Exhaust Question I'm thinking of changing my pipes and considering V&H or Rinehart. What can you tell me? Pro's and cons. Also what should I do regarding mapping? I have a 08 Dyna Low Rider with next to no miles on it. Thanks to all in advance.

Popping sound at the exhaust is usually due to a very lean setting which causes unburnt fuel to burn late in the exhaust pipe and happens when you are going at a high rpm with a closed throttle making it even leaner. My bike had the same problem and most Harleys are factory tuned lean which is very bad as the engine runs hot. After putting free flow Rhinehart pipes like i did, it became worst so i installed the Vance & Hines fuelpak and now my bike runs so silent and cooler. A great difference from before.

check whether you have the possibility to change the exhaust pipes to bigger size with exhaust box, also if you can use lighter and less belt pullies. alternator,crank power steering and Air con.

Honda mufflers typically have several baffle walls You may need a drill 14 or more inches in length to punch through enough of these walls to make a noticeable difference. Changing the back pressure of the exhaust will also lean the mixture. This may cause a bad hesitation on take off. This will happen if you change the exhaust system also. To correct the hesitation you may need to install a jet kit on a carburetor model (about $100) or install a Power Commander on a fuel injected model (about $400 plus programming). In both cases your fuel economy will go down. Your stock system has a five year warranty, should not blue like an aftermarket pipe (unless you leave the choke on too long), and have a good long service life. Unfortunately there is no easy solution for your problem. Any aftermarket system will be way to loud (especially on the freeway) and drilling may not give you the desired sound you are looking for leaving you angry and frustrated. Consider a different option, One of the best sound options I have heard was a set of stock Harley pipes adapted to a Yamaha Virago 1100. Most Harley riders change out there exhaust systems before they even ride there bikes which should offer a cheap high quality system that can be adapted to your stock headers with common automotive adapter pipes and custom build it yourself supports (a simple modification of your stock pipe support/mounts). By not damaging your stock system you can always put it back on if you do not get the desired effect.

you will have to remove the exhaust from the head
if there is any of the stud left protruding from the head there is a tool that you can buy from your automotive spare parts dealer to remove the remaining stud
If no part of the stud is protruding you will have to drill a hole in the centre of the stud and use an easy-out to remove it, use some penetrating oil first to loosen any corrosion etc

If I follow you right, this tab is just butting up against the exhaust pipe?

If that is the case, I think there should be a clamp there that wraps around the pipe and the tab the support the pipe. Don't forget the exhaust system moves with the engine on the rubber mounted motors.

Also I think the bolt is there for slight adjustment in the alignment of the pipe.

Check after market pipe makers like Fubar or Kirker.Don't mess with baffles it aint worth the hassle of re-setting the computer.New duel pipes with straight pipe design will come with the new mixture settings.

you can buy flex hose at auto parts stores and fashion your own bends to replace the bad one

It may indicate that but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. If the bike sat for a long time while running, the exhaust can get hot enough to discolor the pipes...but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the motor. Improper carburetor settings can make the bike run lean (not enough fuel) which, in turn, can cause a hotter than normal exhaust and discolor the pipes...again, this does not indicate there is anything wrong with the motor. Ask if the pipes are stock or after-market. After-market pipes are a minefield for motorcycle riders. When the manufacturer puts the stock pipes on, they are tuned to the motor to give peak performance which usually results in little to no bluing of the pipes. Aftermarkets can throw the tune off and discoloration is the result. Ask the seller if there have been any changes to the bike...such as after-market pipes, rejetting the carburetor, changing the intake, etc. Most likely the seller will say yes, there have been some changes made. Please note: THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE BIKE IS BAD OR THE ENGINE IS WRONG.