Harley-Davidson Working on Factory Bolt-on Supercharger
Get ready to rev up those V-Twins like never before! Harley’s bolt-on supercharger to offer low-end power, rides on rails.
For some, a Harley-Davidson is perfect as-is. No need to change it, just hop on and roll out. Other fans, though, want to make their Harley truly theirs. The aftermarket alone offers plenty of ways to personalize the MoCo experience, from big chrome pipes to power upgrades. Not be outdone, Harley’s Screamin’ Eagle catalog presents just as many ways to bring out the best, just with the added bonus of being officially Orange & Black.
And soon, the Screamin’ Eagle range could include a bolt-on supercharger. Cycle World reports such a thing is in the works for V-Twin Harley engines, based on recently published patents.
The project, begun in 2019 during former Harley CEO Matt Levatich, is designed as a positive-displacement unit instead of a centrifugal blower. Thus, the equipped V-Twin receives more low-end power with tons of torque to deliver thunder off the line like never before. However, the bolt-on supercharger’s secret isn’t in the power, but how it’s attached.
It’s not so much a “bolt-on” as it is a “slide-on.” The Harley supercharger literally rides on rails; a pair of them, to be exact. The design does away with conventional tensioners. Instead, springs up front push the supercharger back to create the needed tension with the belt. In turn, it eliminates the worry of aging, stretching belts from throwing things out of whack. Not to mention the need to make adjustments following a drive pulley swap or two.
However, rather than take a bendy straw approach with the intake plumbing, Harley keeps the main bits stiff as an upper lip. In between, sleeved sections and O-rings tie it all together, while also keeping everything all shiny and chrome. Another side benefit? No need to replace these pieces as quickly as one would a rubber or silicone hose.
Though new Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz killed most of the Levatich projects, the bolt-on supercharger might appear in the Screamin’ Eagle catalog sooner or later. As he told Cycle World, the MoCo is “investing in design, technology, and performance enhancements that push the boundaries while maintaining a balance between classic and cutting-edge designs.”
Drawings: Harley-Davidson
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