Drivetrain "Compensator"
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 950
From: Port Saint Lucie, FL
You also don't see me in a dick dragging contest about a piece of paper from a highly padded and compensated Dyno with a few numbers on it, trying to justify all the cash I threw into a cam, a pipe, a tune, for bragging rights with best 1/4 mile time, or best time point A to point B on The Tail of the Turd Flinging Monkey. Never mind that my original cam and exhaust system and mufflers and tune were in perfect condition before the modifications.
Having owned an airplane, however, I am well aware of how much free power you get having a dual ignition and dual spark plugs on a 100 HP modern fuel injected Light Sport aircraft engine. Under full load of a propeller at 4000 rpm, it was worth 90 to 120 rpm more. Drop an ignition and 4000 rpm dropped to 3890 to 3910, consistently, depending on air temp, air density and relative humidity of the day. Low humidity and high denisity altitude air pressure ( think death valley sea level) add a lot of horsepower, along with a 2nd plug per cylinder. Since aircraft engines take off at full power, and climb at full power, until reaching cruising altitude, it make a big difference in your climb rate in feet per minute, especially as the air gets a lot thinner as you climb.
The M8, with dual plugs and dual ignition alone, is going to be a much peppier motor than a TC, displacement and cam profiles and compression ratios being equal.
Having owned an airplane, however, I am well aware of how much free power you get having a dual ignition and dual spark plugs on a 100 HP modern fuel injected Light Sport aircraft engine. Under full load of a propeller at 4000 rpm, it was worth 90 to 120 rpm more. Drop an ignition and 4000 rpm dropped to 3890 to 3910, consistently, depending on air temp, air density and relative humidity of the day. Low humidity and high denisity altitude air pressure ( think death valley sea level) add a lot of horsepower, along with a 2nd plug per cylinder. Since aircraft engines take off at full power, and climb at full power, until reaching cruising altitude, it make a big difference in your climb rate in feet per minute, especially as the air gets a lot thinner as you climb.
The M8, with dual plugs and dual ignition alone, is going to be a much peppier motor than a TC, displacement and cam profiles and compression ratios being equal.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,321
Likes: 1,884
You also don't see me in a dick dragging contest about a piece of paper from a highly padded and compensated Dyno with a few numbers on it, trying to justify all the cash I threw into a cam, a pipe, a tune, for bragging rights with best 1/4 mile time, or best time point A to point B on The Tail of the Turd Flinging Monkey. Never mind that my original cam and exhaust system and mufflers and tune were in perfect condition before the modifications.
Having owned an airplane, however, I am well aware of how much free power you get having a dual ignition and dual spark plugs on a 100 HP modern fuel injected Light Sport aircraft engine. Under full load of a propeller at 4000 rpm, it was worth 90 to 120 rpm more. Drop an ignition and 4000 rpm dropped to 3890 to 3910, consistently, depending on air temp, air density and relative humidity of the day. Low humidity and high denisity altitude air pressure ( think death valley sea level) add a lot of horsepower, along with a 2nd plug per cylinder. Since aircraft engines take off at full power, and climb at full power, until reaching cruising altitude, it make a big difference in your climb rate in feet per minute, especially as the air gets a lot thinner as you climb.
Think of it like this... on a 100 HP motor with 4 cylinders and 1365ccs, redline at 5800 rpm for no more than 5 minutes, cruise at 5500, 2 valves per cylinder, pushrod driven, silica aluminum bores,no liners of steel, water cooled heads, and piston to cylinder wall clearance of 0.0003" new, from the factory, with a motor rated at 2000 hours of life. It's about a $21000 motor and you get to change it out every 2000 hours. So relatively speaking, how much bigger a HD motor is, it's really not making that much HP or torque, for it's displacement.
The M8, with dual plugs and dual ignition alone, is going to be a much peppier motor than a TC, displacement and cam profiles and compression ratios being equal.
I need to change the air in my tires with some fresh 2023 Globally Warmed Air in my 5 year old Dunlop 407's and 408's. Technology and time keeps marching on. 7200 miles on the set, and the rear tread depth is at 6/32" and change, not even half way worn. Probably get more if I put myself and my bike on a diet. Also put a Saddlemen seat on my bike for more butt dyno torque and horsepower. If I get 12 to 15k miles out of the rear tire, I won't care, ever, what the dyno numbers are. I just don't want the compensator pooping out on me, and knowing how cheap HD is, I wanted to know more about it, some options, and what is better and why, in the drivetrain line.
Having owned an airplane, however, I am well aware of how much free power you get having a dual ignition and dual spark plugs on a 100 HP modern fuel injected Light Sport aircraft engine. Under full load of a propeller at 4000 rpm, it was worth 90 to 120 rpm more. Drop an ignition and 4000 rpm dropped to 3890 to 3910, consistently, depending on air temp, air density and relative humidity of the day. Low humidity and high denisity altitude air pressure ( think death valley sea level) add a lot of horsepower, along with a 2nd plug per cylinder. Since aircraft engines take off at full power, and climb at full power, until reaching cruising altitude, it make a big difference in your climb rate in feet per minute, especially as the air gets a lot thinner as you climb.
Think of it like this... on a 100 HP motor with 4 cylinders and 1365ccs, redline at 5800 rpm for no more than 5 minutes, cruise at 5500, 2 valves per cylinder, pushrod driven, silica aluminum bores,no liners of steel, water cooled heads, and piston to cylinder wall clearance of 0.0003" new, from the factory, with a motor rated at 2000 hours of life. It's about a $21000 motor and you get to change it out every 2000 hours. So relatively speaking, how much bigger a HD motor is, it's really not making that much HP or torque, for it's displacement.
The M8, with dual plugs and dual ignition alone, is going to be a much peppier motor than a TC, displacement and cam profiles and compression ratios being equal.
I need to change the air in my tires with some fresh 2023 Globally Warmed Air in my 5 year old Dunlop 407's and 408's. Technology and time keeps marching on. 7200 miles on the set, and the rear tread depth is at 6/32" and change, not even half way worn. Probably get more if I put myself and my bike on a diet. Also put a Saddlemen seat on my bike for more butt dyno torque and horsepower. If I get 12 to 15k miles out of the rear tire, I won't care, ever, what the dyno numbers are. I just don't want the compensator pooping out on me, and knowing how cheap HD is, I wanted to know more about it, some options, and what is better and why, in the drivetrain line.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 4,347
Likes: 3,392
From: Seattle
Im not sure what's going on here or anything, but M8 bikes are faster than twinkies as a general rule because the M8 is easier to build power on, and it's got more advantages.
Just replace your compensator ramp.
My fat boy is an absolute blast and joy to ride.
Just replace your compensator ramp.
My fat boy is an absolute blast and joy to ride.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 620
From: Pittsburgh suburb
You're trying to compare a 110 which is the same as the TC CVOs ran to a stock 114. Now I am going to hazard a guess and say along with the increased displacement Harley also added a cam into the 110 much as they did with the 117 over the 114/107. A much better comparison would be the 110TC from the Dyna LRS to the 117 in the Softail LRS. Stock for stock, you wouldn't be pacing the Softail.
The post about 2 spark plugs & 4 valves making more HP is really not what the MoCo `s intentions were - yes it helps if you`re building the engine but not so much in stock form. Basically as stated below its more for EPA compliancy.
M8's have a more efficient cylinder head than Twin Cams. Two intake valves provide better fuel distribution in the combustion chamber, and two plugs allow for a more complete fuel burn. M8's also cool the high temp area around the exhaust valves, which lowers NOx output. More efficient also means cleaner burning.
thats very impressive for someone who did not know were there compensator was a few days ago! As far as you being a pilot, let me ask you this whats the rate on a rats ***. Because I dont give a rats ***! No bragging, just comparing builds. There are a lot of gear heads around here. Get used to it.
Ohh Franny............. Whats going on is the OP wanted a definition for what a compensator does - he got plenty, then I apparently went sideways with the topic & in all the OP`s infinite wisdom he replies to his own thread & does the same! regarding your post - theres way more to it than what you say, so if HD would have built a M8 103 would it be faster? Horsepower = torque X RPM / 5252 - Not necessarily - see below
The power of an engine may be measured or estimated at several points in the transmission of the power from its generation to its application. A number of names are used for the power developed at various stages in this process, but none is a clear indicator of either the measurement system or definition used.
But now I have clearly violated the thread topic, can someone remove me............Lol, cross thread points
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