SE stuff technically voids the warranty i think, but if the dealer installs it, that same dealer usually takes care of any issues that come up. At least that is my understanding of it.

 

Based on the the feedback here, I callled the HD dealer and talked to someone in parts. He said that the 103 with stage one plus cams will "blow the doors" off a 96 with the same package. He said the 7" will make a world of difference.

Can't tell if this is dealer hype or really true...

 

Well if that's what is important to you then go with the 103. Are you getting a bike to blow the doors off of other bikes ? Is power your number one priority ? Do you want it just because it's bigger ? You need to ask yourself all these questions.

Quite honestly if you're still thinking about it so much then you should just get the newer one.

 

Dead on... Any modern sport bike will blow the doors off ANY staged HD.

Whomever, buys an HD based on performance is misguided to put in nicely.

 

That $1300 could be put to far better use than the 103", perhaps a 107" that will destroy a 103, or customization. The idea of paying $1300 for a 103" that is no different than the 96" except for a couple of ci makes no sense to me. If it came with a true stage III or IV 103'' maybe, but the factory 103" is nowhere near those.

 

LOL.....your dealer wants your $1300. Whoever you talked to is full of it! The 103 MAY be SLIGHTLY faster, but "blow the doors off"? No way, man.

 

I did is same thing last fall got a little more off I think but as a few others have said the bike has plenty of pick up and with 1300 you can make a lot of customization choices I would keep the 2011 I love mine and wouldn't trade for anything else. FYI highly recommend rush slip on pipes I got some on eBay for 150 bucks you can install yourself and they make it feel and sound like a harley should.

 

if you want power you cant beat a 106 or 107 kit. If you really want power save up and buy a SE 120 R. I have a 2011 Street Bob 96 ci .

So far I have blown the doors off most other HD big twins who have tried to keep up with me off the line without much trying. I only mention it because I have been surprised at how many bikes I have left behind at the stop light. HD's are not Ducatis but they can be made to be very respectable . Its only a guess but I bet the 103 gains about a bike length off the line and that is a very big maybe.

A good set of heads , a cam and I just cant see going wrong with this motor. There are plenty of upgrades out there that will blow the doors off a stock 103 if that is what you want. If you just somehow feel cheated that you don't own a new bike then its a free country and you are allowed to do what you want with your money. Personally unless the mechanic at the local HD shop was a personal friend Id take what they said with a grain of salt.

 

Thanks for the feedback. A lot of people with a similiar reponse -- basically asking what is important to me. Good question and thought I would add more if anyone truly cared about my backstory. In any case, here it is:

My last HD was a 1998 FXDWG that I had bought new and invested many years of mods and tender care. The only engine mod was an Andrews cam paired with stage one upgrade. The bike was not fast at the top, but it was pretty torquey which was what I needed since I was 6'6" and weighed close to 250 lbs. I was never racing it, but wanted something that woudl not slog off the line. Nothing worse than stepping on it and getting little throttle response. Was happy with this config on the 1998 (no, never put it on the dyno).

Flash forward to 2006. I was seduced into trading my bike in for a leftover 2005 Victory Kingpin from a local dealer -- why not try something new? The bike was nice and I did some serious engine work turning into a 106 with Stage 2. Had nice horsepower up top, but I never could get decent torque out of it. I talked to the service guys there and they said that was the biggest complaint they had about Vic -- just couldn't mod them to get additional help down in the low range. Rode the crap out of the Victory until this winter and finally realized that I just missed the HD.

Wanting to capture a little of the magic of the 1998 FXDWG, I bought a 2011 in December (still at the dealer awaiting the arrival of warm weather) and then found out the 2012 had the 103. Before I started dumping all the cash into the 2011, I wanted to solict an opinion if the 103 (with the same mods I would put on the 2011) would give me more jump off the line now that I am pushing 275 pounds. Granted, I just assume to hold on to the $1,300 but did not want to finish with all the engine work just to learn that it had substantially less snap coming off a stop light. This was part of the fun to me -- and gave my HD that much more "soul" than the Vic ever had.

Hope that helps -- opinions very much welcome!

 

Still have not pulled the trigger. Still have not gotten a clear answer on how much the 103 is better than the 96. If anyone else wants to weigh in, I open to additional opions. Need to crap or get off the pot this week..