Engine Wars - Bigger, Better, Badder. How HD Is Staying on Top
Over the years Harley-Davidson has given their motorcycles bigger and better engines for their customers to enjoy.
It All Started With A 49 Cubic Inch
Harley-Davidson first developed the iconic 45-degree engine in 1909. By 1929 the Flathead engine, which was standard for the D model, was extremely reliable and put the manufacturer on the map. Variations of the 1929 engine were still in available in some models as late as 1970. With 49 CI and 7 hp, the battle for the better, bigger, faster engine was just underway.
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Up to 61 CI
In 1936, Harley-Davidson debuts the Knucklehead, a 61 CI motor that answered enthusiasts and commuters alike for a better, faster engine. By 1939 the company also releases the 80 CI engine. With the U.S. about to go head first into WWII, it was do-or-die for the company to provide reliable, powerful, duty-ready machines. Failure for Harley-Davidson to secure government contracts to provide machines to the war effort would have likely resulted in complete ruin for the company.
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7 to 60 Horses
From 7 horses on the 1929 D Model to 60 horsepower in the 1948 Panhead. By 1955, the FLH model engine was pushing these motorcycles with 60 HP at just over 5000 rpm. Touring was becoming more common, and motorcycling as a sport continued to grow across the country. The demand for cooler-running, reliable, efficient, and more powerful engines continued.
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Shovelhead to Evolution
The first Electra Glide rolls out of the factory in 1966 effectively starting a whole new era in motorcycle touring. The Shovelhead engine is said to run smoother, cooler, and more efficient with 74 CI and 60 HP. With notable riders such as Elvis Presley, the model was not only successful but established the benchmark for modern touring bikes.
The Shovelhead had a production run that lasted until 1984 when the company addressed one of the biggest gripes that Harley-Davidson riders had at the time: oil leaks. The oil tight Evolution (or EVO) engine made its entrance into the market and made for a smoother ride due to rubber engine mounts.
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Old Rivalries, New Flames
From WWII and through 2010, Harley-Davidson sat comfortably as the undisputed king of motorcycle royalty. Polaris, however, bought the ever-struggling Indian Motorcycle brand back in 2011. By 2013, Polaris industries unveiled the all-new Indian Thunder Stroke 111 engine at the Daytona bike week event in March of that year to much anticipation of motorcycle enthusiast everywhere. Indian's 11 engine would be their standard motor which meant that many riders on the road had them and the all-new 103 Harley-Davidson engines were suddenly outgunned. This is perhaps the match that the motorcycle industry needed. Indian motorcycles, out of Spirit Lake, Iowa had put Milwaukee on notice.
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The Race Heats Up
Old rivalries in full force, Harley-Davidson stepped up to the plate. Engineers began working on an answer to the Indian's powerful new power plant. By 2017 the Milwaukee Eight engine entered the market. Custom Vehicle Operations models received an upgrade from the 110 to a 114 CI engine and select Softail models were released with the 110 CI engine. By 2018, only one year after the release of the M8 engine, CVOs were outfitted with yet a bigger 117 CI engine, a 107 became standard in most Softail models and the 110 continued to be available.
In the spirit of good rivalries, HD claims that its 103 High output and the 107 will outperform the competition with comparable models. Indian, on the other hand, claims that its TS 111 engine is the definition of performance. Now, what does this mean to us riders? Better options, better bikes, and probably steeper price tags.
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