That's would be the wrong way to go about it IMO. Get cams now, then heads because you're going to want the heads set up for the set of cams that you ultimately run, with the chambers set for the compression needed to optimize said cams.

 

Thanks, I’ve read them 3 times. I just wish the movie would have turned out better.

 

Absolutely, choose the cams and have the heads set up for them. Talk to the guy doing the head work and ask if there will be issues running stock cams for a while until you upgrade them. My thinking is that if you do the cams first and they don’t meet your expectations you will second guess your decision and that leads to bad choices. Doing the heads first is more far sighted since you won’t be expecting big improvements.

I’m no expert and could definitely be thinking backwards. I would say the best route would be to call one of the builders on here and discuss your options with them.

 

I totally get where you're coming from on this. In fact, my dad & I just did cams in our 2015 SGS's and had them tuned in Jan 2020. I can say this about our experience.

I'd first pick out your tuner guy. This may take a little time to decide on who you're ultimately going to use. I say this because, your tuner is going to have their 'favorite" or "go-to" setups for the type of riding that you do. Riding style needs to be an honest self evaluation on what you're looking to do with the bike. Your tuner can make or break you in these types of situations.

Sounds like you're well on your way with the cams you're looking at, and you'll get a ton of experiences and suggestions here obviously; that's why you're here right? LOL

I'd almost say to save your coin and do all your engine upgrades at the same time. If you only upgrade cams you're going to want cams that give you good performance for the riding style that you do. This may change if you're ultimately going to get into head work or more in the near future. My dad & I both went with the 57H cams. I have the D&D Fatcat and he rocks the V&H true duals with V&H 4" Slash Cuts. Our thing is twisty roads. I was on the fence with the 48H or the 57H cams. I spoke with Andrew's as well as my tuner who advised on the 57's and we went that route. We did all the work ourselves and took them to the tuner. Mine puts down 103 HP and 122 ft lbs torque and my dad's puts down 95 HP with 119 ft lbs torque. We are very happy with them and our tuner did a very thorough tune on each bike. You're gonna need a good tune after cams and then you'll need another tune after heads or whatever. Your tuner will know how to get you fixed up. We do not have plans to upgrade CI or heads until something goes that warrants a rebuild of some kind. We'll cross that bridge when we get there ya know.

Tons of opinions here and I'm certainly not saying my way is the only way. They call them stages for a reason too and I get it. You'll be happy with any good proven setup geared towards your riding style. Once you get it dialed in you'll forget all the BS research you're doing now and twist the throttle with a smile.

Whatever you choose, please let us know how things work out and your opinion on the setup!

Shane

 

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I've decided to just upgrade to a cam that works best for my current setup and riding style. I have never actually ridden a bike with an upgraded torque cam and am not even sure what to expect. I come from a sport bike background and may want the power a little higher. Even though I ride a tourer, I dont really go too far. I really like the comfort and the ability to bring my wife along if she wants.

I've heard that the fp3 could work decent with my chosen cam (cr570-2). That should keep me satisfied for awhile while I purchase a better tuner and decide what to do next. Meanwhile I'll definitely contact a good tuner about the best combination of engine components for me. Hillside is only a few hours away. Another thought that occurred to me is that buying a cam that compromises before the mods needed to make it run good may also be a compromise after as well. I'm going to get components that work together and install them all at once.

Gregg