Here is my review of the SE 103 Stage 2 review for all those who are considering this build.

Please note: this is not a debate of which kit from which brand is better, why the SE kits suck or any other bs. If you are considering the SE 103 kit, read this. A lot of people are quick to trash the SE builds but here is an honest review from someone who actually had a SE build and likes what it offers!

A while back, I, like many on here, was toying with the idea of which build to do. As we all know, there is a countless assortment of builds and the stats become mind boggling after a while. For me, what it boiled down to would the the most reliable and most suitable for my riding style (mainly 1-up on the highway during the week plus a good deal of back roads and twisties on the weekends).

The big names in builds were at the top of my list but I wanted to keep 10:1 compression for reliability and this narrowed things down considerably. Plus, for my purposes, anything bigger than a 103" would simply be overkill -- the cops (OPP) over here use 103 and their bikes scream -- and the larger you go, the less reliable things become (been there, done that with Mustangs back in my day). Furthermore, after having ridden the 103, I truly feel that anything larger would make the ride less enjoyable due to there simply being too much power.

So, after a lot of humming and hawing on my part, the SE 103 Stage 1 kit won me over and my dealer gave me a really great price on the Stage 1 parts -- I already had the SE 255 cams so adding the 103 Stage 1 bits to my cam gave me an instant Stage 2.

The HQ 103" was also a very suitable contender but considering how there is at least one HD dealer in every major city, spare parts for when the new engine destructs are merely a phone call followed by the obligatory opening of the wallet. Also, at the time of the build, SE parts arrived next day versus the 4+ week wait time elsewhere; this is also a factor when looking for replacement parts.

My initial impressions actually caught me by surprise on the first ride. I was expecting a slight bit of a boost much like when I swapped the cam but this was a completely different bike after the 103 install! Idle was smoother, crawling while feathering the clutch was smooth as silk and the bike felt a LOT better on the highway. Simply put: this is how it should come from the factory!

Skip ahead 1 month and several thousands of miles later and I am still as happy as a lark. There is ample power in every gear and even more surprising is that my MPG has gone up as compared to the old 96" with and with the SE 255 -- chalk it up to the engine being more powerful and not requiring as much throttle? Currently, I am averaging 44 MPG mainly on the highway (cruising at 2500 RPM). Other bits on my bike which may or may not affect its performance are the D&D Fatcat QB + AN BS 2; tuned by myself and SERT (almost done tuning if anyone wants my map?).

For those who ride 2-up, my 200lbs + 160lb passenger (not my usual lighter passenger) + 25lbs of gear did not phase the new engine one bit. I do plan on adding a trailer at a later date and see no issues either.

Thus far, the only problem that I have encountered was hard hot-starts which is nothing new for the BB builds. My cure was to increase the cranking fuel (used the #'s from the 103 HTCC map) and this worked very nicely. Reworked heads are in the long-term plan book (with CR's) but for right now, this was a thrifty build that works wonderfully well.

Some more food for thought about my decision is that I initially wanted 10.5:1 compression mainly due to the hype on here from others and their builds. This would mean forged pistons and either new heads or reworked heads which means a heck of a lot more money in either case. After some careful thought about my driving style (I rarely exceed 5000 RPM), forged pistons were ruled out -- this is not a street bike nor does it need high compression to function thereby negating the need for forged pistons or even new heads.

And to summarize this jumbled post, the SE 103 Stage 2 kit is a worthy contender. If you want a subtle, reliable build, definitely look into this one. I am glad that I did!

Finally, when/if my Street Glide meets its demise, I will absolutely consider a new SG with the 103 kit right from the start!

 

as long as you are happy that is what counts. and as far as cost goes those cast pistons are a great choice. espeacially for a bagger or for some one who does not beat on their bike.
good luck and happy motoring.
i love it when guys tell about the good experiences with the se stuff.
G

 

I have an Ultra Classic with the 103 Stage II. My reasoning was the same as yours. The results were the same as yours. Very very sweet ride now with lots of roll on torque at legal speeds. Great exhaust note too with V&H true duals an Rineharts. Harley Davidson wishes they could deliver their bikes this way from the factroy but probably can't due to emmission regs. Hot starting is hard on my bike too. I'm going to try your recommendation to richen it up for hot starts. This winter she will get ported heads and I will be completely happy with my torquey reliable cross country touring machine.

 

I am glad you are happy with the results. It also appears that yo have been patient enough to keep tweaking the tune until it is exactly right. Congrats.

I would like to add though that your comment on reliability when going beyond 103" isn't really founded in fact. If it was true, HD would not make 110's in the SE bikes. Anything that is built properly, spec'd correctly and tuned properly can last a long time. I have 30k miles on my 120 without issues so far. Who knows how far it will go. Only time will tell.

 

I as well am happy with my SE build for now
SE CVO 103 heads SE 103+ pistons and SE
cams but I'm thinking about going back to my
old stock cams

 

I'm in the process now talking with my dealer about this build for my 09 Super Glide. Waiting until November to do it. Black Friday sales save 25% off list.I believe it is the same kit, cams, piston's,cylinders, out of the SE Catalog.

 

BUT with stepping outside the Squealin' Seagull box, the door becomes much wider, and the power most definitely jumps way up.
Good you are happy with what you have, as that is what counts the most.
Scott

 

As I said, do I really need that much power? FWIW, stepping outside of the box will show that a Hayabusa will hand pretty much any HD it's roasted HOG rump on a silver platter, complete with gravy & all the fixins with enough left overs to last the week and stock the freezer.

So, for those who wish to stick to HD parts for what ever reason (warranty, ease of acquiring parts, sales, etc.), the SE 103 Stage 2 is not that bad at all.

 

Thanks! I have been following your build threads too -- great work!

One could argue the fact that the CVO 110 bikes are somewhat plagued by issues as seen in other threads and forums. However, I have not had one so I cannot attest to whether it is user error (sloppy break in or whatnot) or simply sloppy parts. Regardless, the CVO 110s do run very low compression when compared to the aftermarket builds. Could this be a leading factor in HD's use of 110s? Maybe and most likely.

 

Hope tha 'Busa never see's a 124" that marks 150 square. hehe.