I finally got the opportunity to install my new Samson 36” Baby Cholo’s on the bike today. It was a bit more work for me personally as I run a LaBriola tank shifter and I had to do some custom bending to the shift linkage that came with the tank shifter. A can of Propane, a can of Mapp gas, a vice and an old set of handlebars made relatively quick work of this part of the project. I found that using propane and map gas at the same time heated the linkage much quicker so I could get back to my original Samson fishtail project.
Once I had mounted up the rear head pipe and the crossover portion of that pipe I was able to figure out the bends necessary for the linkage. Once bent it was back to business with the new Samson’s.
These pipes are absolutely gorgeous! They come with good intentions and are packed very well, ensuring there are no issues with the chrome. The most difficult part of installing the actual pipes is getting the heat shields, and that is quite simple. So, if you are concerned about the install, don’t be.
A 5/16” socket on a short extension makes easy work of the heat shield clamps. Don’t bother with a screwdriver; you will be there all day. I have read quite a few threads from people that have been unable to line up the height of these pipes properly. I took a page from my brute force book. The left pipe was touching the ground when I dropped my Shotgun Shock so I grabbed the left pipe from the rear and tugged up. It moved into the proper position very easily. Some people may be a bit shy with new pipes, but it worked well for me.
Once they were on the bike I gawked in awe at the new look of my ride. It is now as gangster as gangster can be. The low, long pipes really accentuate the low lines of the bike making it look even lower to the ground when slammed. It really is impressive to see.
I was a little concerned about my pipes scraping which is why I got the 36” instead of the more sought after 39” version. I am happy to say that on my first ride through town at rush hour I did not scrape once. I raised my Shotgun up just about as high as it would go and added a little bit of rebound and it was smooth as silk.
Now for a little bit about the sound these pipes produce. I chose non-baffled, as that is the only choice for me. These are not for the faint of heart. On my first run up my block there was a guy on a cell phone on the sidewalk who looked rather perturbed that he suddenly could hear nothing but my pipes. There were a few people out walking their dogs and the dogs seemed to approve. They were barking loudly as if to say Yes, we love the Samson fishtails! In fact, they liked them so much a few of them tried to dart into the street to congratulate my on my fine choice. They were all on leashes so I didn’t get any high fives, but there is always next time.
I had not put my helmet on; as I just wanted to ride up and down my block see how the power was and how they sounded. I ended up riding a few blocks without a helmet and when I suddenly stopped at a red light I realized I didn’t have my helmet on. I had to head back home.
I was previously running a D&D fatcat on my bike, which has a 95” build, 203 cams, and a power commander 3 (yes my bike really is that old) and the bike had really nice torque and horsepower. I was not sure what to expect from adding pipes without baffles that were duals and not a 2 into 1. I was certain it was going to feel like a real dog compared to what I had before.
To my surprise it feels pretty much the same. I am ye to change the tune on it, and I am sure when I do it will have even more torque and power.
The bottom line is Samson makes a killer product and has cornered the market with their revolutionary “Cholo” fishtails. Many people think of it as the So Cal style, but I prefer to think of it as gangster since I live in So Cal. Get yourself a set now and bring the So Cal style to your part of the world. You won’t be sorry!
Email me at palmsapts@gmail.com
Drew
