cam install
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 7
your post is after mine so if you are talking to me, NO I will not accept that as an answer. too many share the results of the cam change and the wonders of it all but I want to know the difference from a well tuned stage 1 bike compared to cam added. we all know that cams offer an improvement but blindly changing then tuning the change and surprise big difference because you never had the best tune before you started does not cut it for me. I want a measured difference related to cost to consider. one day someone will have that answer.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,784
Likes: 100
From: Pasadena TX
your post is after mine so if you are talking to me, NO I will not accept that as an answer. too many share the results of the cam change and the wonders of it all but I want to know the difference from a well tuned stage 1 bike compared to cam added. we all know that cams offer an improvement but blindly changing then tuning the change and surprise big difference because you never had the best tune before you started does not cut it for me. I want a measured difference related to cost to consider. one day someone will have that answer.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 663
From: Vancouver Island B.C.
your post is after mine so if you are talking to me, NO I will not accept that as an answer. too many share the results of the cam change and the wonders of it all but I want to know the difference from a well tuned stage 1 bike compared to cam added. we all know that cams offer an improvement but blindly changing then tuning the change and surprise big difference because you never had the best tune before you started does not cut it for me. I want a measured difference related to cost to consider. one day someone will have that answer.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
Likes: 87,565
From: Western South Dakota
Curious as to how you're going to like the less MPG?
(Speed costs, how fast you wanna go? LOLOL)
It does go down significantly, at least for me anyway.
I lost a couple going from stock to stage 1 and then a couple more going from stage 1 to stage 2.
I have a heavy wrist though, and it does run soooo much better. lolol.
Right now mpg for me seems to be right around 34-38, seems to be the number.
(Speed costs, how fast you wanna go? LOLOL)
It does go down significantly, at least for me anyway.
I lost a couple going from stock to stage 1 and then a couple more going from stage 1 to stage 2.
I have a heavy wrist though, and it does run soooo much better. lolol.
Right now mpg for me seems to be right around 34-38, seems to be the number.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,672
Likes: 17
From: Orange, VA,
I can say after my SE204 cams were put in I felt a big difference, then i put in a S&S 97 inch bb kit and wow, huge difference, this winter I am going to put on S&S heads, wish I could have put it on the dyno after each upgrade.
The 255 cams come stock on the CVO, they are just a little more then stock, if I were spending the coin on cams I would go with something a little more, love my 204 cams
The 255 cams come stock on the CVO, they are just a little more then stock, if I were spending the coin on cams I would go with something a little more, love my 204 cams
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: iowa
I wish I had all the numbers but dyno is too expensive. I think my gass milege went down but I think its from cracking the throttle too fast. lol. For me it was well worth it don't have to down shift any more.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 37
From: Monroe, Louisiana
your post is after mine so if you are talking to me, NO I will not accept that as an answer. too many share the results of the cam change and the wonders of it all but I want to know the difference from a well tuned stage 1 bike compared to cam added. we all know that cams offer an improvement but blindly changing then tuning the change and surprise big difference because you never had the best tune before you started does not cut it for me. I want a measured difference related to cost to consider. one day someone will have that answer.
My deal is to do my own work and add bolt on proven combinations. I could care less if I miss a couple of horsepower. If it doesn't lug when I take off, Accelerates smoothly and runs smoothly, gets good gas mileage, and sounds the way I want it to sound, then I am happy. I also don't get run off and left by friends. If they are riding a Dyna or Softtail and weigh 150 lbs. I don't even expect my 200 lb. heaver FLHTK with my 300 lb large me to keep up. It ain't gonna happen. About like making a Trike out run a Dyna, you got your work cut out for you. Dyno tuning if that is your liking go ahead, not knocking it. I have seen Dynos at dealerships that are very conservative with aftermarket parts.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,776
Likes: 2,252
From: wet coast BC
It really doesn't make much sense to me to dyno and pay for it to find out how much my stock/stage 1 configuration, that I am not going to run anymore is going to change for the sake of knowing how much the cam change adds. Cam changes are going to cost from $200 to $1000 depending on who does it and if it is dynoed. Dyno operators will run the current tune to get a baseline. If you want the current configuration tuned they aren't going to spend 2 or 3 hours beating my bike to death for nothing, then turn around and make the modifications and do it all over again. It may make sense to you. I have seen numbers where some of the manufacturers have tuned stock then added their product and tuned for it. I take these with a grain of salt. If you want a fair test you will probably have to do it yourself. Be prepared to pay for it. Seat of the pants feel is how I justify my performance improvement.
My deal is to do my own work and add bolt on proven combinations. I could care less if I miss a couple of horsepower. If it doesn't lug when I take off, Accelerates smoothly and runs smoothly, gets good gas mileage, and sounds the way I want it to sound, then I am happy. I also don't get run off and left by friends. If they are riding a Dyna or Softtail and weigh 150 lbs. I don't even expect my 200 lb. heaver FLHTK with my 300 lb large me to keep up. It ain't gonna happen. About like making a Trike out run a Dyna, you got your work cut out for you. Dyno tuning if that is your liking go ahead, not knocking it. I have seen Dynos at dealerships that are very conservative with aftermarket parts.
My deal is to do my own work and add bolt on proven combinations. I could care less if I miss a couple of horsepower. If it doesn't lug when I take off, Accelerates smoothly and runs smoothly, gets good gas mileage, and sounds the way I want it to sound, then I am happy. I also don't get run off and left by friends. If they are riding a Dyna or Softtail and weigh 150 lbs. I don't even expect my 200 lb. heaver FLHTK with my 300 lb large me to keep up. It ain't gonna happen. About like making a Trike out run a Dyna, you got your work cut out for you. Dyno tuning if that is your liking go ahead, not knocking it. I have seen Dynos at dealerships that are very conservative with aftermarket parts.
There are those that will build up a brand new bike because that is what they want to do. There are those that want bragging rights. There are those that want more power just because . There are those that following the crowd. I don't care why you do it.
What I do not see is many that have taken their stock bike away from the stock emission tune, increased air flow and tuned with or without a dyno to get the best possible out of the engine before they jump into adding a cam.