Upgrading The 2012 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe FLSTN

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One of the best parts about owning a bike, is making it better, stronger, and  faster! Adding accessories to make it stand out from the crowd. Throwing on the baddest looking and loudest exhaust you can find, so people can hear you coming for miles. It’s an addiction, that for some becomes a lifestyle. 

Now almost any type of bike, be it scooter or dirt bike can be tweaked and customized in some way or another. However there is one brand of motorcycle that just screams “CUSTOMIZE THE LIVING CRAP OUTTA ME!” And that brand is none other than Harley-Davidson. Harley’s are known for their legendary performance, badass looks, and most importantly, their reputation of being the true biker’s motorcycle. So for this issue of bike upgrades, I wanted to focus on on of the HD all stars, the…

2012 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe

The 2012 Softail is an absolutely beautiful bike. It’s voluptuous curves combined with it’s strait lined accents, make it a true work of art. Now not only does it look good, but it has the power to back it up.

Engine: 103 cu in Air-cooled, Twin Cam 103B

Power: 98.7 ftlb

Weight: 726 lbs

Price: $17,149

I told you the Softail has got some power! This bike is pretty well set up from the factory, however it can still be better. Let’s take a look at three parts that will really make this Harley scream.

Freedom Performance American Independence Shorty Exhaust

When you’re upgrading your Harley exhaust system, you have to balance a fine line between looks and power. Fortunately Freedom Performance exhaust systems handle that balance like a BOSS! The setup I chose for the softail is the American Independence Shorty system in flat black. The pipes look awesome, and really bring out the aggressive side of the Softail.

* 2-step header system for performance

* 2-1/5 inch O.D. 1-piece blue-proof 220 degree coverage heat shield

* Stainless steel hardware for strength and rust resistance

* Removable baffles

* System comes with O2 sensor ports

* Offered in black or Chrome

* 1-year manufacturer’s warranty

* 100% American made

Now the picture above is the setup on a Dyna, but you can see how amazing they look, especially with a vivid black Softail. You can pickup a set for under $500!

Kuryakyn Pro R Hypercharger Air Cleaner

I love the Kuryakyn air filter kits, they look amazing and in my experience offer the best performance on the market. The Pro R Hypercharger kit is their top of the line setup. It offers aggressive styling, which compliments the shorty exhaust perfectly.

* Interior shapes have been carefully designed

* Outer cover incorporates an additional scoop to direct air into a high-flow K&N filter

* Huge frontal opening, and as with all Hyperchargers, the vacuum operated butterflies allow almost unrestricted airflow to the filter under high-load conditions

* Kit contains an all-chrome Pro-R Hypercharger, mounting kit and carburetor jetting necessary for a complete, sanitary installation

You can pick up the Pro R for around $250

Cobra Fi2000R PowrPro Tuner Digital Fuel Processor

Now since bikes come from the factory on leaner setting, it’s absolutely crucial you make sure your fuel maps are optimized to handle the extra power from your exhaust and intake. Cobra’s Fuel Controllers are some of the best on the market, and they have a controller for just about any rider out there. I chose the Fi2000R PowrPro Tuner Digital Fuel Processor for one big reason, it auto-tunes it self to optimize for power and fuel economy based on your riding style. So that means you get that extra kick off the line and better MPG’s when your just cruising around.

* New patented technology unlike any other auto tune system on the market

* Tunes to exactly what air-fuel mixture creates the maximum power 80 times per second (does not tune to some arbitrary AFR someone has picked)

* Creates that adjustment to maximum power on every squirt of the injector

* It’s like having the best custom map writing, dyno operator tuning your fuel every time you crank the throttle

* Tunes every gear, every roll on, every environmental change, every engine mod, lugging the engine, winding it out to redline: it reacts, verifies and adjusts

* No dyno needed

* No external adjustments needed

* Does not require wide band oxygen sensors

* No additional components needed

* Provides perfect fuel settings in any condition with any exhaust system, with any engine modifications

You can pickup the Fi2000R for a little over $500 and up depending on your year.

So there you have it my friends, those are the top three parts I would upgrade on a 2012 Harley Softail Deluxe. If you have ideas for the next upgrade bike, feel free to leave a comment below. Safe Riding!

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