Ok I've searched and read everything I can but there are still some lingering doubt that I'm guessing is because there are too many choices that overlap.

I have basically a stage 1 bike now. Python stagger dual pipes and Ness big sucker Stage 1 filter with a rejetted carb. Bike is an 80" 99 Springer Softail and I ride almost exclusively one-up (I weigh 275lbs). I have baby apes and throw-over bags on it too.

I keep seeing things like "heavy bikes" and "light bikes" and "touring" etc. My bike weighs around 1,000lbs with me on it, ready to go. Where does that fit in? What's the difference between a light and heavy bike? 20lbs or 200lbs?

I'm seriously thinking about the Andrews EV-27 cam. But there's also the 46, the 13 and 23 that all sound close. The 46 would give me more power but may be a dog down low. The 13 and 23 are killer down low but may be too tame top end...

I mostly ride pretty easy so the stock bike does well, however it's a dog at higher speeds. My bike IMO was still designed around the 55mph top speed mentality but today we have traffic that routinely goes 70-75+. The bike will go 100+, I've done it but it has to be under idea conditions. With a slight headwind and an uphill grade it's struggling at 80 to pick up any speed. I was on an uphill grind going down the highway into a headwind with fast moving traffic and for about 2 miles I was WFO just keeping up.

I come from the wold of vintage 4cyl bikes (Honda CB750's) so I don't mind revving the bike a bit more then I do but I don't want to get into changing gear ratios. Peak HP is important to me because that's what's going to push me down the highway. But most of my driving is slower, backroad, non-highway driving so I don't want all top end, no bottom.

And lastly, just want to clarify that I don't have to buy a set of adjustable pushrods for a "bolt-in" cam. Yes I know I'll have to take the rockers out but a hours worth of work to save $100+ sounds like a good trade to me.

Thanks

 

I run an EV27 in mine with the carb all modded up by Dale Sanders at Killer Motorcycle. I notice that once I am at about 50MPH it will take off like crazy. I have no problems accelerating after 80 MPH. I have never tried to top the speed out but I can tell it will certainly go over 100

 

I ran a EV27 in my FXR and it was great at higher speeds, it really flew when cracked open around 70mph, it did suffer lower down though and really didint like pootling along! it had some head work done on it as well which probably helped.
My road King has the EV13 in it and it really improves the around town riding, gives it a load more response lower down which is what i wanted. Top end is not as good as the 27 but it still goes well, it just doest have that instant acceleration that the FXR had, but then its a bigger bike!

Im now getting the heads done on the RK to bring the power up a little more. we will wait and see how that affects everything.

Remember though, your bike will only be as good as the weakest component, if you have a good cam but bad fuelling or exhaust then your cancelling it out and vice versa.

 

I have used both EV27 and EV46 in WideGlides and found that both were fine for around town, the 27 was a bitmore flexible and the 46 had a heap more top end grunt.

Rule of thumb for the "light-heavy" bike thing...big fat tourers work better with a cam that delivers low down torque and "ordinary" H-Ds will work with anything, its all about where the power comes in....in the specs for each cam look at the rev range, I like mine to pull from 2-2250 rpm and the EV27 does just that, and revs like a hoon over 3000 until it hits the rev limiter.

Any bolt-in cam will be fine for what most people want....and that is a bike that revs as free as H-D would like it to but the EPA get in the way.

Once out of the bolt-in range you are looking at cams for the numbers junkies and drag racers, they are a different bucket of mullet entirely.

Here is how I relate cams to my customers:

EV13.....Tourers and fat chicks

EV27.....the cam that H-D really wanted to fit, a good all rounder cam

EV46......last of the bolt-ins, not for tourers or commuters.

 

Sorry but I gotta ask what is a "hoon"?

 

Lol! A hoon is a Kiwi expression for anything that is a bit deranged....revving like a hoon means its revs like its gone nuts ;-)

 

 

no experience with the 13, 23 and 46, but the 27 woke my RK right up! I'm not a drag racer so the extra top end suits me just fine!

 

I always chime in on this question, and I always say the EV27. Not because I have any experience with the other cams but because I have had great results with the EV27. Its got to be the most popular bolt in cam for stage one Evo's I have ever seen.


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It did the same thing for my heritage.