What are drag pipes?

Question

2004 Harley XLR1200. Do drag pipes increase performance? Are baffled pipes better? Are drag pipes loud?

Answer 1

historically, drag pipes are straight-through, unmuffled pipes.

If you jet properly for them, yes, they increase performance over stock. But are very very loud.

you will get better performance from a well tuned after market system. Some are even quieter than stock, and give better performance.

interesting article linked below

Yes, we could discuss the "loud pipes risk rights", but why beat a dead horse?

Loud is great on the race track, on the street? it is only good for upsetting all the neighbors and making more people hate riders.

Answer 2

drag's are loud enough to be heard about 1/2 mile usually. they will need a rejet since they have no backpressure from being a straight pipe. it's been shown and proven on the dyno that straight pipes are for wide open throttle applications, and wont even 'recognize' the engine till in the 4000 rpm range and up....someplace the typical street rider is never in.

if u want the best performance, u need baffled but free-er flowing pipes; vance and hines or screamin eagles, hi-flow air cleaner, and the carb or ecm properly dialed in. this is stage 1. for even more pep, go stage2: u'll need the intake/exhaust heads polished and ported, heavy duty clutch, screamin eagle race ignition system, and different cams....1 type is for performance, the other is for torque. the high torque 1's will get the bike moving very quickly off the line.

if u got the cash, u can make a sportster into a hot rod, but straight pipes isnt the best option.

Answer 3

Drag pipes are straight, unbaffled pipes.
They are fine ONLY for the drag strip, as the bike runs at a level the pipes are best at, i.e., wide open.
Most all bike (Harley's included) need some back pressure to be streetable (run properly throughout the RPM range.)
With straight pipes, you'll lose bottom end responsiveness, and maybe even some midrange.
Loud? Oh, h*ll yeah. So much so, you'll p*ss people off, make even more hate bikes and bikers, rack up a slew of tickets (and, if you live in a smog control state, could even get cited for modifying emission controls, a BIG fine in some states), and for what? Loss of bottom end performance, the need to rejet your carb, etc, etc.

Answer 4

drag pipes are straight open pipes. they do increase power and loss power also. they increase top end only. which it only good for high rpm, like w.o.t. drag racing. they WILL lose power in the low end and midrange. which is were 90% of all riding occurs. they are loud. but without any type of baffle, they let the low and high tones through. the high tones are what hurt ears or make people head/ears ring. the low tones are what sound good and deep. baffled pipes are better for riding, you can try various baffles to get the sound/performance you want. many times a baffled pipe will make 10 to 15+ hp in the midrange over an drag pipe.

Answer 5

Straight pipes, usually unbaffled and loud. Most aftermarket performance pipes will give you some noticeable change in performance (some jetting maybe required). If you are gonna use straight pipes use Arv's (anti-reversion cones) and to heck with peace and quiet in the neighborhood. Just kidding ...sorta