Milwaukee Eight® - From EFI To Carburetor
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 5,749
Likes: 1,603
From: High Point, NC.
The advantage to me in the M8 is the reliability and technology. The sound of an M8 is a con imo. I'd rather opt, as mentioned above, for a less tech ladened model to convert. That way you get the pros of a carb and that better harley sound.
That, or take an M8 bike and frame, and just stick an aftermarket engine and tranny in there.
That, or take an M8 bike and frame, and just stick an aftermarket engine and tranny in there.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 4,335
Likes: 3,756
From: Florida
Oh baby I’m in. I’ll find a LRS sooner or later and gut the entire harness.. morris magneto makes a conversion now too. Give me a 131 in a LRS a D carb and I’m gonna be super happy to try messing with 4 valves. Biggest part of this challenge would be to find a chrome loaded one… cause I’m not hip to this blacked out nonsense.
Last edited by Rains2much; Aug 25, 2025 at 02:58 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,861
Likes: 7,980
From: poway
I think it's time you carbed guys to get rid of the electric start also.. 
Personally I like both.. I'm not going to swap one out for the other unless it's a easier when doing an upgrade. I own 7 bikes, 5 of them are still carbed, M74 Linkert, 4 28mm Keihin, CV51, Super G, 48mm Mikuni. One thing for sure with 10% ethanol, they don't don't like sitting. The Mik don't like vibration.
The 2 EFI are 1 Delphi (speed density) and one Tmax (Alpha-N closed loop). I don't mess with the Delphi but the Tmax is super easy to tune..
2 of the bikes still have points but I'd take microprocessor controlled ignition over points any day of the week if doing performance mods.. Advance mechanisms wear out.. Both a good friend and my brother get about $800 to rebuild old Porsche distributors. Both have the old Sunnen distributor testers to do so and it'll take a couple days to do it..
Personally I like both.. I'm not going to swap one out for the other unless it's a easier when doing an upgrade. I own 7 bikes, 5 of them are still carbed, M74 Linkert, 4 28mm Keihin, CV51, Super G, 48mm Mikuni. One thing for sure with 10% ethanol, they don't don't like sitting. The Mik don't like vibration.
The 2 EFI are 1 Delphi (speed density) and one Tmax (Alpha-N closed loop). I don't mess with the Delphi but the Tmax is super easy to tune..
2 of the bikes still have points but I'd take microprocessor controlled ignition over points any day of the week if doing performance mods.. Advance mechanisms wear out.. Both a good friend and my brother get about $800 to rebuild old Porsche distributors. Both have the old Sunnen distributor testers to do so and it'll take a couple days to do it..
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 4,335
Likes: 3,756
From: Florida
I think it's time you carbed guys to get rid of the electric start also..
Personally I like both.. I'm not going to swap one out for the other unless it's a easier when doing an upgrade. I own 7 bikes, 5 of them are still carbed, M74 Linkert, 4 28mm Keihin, CV51, Super G, 48mm Mikuni. One thing for sure with 10% ethanol, they don't don't like sitting. The Mik don't like vibration.
The 2 EFI are 1 Delphi (speed density) and one Tmax (Alpha-N closed loop). I don't mess with the Delphi but the Tmax is super easy to tune..
2 of the bikes still have points but I'd take microprocessor controlled ignition over points any day of the week if doing performance mods.. Advance mechanisms wear out.. Both a good friend and my brother get about $800 to rebuild old Porsche distributors. Both have the old Sunnen distributor testers to do so and it'll take a couple days to do it..
Personally I like both.. I'm not going to swap one out for the other unless it's a easier when doing an upgrade. I own 7 bikes, 5 of them are still carbed, M74 Linkert, 4 28mm Keihin, CV51, Super G, 48mm Mikuni. One thing for sure with 10% ethanol, they don't don't like sitting. The Mik don't like vibration.
The 2 EFI are 1 Delphi (speed density) and one Tmax (Alpha-N closed loop). I don't mess with the Delphi but the Tmax is super easy to tune..
2 of the bikes still have points but I'd take microprocessor controlled ignition over points any day of the week if doing performance mods.. Advance mechanisms wear out.. Both a good friend and my brother get about $800 to rebuild old Porsche distributors. Both have the old Sunnen distributor testers to do so and it'll take a couple days to do it..
As much as I’d like to buy a brand new never owned by anyone else motorcycle.. as much as I’d love to own a Sportster S… no way I’ll ever have a fuel injection motorcycle.
Don’t care about gas mileage at all. At 54 6ft 5inches and two back surgeries, I’m very happy to stop every 100-125 miles to fill up. Fuel injection holds no promises for me.
Last edited by Rains2much; Sep 3, 2025 at 10:10 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,861
Likes: 7,980
From: poway
I will never be held hostage to tune a motorcycle. Sure… download a close tune… let it autotune.. you’re still relying on someone else. ECU guy pays big bucks… goes back n forth setting appointments hauling his bike, waiting his turn… all that nonsense I won’t do. Give me my Altoids can of jets and a plane Screwdriver and I’m a free man to go just as fast without any of that nonsense. I deal with firmware updates, software and programming all day long… the last thing on this green earth I wanna use in my hobbies is a computer.
As much as I’d like to buy a brand new never owned by anyone else motorcycle.. as much as I’d love to own a Sportster S… no way I’ll ever have a fuel injection motorcycle.
Don’t care about gas mileage at all. At 54 6ft 5inches and two back surgeries, I’m very happy to stop every 100-125 miles to fill up. Fuel injection holds no promises for me.
As much as I’d like to buy a brand new never owned by anyone else motorcycle.. as much as I’d love to own a Sportster S… no way I’ll ever have a fuel injection motorcycle.
Don’t care about gas mileage at all. At 54 6ft 5inches and two back surgeries, I’m very happy to stop every 100-125 miles to fill up. Fuel injection holds no promises for me.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
I would try kicking over an M8, as long as I could energize the compression releases.
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