best SOUNDING cams
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 222
Likes: 3
From: Central Wisconsin
Get a Carb bike they sound about as close as your going to get...... 
of course it will be a little older bike,my 2001 super Glide sport ran kinda like that,but the Idle was set lower than Norm.....
of course it will be a little older bike,my 2001 super Glide sport ran kinda like that,but the Idle was set lower than Norm.....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
I keep waiting for someone to try this tip, found on the nightrider site @
http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/h...ionmodules.htm
"A single fire coil can be converted to dual fire by simply placing a jumper between the two coil positive leads."
With a dual fire, unburned gases in the exhaust create the first syllable of the "po-ta-to po-ta-to" sound. A cam with a lot of overlap on a carbed bike would allow for unburned fuel in the exhaust.
Here's another link to what actually happens:
http://www.nrhsperformance.com/tech_singlefire.shtml
http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/h...ionmodules.htm
"A single fire coil can be converted to dual fire by simply placing a jumper between the two coil positive leads."
With a dual fire, unburned gases in the exhaust create the first syllable of the "po-ta-to po-ta-to" sound. A cam with a lot of overlap on a carbed bike would allow for unburned fuel in the exhaust.
Here's another link to what actually happens:
http://www.nrhsperformance.com/tech_singlefire.shtml
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 913
Likes: 5
From: indiana
wow reading some of the comments on this thread makes my brain hurt. I understand most of you have never owned an old Harley or even care to understand why the old Harleys sound the way they do its not because of any one thing there are a lot of factors. some of you have even mentioned a few. and some are dead wrong
the biggest one would be oil pressure. old shovel heads don't rely on pressure as much as they do volume which mean they can run a lower idle and yes running a lower idle will still hurt an old bike. but the Timken bearings can take a lot of abuse.
and if you mess up the lifter bores from lack of oil you just replace them.
if you lower your idle on a twin cam you are going to hurt the motor there is no maybe or percentages its going to happen. so trying to get the sound of an old bike is pointless if you cant do it without destroying your motor.
the biggest one would be oil pressure. old shovel heads don't rely on pressure as much as they do volume which mean they can run a lower idle and yes running a lower idle will still hurt an old bike. but the Timken bearings can take a lot of abuse.
and if you mess up the lifter bores from lack of oil you just replace them.
if you lower your idle on a twin cam you are going to hurt the motor there is no maybe or percentages its going to happen. so trying to get the sound of an old bike is pointless if you cant do it without destroying your motor.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City
I think my andrews 21 has a nice lopey idle to them at idle. I think you would be happier in the long run to look for a exhaust system with the sound you are after. Much lower risk of sacrificing performance in order to get that pan head lope. That or sell and buy a pan...
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 913
Likes: 5
From: indiana
I keep waiting for someone to try this tip, found on the nightrider site @
http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/h...ionmodules.htm
"A single fire coil can be converted to dual fire by simply placing a jumper between the two coil positive leads."
With a dual fire, unburned gases in the exhaust create the first syllable of the "po-ta-to po-ta-to" sound. A cam with a lot of overlap on a carbed bike would allow for unburned fuel in the exhaust.
Here's another link to what actually happens:
http://www.nrhsperformance.com/tech_singlefire.shtml
http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/h...ionmodules.htm
"A single fire coil can be converted to dual fire by simply placing a jumper between the two coil positive leads."
With a dual fire, unburned gases in the exhaust create the first syllable of the "po-ta-to po-ta-to" sound. A cam with a lot of overlap on a carbed bike would allow for unburned fuel in the exhaust.
Here's another link to what actually happens:
http://www.nrhsperformance.com/tech_singlefire.shtml
I hope this is a typo the two leads are not positive they are negative that being said. this guy doesn't understand what ohms are and if he did try this with a stock ignition ill bet he burned it up.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
I had a 08 streetbob that sounded just like the one in the video...it was mostly stock ...only a stage one system installed (ac/slipons/ power controller) ...I don't understand why the touring bikes sound different...the 08 was a 96 motor but that shouldn't matter...there must be something different about Dynas...the power controller was a piggy back type and did not change the idle speed, it just changed the fuel mix for the stage one...
Last edited by mrfikser; Oct 25, 2014 at 08:02 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 369
Likes: 3
From: Hoisington Ks
If you want the Potato-Potato, you have to use Andrews "B" cam in a 78 Shovelhead.
Been there, Done that. I will keep my Twinkie, thank You.
Dan B.
Central Ks.
Been there, Done that. I will keep my Twinkie, thank You.
Dan B.
Central Ks.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 913
Likes: 5
From: indiana
I like my shovel just as much as I like my evo or twinkie. but its nice when heads turn as I pull up on the shovel.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,459
Likes: 57,015
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell