Rocky asked:

I have a 2001 HD Road King that I am very fond of but I would like more power out of it. A few of my friends have said that a 2 into 1 type pipe setup is the ticket for more power but I've never heard that before.

I am an old school hot rodder and you always put dual exhaust on your hot rod for more power so I figured I would ask you guys. Will a 2 into 1 exhaust increase the power on my Harley? What are the Pros and Cons? Does it increase torque and horse power??

Experienced replies encouraged....please no magazine experts.

Our Answer

Hey Rocky..love the Road King....incredible ride on that bike and definitely old school cool. I will tackle your question the best I can but still be succinct about it.

A 2 into 1 exhaust pipe setup will typically show stronger torque gains at a lower RPM than 2 into 2 pipes without losing any power on the top end. If you're a hot rodder then if I were to say the torque curve is typically broader and flatter with more area under it on a 2 into 1 pipe setup than a 2 into 2. It is a very common misconception that dual pipes are the best thing for power, but it simply isn't true.

Now...that isn't ALWAYS the case. So much will depend on the tune and the build of the Harley but typically in my experience, 95% plus of the time, a 2 into 1 will outperform a 2 into 2 pipe in the torque department. Too many guys get hung up on horsepower, but a strong torque curve makes your bike a joy to ride. You can skip downshifts that other guys have to make and it just gets out of the hole and handles two up riding much, much better than stock bikes.

If horsepower is a consideration then my experience shows me that you have nothing to worry about. I will say that in the lower RPM ranges, the 2 into 2 will keep pace with the 2 into 2 and typically outperform it a small amount. When the RPM gets up to 4.5k to 5k RPMs plus, then the pipes power output tends to come together and the variation is not that different.

So to summarize...better power and torque in the low to mid range with no loss of horsepower on the top end power band is what you can expect from a typical 2 into 1 Harley pipe. I can't say enough that the tune and build can change things, but not typically and we are speaking in generalities. Me personally, I LOVE the 2 into 1 pipe setup. I am a power junkie and I love being able to walk my buddies from a stop light. That alone makes it worth it.

If you are considering a 2 into 1 for your Road King then I would give the D&D Fat Cat pipe a look, it looks great on a cruiser and performs awesome. It also happens to be the pipe that I have currently on my 2007 Nightrain with a 107" ported and cammed build. I know that it works and works well. Good Luck