Carpenter Drag Headers...Love em or Hate em!

[RocketMan R3]

Disclaimer: These headers are not for everyone!

Some of you may be offender by their unorthodox look. Others aghast that you have to ride with a heatshield strapped to your leg. And many will say that they look like **** or are too loud. The list of negative perspectives I’m sure is long.

I am an old drag racer from way back and I absolutely love them! These pipes are unquestionably a work of art. I love the thought that went into the fit, form and function. They perform as you would expect a highly tuned set of custom race headers to. They sound amazing…like a well-tuned sports car. That burble that a lot of folks complain about when they let off the throttle or during intense downshifting is only amplified and it sounds fantastic! The install was effortless (again what you would expect) in every way. I chose to run them with the natural stainless finish and let them develop the rich gold / brown patina that develops over time. For those of you that are contemplating adding any sort of extreme engine mods or forced induction, will require this type of free-flowing exhaust system to maximize performance.

So gents, as I said earlier, these pipes are not for everyone. Definitely not for the faint of heart and for the majority of folks. Very few of you will subject yourselves to the rigors of owning and riding a set of these bad-boys. But those of you that have the sack to do so will undoubtably love them as I do.

Last word: If you disagree with any of these comments, please do not buy them, you will only hate them. If what I have stated resonates with you…happy trails my friends!

 

[Zutt]

Disclaimer: These headers are not for everyone!

Some of you may be offender by their unorthodox look. Others aghast that you have to ride with a heatshield strapped to your leg. And many will say that they look like **** or are too loud. The list of negative perspectives I’m sure is long.

I am an old drag racer from way back and I absolutely love them! These pipes are unquestionably a work of art. I love the thought that went into the fit, form and function. They perform as you would expect a highly tuned set of custom race headers to. They sound amazing…like a well-tuned sports car. That burble that a lot of folks complain about when they let off the throttle or during intense downshifting is only amplified and it sounds fantastic! The install was effortless (again what you would expect) in every way. I chose to run them with the natural stainless finish and let them develop the rich gold / brown patina that develops over time. For those of you that are contemplating adding any sort of extreme engine mods or forced induction, will require this type of free-flowing exhaust system to maximize performance.

So gents, as I said earlier, these pipes are not for everyone. Definitely not for the faint of heart and for the majority of folks. Very few of you will subject yourselves to the rigors of owning and riding a set of these bad-boys. But those of you that have the sack to do so will undoubtably love them as I do.

Last word: If you disagree with any of these comments, please do not buy them, you will only hate them. If what I have stated resonates with you…happy trails my friends!

First thanks for the disclaimer. Definitely weird looking, fugly but in it's own special way, kinda like a Subaru (I drive one so I'm allowed to say it).
However, would love to hear them bad boys. Please if you have a video of the bike would love to see it. I love the decel pops these bikes have, so accentuating it is a plus, and loud pipes is never a deterrent for me.
Do you need to retune the bike with these pipes, or can it run in stock configuration with no issues?
Thank you.

 

[RocketMan R3]

First thanks for the disclaimer. Definitely weird looking, fugly but in it's own special way, kinda like a Subaru (I drive one so I'm allowed to say it).
However, would love to hear them bad boys. Please if you have a video of the bike would love to see it. I love the decel pops these bikes have, so accentuating it is a plus, and loud pipes is never a deterrent for me.
Do you need to retune the bike with these pipes, or can it run in stock configuration with no issues?
Thank you.

Thanks for your thanks. Never ran the bike with the Carpenter without a tune. I was running the Werks slipons for awhile then I did the Penner tune for TuneECU. The tune really opened up the throttle body to 100% (stock is restricted). The Werks pipe had a more erratic pop and crackle. The Carpenter pipe is much deeper and robust and the decibel pops are more consistant. I believe this to be as a result of Carperter's design.

 

[atomsplitter]

Anytime you mess with the exhaust you need a retune to accompany the added or subtracted air flow on the intake. Those look to add a LOT of intake airflow as the eduction of spent gasses are increased by that header's design. More air means you need more fuel to maintain the stoiciometric ratio between fuel and air. A stock tune would run so lean it may not even run at all at higher revs. You'd definitely want to dyno-tune after installation.

 

[dougl]

First thanks for the disclaimer. Definitely weird looking, fugly but in it's own special way, kinda like a Subaru (I drive one so I'm allowed to say it).
However, would love to hear them bad boys. Please if you have a video of the bike would love to see it. I love the decel pops these bikes have, so accentuating it is a plus, and loud pipes is never a deterrent for me.
Do you need to retune the bike with these pipes, or can it run in stock configuration with no issues?
Thank you.

Bob Carpenter posted on the TuneECU Facebook page. He tuned it with TuneECU first and then with a Power Commander. He didn’t say if he used the Penner tune.

 

[ruzzle]

Is it an open megaphone like on the old model?????

 

[Bigjaype]

Disclaimer: This is my own opinion.

I don't think the new Rocket has the form to "Hotrod" like the older version. I do like those pipes, though.
I love the single sided swingarm and nothing must obscure the wheel in order to maintain the "look".

 

[RocketMan R3]

Is it an open megaphone like on the old model?????

I'm not familiar with the old design. I did purchase and optional baffle. The baffle is of good design, doesn’t restrict the exhaust flow but provides a reasonable amount of sound dampening. When the baffle is removed it is a straight shot out the tailpipe. I could not imagine riding without the baffle other than at the dragstrip.

 

[Kevin frazier]

They look light. Thats a good thing.

 

[leatal]

Like them! 3 into 2 into 2 into 1. Very unique! Needs heat shields, especially for the foward controls.