What engine should i choose

[freefxrs]

I have decided to go ahead and have a bike built for me. i have a very good idea of what i want (chassis, wheels, tanks, paint etc.) but am having trouble deciding on the engine. It will be a softail frame and the bike needs to be reliable as it will be used for touring. Do i go with an Evo or a twin cam? Do i go with a bigger engine (like an s&s 124) or smaller horses? Do i stick with Harley or go with something else?

the key is that it will be used as a touring bike. plan to take it to sturgis from San Francisco. So, it needs to be reliable.

Any thouhts would be helpful. My builder likes the S&S EVO (96 or 98). The mechanic who works with him likes the S&S Twin Cam 124. Really struggling to figure out what to use.

thanks

Free

[TheNowhereman]

No need to go to a twin cam.
Twice the moving parts; no advantage there.
Only advantage a twinkie has over an EVO is the motor / tranny interface is rock solid.
It will however restrict you to less frame designs though.
Are you going carb or FI?
Look at all your options, not just your mechanics input.
If touring is your taste, hi rpm HP is not.
You want low to midrange power.
S&S 124 will cost you in excess of 9000 bucks.
An Ultima 127 will cost you around 3800 bucks.
Both give good warranties for what you are getting.
Then theirs a number of other motor suppliers that have offerings like these.
Stay away from HD as they are just as expensive as S&S but are not as performance designed.
Reliability should not be a problem as you are not going to beat up a motor if tour riding is what you do.

[freefxrs]

Originally Posted by TheNowhereman

No need to go to a twin cam.
Twice the moving parts; no advantage there.
Only advantage a twinkie has over an EVO is the motor / tranny interface is rock solid.
It will however restrict you to less frame designs though.
Are you going carb or FI?
Look at all your options, not just your mechanics input.
If touring is your taste, hi rpm HP is not.
You want low to midrange power.
S&S 124 will cost you in excess of 9000 bucks.
An Ultima 127 will cost you around 3800 bucks.
Both give good warranties for what you are getting.
Then theirs a number of other motor suppliers that have offerings like these.
Stay away from HD as they are just as expensive as S&S but are not as performance designed.
Reliability should not be a problem as you are not going to beat up a motor if tour riding is what you do.

Thanks for the input. forgot about mentioning carb vs. FI. undecided. i have read that S&S has more reliable parts (lifters, rods etc.) than Harley. So, you would go with an Ultima 127 EVO with Carb?

Free

[freefxrs]

found some other threads on this. Seems like many folks like the HD engine for price and reliability.

Free

[oh1deuce]

Originally Posted by freefxrs

Thanks for the input. forgot about mentioning carb vs. FI. undecided. i have read that S&S has more reliable parts (lifters, rods etc.) than Harley. So, you would go with an Ultima 127 EVO with Carb?

Free

Free, Randy at Hyperformance has a polished S&S 113" Evo with billet R&R heads for $8,700. Heat cycled and a one year warranty. That same motor pulls his heavy Bourget into triple digit speeds like a bat outta he)( with it's a$$ on fire!!!

[freefxrs]

What is his contact info? (Randy at Hyperperformance)

Free

[oh1deuce]

http://www.kingofcubes.com/home.htm


HYPERFORMANCE
5152A E University Ave.
Pleasant Hill, Iowa 50327
515-266-6381
Fax: 515-263-8006
e-mail: info@kingofcubes.com

[2blackbelts]

I have used about every engine out there, here is my humble opinion.

1. Low cost, Evo crate motor
2. Reliability, Evo crate motor
3. Performance and cost 127 Ultima
4. 96 S&S, won't use, vibrates too much
5. Decent motor - 100, 110 Revtech - foreign made
6. Hi cost - TP eng.
7. Warranties - Ultima, S&S, Revtech
8. No vibration - Twin Cam B crate motor

2 bb

[KingofCubes]

I have 5 street bikes of which 4 are equipped with R&R modified or manufactured heads. I'm hearing nothing good about the Ultrima top ends, hot running, no bottom end, bogging, and down on power (which doesn't surprise me because of the valve and port sizes used). In my experience the 113 cast engine that R&R offers with the R&R billet heads is the BEST value out there if you can only afford to do it once. This thing is show polished, prerun, 130/130 torque and horse, cool running, easy starting, has all the factory Gremlins taken out of it and kicks but.

[claydbal]

if i were building the same bike, it would be EVO based. and someone like RRCYCLES.COM would just ship it to me. you might also contact hillside to see what scott offers.

if you wanted less power, less expense, consider the HD new in box EVO, then have it stepped on a little.

do you really need a biggass motor just to tour? the sidecar bike i built pulls rider and sidecar passenger just fine up to 80 mph cruise. non overdrive six speed and lowered primary gearing. warmed over stock EVO crate motor ($2500) has HD warranty. if you want to run 100 mph on freeway-------------forget it!!

[freefxrs]

do you guys think that Billet is worth the extra cost - over cast?
as one of you said, i dont need a monster engine as this is for touring and will weigh maybe 500 lbs. i was thinking about the S&S 113 twin cam with carb but also like the look of the EVO over the twin cam. The R&R does look awesome and would be stronger than the cast S&S.

what are the advantageous of an EVO over the Twin Cam, if any?
Twin Cam is new and can generate more power? But, i like the traditional look of the EVO better. And then there is carb vs. EFI. i am leaning toward carb.

hard decisions

best

Free

[hardluk1]

freefxrs for a eveyday street motor no billet is needed.If it was hd would have been out of business decades ago. The guys here that build and sell big motors will aways try to sell there motors or parts. A new evo for 2500 bucks will run great in a light bike and if more is needed a small cam should make you happy. The natural finish motors do run a bit cooler than polished and chrome . Ultima motors, if you don't run it like you stole it evey day are fine and low cost. Good luck

[POPS87FXR]

For reliability, go with an HD crate EVO, put in a mild cam for torque, and keep the weight of the bike on the lower side.
Run and oil cooler of some type, (I like the Jag style) As far as induction goes, it's your choice, myself I prefer carbs, as I am much more familiar with them, and can tune it for differnt altitudes easier. FI's have more ability to adapt to differnt altitudes on thier own, but are difficult to tune if you are out in BFI.

As for Ultima's I am not impressed, I would go S&S if not using a crate motor.

Dyna ignitions are a good way to go, as once set they stay that way, the 2000 is my particular favorite.

Again I am speaking to overall longterm reliability, I am aware that there are a lot of combinations out there, and what I recomend is from personel experiance.

My Brother Steve and I have put together a lot of bikes for guy's who were using them for ther only means of transportion and these combo's worked real well for that.

[freefxrs]

Thanks Guys

i am leaning toward a S&S EVO with Carb. seems like the Billet engines would be overkill for what i need. i like the traditional looks of the EVO over the TC engines. Anyway, my design is coming together and i hope to pull the trigger on this shortly with the idea of riding it to Sturgis for 2010 (not going to be able to get there next year).

By the way, what i am planning to have built is a modern version (my version) of the captain america bike. Softail chopper frame, fishtail pipes and classic sissy bar with the american flag painting (not the same as the movie but more of a flowing flag). That movie first got me interested in biking and it is my tribute to that memory.

i may pick your collective brains on parts as i move forward.

Free

[route66paul]

If you want rock solid the 60 degree engine by S&S is great. If you feel the need for a 45 degree V-twin clone twin cam engine, it is hard to beat the 100in square engine or the 120 in.

The Evo clones are much more prevalent and the Sputhe and S&S are hard to beat. Make sure that you go with the whole package, because the anti knock that the builders use is needed.