The 103 motor is pretty reliable. Many people do 80-100K miles with few problems if they are properly maintained.


There is some bad press on the internet about Twin Cam engines. Most of it is exaggerated or interpreted out of context by people that don't know/ or don't like HD's. There are a lot of people here that will tell you differently.


I've had four since 2000 (5 if you count my EX's 2010 Tri Glide) and worked on many others with no major problems.


If you're coming from a Guzzi, go with the 14 Street Bob. The Sportster is fine, but it's on a small frame and not as comfortable for most. I don't have anything negative to say about Victory's either.


Drive one and you'll probably like it, if you appreciate the torque of a large V-Twin, and I assume you do if you're riding a Guzzi.

 

I have a 2013 103 in a full dresser. You hear things about heat, bad compensators, and some of it is true. Yes my bike gets hot in the summer, but it's really only a thing when I get stuck in Detroit traffic. I put a header pipe on without the cat and it really helps. Any bike gets hot in those conditions, cars do too. I have 20k miles on my bike and I have no noise from my compensator. I know some day I will need to do some thing with it, but the after market like Baker Drive train makes options. My bike is stage 1, it runs strong and it's simple to work on. I for one like EFI, it starts and runs good right off cold, no starting or idle issues. I'm in no hurry for a new M8, I like my twin cam and would buy another one without hesitation.

 

Except for the fact that the crank is piece of poop, mine scizzored at 27,000 miles. I know it doesn't happen to everyone but it happens enough to be considered a problem

 

Considering how many "piece of poop" cranks are rolling up hundreds of thousand of miles without issue, hanging that monaker on the HD crank is OTT. Have there been failures, absolutely; the '07 year is an example when crank sourcing went offshore. Is crank failure such a widespread and chronic problem that nobody should ever by a Harley, hardly so. Post the whole story about your crank failure but start another thread; this one is seven years old.