Ultra limited 103 lacking performance
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Bagram, Afghanistan
Stock compression on a 96 is 9.2:1
Compression on 103 w/flat top pistons is 10:1
But ICLICK is right about the FM power package and cams. Also get rid of that headpipe. The CAT is not helping.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: Northern BC, Canada
Me too. Still in breakin mode and haven't REALLY pushed it; but it SEEMS to haul my 180 lbs solo very easily. I've noticed I'm not going to get any acceleration in 6th; especially uphill. When I'm passing, I just drop down to 5th. We'll see what it's like when well broken in and riding 2up. Then decide on what to do about pipes and cams next winter. Season's too short around here to be tinkering instead of riding.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,928
Likes: 1
From: Desert S. West
Yep. Sad to say we all have to pay the Harley tax to get them running right.
Not knocking Fuel Moto because he knows his stuff and is well respected.
I would consider other options though. Maybe a T-Max tuner/ECM which has Auto Tune built in or maybe the TTS Mastertune which you can tune yourself but takes more knowledge and learning curve. The PCV with Auto Tune is another option. I'm a little leery of it personally because of all the wiring but it may not be the issue I think it is.
A good free-flowing AC such as the Big Sucker, Heavy Breather, K&N set up, maybe the SE set up. Good pipes with decent back pressure. They don't have to be high dollar. Check out Cycle Shack. Core or change out the head pipes to get rid of that hot restrictive CAT.
And lastly; a good set of cams. We could take up some serious bandwidth on this one but the SE255 and Andrews 26 are proven performers. Woods has some excellent cams. The 6 is highly touted.
I guess it's all dependent on your desire, wallet, and time of course. You don't want to be down during the riding season if you can help it - naturally.
If you aren't doing the work yourself it's also dependent on what your mechanic likes as well.
Not knocking Fuel Moto because he knows his stuff and is well respected.
I would consider other options though. Maybe a T-Max tuner/ECM which has Auto Tune built in or maybe the TTS Mastertune which you can tune yourself but takes more knowledge and learning curve. The PCV with Auto Tune is another option. I'm a little leery of it personally because of all the wiring but it may not be the issue I think it is.
A good free-flowing AC such as the Big Sucker, Heavy Breather, K&N set up, maybe the SE set up. Good pipes with decent back pressure. They don't have to be high dollar. Check out Cycle Shack. Core or change out the head pipes to get rid of that hot restrictive CAT.
And lastly; a good set of cams. We could take up some serious bandwidth on this one but the SE255 and Andrews 26 are proven performers. Woods has some excellent cams. The 6 is highly touted.
I guess it's all dependent on your desire, wallet, and time of course. You don't want to be down during the riding season if you can help it - naturally.
If you aren't doing the work yourself it's also dependent on what your mechanic likes as well.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,413
Likes: 17
From: eastern oklahoma
with your 103" limited, you'll notice quite an improvement after you get some miles on the motor. excessive heat will diminish, fuel economy will improve, and it will feel like a whole different bike after you get 3 or 4 thousand miles on it. i've had three new harleys within the past few years, and it seems to me that just after 4 thousand miles, along with the stage 1 stuff, each of them sort of woke up and started running right. i'm guessing it's all the parts are starting to wear into each other, in an elongated time/distance sort of break in of everything. you chose a great bike. ride safe.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 2
From: Windsor, CO
I came from an '09 Ultra with a 96ci stock motor. There is a little difference, but it's not enough to cause anyone to really get a neck popping experience out the switch. The 103ci motor produces roughly 10% more torque and a bit more HP. Remember that it also weighs a bit more, so you won't likely feel a big difference in performance.
What I do notice is in highway performance, especially when pulling up a big hill. I ride in the mountains, so an elevation change of 4000 feet is nothing for us around here. With my Ultra, I had to shift down to 5th when coming up a particularly ornery section of the interstate south of me. With my Limited, I just keep cruising in 6th as if there is no real elevation change.
That doesn't translate to "feel it in the seat of your pants" horsepower/torque, but it does make a difference on comfort on a trip.
I'd say you need to have someone familiar with the 103ci motor ride your bike. Preferably someone with experience with another Limited, or at least an '09 or '10 Ultra.
What I do notice is in highway performance, especially when pulling up a big hill. I ride in the mountains, so an elevation change of 4000 feet is nothing for us around here. With my Ultra, I had to shift down to 5th when coming up a particularly ornery section of the interstate south of me. With my Limited, I just keep cruising in 6th as if there is no real elevation change.
That doesn't translate to "feel it in the seat of your pants" horsepower/torque, but it does make a difference on comfort on a trip.
I'd say you need to have someone familiar with the 103ci motor ride your bike. Preferably someone with experience with another Limited, or at least an '09 or '10 Ultra.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
You think that 103 feels weak in your Limited.....the old lady has the same exact motor in her TriGlide......it should have came with two of them for the weight it pulls around. 
The Limited and TriGlides 103 isnt really anything special. A 96 with swapped out pistons and jugs....thats it. Heck you can buy an S&S 106 kit and slap it on a 96 for $600 and add an oil cooler and youre ahead of the game with what HD did.
The motor needs a decent exhaust,air,cam and tune to get it up to its potential as it is. Stock its all choked up.
The Limited and TriGlides 103 isnt really anything special. A 96 with swapped out pistons and jugs....thats it. Heck you can buy an S&S 106 kit and slap it on a 96 for $600 and add an oil cooler and youre ahead of the game with what HD did.
The motor needs a decent exhaust,air,cam and tune to get it up to its potential as it is. Stock its all choked up.
Last edited by Glyder; Apr 11, 2010 at 06:35 AM.
how many miles on the bike?
i swapped cams,removed the cat,and the regular stuff,slip-ons,etc and tune.
it runs great and is way cooler
i swapped cams,removed the cat,and the regular stuff,slip-ons,etc and tune.
it runs great and is way cooler
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 154
From: Lake City, Florida
Lack of power? My $.02
I keep reading these post about the lack of power that the Harley's make. The Harley tax etc. etc. (My 2 cents on this subject), I think most of you are buying the wrong bikes. If you want more speed you should be buying and riding sport bikes, BMW's, Goldwings, Victory Visions, etc. The Harley Davidson motor is an antiquated 1920's single crank, (both pistons going up and down at the same time) inefficent air cooled design. If you want a 21 first century motor, buy one. But stop whinning about about the lack of power that the Harley's make, the next thing you'll know the HD's will be exactly like the Honda's and the rest of them, Fast and Boring.
(I've owed a "48 FL Panhead, a '98 Evo Herritage, a '99 TC88 Roadking).
I think that the 103 Limited is a very nice, more than enough powered, (compared to previously ownwd HD's) two up touring machine. If HD asked me, I would still like to have them with chains, instead of the belt drive, (easier to change) and a kick starter (keeps the dykes off the bikes). The wife and I just rode it about 200 miles yesterday on our stock 103 Limited. Runs 80 to 85 MPH easily, gets 40 MPG, cruise control, VOX, stereo etc. work good, no heat issues, (but I look for the open rode, not the "look at me parade" boulvard route) A very enjoyable machine in stock configuation. My $.02
(I've owed a "48 FL Panhead, a '98 Evo Herritage, a '99 TC88 Roadking).
I think that the 103 Limited is a very nice, more than enough powered, (compared to previously ownwd HD's) two up touring machine. If HD asked me, I would still like to have them with chains, instead of the belt drive, (easier to change) and a kick starter (keeps the dykes off the bikes). The wife and I just rode it about 200 miles yesterday on our stock 103 Limited. Runs 80 to 85 MPH easily, gets 40 MPG, cruise control, VOX, stereo etc. work good, no heat issues, (but I look for the open rode, not the "look at me parade" boulvard route) A very enjoyable machine in stock configuation. My $.02
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 627
Likes: 1
I keep reading these post about the lack of power that the Harley's make. The Harley tax etc. etc. (My 2 cents on this subject), I think most of you are buying the wrong bikes. If you want more speed you should be buying and riding sport bikes, BMW's, Goldwings, Victory Visions, etc. The Harley Davidson motor is an antiquated 1920's single crank, (both pistons going up and down at the same time) inefficent air cooled design. If you want a 21 first century motor, buy one. But stop whinning about about the lack of power that the Harley's make, the next thing you'll know the HD's will be exactly like the Honda's and the rest of them, Fast and Boring.
(I've owed a "48 FL Panhead, a '98 Evo Herritage, a '99 TC88 Roadking).
I think that the 103 Limited is a very nice, more than enough powered, (compared to previously ownwd HD's) two up touring machine. If HD asked me, I would still like to have them with chains, instead of the belt drive, (easier to change) and a kick starter (keeps the dykes off the bikes). The wife and I just rode it about 200 miles yesterday on our stock 103 Limited. Runs 80 to 85 MPH easily, gets 40 MPG, cruise control, VOX, stereo etc. work good, no heat issues, (but I look for the open rode, not the "look at me parade" boulvard route) A very enjoyable machine in stock configuation. My $.02
(I've owed a "48 FL Panhead, a '98 Evo Herritage, a '99 TC88 Roadking).
I think that the 103 Limited is a very nice, more than enough powered, (compared to previously ownwd HD's) two up touring machine. If HD asked me, I would still like to have them with chains, instead of the belt drive, (easier to change) and a kick starter (keeps the dykes off the bikes). The wife and I just rode it about 200 miles yesterday on our stock 103 Limited. Runs 80 to 85 MPH easily, gets 40 MPG, cruise control, VOX, stereo etc. work good, no heat issues, (but I look for the open rode, not the "look at me parade" boulvard route) A very enjoyable machine in stock configuation. My $.02