. Would someone explain to me my best options in replacing my exhaust? I'm still not clear on what "stage one or two, levels 1 or 2" mean...
Stage 1 Level 1: You get a high-flow air filter and slip-on mufflers that have a little bigger exhaust diameter for more air flow all around. To me they are only slightly louder than stock. They are also compatible with Tail Gunner Tips, which is a nice bonus.
Stage 1 Level 2: High flow air filter and slip-on mufflers with a redesigned chamber that offer more performance over stock and L1 and also more "growl." These are not compatible with the Tail Gunner tips. The Level 2 has a pretty nice growl to it when you get on the throttle, but is pretty quiet while you're cruising. I got the L2 and liked it, but after a while I found myself hammering on the throttle so I could hear the engine. I ended up pulling the baffles out of my S1L2 exhaust, which now gives it a nice rumble at cruising speed, but it's a bit too loud. After reading your post about the Thunderheaders I did a search to find out what they sound like and I can see why you like them. That's pretty much the sound I'm trying to get from my Vision, so I'm still experimenting with mine to tune the sound. Unfortunately, it's too dang cold up here to be out working in my unheated garage, so I have to wait a little while longer.
So, if you're looking to get one of the exhaust packages from Victory I would recomend going with the S1L2, but I think you'll still be a bit disappointed and want to make some modifications. As for the Ness Big Honkers and others out there, I've listened to the video clips that others have posted for those aftermarket mufflers, but I honestly have a hard time telling the difference in them so I can't advise you one way or the other on how to go.
revkerry - 2009-01-08 4:56 PM
I'm also a bit surprised that I don't do much better than 35 mpg. I thought it might be closer to 40. Would the exhaust upgrade help that?
Most people have reported a mild (1-2 mpg) increase in mileage, but it's also going to depend on how you ride. My mileage went down slightly, but it's because I was getting on the throttle a lot to hear the exhaust. Your mileage will definitely improve as you put more miles on. You'll see an improvement at 500 miles and another nice jump around 1500. I get 42 mpg average on a tank of gas for day-to-day driving to work and back and about 45-46 mpg when taking trips on back highways. On the interstate my mileage sucks, about 30 mpg. |
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Tourer
Posts: 367
Cottage Grove, Mn | Can anyone using the intake plate tell me more about?
Thanks |
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Tourer
Posts: 447
Northeastern Penna. | Revkerry, What do you mean your seat is at the shop, increasing leg room? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 55
Las Vegas, NV | I've got the Honkers with open tip exhaust. It's a great LOW sound. I agree with the comment on the Thundersticks. The bike I test rode had them and was just too darn loud for me. The Honkers are loud, but much deeper IMO. |
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Advice...in English...sllowwlly..please?
