The V-Max is an impressive motor and makes a great swap into a Royal Star.? But I stand on my statement (which has NOTHING to do with performance), the Harley Big Twin is the bib block Chevvy of the motorcycle world - big bore, power in the bottom end, limited rpm. You gotta remember that the 348 and 454 were designed as truck engines. Only the 396 was designed as a race engine. Your essays are comparing apples with oranges, so there's no point to be made.? Like I said before, if you're gonna compare harley with Jap bikes, make your comparisons with the Jap big twins that are market positioend with Harley, and have made a small dent in Harley's market. As for a panacke engine sound, you're speaking of the Jap twins, with their offset cranks, not the Harley Twin which is actually a two-cylinder radial engine. It sounds more like a V8 than a VW!
James Franklin wrote:
The V-Max still holds the motorcycle record for 60 MPH to 80 MPH roll on.
Yes, it does sound more like a 327 small block than a 454, but even at that,
a small block V-8 is closer to a large block V-8 sound, than the VW pancake
4 sounding big twin.
I can't even tell you how many impressive stories I have heard about HD
performance at track side while watching everything else pass the HDs.
Harley's only record, world land speed, is held by a V-8, not a V-Twin.
Harleys still feel like they are accelerating hard when the other, smoother
bikes are rolling away from them.
The Evos were an impressive improvement over the Shovels, but the HP #s you
quote are well beyond anything that would last..the crank isn't strong
enough, niether are the rods..it is because of weak parts that S&S became
what they are today.
James Franklin
2411 Pine Summit DR.
E
Jacksonville, Florida 32211
808-225-0994 (cell)
From: john gary simpson
Reply-To: W650riders@...
To: W650riders@...
Subject: Re: [W650riders] Re: Thinking about getting rid of my w650
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:01:45 -0700 (PDT)
I don't know what your experience with Harleys is, but I have built many EVO
Harleys to better than 90 horsepower and never had one fail yet. The stock
crank is good for a build to better than 120 hp. The V-max and Magnas are
high rev motors with scant similarity to stump-pulling big blocks. More
power? Of course. But totally different character, more akin to small block
Chevvies that make their power high up (like my 8000 rpm built 65 fuelie
engine in my MGTF) If you want to classify any Japanese engines as having
big block Chevy character, start with the myriad of big inch Japanese twins
that are desparately trying
to carve into Harley's cruiser market.
James Franklin wrote: The list of bikes that will
roll away from a Harley without downshifting or
over revving, is too long to list here.
The Harley is closer compared to a John Deer than a big block Chevy..you
want the sound and feel of a Chevy V-8, you want a Yamaha V-Max, or a Honda
1100 Magna.
The Evos made about 60 HP, but their crank came from a 35 HP design..leave
the engine alone, put a tuned but less restrive pipe on it, it was just
find, but build it to make 80 - 90 HP, you have a grenade.
James Franklin
2411 Pine Summit DR. E
Jacksonville, Florida 32211
808-225-0994 (cell)
From: john gary simpson
Reply-To: W650riders@...
To: W650riders@...
Subject: Re: [W650riders] Re: Thinking about getting rid of my w650
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:13:46 -0700 (PDT)
I'm speaking as a
prior owner. In regard to smooth shifting, vibration and
top-heaviness, I agree. In terms of riding balance and handling, both my
883 and my1200 were good bikes. In terms of performance, my 883 was a
slacker, but my 1200 would haul butt. In terms of reliability and ease of
maintenance, all of my Harleys were hands down the most reliable and easist
to work on. But it's the intangibles that make the Harley a Harley - the
feel of the engine at mid and low throttle, the styling, the personality. As
the old saying goes, if ya gotta ask... On performance, all stock harleys
are extremely restricted and can easiloy and cheaply make 25% to 50% more
power. A stock EVO big twin averages 46 hp out of the box, and easily make
80hp with nothing but simple intake and exhaust changes. Most Japanese
bikes will stomp a Harley in an all-out drag, but at everyday loafing
throttle, a harley's huge low-end torque keeps it ahead of the pack
effortlessly.
Effort is the
key. Do you want to be revving your bike to the limit all of the time to
make it perform? The Harley is the big block Chevy of the motorcycle
world....shhesh; I'm about to talk myself into another harley....
"larry.botheras@..." wrote:
I'm afraid I am speaking from a position of knowledge... Second worst
bike I ever rode... the worst was an 883
----Original Message----
From: eustisgary@...
Date: 16/07/2007 1:41
To:
Subj: [W650riders] Re: Thinking about getting rid of my w650
Have you actually ridden a 1200 Sporty?--- In
W650riders@..., "Larry Botheras"
wrote:
>
> Think long and hard. unless it's tricked up the 1200 sporty will
feel
> slower than the W IMHO, it's not that much more powerful (HD never
quote)
> but it is a lot heavier
>
>
>
> From: W650riders@...
[mailto:W650riders@...] On
>
Behalf Of John
> Sent: 11 July 2007 06:39
> To: W650riders@...
> Subject: [W650riders] Thinking about getting rid of my w650
>
>
>
> I found a sportster 1200r that's tempting me to get rid of the w.
What
> are your thoughts on the 2006 sportster 1200 roadster?
>
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