Stage 1 good enough?

[zmeister]

Mike,
I have an 07 Street Bob with stock air cleaner, the torque smoothing cal. and the s.e. street legal mufflers. I've been looking at the Big City Thunder baffles that fit at the exit end of the headpipe, just in front of the mufflers. They claim that I can remove the baffles completely from the s.e.'s (or alter them to make them a straight through design) and their baffles will provide adequete back pressure. As long as I don't change the intake, all is good. My question is, if I run this setup, and then put on a Big sucker or s.e. air cleaner, will the stage I download do the trick or is more needed?
Thanks for the help,
-Z

[Mike]

You'll need more, even with just the baffle change. I have yet to see any actual testing that backup these claims, I do not know how they justify these statements. Our testing has shown the need for tuning with other aftermarket exhaust even when used with stock air cleaner. This is based upon the changes we've had to make to SERT maps from the starting base maps. If the stage maps were OK we would not have to make significant changes but that is not the case, significant changes are required. Without intending to be insulting (mostly for all those reading this forum), I do not undertsand why owners are willing to spend hundreds (even thousands) of dollars on exhaust, air cleaners etc. but seem willing risk the health of their $15,000 motorcycle over the added cost of SERT or Power Commander and dyno time to insure that the EFI mapping is correct.
Mike