I log in every now and then as this site is a huge providor of information for all things Harley including in this section my chosen steeds of the past six years - the touring platform.

There are so many threads on how to extract more 'ooomph' (power) out of a bike made for leisurely touring, so what makes us do it (including me to a small extent)?

I mean why not just buy a bike that will readily come with that power as standard and handling to go with it, please dont think I'm knocking folk as I'm not, remember I have two HDs in the garage but also a Jap bike too which will do the speed thing better.

 

Simple fact of the matter is these things are turds in stock form. If you are the "Only a Harley will do" person then you don't have much choice. Personally, I wish I would have kept my Yamaha Stratoliner, but hind sight is always 20/20. I bought into the hype, never again. It's an adequate ride, but not near as much fun as 100 hp.

 

Exactly why I kept my V-Star 1300. Not the same as your Stratoliner, though I wish I had a Stratoliner. If I want some speed, my V-Star will give me that thrill to some extent. But, in all day riding comfort, nothing and I mean nothing comes close to our big bikes in my opinion. Maybe that's why I haven't made any real performance mods, if I want to have fun I ride my little 1300. Not everyone can have more than one bike. But in my opinion, I rather buy a bike that has it from the factory than piece it together.

I never understood those who buy a 8000 pound diesel truck and try to make it perform like a Corvette. Why not just buy the Corvette at the same time as the truck. It would be cheaper in the long run and the truck would last longer too. I know because I've been there and done that! I have to admit it's a lot of fun making these mods, and if that's what you want to do have at it and ride safe! But I think my performance days are long over.

 

Because anyone can just buy a vette and start smoking sports cars, some guys just think its cooler when a 2500 quad cab truck does a 4wd launch on pavement and leaves some kid in a mustang sitting in a pile of soot..

But in all seriousness, I find some sense of pride in taking something and (with my own two hands) making it do something nobody thinks it can do. Ive had a "real" fast bike too, I sold my GSXR 750 to invest in my Harleys. Sure that was probably faster then either of my baggers will ever be, but IMO never as fun.

 

While I understand what you are saying, however, I think most folks just enjoy doing mods and some like it that they can ride it a little harder if they want. Me personally, I tried to pass a truck going up a mountain road and it was as if I was dragging a parachute. Coming from a V-rod needless to say I wasn't too happy. So now, when I want to pass I can and do. Coming from a technical background I enjoy working on my bike... it is like therapy.

 

I grave more power so I'm less exposed to oncoming traffic, I do a lot of two lane roads that have passing lanes and I want to get around slower moving traffic as quickley as possible. A Stage One upgrade is fairly cheap and helps greatly not only with more umph but the bike just runs better. Every bike I've owned I've done some type of performace upgrade, I think it's the nature of a lot of people that ride motorcycles.

 

I understand, but there's a world of difference between a quick stage one fueling clean up and for instance at the extreme end dumping a 120r race engine into a tourer - isn't there?

 

Perhaps it is an American thing. We like things bigger, faster, louder and we'll do whatever it takes to get it.

 

I remember when I was in High School, saved all summer to buy this new Kawasaki Enduro. I think it was a KE 250. Bought it at the end of summer and thought I was hot ****. Never even test rode another brand. A few weeks later they were having Yamaha test rides at a local dealer. I took the Yamaha version of my bike for a test ride. The Yamaha was hands down the faster bike of the 2. So guess what? Yep, started modifying it to run like the Yammie. First exhaust, then air cleaner, then jets and it never ended till the day I got a real job and had to sell it to buy a truck.

 

The Sign at the Hot Rod shop reads:

How Fast ?

How Long ?

How Much ?

You get to pick 2

The harley V twin is a poor platform for real performance, the limitations of design will not allow power like other designs.
The major drawbacks would be pushrod valves and air cooling.

The chassis is way heavy.

and weight is really, really important- my stripped FXR weighs 1/2 what my bagger does and has about the same power.

At a point aerodynamics come into play and above 85 ish, the front end unloads on a bike with the batwing fairing


some will always be happy to foot the bill to "make a brick fly"- but that may not be the best use of resources.

To make a Harley go really really fast and stop and turn will require the cost of a couple of Haybusas or Ducatis.

for my money, I'll leave my Harley at stage 1 and buy those extra bikes for the garage.

mike