2016 Twincam Vs 2017 M8 question
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 92
From: out there
Get this straight about sumping. There are two causes. Neither has anything to do with the other.
1 cause was HD oil pump design just was not up to the task. Effected some and not others .Took HD until late 2019 to deal with it.
Seconds cause was cyl lube jets not seated correctly. this was not common but did tun up in a few bikes.
It is an issue that has come up in the past.
Checking for sumping is not hard to do.
Some 2017 and others had an issue with transferring lube from transmission to primary. An issue that had nothing to do with sumping. It turned out to be a venting problem. HD did fix that by adding a new vent. Not all 2017 had the problem.
2016 HD had a run of bad lifters. mine were replaced at 500 miles.
The 2017 M8 is a great engine by HD standards. Having owned and ran up some miles on The TC engines and 2 M8's
Thee M8 wins hands down.
Also more to a bike than the engine. The 2017 has a much better radio system.
How many miles on tese bikes you are looking at?
1 cause was HD oil pump design just was not up to the task. Effected some and not others .Took HD until late 2019 to deal with it.
Seconds cause was cyl lube jets not seated correctly. this was not common but did tun up in a few bikes.
It is an issue that has come up in the past.
Checking for sumping is not hard to do.
Some 2017 and others had an issue with transferring lube from transmission to primary. An issue that had nothing to do with sumping. It turned out to be a venting problem. HD did fix that by adding a new vent. Not all 2017 had the problem.
2016 HD had a run of bad lifters. mine were replaced at 500 miles.
The 2017 M8 is a great engine by HD standards. Having owned and ran up some miles on The TC engines and 2 M8's
Thee M8 wins hands down.
Also more to a bike than the engine. The 2017 has a much better radio system.
How many miles on tese bikes you are looking at?
Both bikes I'm looking at have what I would call relatively low milage - 15000 - 30000 miles.
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 92
From: out there
I certainly don't doubt that.... I wanted an M8 when I heard hints of it before it's release, but the way the MoCo handled the issues (which every new engine has) really put me off....
I had two Shovels and loved them.....
It took some getting used to when I went to the EVO, but I ended up loving that bike....
IMHO.... the 80" Shovel to EVO change was the most significant increase in design and performance of an OEM engine that I have witnessed....
Harley moves people towards buying new bikes, by stopping their support in terms of parts, accessories, and even their dealer's ability to service the older bikes. If the HD dealers still has parts, accessories, and could/would service the EVO models.... I'm sure there would be many more people still riding EVOs...
The Twin Cam & M8 engine changes also include bumps in displacement, which by itself would offer performance increases in any platform... So it kind of muddies the performance differences when comparing the two...
In any case, pick whatever bike you like and go with it...
As someone said, between a '16 TC or '17 M8, other than making sure it had the upgraded oil pump before or immediately after the sale, I would be more concerned about condition, maintenance, and accessories than I would about the engine model...
I had two Shovels and loved them.....
It took some getting used to when I went to the EVO, but I ended up loving that bike....
IMHO.... the 80" Shovel to EVO change was the most significant increase in design and performance of an OEM engine that I have witnessed....
Harley moves people towards buying new bikes, by stopping their support in terms of parts, accessories, and even their dealer's ability to service the older bikes. If the HD dealers still has parts, accessories, and could/would service the EVO models.... I'm sure there would be many more people still riding EVOs...
The Twin Cam & M8 engine changes also include bumps in displacement, which by itself would offer performance increases in any platform... So it kind of muddies the performance differences when comparing the two...
In any case, pick whatever bike you like and go with it...
As someone said, between a '16 TC or '17 M8, other than making sure it had the upgraded oil pump before or immediately after the sale, I would be more concerned about condition, maintenance, and accessories than I would about the engine model...
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 92
From: out there
How are you enjoying your 2019 Road king? That's one of the bikes I'm looking at (2017 model).
Last edited by Adam76; Nov 5, 2022 at 07:59 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,482
Likes: 631
From: NorCal Rocklin
As a ride perspective the TC is torquier off line than the M8. But the M8 is smooth as butter. I love that bike. I test rode a SGS but was told to keep it under 3k rpm so I couldn’t really blast it during the ride. In that short time I preferred the initial torque on the TC over the M8, but the ride quality is way better on an M8.
Keep in mind the SGS has lower shocks, lower profile tire compared to my 2015 Road King with Fox front cartridges and Bitubo rear shocks. I was able to swap
Over my hammock seat to do a direct comparison. I couldn’t imagine how more plush it would ride if it had standard suspension and higher profile tires. But then again mine has 50k miles vs 12 miles
Keep in mind the SGS has lower shocks, lower profile tire compared to my 2015 Road King with Fox front cartridges and Bitubo rear shocks. I was able to swap
Over my hammock seat to do a direct comparison. I couldn’t imagine how more plush it would ride if it had standard suspension and higher profile tires. But then again mine has 50k miles vs 12 miles
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 897
Likes: 98
From: Post Falls,Idaho
I’ve only have owned twin cams.2007 Road king,2016 RGS and now a 2010 Electra glide ultra limited.The 103HO in the 2016 hopped around and was never really smooth.Infotainment center was great.The 2007 was a great bike with a 96TC.The 2010 with the 103 is a great bike.Runs smooth and enough power for the moment.It has enough features on it for me.Compared to today’s standards it has simple creature comforts.I’ve upgraded the suspension and stereo.Me personally don’t need the latest and greatest. I just want to ride.Upgrades for twin cams aren’t going anywhere.like someone said,Look at other features besides the engine.The 107 isn’t going to be much faster then the 103ho.I wouldn’t get hung up on that.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,041
Likes: 1,528
From: Bunola pa
id go for whichever one is the better deal myself. priced similarly, id be looking at color, miles, accessories, but not the 103 vs 107. on a dyno the difference is like 3hp. its not enough to be noticeable by my seat of the pants dyno and anyone that says different is full of it. i looked at new bikes in 17 and otd was around 30 for an flhtk. i ended up on a 14 flhtk for about 19otd with a ton of aftermarket stuff, a stage 4 kit, and the bike had 6700 miles. it was a better deal by alot considering the marginal improvement the stock 107 was over the stock 103ho. in short, you need to look at the whole picture, not just 103 vs 107.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 697
Likes: 583
From: Edgewater, Florida
Ive only have owned twin cams.2007 Road king,2016 RGS and now a 2010 Electra glide ultra limited.The 103HO in the 2016 hopped around and was never really smooth.Infotainment center was great.The 2007 was a great bike with a 96TC.The 2010 with the 103 is a great bike.Runs smooth and enough power for the moment.It has enough features on it for me.Compared to todays standards it has simple creature comforts.Ive upgraded the suspension and stereo.Me personally dont need the latest and greatest. I just want to ride.Upgrades for twin cams arent going anywhere.like someone said,Look at other features besides the engine.The 107 isnt going to be much faster then the 103ho.I wouldnt get hung up on that.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,041
Likes: 1,528
From: Bunola pa
guys made a huge fuss over the m8 when it came out like it was a huge powerhouse, so i take these comments with a grain of salt.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 4,203
From: NC
M8 feels metric? Which metric bikes specifically so that I may ride one and understand the reasoning? Surely it cannot be an inline or a V4 motor, so it must be a metric V-Twin. I've ridden or heard no Hondas, Kawasakis, Suzukis or Yahamas, that fell like an M8. Certainly not a Guzzi or BMW. Not a BSA or Royal Enfield. Not a KTM or Aprilia. What is this mystery motor that cannot be distinguished from an M8?
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 249
Likes: 146
From: Chelmsford, MA
Give us more details about the 2 bikes you're considering. Apples to apples, a RG is going to be more expensive than a RK. Are you comparing a 2016 RG to a 2017 RK and the RK is $3K more? Mileage, condition, mods all make a difference. Tell us more about each bike you're considering and we'll help you spend your money.