The folks who insist the first thing you NEED to do is Stage One stuff always make me shake my head. As Smitty said, the first thing you NEED to do is make sure the bike fits you and is comfortable enough for you to ride for whatever length of time is your preference. I'm talking seat, handlebars, backrest, highway pegs, grips. Then, depending on how much of a wrench you are, consider getting some services thrown in or an extended warranty. I would even put safety stuff like a brighter headlamp and a brake flasher unit ahead of any pipes or Stage one stuff. I don't care how much extra oomph your bike has or how great it sounds, if it isn't comfortable or it's broke, you aren't going to be riding it much.
You asked for opinions - that's mine and it's definitely the minority one!
I guess its just a matter of preference. Some people want comfort first and some (like myself) want the bike to perform and sound like a Harley should. All of these new EPA regulations have really made performance a back burner thing. Comfort is important and something that I have always wanted to take care of as soon as possible but to me, Stage 1 type of stuff comes first. Sorry I made you shake your head :52: