Possible "dumb girl" question
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Phila, PA
Its nice to see you as a women working on and enjoying your bike AWSOME!
My main suggestion would be to purchase a used 96 motor for $1000-1200 and you will probally be more happy. If thats not enough HP for you Id say sell your orig 88 motor and throw a set of cams in the 96 and then you will have a nice rider w mild HP
1.used 96 motor $1000-1200 (est 75hp)
2.cams $100-400(sale orig motor to offset cost)
now i must state this and this is a common misconception--you want to do internal engine mods which yield more HP when a motor is newer not older...so w that being said always mod your motor w lower miles rather than greater miles. Take advantage of the increase hp sooner than later, when you have more miles on motors it increases the chances of the motor developing a mech issue or failure...thus having a greater$$ headache. Its sucks when you do cams on older bikes alot of people say oh you have to do this and that etc and a lil 10-15hp mods turns into a 1500$ job cam door, cams, chain/gear conversion, tensioner, tappets, push rods, etc= alot of $$$!!
save the money and buy yourself a good motor and a new seat or some handlebars so your more comfortable and confident on your road king!
My main suggestion would be to purchase a used 96 motor for $1000-1200 and you will probally be more happy. If thats not enough HP for you Id say sell your orig 88 motor and throw a set of cams in the 96 and then you will have a nice rider w mild HP
1.used 96 motor $1000-1200 (est 75hp)
2.cams $100-400(sale orig motor to offset cost)
now i must state this and this is a common misconception--you want to do internal engine mods which yield more HP when a motor is newer not older...so w that being said always mod your motor w lower miles rather than greater miles. Take advantage of the increase hp sooner than later, when you have more miles on motors it increases the chances of the motor developing a mech issue or failure...thus having a greater$$ headache. Its sucks when you do cams on older bikes alot of people say oh you have to do this and that etc and a lil 10-15hp mods turns into a 1500$ job cam door, cams, chain/gear conversion, tensioner, tappets, push rods, etc= alot of $$$!!
save the money and buy yourself a good motor and a new seat or some handlebars so your more comfortable and confident on your road king!
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Phila, PA
for the guy who posted about how a HD is not a rice rocket--what exactly is a rice rocket? why bash those bikes? and we know a big twin harley is not a racing bike but nothing wrong w having more torque and HP to get it moving faster and be able to avoid the garbage trucks running around!!!
harley 800lbs HP output 60hp = 13.3 lbs per HP
busa 500lbs HP output 160hp = 3.12 lbs per HP
...with that said harleys are anemic and need more HP to operate more safely!!
harley 800lbs HP output 60hp = 13.3 lbs per HP
busa 500lbs HP output 160hp = 3.12 lbs per HP
...with that said harleys are anemic and need more HP to operate more safely!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 197
I'm going to go in a little different direction than mant of the other posters, but here goes.
If it were me I'd do the cam shoes, complete the stage 1, and let it ride! If you do the cams, heads, big bore kit and the rest of the changes to make it RIGHT, ( don't forget a tuner, maybe new injectors, and dyno time to match everything up) you will have spent more than enough to buy an almost new 103 takeout from someone that just had to have that new 120. By going this route you wind up with a later model motor with most of the goodies you are paying big bucks to get on your 88 and can then sell your 88 to recoup some of the cost of the 103 replacement. You might even be able to swing a reman 6 speed transmission or a Baker 6 speed gear set to go with your new motor by using the money from the sale of your 88 and adding a little cash. By going this route you wind up with the SAME setup used on a new bike and will spend a lot less money than either trading up or doing a PROPER upgraded rebuild.
If it were me I'd do the cam shoes, complete the stage 1, and let it ride! If you do the cams, heads, big bore kit and the rest of the changes to make it RIGHT, ( don't forget a tuner, maybe new injectors, and dyno time to match everything up) you will have spent more than enough to buy an almost new 103 takeout from someone that just had to have that new 120. By going this route you wind up with a later model motor with most of the goodies you are paying big bucks to get on your 88 and can then sell your 88 to recoup some of the cost of the 103 replacement. You might even be able to swing a reman 6 speed transmission or a Baker 6 speed gear set to go with your new motor by using the money from the sale of your 88 and adding a little cash. By going this route you wind up with the SAME setup used on a new bike and will spend a lot less money than either trading up or doing a PROPER upgraded rebuild.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 144
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
ok well that's my point you are not going to get that pop that your bandit had on a Harley. I don't care what anyone tells you your not gona get that pop back unless you get another Suzuki or maybe a victory. Harleys don't have the same throttle response. this is the exact reason why my wife is still riding a Suzuki. because you cant and wont get the same pop from a Harley. the throttle by wire on a Suzuki and a Harley are completely different the gears are different in a Suzuki. you are geared lower in a Suzuki. they are made to run at a much higher rpm. bottom line is if you want to get that pop or power from a Harley you are going to have to get a sportster or a vrod. other then that but a new gears in it and like a s&s 12. because I don't care what anyone says. after owning rice bikes and a Harley and riding ever kind of bike built. that is the only way you will get your bike to run like your bandit did. its just not possible to make a halrey run like that. and I have yet to see one person try and say im wrong about my wifes 800 smoking a 103. because it true. so either get a different bike or spend a ton of cash because that is about the only choices u got.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,137
Likes: 8
From: illinois
for the guy who posted about how a HD is not a rice rocket--what exactly is a rice rocket? why bash those bikes? and we know a big twin harley is not a racing bike but nothing wrong w having more torque and HP to get it moving faster and be able to avoid the garbage trucks running around!!!
harley 800lbs HP output 60hp = 13.3 lbs per HP
busa 500lbs HP output 160hp = 3.12 lbs per HP
...with that said harleys are anemic and need more HP to operate more safely!!
harley 800lbs HP output 60hp = 13.3 lbs per HP
busa 500lbs HP output 160hp = 3.12 lbs per HP
...with that said harleys are anemic and need more HP to operate more safely!!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,197
From: Oxford, Nc
Its nice to see you as a women working on and enjoying your bike AWSOME!
My main suggestion would be to purchase a used 96 motor for $1000-1200 and you will probally be more happy. If thats not enough HP for you Id say sell your orig 88 motor and throw a set of cams in the 96 and then you will have a nice rider w mild HP
1.used 96 motor $1000-1200 (est 75hp)
2.cams $100-400(sale orig motor to offset cost)
My main suggestion would be to purchase a used 96 motor for $1000-1200 and you will probally be more happy. If thats not enough HP for you Id say sell your orig 88 motor and throw a set of cams in the 96 and then you will have a nice rider w mild HP
1.used 96 motor $1000-1200 (est 75hp)
2.cams $100-400(sale orig motor to offset cost)
Secondly, with the best crankshaft in a Harley in 20 years (99-02 models,) why would she trade for a motor with the worst cast crankshaft ever?
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
From: Queen Creek, AZ
This is of absolutely no help to anyone in this thread, but its something I picked up on and it's not meant to flame anybody but I just gotta say it. To the OP it says you are from Florida and you have a 2002 that you've had since 2002 and you haven't hit 20k miles? Then there is another with an 04 from Arizona and hasn't hit 25k miles. Geez, I work all the time and don't get to ride that much, live in New England where there is only a few months to ride all year and I've got an 08 ready to hit 40k miles. How do you guys live in year round riding country and have older bikes with no mileage?
Anyhow, back to the question at hand. If it were me and I had an 02 with the good crank I'd go gears. I'd also freshen things up seeing as you probably have the plastic breathers. I'd do Andrews 26g and a 95" kit on the cheap with HD flat tops and an .030 head gasket which would give a slight bump in compression. If you chose headwork, folks like Bean at BigBoyz could street port and set for 9.5:1 compression which the 26g works best at. Do the work yourself and save a ton. Could do all for about $8-900
Anyhow, back to the question at hand. If it were me and I had an 02 with the good crank I'd go gears. I'd also freshen things up seeing as you probably have the plastic breathers. I'd do Andrews 26g and a 95" kit on the cheap with HD flat tops and an .030 head gasket which would give a slight bump in compression. If you chose headwork, folks like Bean at BigBoyz could street port and set for 9.5:1 compression which the 26g works best at. Do the work yourself and save a ton. Could do all for about $8-900
Here's the story on my Harley. I bought the bike from a little old man. Serious, he is about 5'8" and a buck forty "wet". He bought it new and put 4400 miles on the clock and then it happened. He had his chunky (I'm being nice) wife on the back and they tipped over at a stop sign, and he couldn't pick it up.
After that day I sat. I picked it up September last year, didn't ride it much until I sold my R1200RT in December. Riding season lasts until about May. The wife and I took a ride to Laughlin and other than that it's been pretty much around town (to the lake and back). It now has 10k on it, and has been sitting for 3 months because it is too hot (for me) to ride. My wife is a cyclist, so we use the cooler mornings to ride those.
Yesterday my neighbor picked himself up a 95 fat boy with 12300 miles on it. Bone stock, and I couldn't find an cosmetic flaws on it. I suggested that he replace the flying saucer rims and the dated looking seat, but all-in-all a pretty nice old bike.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 507
Likes: 3
From: 2 miles from the Sun!
Hello Cbud
Trying to answer some of your question with what I have learned or read from tech forums.
If it ain't broke don't fixit. Can only speak to the s&s 510 cams come on around 3000rpm and carry out to about 5000. I think that you can put 96in heads on but you are not doing anything to the rest of the motor to get much if any benefit from the heads. Going to all the work to change heads and not increase the cu in does not seem $$$ wise. Gear drive are good for several reasons but gunna need specialty tools and need to check crank runout first to see if they are a good candidate for you motor(being 2002 your chances are good) . There are better materials and at least one other mfg of tensioners that you can use. Please make sure you change the inner cam bearings from the OEM INA style. There are a lot of folks that love the Andrews 26 cams as they give power where most ride the baggers. Cruising on the hwy on my bike at 65-70 is where the 510 cams start. Read about venting the breathers to atmosphere so you don't load the cylinders with carbon. If you do cams you will want to tune the fuel management efi or carb to get maximum benefit from your mods. It's kinda of a rabbit hole I think when you start with mods. The plastic breathers , and early style cam chain tensioners and INA bearings are three items to be aware of. The tensioner is a maintenance item, if you have not checked the cam tensioners move that item up on you list of items to do.
Russ
Trying to answer some of your question with what I have learned or read from tech forums.
If it ain't broke don't fixit. Can only speak to the s&s 510 cams come on around 3000rpm and carry out to about 5000. I think that you can put 96in heads on but you are not doing anything to the rest of the motor to get much if any benefit from the heads. Going to all the work to change heads and not increase the cu in does not seem $$$ wise. Gear drive are good for several reasons but gunna need specialty tools and need to check crank runout first to see if they are a good candidate for you motor(being 2002 your chances are good) . There are better materials and at least one other mfg of tensioners that you can use. Please make sure you change the inner cam bearings from the OEM INA style. There are a lot of folks that love the Andrews 26 cams as they give power where most ride the baggers. Cruising on the hwy on my bike at 65-70 is where the 510 cams start. Read about venting the breathers to atmosphere so you don't load the cylinders with carbon. If you do cams you will want to tune the fuel management efi or carb to get maximum benefit from your mods. It's kinda of a rabbit hole I think when you start with mods. The plastic breathers , and early style cam chain tensioners and INA bearings are three items to be aware of. The tensioner is a maintenance item, if you have not checked the cam tensioners move that item up on you list of items to do.
Russ