I am riding a stock '09 Fat Bob with an SE Tuner Pro, and Thunderheader - I am now considering the SE 255 cams, I have heard a lot of people liking them in 96" motors with a stage 1. (I know, there are much better brands and cams, just wanting to explore the 255 in a 96" for a bit, and want to use my stock valve springs and pushrods)

I ride 50% in town, and 50% on the highway. I rarely go above 5000 rpm, but occasionally I will. For the most part I have the most fun between 2500 and 5000 rpm.

I was considering the 254e, but after talking to Mike Stegmann at Latus, he said there would be a torque hit in the 2500 rpm area. Since I am running a Thunderheader, there is already a slight dip at 2500. That being said:

Here's my question(s) – since the 255's have more bottom end grunt than the 254e's, and the thunder header helps at 4000rpm+, with my riding style, do you think I will enjoy the 255's on the street as well as the highway? I am not a racer, but I do like to have fun off the line from stoplight to stoplight.

I have heard some people say the 255's fall flat over 4000, and others say they are just fine to 5000rpm and beyond. Since its a dyna fat bob, its relatively light and I think they might work well on the highway as well as in town. I am thinking the 255's might be a really good all around cam in a light bike with a 96"

Thoughts?

(I know I beat my 254e cam thread to death, and I promise this is my last post regarding cams until my next upgrade.)

 

Andrews 48.

 

Looking at the 48 as well but wanted to hear some opinions on the 255 as well. I was hoping you'd show up, and I knew you would say the 48.

 

Anyone running 255's in a 96" lighter bike?

 

I am running these in a 07 96 inch Fatboy, along with Khrome Werks pipes, Arlen Ness air cleaner , Revolution Performance ECM upgrade and CNC ported heads, happy as a clam, works great on the highway , wonderful power on hills and twisties, and by the time I have run out of "steam" I have left quite a few bikes behind me at stop lghts.
My thinking was along yours , so far so good , works for me.

 

Thanks for the reply Richie! I won't have the ported heads, but I think even with stocker heads the 255's would work nice. I eventually want to upgrade to a 103". But for now I have to stick with the 96". Unless I win the lottery.

 

I put them in my wifes bike (2010 Deluxe) It has a K&N a/c, Rhinehart 2-1 & 255 cams heres the dyno sheet & pulls good down low for her.

 

I thought the 48's are more torque monsters for heavy bikes. Don't that have a really low intake close?

 

The 255's worked fine for me with the stock heads on my 07 , I just got a deal on the CNC heads no 16500013a I could not refuse so had them put in. I still once in a while think about a 103 but this puppy just runs too well as is and I don;t have to screw around with compression releases.

 

Torque is torque in a light or heavy bike; the heavier the bike the more torque required to get it moving. Actually, the 255 has an earlier intake close than the 48. The 255 is a great torque cam but doesn't make much horsepower. It will peak at 100-103 but will struggle to make 90HP. So above 4000rpms when torque has peaked, so has horsepower and performance flat lines; still runs good but nothing left in reserve.

The 48 will pull like the 255 down low but will make more HP and still has something in the tank above 4000rpms.

I like the 255 and for two up touring on a bike that rarely sees 4500rpms, it works. But why settle for the 255 when there are cams like the 48? If one has just made the decision to stay with H-D hardware or there are warranty issues involved, the 48 is probably the best bolt in cam only upgrade for a TC96. JMHO

BTW, Andrews has a new cam in testing right now, the 57. Looks great on paper but it won't be released until testing is complete. On paper, looks like a 37 on steroids.