Got a question for many of your guru's. I have a 2006 Street Glide (stock) with 18,000 I am looking to build (95 or greater) in the near future if it makes sense(durability of the build). I have about 3 more years left on my warranty as well.

I have read many threads about how long these builds last in terms of miles on the engine. Seems many indicate the build may hold up 40-50K. I understand if you have a match system thinks may go better. I wanted to validate those numbers and durability

Any advice or data anyone can share. On one hand I want the power and on the other it might be wise to let the warrenty expire(just do a stage 1) over time and do the build in a few years. I can kill two birds with one stone at that point, but I sure hate waiting...

Thanks,

 

Do anything to the motor and it will void warranty anyway, so if your going to do anything make it worth your while. I have only put 200kms on my HQ113" and I am happy I said screw the warranty and went ahead and did it. Just my opinion, but once its done you won't regret it!

 

i would have thought that there would be some comments by the experts on this question.

 

Nothing wrong with stock; if there is nothing wrong with the bike and you are happy - leave it alone. The more performance work you do, you increase the # of variables that could go wrong and should expect an increase in the likelihood of issues to occur. I have two with performance work and two without. The ones with require more attention than stock. It all depends on what you are after. Good luck.

 

Your warranty will be voided but only on the components you replaced. Example engine upgrade would not void the warranty on a primary leak. Additionally your bike already has a 96" so you will be going to a 103" not a 95". My advice would be to do a HQ build and go big as you can afford. You will not be dissappointed. I did the HQ 95" I am happy as can be, but if my pockets would have been deeper.........

 

My bad you said you have a 2006. Which has an 88". So you would be going to a 95". But like I said, go big as you can. HQ is reliable.

 

1. Most of the guys who know a lot are humble so they would be slow to respond as a self-proclaimed "guru" or "expert" which is who you solicited advice from.

2. You appear to be "warranty-sensitive," so there are a couple of points to clarify. The HD WARRANTY for two years requires coverage of repairs unless HD can prove the damage was caused by an unwarrantied part/installation. However, the "three years left" you refer to is the HD Extended Service Plan--it's not a WARRANTY--and it has very stiff terms allowing denial of an otherwise covered repair if the drivetrain is altered from what was on the bike at the time the ESP contract became effective. Take 10 minutes and read the ESP contract and you will understand better the limitations it contains.

3. With an '06, you have the cam chain tensioners which do wear out necessitating replacement at some time over the next three years. Mine were toast at 40K miles, and I had the dealer install Head Quarters 0034 bolt in cams at the same time the tensioners were replaced as a covered repair under the HD ESP. So the cost of the cam swap for me was the cost of the cams and some new lifters (100 bucks). With a good SERT tune, the bike runs great and satisfies my performance requirments. Administration of the ESP and what is covered or not covered starts at the dealer level. Fortunately, my dealer is very cooperative so the cam swap has not been a problem with later covered ESP repairs unrelated to the cam swap, but under the terms of the ESP, those later repairs done under the ESP could have been denied, at least by my reading of the ESP.

4. If you were to buy a 95" package from HQ or some other highly reputable vendor, you should expect better reliability than the stock motor since the HQ package will by a precisely machined package using better components than the mass-produced, assembly line produced stock engine you are currently riding.

5. Contrary to some uninformed views, the HQ packages and similiar ones from other vendors, are not hot rod, drag racing kits--they are designed to provide powerful, reliable, fuel efficient engines that are intended to be ridden with at least the same level of reliability as the stock engine. The fact that some of these HQ kits allow wheelies, etc. doesn't detract from their reliability--most guys don't ride their bikes to do wheelies--they ride them to tour with, to have better power for two-up riding, passing on two-lane roads, etc--and for the fun of it.

If you are riding a stock bike, and it sounds like you are, do some research and decide what kind of additional power you want and are willing to spend to have. And check your ESP and dealer for the consequences of changing cams, doing a 95" kit.

Personally, having the bolt-in cams, Rinehart TD's, andSE a/c provided me with enough additional power for the bike to be more powerful and fun to ride and relieve me of the need to consider the 95" or larger engine mods, even after the ESP has expired recently--at least for now.

 

Thanks so much for providing so much insight relative to the build. Many have commented on threads related these types of build do not last long over time. It is nice to know the the quality parts we buy from such places as HQ put into our motors even better quality than that of stock. makes alot of sense.

Based on your comments on the ESP and cam tension chain perhaps I may wait a little while before the build and wait until I put on a few more miles and my warranty expires before proceeding to a 95 or higher build. Hopefully I can curtail my enthusiam to do the upgrade.

I had thought of going with Jamie/Fuel Motto Rush/PC/K&N configuration in the meantime for my stage one until getting in the build later. Any thoughts on this progression in preparation for the future build or would another configuration be better suited as not to waste any money or doing replacement when building for the future.

 

Okay,I can't hold back any longer.Since I have found the bike I have been looking for.Let me say this,in the last 30 yrs of hot rodding Harleys,my bikes have been getting increasingly bigger in the cubic inch dept.My next last build out to 124" was to be my last,until I threw a leg over an even larger cubic inch monster.?Two years ago I built that bike I have been looking for, it is an R&R Cycles155" TwinCam in a RK.Trust me,when I say this,if these engines were available in years past I would now be a veteran.My advice to you is go as big as you can possible afford,you Will Not be disappointed.The new batch of big inch motors are both long lived andVERY powerful.Good Luck Dog

 

Dog & Harleypingman have given you some good advice (altho Dog is gettin' a little radical[sm=yikesomg.gif]), now let me address your question about reliability...........

The reputation of big bore & stroker motors being unreliable comes from people that don't know how to build or ride a motorcycle. While "bigger is better", bigger parts aren't always better parts. An amature that grabs the biggest, cheapest part he can get, bolts it on, & has to try it at 7000 rpm with 3 minutes on the motor is usually the guy that perpetuates the unreliability myth.

Building a more powerful motor takes some time & study. If you are going to race the bike it will require more maintenance, a lot more. If you're going to ride on the highway, & avoid stoplight to stoplight racing, a well built, sensably ridden, big inch motor can be more reliable than a stock factory motor. & they're a lot more fun!