Exhausting

     I have had alot of difficulty getting a set of pipes on this bike.  I wanted originally to have a lakes pipe style with both cylinders going 2-1 down the side of the bike with the machine gun tip I made on the Smithy.  My pipe fitting / modifying skills are not as good as I would like them to be.  So far I have ruined every pipe I have tried to put on the bike.

     The pipe in this picture is from a 2010 Streetglide.  If fits nice under the kicker, but has a catalytic converter in it.  I cut the end of the pipe off to try and get the cat out.  I expected the insides to be kind of ceramic and easy to break out, not the case at all.  I didn't completely ruin this one, but I have abandoned using it for now.

     I have had the major pieces for this bike for several years now.  Last month marked the 9 year anniversary of when I bought the frame.  Thats a pretty pathetic build time.  I have wanted to build as many parts for the bike as possible.  As it turns out I'm just not as good at making parts as I want to be.  I ordered some parts today to give this project a little jump start, also changes the plan a little bit.

     I have a set of 1 3/4" shotgun drag pipes in the garage right now.  I also have on the way a round chrome oil tank, and a set of 3.5 gallon flatside split tanks.  Buying these parts instead of making them myself makes me feel a little bit like a sell out.  However I have justified it to myself that I can always make my own oil tank and put it in.  I just need to complete this project and get it on the road.  I can always add, or change it later.

The bigger tanks may cause problems with the low handlebars.  I haven't completely decided yet but if they don't fit I am probably going to swap on a set of Khromewerks 12 inch narrow bottom ape hangers.  They have been on my list of possible bars for quite a while.  I'll have the tanks mounted up by next Monday night and I'll make up my mind then.