Harley Engines
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From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
Harley Engines
We live in a world where computer technology changes on a daily basis. Japanese motorcycle companies tend to create new engine designs every year. Car lines are completely revamped every three or four years. Then there is the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Motor Company
As part of the 100th anniversary festivities, Harley-Davidson went on tour. This photo is from the Open Road Tour stop in Atlanta: Harleys as far as the eye can see outside the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Harley-Davidson seems to work on a completely different clock, with new engine designs arriving every 15 years or so. Between 1936 and 2003, engine designs released by Harley represented a constant tweaking of the same basic V-twin, 45-degree, air-cooled engine design. In 2001, Harley released its first truly new design in a commercial motorcycle, yet it was still a V-twin. If you ignore the first few years of the company's history as a period of experimentation, there really have been only seven major engine revisions during the company's 100 year existence:
Basic design of a flathead engine.
Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Motor Company
The Revolution Engine
We live in a world where computer technology changes on a daily basis. Japanese motorcycle companies tend to create new engine designs every year. Car lines are completely revamped every three or four years. Then there is the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Motor Company
As part of the 100th anniversary festivities, Harley-Davidson went on tour. This photo is from the Open Road Tour stop in Atlanta: Harleys as far as the eye can see outside the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Harley-Davidson seems to work on a completely different clock, with new engine designs arriving every 15 years or so. Between 1936 and 2003, engine designs released by Harley represented a constant tweaking of the same basic V-twin, 45-degree, air-cooled engine design. In 2001, Harley released its first truly new design in a commercial motorcycle, yet it was still a V-twin. If you ignore the first few years of the company's history as a period of experimentation, there really have been only seven major engine revisions during the company's 100 year existence:
- Flathead engines - Manufactured between 1929 and 1974. Flatheads did not have overhead valves. Instead, the valves ran alongside the engine and opened upwards into a chamber beside the combustion chamber. The advantage of a flathead was simplicity -- no pushrods or rocker arms, and the head was a simple casting with a hole in it for the spark plug. A typical flathead engine had a displacement of 45 cubic inches (742 cc) and produced about 22 horsepower.
Basic design of a flathead engine.
- Knucklehead engines - Manufactured between 1936 and 1947. The knucklehead came in 60 cubic inch (990 cc) and 74 cubic inch (1,200 cc) variations able to produce 40 and 45 horsepower respectively.
- Panhead engines - Manufactured between 1948 and 1965. The panhead also came in 60 cubic inch (990 cc) and 74 cubic inch (1,200 cc) variations and produced 50 and 55 horsepower respectively. Big differences between the knucklehead and the panhead included aluminum heads on the panhead and internal oil lines, as opposed to external lines on the knucklehead.
- Shovelhead engines - Manufactured between 1966 and 1985. Shovelheads displaced 74 cubic inches (1,200 cc) and produced 60 horsepower.
- Evolution engines - Manufactured between 1984 and 1999. Displacement is 81.8 cubic inches (1,340 cc), and the engine produces 70 horsepower. Although the Evolution 1340cc is no longer in production, the SportsterŽ model line of motorcycles receives Evolution engines with 883 cc and 1200 cc displacements (manufactured 1986 to present).
Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Motor Company
This 2003 XL SportsterŽ 883R is equipped with a rigid mount 883cc EvolutionŽ engine.
- Twin Cam 88 engines - Manufactured starting in 1999. The Twin Cam gets its name from the fact that it has two cams in the crankcase to activate the valves. At 88 cubic inches (1,450 cc) of displacement, it is the largest production Harley motorcycle engine, and it produces 80 horsepower. The engine remains air-cooled, and uses overhead valves activated by pushrods. The 88B version of the engine, which came out in 2000, contains counterbalancing shafts to reduce engine vibration.
- Revolution engines - Manufactured starting in 2001. The Revolution engine is currently used on only one Harley production model -- the VSRC. While all of the engines previously mentioned are largely the same and represent incremental improvements, the Revolution engine is different. This engine is water-cooled rather than air-cooled and its V angle is 60 degrees rather than 45. It has four overhead cams rather than two cams in the crankcase and is fuel injected. This engine is smaller -- only 69 cubic inches (1,130 cc). It has a much shorter stroke, allowing it to rev to 9,000 RPM, and it produces 115 horsepower.
Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson Motor Company
The Revolution Engine
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Joined: Jul 2009
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Copy/Paste is a wonderful thing...
But, good idea usin the internet. Lots of info to be found. (More than I can give.)
Maybe have a look here...
http://www.performanceoiltechnology....ne_history.htm
(I just scrolled down that page... most of it is about Amsoil, but the engine info at the top seems to be part of what yer asking about.)
And here...
http://www.factoryfat.com/hdmotorhistory.html
Here's another I just found, about the MoCo's timeline...
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/C...p?locale=en_US
That'll keep you busy, for a while...
But, good idea usin the internet. Lots of info to be found. (More than I can give.)
Maybe have a look here...
http://www.performanceoiltechnology....ne_history.htm
(I just scrolled down that page... most of it is about Amsoil, but the engine info at the top seems to be part of what yer asking about.)
And here...
http://www.factoryfat.com/hdmotorhistory.html
Here's another I just found, about the MoCo's timeline...
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/C...p?locale=en_US
That'll keep you busy, for a while...
Last edited by CroK; Jan 10, 2011 at 07:49 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 296
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From: South Carolina
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
From: Abu Dhabi
That was a good read. So all the harleys are using the twin cam 1455cc engine except for the vrod and the 2 sportsters you mentioned? I would have thought that the touring models would have larger motors than the softails or Dynas for example
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 556
Likes: 1
From: Long Island, NY
Well, that write up is old. Now the twin cams are 96 ci, starting in 07.
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Road Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 960
Likes: 1
From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Think of it in this way; There are three basic motors on the new models, the big block 96" for the Dyna's, Softails and Touring. A 103" version is also available on the CVO's. For the Sportster there is the 883cc and the 1200cc. The V-rod uses the liquid cooled Revolution motor.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
From: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Good read.
I think the obvious has to be stated as well though:
New production is the 96A (rubber mounted engine) or the 96B (softails only with a counter balance mechanism).
Optional new production is the 103 and 110 versions.
And of course the 120R, race engine dealer purchase only and post production.
I think the obvious has to be stated as well though:
New production is the 96A (rubber mounted engine) or the 96B (softails only with a counter balance mechanism).
Optional new production is the 103 and 110 versions.
And of course the 120R, race engine dealer purchase only and post production.