Stage one kit or no kit?

[chief]

Sound is subjective. My suggestion would be to install the pipes and see if the kit is needed... if so, you've lost nothing but time. If not, you've saved some time and treasure that be used for something else! Installing pipes is easy.

[ColinOR]

HI,

I just had my 800 serviced at the local dealer and was talking to the service manager about after market pipes.  I have a brand new set of Hard Krome pipes and was going to order a Stage 1 kit as it seems that this is required when replacing stock pipes.  I was asking the manager how much it would run to have them install both, he said that I really didn't need the Stage 1 kit and I could just install the Hard Krome pipes myself?  He said that the 800's are so restricted to begin with that it won't make that much of a difference and that intalling a Stage 1 kit would give me more power but also less gas mileage.  Any recommendations on this?  Will the new pipes minus the Stage 1 kit still provide great sound or will installing the kit be even bettter?