| Author | Message | ||
     Jerseyguy |
I received my new Drummer SS from Kevin this morning. It took about 45 minutes to remove the old muffler and 15 minutes to put the new SS on. I weighed the two mufflers on my UPS scale. Stock = 19 lbs (not including the chin fairing) Drummer SS = 8. The drummer's fit and finish are flawless. The thing is way too beautiful for a muffler. I have 350 miles on the new XB12Ss and she's still pretty tight. I haven't installed the K&N and Liberty HD hasn't gotten my race ECM in yet so my comments today are more of a first impression then a true performance test. A few words on the stock XB12Ss are in order. First I have to say that the Buell engineers did a fine job of quieting down the 12 to EPA specs. without totally killing it's power. The stock bike is so quiet I could hardly hear the engine when cruising down the highway. The new engine is very strong but it does feel a little restricted to me compared to my 9, especially down low in the RPM range. Starting off of idle has a bit of a chug sometimes which I think is partly due to the stock muffler and partly due to the higher primary ratio of the 12. It would wheelie in first but not effortlessly like my 9. This is most likely due to the longer swingarm, restrictive muffler and a tight engine. Now for my thoughts on the new Drummer SS after about 30 miles on it. Kevin has done it again, the sound is awesome - very similar to the standard deep thump of the Drummer on my 9, but maybe a little louder and harder hitting. The bottom end performance is vastly improved. The chug at low RPM is all but gone. I went off of my favorite drop away bridge and punched it in second and nearly looped it over backwards. Scared the hell out of me. You better be ready to hang on if you lay on the throttle as the Drummer eqqipped 12 gets going fast very quickly. I'll have more to say with a few more miles on the bike and the addition of the K&N and race ECM. Here are some pics.    More pics to follow... | ||
| M1combat |
And the CF version is coming along nicely? | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Drummer SS on the XB12Ss.     | ||
| Jerseyguy |
M1 - Give us a day or two... lol | ||
| Matty |
Sure looks good! Damn! The Drummer in a tuxedo  | ||
| Buelltroll |
If only it used the front mount I'd probably ditch my D&D. | ||
| Whiskeytango |
That looks nice! Maybe I should change my order... Take care, WT | ||
| Nasty73z |
Now just make one with chin fairing attachments and Kevin will sell another one to me. While the muffler looks very beautiful, I still want my fairing. Soon as Kevin decides to build then with the attachments, I'll order one. | ||
| Typeone |
wow. gorgeous! excellent work, as usual, Kevin. i agree Buelltroll, i like my chin fairing. maybe in the future the SS will use a bracket. for now it looks sick. man that's hot. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
I liked the chin fairing too, but the uncovered muffler is rapidly growing on me. It gives the lightning a more aggressive naked and less rice burner look I think. The look is more like the tubers also. Just looking at the two side by side below makes my mind up. I definitely prefer it with no fairing. Somehow its a more aggressive look in my opinion. Let's not forget the performance gains too. 12.5 lbs weight savings and check out the dyno chart.    | ||
| Tommy_k |
Did you throw a code running the stock ecm? You know, I thought I loved my spoiler too, but that looks really good. Can you imagine if you coated the headers and midpipe to match? Thanks for the pics Jersey, I know what it'll look like on my bike now. Good luck with the new setup, 96rwhp is the best I've seen so far with just pipe,kn,ecm! Feel free to shoot me some more pics if you have em laying around. TK | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Tommy, No code. The servo is still there but no cable. The funny thing is that it threw a 21 servo fault several times from day one with the stock muffler on. Now it hasn't thrown a red light since the Drummer was installed. I'll have the race ECM on soon so I don't really care about the servo motor any way. | ||
| Daves |
You might have one of the servo motors with the burr on the worm screw? By removing the cable it may not bind anymore since it's not moving anything now? That muffler looks great! | ||
| Whiskeytango |
I just spoke with Kevin and I changed my order from a standard Drummer to a SS for my XB12S! I was initially worried about the chin fairing delete, but the weight loss and convienince factors (oil change removal) as well as the fact that the original fairing served to cover up a pretty ugly stock muffler changed my mind. To me hot rods are not about what you add, but what you take away, so loosing the weight and exposing a beautifully hand-made part serve the same end. I never had a bike that I cared to dyno before, but now I think I will! If you have any questions about Drummer performance, just give Kevin a call, he will answer them all! Even the stoopid ones  Thanks for looking, WT | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Dave - I was going to have the motor replaced under warrantee but its a moot point now. Call Kevin for pricing when you get a moment. | ||
| Typeone |
thnx for the additional pics, Jersey. the side view def. helps. looks really sweet. i bet the SS looks even better in person, pics never do justice. i cant get over the detail. the understated badge looks real cool too. keep us posted. man, that stock pipe is so goofy looking, they should shorten it up. not as bad on left side because of outlet but look at that slab from right. yuck. | ||
| Nasty73z |
Can you still jack up the bike using the Drummer SS? | ||
| Jerseyguy |
I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like if I lift on the end caps it will work without denting the shell. | ||
| M1combat |
It's gotta have a way to mount the spoiler. I believe most of the aftermarket belly pans for racing are mounted in the same way as the spoiler... | ||
| Stealthxb |
Good point M1. The pipe looks beautiful and the dyno are very impressive. Excellent work guys! What is the price? | ||
| Whiskeytango |
Jerseyguy, Did you happen to weigh the chin fairing? Thanks, WT | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Chin Fairing = 1.5 lbs | ||
| Bomber |
if you need a chin fairing, grow a beard, fergoodness sakes ;-} | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Kevin just called me with the pricing structure. He's made several now and knows pretty much what they are going to cost to produce. The regular Drummer is $400 and you send in your stock muffler to be reworked. The new Drummer SS is $595 and you obviously do not have to send in your old muffler. If you choose to send in your old muffler, then Kevin will take $50 off of the price of the Drummer SS. | ||
| Djkaplan |
That's awfully pricey for a slip-on, but it sure looks cool. Almost too pretty to use as a muffler. | ||
| Kds1 |
Yeh it sounds high for a slip-on, but it produces great power like a system without having the system and double the cost, but to each his own and whoever purchases the Drummer, well, thank you for all your support and I myself am very greatful... | ||
| Matty |
If it happens, please donate one to the proposed pipe test  | ||
| Kds1 |
There will only be 14 more of these for a while so it will not be there for the pipe test...If things change before the test comes, then it's a possibility... Kevin www.kdfab.com | ||
| Whiskeytango |
$595.00 is cheap! the D&D cost $550 +/- and it isn't handmade, stainless steel, beautiful and it dosen't make the overall HP or flat torque curve of the Drummer SS. No TFI is needed for the 12, just the race ECM and air filter. That's easy! Don't the only full systems for XBs cost $1000.00 plus? Those might be great for a built bike, but I don't think for a mostly stock bike there is any better option! I see a lot of exhaust stuff available from outside the US for the Buells, but not very many American made products that make real numbers and real performance gains like the Drummers! I know it sounds like I'm totally kissing Kevin's •••, but I've spoken with him a few times now and I'm SURE he is building a quality product and so are a bunch of other folks. I'll post pics and impressions as soon as I get my pipe. Here is the pre-Drummer SS pic for comparison:  I know that it is obvious that I am stoked, but I would really like to support another small business that is doing things the right way. Thanks for looking, WT | ||
| M1combat |
I think you'll be suprised to see how well the Drummer does with 88"  . Any word on CF Kevin? Will it have spoiler mounts? It needs them... |
