s&s or ultima
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 64
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From: Pukekohe - New Zealand
ran like a raped ape out of the box
just my 2 cents
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 80
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From: Canada
thanks all. Can you by a harley engine with a cam or just a stock evo? I had an ev27 & s&s e carb and twin tec ignition. the bike pulled hard when you had to pass. But if there is no warranty if I put it in myself and can put in a new cam.
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From: Bedford UK
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Russellville, Arkansas
If a person sends their engine back to Harley for remanufacturing....you loose everything you had in the motor.
If you have any performance parts like heads, adjustable pushrods, cam....etc. You might want to remove these items and install stock parts.
If you have any performance parts like heads, adjustable pushrods, cam....etc. You might want to remove these items and install stock parts.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Bluffton, South Carolina
GR, I know you are smart enough to know nowadays that statement isn't always true. Yes S&S is an established company and has a good prosuct, however even they produce a Lemon now and again. If anybody else out there believes that's true all the time, I will sell you an Ultima for the same price as an S&S engine!!! LOL
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
GR, I know you are smart enough to know nowadays that statement isn't always true. Yes S&S is an established company and has a good prosuct, however even they produce a Lemon now and again. If anybody else out there believes that's true all the time, I will sell you an Ultima for the same price as an S&S engine!!! LOL
That's a very kind offer, but as soon as an Ultima engine lands on these shores I would be on my own if I needed any post-sales support. I get support from S&S, but I also have the impression that even in the US Ultima products leave something to be desired - unless prepared and sold by someone like yourself!
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Actually they are pretty good out of the box now. I remember when the 96" S&S first came out there were more than a few problems that they had to sort out.
Any time you take a basic engine that was originally 45-74" to begin with and make it 120" you end up with structural and breathing issues. Many of them can be overcome, however some can just be a compromise at best.
Any time you take a basic engine that was originally 45-74" to begin with and make it 120" you end up with structural and breathing issues. Many of them can be overcome, however some can just be a compromise at best.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: forest city n.c.
I think when it comes time to replace my engine, i'll go with either a new stock 80" harley evo crate or the 96" s&s. I don't here a lot of complaints about the s&s engines and they have been around for a long while.
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
The prices on these engines are competitive with Ultima, etc. But there are things that I wonder about, like the .640" lift cam with harley rocker arms. That much lift without roller rockers is a lot of trave accross the valve stem face. This will cause a lot of side load on the stem causing premature valve guide wear. That's just one of a few things we saw when we looked over the specs on their engines. I am not saying we wouldn't use them, but we would have to take them apart and check them until we were satisfied with the quality as we do with any new product. As with any new product we sell we like to use ot first ourselves to make sure of it's quality.
That's what we did with the ultima's when we first got them and still check out a few thing here and there depending on the rider and intendid use.Like all engine manufacturers they had their teething problems, but they seem to have them worked out now. The internals are all first class.
That's what we did with the ultima's when we first got them and still check out a few thing here and there depending on the rider and intendid use.Like all engine manufacturers they had their teething problems, but they seem to have them worked out now. The internals are all first class.
I have to agree here all well stated , a .640" lift cam is outrageous for a day to day rider in any motor . Had more than my share of problems with S&S lower ends , their rod sets just don't hold up in shovels the crankpins always go in them . Got at least 6 sets of S&S rod cores in a bucket somewhere .
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
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S&S is a good motor but I just saw one of their intake manifolds and they are like paper thin compared to their older ones. I'm thinking their market share is slipping and they are cutting back on the quality and just trading on the name. And their carbs are ancient technology compared to something like the newer HSR series of Mikuni carbs. Plus they've always been way overpriced. While you might do a bit better on street pricing their MSRP on their cheapest motor is something like $8000! Which, in this economy may be the reason they aren't selling as many engines.
Horsepower wise the best bang for the buck are the Ultimas. Their first generation motors had some issues (that was years ago) but now everyone I know with their latest motors are very happy, they pump out the ponies right out of the box, and they are less than half the price of the S&S.
I wouldn't bother with the Harley re-manufactured engine program as they also sell brand new '99 model year Evo crate motors for about $3000. I bought one about three years ago for $2800. The only consideration here is they don't come with carbs, intake manifolds, ignition modules, or timing covers, but if you're doing an engine swap you'll have all that. These put out enough juice for a lighter custom bike but on a stock sofa glide you'll probably need to sink some more dough into it.
If shopping horsepower and price the Ultima might be your best bet.
Horsepower wise the best bang for the buck are the Ultimas. Their first generation motors had some issues (that was years ago) but now everyone I know with their latest motors are very happy, they pump out the ponies right out of the box, and they are less than half the price of the S&S.
I wouldn't bother with the Harley re-manufactured engine program as they also sell brand new '99 model year Evo crate motors for about $3000. I bought one about three years ago for $2800. The only consideration here is they don't come with carbs, intake manifolds, ignition modules, or timing covers, but if you're doing an engine swap you'll have all that. These put out enough juice for a lighter custom bike but on a stock sofa glide you'll probably need to sink some more dough into it.
If shopping horsepower and price the Ultima might be your best bet.