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This video is right up my alley and talks a lot about the pro’s and cons with different generations of engines from the 80ci evo to the Milwaukee 8 engines.
My school of thought is to keep it simple. Yes modding a motor will lead to a reduction in fuel economy, but it can also help with longevity. Harley motors come from the factory with a very restrictive air cleaner and exhaust. Doing a stage 1 by adding a high flow air filter and pipes will allow the motor to breathe better and once you put a decent tune to it the motor will also run cooler, thus producing less wear on the motor. Nd you'll probably get a little bump in performance with a stage 1, maybe 5 HP or so.
HDs are pretty reliable and if you keep the mods simple they will easily last 100000 miles with little or no mechanical troubles. I had a 96 inch Twin Cam with a stage 1 and a mild cam upgrade. That bike ran great with more power than I needed to pass trucks or haul me and my Missus around.
So I guess to sum it up dont mod them too heavy and keep oil in them and they'll last a long time and provide miles and miles of fun.
Here is a a bunch of screen shots for a quick reference of all the different models. This will make it easier for me to understand all the different models when looking at bikes that are referenced using the letter abbreviations.
Last edited by N2 Motorcycles; Mar 1, 2022 at 08:07 AM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
