Pipes

[twaggoner]

I wish to thank everyone who answered about getting a seat. I have a new question! Is it possible to fabricate straight pipes to attach to my manifolds? I have a two-into-one for each side. My manifolds are in good shape and I was wondering of putting on straight pipes will mess up the needed compression in the engine. If this is going to make my carbs hard to work with then, I will get a couple of mufflers.
Again, thank you for your responses. I am new at this and am excited to work on it.

[D2D]

I have a couple of friends up this way that run straight pipes ( why? ) and don't seem to have had any issues, at least none they have mentioned. One has a GL1000, the other an 1100. Myself I replaced my stock mufflers on my 78 with some Harley cans after they got an acid bath when my rear tire blew last week.
The Harley's slipped right on to GL1000 headers with minimal work and sound a bit throaty though not anywhere near as loud as straight pipes and It seems I've picked up a little pep with these mounted and a smoother idle. Could possibly be that my old system was beginning to fall apart and restrict inside after 34 years.

[Fred Camper]

The GL1000 is forgiving on exhaust modification but not on intake modification. So your suggested pipe mod will most likely run well, but should you try a lower restriction air cleaner, you will need to re-jet the carbs.

[twaggoner]

Thanks for advise. I am wanting to give my bike a little growl but I am not interested in breaking any ear drums. I have heard several of the Valkeries and I love how they sound! I am shooting for something like that.

[78AzWing]

The thousand is just as forgiving on intake as exhaust.
I run a Weber 28/32 progressive on a water cooled intake, and 36 inch straight pipes, with no baffles. Gives a combined mpg of just under 40.
Plenty of power low and high. And passes emissions!

Take a micrometer and measure the outside diameter of your exhaust right there after the two headpipes join together, and take that with you to Midas or Pep Boys or Napa and make sure the pipe you get is just a hair larger inner diameter, so it will slide over the existing pipe. Clamp it with muffler clamps and mount it where the stock pipes went. I used hose clamps at the point where the exhaust and rear footpegs both mount for my pipe mounts, after removing the mounts from the old exhaust. For one thing you wont loose those mounting pieces this way, because they are still bolted to the bike, if you decide you want regular mufflers instead. I also find that straight pipes on my 1000 are quieter than a lot of the Hoggy Davidsons running around my area.