I got a shot at an Australian run and a brother Down Under bought a used Road King, so I’d have something to ride. The least I could do would be to shoulder a massive box full of D&D pure duals and climb aboard a plane. No shit, I did. The box was 6 feet long, 4 feet high and a foot wide, and the D&D team wrapped it with fiber-filled packing tape and even formed lifting handles so I’d look cool lifting it.
The girls at the International Departures Terminal for Pacific Airlines weren’t friendly at all. One clerk tried to pick a fight with some kids who were flying to Fiji. The staff on the flight was wonderful, but not the LAX team. When we arrived in Brisbane and taxied to the arrival port the custom guys were all over us. The lovely Nyla ticked the wrong customs form box, indicating we didn’t bring any commercial products to Australia. The massive crate gave us up immediately.
We survived, arrived and after a sidebar to a bike show in Milicente, on the other side of the country, we flew back to the east coast and rode Glenn’s bikes to Mike’s Custom Bikes in Noosa Heads north of Brisbane. What a ride, what a coastline, like Monterey on a sunny day. Every azure blue wave was perfectly formed. We pulled off the road onto a coastal overlook and gazed out to sea for a handful of relaxing moments.
When I straddled the bike it wouldn’t fire. It popped and wheezed but didn’t come to life. I switched it to reserve, nothing. When I leaned down to take a look the bike was on fire. I flipped off the gas and smothered the flames with my deerskin Lee Parks gloves. Fortunately I wasn’t wearing fingerless jobs. We shifted to the other side of the bike and noticed the carburetor had basically blown off. No wonder it wouldn’t start. Seems the plastic air cleaner, backing plate over-heated and slipped off the mounting inserts, allowing the carb to escape the intake manifold. I was cranking the throttle, squirting fuel all over the hot cylinders and then trying to start it.
We put her back together and used a couple of tie-wraps to securely hold the carb backing. She fired right to life and on we putted down the winding coastal road. Of course, the guys at Mike’s Customs gave us shit all morning about our breakdown as we installed new Performance Machine front brakes first. Seemingly an easy, straight-forward task. We stumbled along until the brakes were rockin’, then since the bike was cool, the old stock exhaust was a breeze to remove (the PM brake install will be launched shortly).
Pipes are the dirtiest aspect of any motorcycle. They’re a mess to handle, burnt, grubby, with fried clamps and stuck fasteners, but D&D does a fantastic job of making life easier. I’m not jacking around because D&D is a Bikernet and 5-Ball racing sponsor. This system came complete with flanges in place, all the fasteners, spacers and brackets and complete directions. I was impressed because all the heat shields were already in place and they included spacers and longer bolts to move the footboards outward on the right pipe for easy clearance. Imagine the time saved because we didn’t have to mess with exhaust flanges, fighting spring clips, or trying not to scratch the chrome while fuckin’ with head shield clamps. It was a done deal.
The only parts that were not included were the two exhaust gaskets and flange nuts, and then because the tranny bracket had to be removed, the entire front of the transmission was taken off to free one bracket bolt, but I’ll get to that. So we needed a tranny front cover gasket and transmission fluid and the oil fill gasket. Crazy.
Here’s the stuff included with the kit:
Left head pipe with shield
Right head pipe with shield
Two 1/2X13X1, ¼ Allen bolts
Four 5/16X18X ¾ hex head bolts
One 5/16X18X ¾ hex head bolt
One 3/8X16X1 hex head bolt
One 3/8 flat washer
One Trans bracket
Four spacers ½ od
Two spacers 1/4X1/2 id
One starter bracket for ’95-’06 Touring models
Five 5/6 flat washers
One 5/16 flange nut
One 3/8-16 flange nut
You get the picture. They supplied everything. First we removed all the stock exhaust crap and set it aside. D&D suggested we start with the mufflers and move forward. In the case of H-D pipes the heat shields needed to be removed before the pipes. Plus they ask that you save the exhaust flange nuts for future use.
Next, we had to remove the stock starter bracket and with the stock bolts install the heavy-weight D&D bracket.
The transmission bracket was the only bear in the forest. To remove it you must remove the filler spout and the transmission cover. So it’s a good time to change the tranny oil. The cover must be removed because one Allen is directly behind the entrance location for the clutch cable. It must be removed to release that damn bolt. Then the new D&D bracket slipped into place and all was golden again. This applies to ’95-’06 touring models only.
We cheated and released the pressure on the clutch cable adjustment and slipped the cable free so we could turn it. I don’t recommend this procedure. It was a pain in the ass and just barely cleared the bolt.
Now dig this. The next move was to install the left head pipe onto the rear cylinder with a new exhaust gasket and install the exhaust flange bolts, but leave ‘em loose. We installed the bolt through the starter hanger, slipped the muffler onto the head pipe, and added two black spacers and bolts supplied at the saddlebag hanger. We started to tightened the hanger bolts and discovered that the muffler wasn’t straight, so we removed the optional hanger spacers. Then we tightened everything from the rear heading forward again to the exhaust flange nuts. We insured the muffler was straight and then tightened the muffler clamp last. Was that a breeze or what?
Next we installed the right head pipe with the new exhaust gasket and saved exhaust flange nuts, but left them loose. We installed the nut and bolt with the exhaust tab on the top of the transmission bracket, slipped the muffler onto the pipe and bolted up the saddlebag hanger with the two black spacers—again we ultimately didn’t need them. Some systems need the spacers some don’t.
Starting at the rear we tightened the hanger, tightened the transmission bracket and tightened the flange nuts, checked the muffler for alignment and cinched up the clamp. Then we installed the spacers on the footboard mounts with the new, longer, supplied ½-inch bolts.
Next would be installing exhaust sensors, if needed for fuel injection models. If not, make sure the plugs are tight. We didn’t check them and lost one during the test run.
Finally D&D recommends that you clean the entire system with a high quality, non-abrasive chrome cleaner before running the bike. After starting check around the flanges and exhaust clamps for leaks. It’s not a bad idea to put 50 miles on the bike and retighten all the fasteners.
New D&D Duelies exhaust for FLT and FLH Harley-Davidson motorcycles are now shipping. They are designed to deliver a super clean look to the rear cylinder and provide a proper dual exhaust system.
D&D Part Numbers
* 515-22D 1995~2006 Duelies Head Pipe
* 516-22D 2007 Duelies Head Pipe
Head Pipe Offers Exhaust Flexibility
In conjunction with the D&D Duelies, enthusiasts can run D&D performance slip-ons, Screamin’ Eagle slip-ons or any factory compatible slip-on pipe.
From Dave Rash, Mr. D&D:
“We have removed the cross over pipe and delivered the clean look that the bike was begging for,” said Dave Rash, President of D&D Performance Enterprises. “The pipe produces great sound because each cylinder is firing in one pipe. Because we designed it to factory specifications, buyers install it using the pipes factory mounting procedures. No fabrication is needed and brackets are included.”The new Duelies head pipe comes with oxygen sensor bungs for the 2007 models.
Exhaust Slip-on Choices
Enthusiasts can select D&D slip-on mufflers for 1995 through 2007 touring models that are available in back cut, straight cut, slant and slash cut styles in the Big Boss 3.5 inch diameter slip-on pipe. The 2.5 inch diameter slip-on pipes include back cut, straight cut and slash styles. D&D’s new stainless Police Interceptor mufflers will also work with the new Duelies head pipe.
Contact:D&D Performance Enterprises2923 Edith LaneFort Worth, Texas 76117Sales: (817) 834-8961Tech: (817) 834-0996
Mike’s Custom Cycles
Mike Manasse,
Unit 5/54 Rene Street,
Noosaville.
Queensland.4566.
0754499555.
