so i have an 84 fxr that i want to throw a big motor in for my fun bike. what are the pros and cons of having a s&s motor or and ultima motor ? in other words which one is better ? i would also like to know which one would or wouldnt fit my bike, which ones r more reliable than the others, and which put out better performance than the others. all information on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

thanx all,
adam hffh

 

You will get plenty of opinions here on this topic, here is mine:

I am a big fan of S&S products and their quality so you can't go wrong with one of their engines if your wallet permits.

The Ultima engines are also very fine quality as well as a much lower price..
Bang for buck, I would get the Ultima..

I am personal friends with several indy shop owners in my local area and they are all impressed with the Ultima product as well as their customer service..

My personal choice for your application would be the Ultima 114 CI engine. I plan to put one in my own FXR soon.

I like the 114 because it has a 4 inch stroke and a 4 1/4 bore making it an over square motor. This would be very smooth, low vibration, and reliable for a light bike like an FXR. It also makes 127HP ans 130TQ at the crank It can be had for $4200 shipped..

As far as fitting in the bike, the 114 is 1/4 inch shorter than a 120 or 127 so no problems there because a 120 or 127 will fit in an FXR without issue.

I did ride a Softail with that motor in it and it wraps up RPM's quickly and makes power even past 7k rpm (pretty nice)

The whole time, I was imagining the same motor in a bike 100 pounds less, that Softail hauled a$$ with that motor in it..

I will put one in my FXR after tax returns, can't wait...

 

thank you for your reply. i found your information helpful but im going for the ridiculous kind of bike with the fxr. i ride a dyna daily so that will be my fun but reliable bike, i want my fxr to be a great looking bike as well as fast as hell. do u think the ultima 140 ci would fit ? and what numbers does a 124 put out directly out of the crate ?

 

Myself, I'd go with the S&S, I have heard horror stories about Ultima's having short life spans, of course this could be due to improper operation and maintenance too. I bought a 96" S&S for my 87 FLHTC and it flew, faster than my stage 1 103 stock out of the crate. The Dyno sheet out of the box said 100HP and 104 Torque I believe at the crank. The guy tried to get me to buy a V111 for $200 more, but my indy said the 96 would be more than enough

 

I have an S&S 107" in my 1990 bike. I bought my bike new and fitted the engine five years ago. At the time I seriously considered an Ultima, but living across the Atlantic I was concerned about after sales service and support - there was no contest at the time!

There are a few long threads on HDF about Ultima engines. If I lived close to an expert in them who can provide strong after-sales support I would consider buying one, but as I like riding long distances, no way!

The largest motor you can get in a stock frame is a 131". An S&S 145" will only fit with frame surgery. However if a 124 will do, you can always try Star Racing or HDF sponsor Hillside to supply a spiced up one! I know of a 124" over here in the UK that is giving over 160HP at the rear wheel.....

During my early Harley owning days I read Warner Riley's exploits with S&S motors at Bonneville in Big Bike magazine. I think I would find it difficult to change loyalty now!

 

Go S&S and you will be happy. I have some experience with the ultima products and not real happy. Ultima parts are made in Chine.

 

S&S 124"er.
We have one client that has over 80,000 miles on his.
Scott

 

having owned two S&S motors the quality of the motor is apparent out the box -- they run cool for the size and can take tremendous amounts of modification. if you want to get ridiculous Star Racing is the place to g0 - they will fit a 145 in the frame - have a Bud with a 145 in his RK -- insane -- it makes my S&S 124 with headwork feel like a Vespa.

 

No personal experience with any of the motors ... but, the question is one I love to daydream about ...

The other motor you might consider is Delkron/HSE (Hay Seed Engineering) 120" ...

"Our 120" Square Block ships fully assembled and has all the components of our long block, but has been finished off with a recipe that has yielded a modest 121 HP and 138 lbs. of torque at the rear wheel. This is a complete plug and play system including carb and ignition. Just unplug your old tired Evo and hook this fire breather up to your stock charging system and driveline! Then HANG ON!"

http://www.delkron-mfg.com/products/...BlocksComplete ...

 

How come Delkron does not make anything for twin cam motors?