Agreed, but as you will see I live in the UK and this is a world wide problem. Our Harleys have to be even quieter than yours, so they come with different mufflers and other minor mods. Fingers crossed.....

 

I apparently need to ride a newer Sporty. I think my 03 1200 (typical mods) gets down the road very well and I can't see a newer one being that much faster with similar mods done to it but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. It might be faster but can you really tell or feel it? I put different grips on mine and a better seat and the vibes don't bother me a bit. I rode to Sturgis (2400 miles/8 days) and Milwaukee (950/ 3 days) and have no issues staying on it for the long haul. Somewhere in the 120-140+ range I stop for gas so the 3.3 doesn't bother me a bit either. I guess it all depends on your personal preference but I wouldn't get rid of my 1200 for a newer one. I would have one of each in my garage though.....

 

[quote=USAFANG67;10734091]I'm not referring to ride comfort here. There is no doubt that the rubber mounts are much better. What I'm getting at is that there should be little or no gain in 0-60 times and or quarter mile times between the older HD Sportsters since they were smaller and lighter. The newer Sportsters have EFI which was suppose to boost HP & Torque. But at the same time the newer bike has gotten heaver. Hence performance should be roughly the same.....speed wise.[/quote


a stage 1 solid mount runs in the 12.60 range

a stage 1 rubber mount is closer the 12.30 range

give or take a few tenths here and there. Those numbers are fairly accurate with 60' times being the same on both bikes.

Im a solid mount fan and from my street racing and drag racing rubbermount stage 1 is faster and quicker than a solid mount stage one, hands down.

 

very true...they arent that much faster. I agree with the rest of your post too.

Some headwork, cams and matching components wakes up the solid mounts like no other.

 

I don't know how long you've been around but I remember MLK's green/cream '98 Sporty well. Back in the Sportster.org days I remember when he was doing all the work on it. It was a beauty. I had heard some time ago he had sold it. Too bad.

 

[quote=Madnss;10734689]Many thanks Madnss because you confirm what my installer told me when they did a Stage 1 to my ride......10-12 more HP with a PCV. If anybody knew this I figured you would It truly feels much more than this but then I'm still a novice compared to many on this forum. I had a lot of respect for the stock HP & TQ when it was stock but did not like the way it was being muzzled by EPA crap. Now with Stage 1 for the time being it's got more than I can comfortably handle. I might put a PC Autotune later on but want to work on improving the ride comfort factor.....rear shocks, front fork springs and a Mustang seat.

 

My father used to have an old AMF sporty I think it was 1978 . He had bought it stock and a friend of his did some tranny work in that old 4 speed box, samson straight pipes, and an S&S carb. You could hear it 5 miles away when he got on it and ran the gears. He swaers (by the speedo readings-the 160 mph ones-) that he had it up to 145 and still had more to go. I was on the back once and looked at the speedometer and he was at 125 but ran out of roadway. But the point is that the old stock bikes can't compare to the new stock bikes. Especially in comfort. No kidney belts needed now! and the gear ratios have changed at least from first up through the gears for better RPM. I don't know off hand what the overall 5th gear is compared to the overall 4 gear in the 4 speeds of yesteryear but there is a difference. As far as weight, my nightster only weighs 545 shipped. So the old bikes were lighter than that? I can't seem to believe it if that is true.But I know with my stage 1( V&H short shots, K&N breather, and screaming Eagle tuner) she has much more torque and feels more and sounds more like a HARLEY should. Got the dyno results here some where but it doesn't matter. I have heard here on the forum that from one dyno to another they read differently and a cold stock bike compared to a warmed up stock bike make different HP/ TQ readings. Old or New. Slow or fast. Solid or rubber mounted . Carb or Efi. touring or sport. Only one thing really truly matters besides those preferences. That it is a Harley. And nothing else compares....