All depends on what you're looking for.
I had a 2000 Ultra with the T/C 88 and a 5spd transmission.
I do a lot of highway riding and my wife's Softail had a 6spd trans and she liked to cruise at 80+MPH.
At 80MPH+, my engine was starting to hum at about 3500RPM's so I decided to have a 6spd trans installed and when I did, the engine didn't have the "steam" to push the weight of the bike as I would have liked it to, but it did run much easier at higher freeway speeds.

I then had the "95" Big Bore Kit installed and had the ECM "flashed".
I'm not sure of what numerical gains it provided, the mid-range torque made he bike feel hundreds of pounds lighter and I was quite happy with it.
On the down side, my MPG's dropped a bit (especially at speeds over 80MPH) so there is always a trade-off.

The other consideration is the cost of the upgrade and the fact that you will ever see any financial return (if any) when you decide to sell your bike.

 

The stage 2 on the rushmore's isn't what it was like pre-rushmore. The rushmore cam, when properly tuned in stage 1 form (catless header, good muffler, TTS or PV) performs really well. Not a ton to be gained, even with good cams like the CR570-2, woods 222, Andrews 48, etc.

Everyone is different, but if I was going to go from stage 1 to anything, it would be mild headwork to go with a new cam. Just my 2 cents.

As to engine life.... a MILD build and a good tune will not shorten a twinkies lifespan MOST times.

 

OP: What would you do with a little more response and torque? Twist the wick more? Ride a little faster? The harder you ride the more wear and tear you put on your bike. If money is no issue, ride like you stole it. If longevity is your desire, maybe be happy with what you have.

 

The question is, Why are you thinking about a stage 2 ?

 

 

duplicate

 

I did cams in mine. Very happy. Riders that look at HP and Torque numbers before and after a cam change aren't seeing the whole picture and are usually the ones to say it isn't worth it for what you gain. It's about time spent in the torque curve that new cams will offer. It's about having the power to pass without stomping down a gear, it's about more responsive two-up riding and more enjoyable solo riding. It's my favorite upgrade on my bike so far. I noticed more of a change from Stage 1 to Stage 2 then I did from Stock to Stage 1. Mind you this is all on a pre-Rushmore 2012. The secret is in choosing a cam that suits your riding style and where you want the power made.

 

A stage II/Cam upgrade is a pretty economical way to gain more power/torque. There is a practical cam for every purpose. Some like to peg the rev limited every chance they get and look for horsepower, some just want better low/midrange torque for their heavy touring bike.

You have to ask yourself how far you want to go. Do you want something to bolt in with your current setup and compression, or do you plan on doing more work down the road?

The single most important thing you can do afterwards is get a comprehensive dyno tune. There are many important parameters outside of closed loop that need to be evaluated with a drastic change such as cams. Overall, some added torque does make it a more enjoyable ride. If done right and TUNED, your bike will be happy for many miles.