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TPUSA Dominator Touring...my thoughts

3K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  Bonnocam 
#1 · (Edited)
First let me begin with a huge thank you to the collective group that makes up this forum. I did a TON of research, had questions, and this forum really does help in making decisions on modifications for our bikes.

Secondly I would like to give a huge thank you to everybody at TPUSA. I was an overly excited wreck that was constantly sending emails and questions about my order. Carlos was super professional, quick to respond, and I could NOT be happier with my experience when it came to ordering the Dominator Touring pipes.

Ok so enough of the accolades...what about those SWEET #$% pipes!

First Impressions:

They look really really really good. I had read and researched...but was not prepared for the difference in weight that they shed off the bike. I know that those that are on the fence about new pipes read and hear about the weight that it saves...I heard it too, but I was not prepared for the amount that was being saved. It really is pretty significant.

The finish was superb, and I know that there are some that do not like the medalion that gets tacked on to the pipes but I personally don't mind it. I am happy to advertise for the company. :)

Would rate them 9 out of 10


The Fit:

I had NO problems with the fit of the pipes. Overall time for the install with beers, smokes and jokes with a buddy was about an hour process. Not to bad at all. :)

Would rate fit and ease of installation 9 out of 10

The Sound:

Holy sweet baby Jesus...For those that are listening to the clips on the internet...and trying to decide if the sound is something that you like. Let me give you a suggestion. If you have the ability to decrease the treble by 50% from what the starting point is on the audio clip and bump bass on said audio clip by about 50%...you will be hearing a pretty accurate sound at that point. I took a video of before and after, and I found that my crazy iphone captures WAY more of the treble than the bass.

Regardless let me make this statement...the sound change is SO dramatic that it really can not be believed. The touring pipes are the "quieter" of the two and I would say for me they are every bit as loud as I would ever like them to be. If the Sports are like cranking the volume up to the point of distortion on your favorite song...then the tourings are that sweet spot in the volume where it is loud with out being distorted.

But the fact that in all clips you can't "feel" the sound is the part that you have to factor in. In the garage, when the throttle was blipped...it is like you could "feel" the sound. Which coming from the stockers will just make you giggle....it did me.

I will see about posting my videos so you can see...partially because everybody likes to hear new exhaust....partially in hopes that it helps someone to gather more information....but mostly because at the end of the clip with the new exhaust...the giggle....yeah I was doing that ALL night every time I walked by that bike.....LOL!

Thanks again to the community as a whole for helping me with the decision!

Link to Stock Pipe sound...
https://youtu.be/VedkjIlu9v8

Link to New Pipe sound...
https://youtu.be/048Spx0AYSA
 
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#4 ·
weznel.....you are not kidding! I like to think that I used to get good mpg on the bike. Not so much for the near future as I can not help but twist the wrist! Since getting the pipes on...I have not found one stoplight, stop sign, or entrance ramp that I cant get away from fast enough! LOL.

My wife actually apologized to me when she heard them for making me ride last year with the stock pipes.....LOL!
 
#5 ·
I just swapped out my stock 2013 T100 pipes for the Dominator Tourings a week ago. I had the exact same experience: TPUSA was great, pipes were great. They were actually a lot louder than I was expecting. I cannot even imagine how loud the Dominator Sports are.

From all the research I did here & elsewhere I thought the Tourings would be just a couple notches louder than stock. However, as E.L. Smitty notes in this thread: you really do _feel_ them vs. just hear them, which is what none of the youtube videos capture.

I'm really, really happy with the DTs and would highly recommend them. TPUSA & Carlos were hugely helpful & I'd recommend those guys for sure.
 
#6 ·
mickmack88
I am glad I am not the only one that thought that the DT's were louder than I thought they would be. NOT too loud by any means, but I actually thought maybe TPUSA sent me Sports instead of Touring pipes upon the initial start up. I agree the Sports must just be deafening!

I wanted to update this thread with some additional information, regarding the pipes, riding with them and the bike before and after the tune.

BLUF(Bottom Line Up Front): Arrow 2:2 tune with the Dominator Tourings, stock air box (no mods) for ME is GREAT, and is what I would recommend for these pipes!



So I rode on the bike without having a tune update (my set up is strictly just the pipes....no air box modifications at all) on the stock tune. Obviously the sound was great but there was a lot of "popping" on deceleration. Some may like the popping because it sounds "rat roddy", but I am not a fan so that was annoying. I did not notice any real "change" in the way that the bike accelerated or the pull from any additional torque, with the stock mapping.

I then scheduled to have my local dealer perform a new tune on the bike. Based off of research I went with the Arrow 2:2 mapping. Took the bike to the shop, 40 minutes later, and two day dreams from sitting on a Thunderbird and Rocket III and the bike was good to go. The techs and service manager were impressed with the pipes. Started her up and she sounded good. Same as before. Thanked the gents and drove off.....or should I say "Blasted off"?!?!?!?

Holy Moly! That Arrow 2:2 really seemed to change the bike. I have no technical data to support any of the information that I am about to provide so take it all with a grain of salt.....

Before the tune the bike went well and pulled well, but after the Arrow 2:2 tune the bike seemed "smoother" on acceleration, and it seemed to perform with more of an "urgency". By that I mean that before there was second or two previously when you would give it some throttle and it would seem like it was "building up" to the power and torque. After the tune was performed, that "building up" seemed to be gone. Torque and power was almost instantaneous it seems. Some might look at this as being "snatchy". I used to have a Speed 4. Anyone that rode one of those bikes will know what a true "Snatchy" bike is like to ride. That thing was insane to control with the throttle under 3k rpm.

The Bonnie (with stock pipes and stock map) was like riding a scooter compared. Dare I say it was a little too tame....but after the tune I feel it now has the right amount of "urgency" in the throttle response. Yes there will need to be some modulation with the clutch that will have to be performed to achieve the exact same "scooter-like" first gear smoothness in under 5 mile an hour parking lot maneuvers that the bone stock tune had...but then again for ME...I prefer the more immediate response to the throttle.

All the way through the gears on acceleration, the bike does not feel like it is running out of oomph, or tailing off as it did previous to the tune. It also feels to me, to be run "smoother" through all the gears. I noticed it mainly because my bar end mirrors had less vibrations in them, especially noticed this at highway speeds (70-75 mph).

But at the end of the day, the fact that the bike sounds like a "hot rod" was all I had really hoped for and was glad that I was able to achieve. The perceived additional performance, and improvement in the "vibes/smoothness" of the engine after the tune is just a great bonus!

I really hope that this information helps others who are deciding about new pipes. If there is anything that I can test or provide feedback on that I have not please let me know, I will be happy to help.
 
#7 ·
Just put 250 km on my bike having just fitting the DTs. The sound is fantastic, but I seemed to have picked up a fair bit of torque as well. I ride many tight, twist mountain roads with rough pavement, I need the midrange. The AI is also history, along with the funny little intake "horn" thing... It is running a little rougher, so I will look at a tune fro TTP. Overall the bike is running like it should, almost. Now if I could just get the suspension dialed in!
 
#9 ·
Order from TPUSA and tell them your set up (air box delete , stock box ect.) and they include the proper jets .
 
#15 ·
Had TORs for a season and DT's are much louder. Now I can't stand riding my bike without ear plugs. I rode home from the shop and - never thought I'd say this - I felt like I was on a too loud bike. Probably makes me a terrible person :dunno but MY problem got solved with ear plugs. If you actually TOUR with Dominator Touring pipes, you get what I mean.


Plus they seem a bit louder after 25 or 30 thousand miles enough that I may be seeking some bafffling, as long as it doesn't rob precious hard won HP. Sonic was saying he improved his midrange torque with baffling on his Preds and lost a little top end. I'd make that trade.
 
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