A couple years ago ( I believe it was 11' model year) HD went to using NO bushings on the connecting rods and the cams. I said at the time, "this is going to cause some problems in the future". Of course I was scoffed at by all the "experts".

Now I see another thread where someone also had their cams go south because the bearings went out. The cams used to have bushings to carry the other end but, HD eliminated those also.

Two instances don't make a trend but, how many others have happened that we don't know about? I still stand by my opinion that removing the bushing on the con rods and cam ends was wrong by HD but, I am just another poster with an opinion.

 

Probably another way by the "engineers of HD" or "those who know" to save a few pennies?

Agree with the S & S 124 idea.

 

A Service Plan is a signed contract/agreement and not a warranty. Warranty laws do not apply. The contract you signed has a lot of small print.

 

Lower ends are a crap shoot even stock. Let me know if ya need a guy. Yeah live'n the good life on the coast now! Party!!

 

120R...

 

Given a decision to replace the motor, I'd go with an S&S product vs Harley, but there are a million opinions on this.

 

All I know is at this point, on my next day off I'm going by HD with a trailer and rescuing my bikes parts and pieces. Thanks for all the insight.

 

I see a couple of the guys saying to get a 124 s&s motor. I did that and installed it all myself. Just to give you an idea, it cost about 9 grand in parts alone for my build. But I love how it all turned out in the end.

 

You hit the nail on the head- a 'perfectly engineered' motor will have all the parts matched where there is no 'weak link'.

the H-D engineers are designing for a 80 HP motor...so a perfectly engineered motor will have various component failures at 10 or 15% above that.

there is no sense in a 200 HP crank in a 80 HP motor if there are cost savings- esp if 90% of the riders don;t want to pay for extra capacity.
( and many of us are happily riding sub 80 Hp machines for many many trouble-free miles)

a replacement designed and built performance motor will give a better end result if that is the goal, then the nest weakest link will be found, clutch, primary drive tranny, bearings frame flex etc etc.

I think that most of us can come up with examples where cost savings influenced design or engineering decisions which adversely affect the product

Mike