verslagen1 wrote on 05/13/08 at 17:27:36:


Dude, no lie....I did that after work yesterday (before seeing your message) and here is what happened...

Upon arrival I asked for service/repair and ended up talking to the shop owner. I insisted the pipe I had on was a HD, despite the clear skeptisim from the service dept and owner.

He went out with me and looked at the bike ("is that a 250?" "no, a 650" "really?!") then at the muffler.  "ohh yeah, it says right on the pipe HD and an item number"...duh.

Back into the stealership and he looks up the number. Its an 03 Dyna (no surprise). The surprise was this - he flat out refused to sell me one.

He said at first that he knew he had some "in the back" from people switching out to louder pipes, but then said he had no time to go looking for one. I looked around - the store is empty of customers. Like what - you're so busy you can't sell me a flipping pipe?!!

He rudely told me that my bike was running lean (like I dont know this!?), and if I put a new pipe on, it would turn blue, so why did I want to bother with a new pipe...Ummm maybe because I want to replace the banged up one with a wrecked clamp that keeps FALLING OFF??!!

Then he said I had to re-jet before putting on a new muffler, and his dealership does not do metric, and he cannot recommend anyone who would re-jet. WTF!??  Did I say I wanted you to re-jet my bike? All I want is a fricking PIPE!!!
RUN AWAY!!!!!!

I went down the street to the Suzuki stealership, knowing before I even went in that this was going to be interesting. They had no mufflers at all. They did find a muff clamp in the catalog, then told me it would be $290 to re-jet my bike. I am so in the wrong business.

End result:
- I still have a dinged up HD dyna muffler halfway attached to my header
- No one in town wants to sell me Dyna
- I am watching a Dyna on fleabay. If I get it, I'll have it welded on.
- I am still fairly pissed off  

Why is it that one little project turns into a major production twice as long and four times as expensive?

OK, the direct tact is the wrong course.

Hmmm, sub der fuge....
Go find a 17 year old, take off the muff and hand it to him, have him go in, eyes wide in fear, story goes 'I was riding my dad's bike and it fell off, you gotta give me a new one before he finds out or I'm dead'

torpedo's away...  

How about I have a beer, and THEN take the muffler in hand to the shop? NOW we're talking!  

BTW - is there anything WRONG with my pipes being BLUE from the lean running?

The only thing that is effected is the visual aspect, which i kinda like.

it has been ridden, but not abused.

I was treated the same way when I was looking for a Sportster pipe for my bike.

Me: "Hi.  I need a Sportser pipe"
Them: "What year?"
Me: "Doesn't matter.  I just need one without the crossover hose"
Them: "What year?"
Me: "2004"
Them: "XL? Custom?"
Me: "Uh, no. Its for a Suzuki"
Them: "grunt"
Me: "Excuse me?"
Them: "We don't sell stuff for metrics."
Me: "All I want is the pipe.  Can you sell me the pipe if I promise Not to put it on a metric?"
Them: "No, you ride a ricer.  We don't sell stuff for ricers."
Me: "Okay then..."

Left the store.  Empty handed and determined NEVER to place my arse on any Harley, so help me GOD.

The attitude of those people is un-freaking beleivable!

Anyway, Skatnbc...  I have a second HD sportster muff that I won off of ebay.  It does have the cross-over hose, but I had the muffler shop that welded its twin (I won 2) onto my header also weld a freeze plug over the hose fitting.  No leaks and its in the back of the muffler so you don't see it.

If you're interested, I can finish grinding the tube down (inside where the cross-over connection would go) so it fits over the Savage header.  Once thats done, its just a matter of having the plug welded in place and then welding it to the header.  Let me know and we can work something out....

If I get around to changing my exhaust, I'm going down to the John Deere dealership.   No kidding.  If I can find one that will fit, I just might try it out.  I like the sound of those things.  Especially the old one and two cylinder John Deere poppers.  I'll bet it would be the only bike around that sounded like it should be out baling hay.

Of course, I got over my fear of being laughed at some years ago.  This idea might not be for everyone.