117" Advice Needed

[nighttrain67]

It has been a couple of years since I have last posted on any of the forums I had frequented so much. I have since moved back to Nashville, built a house and started law school. My poor 2002 Nighttrain that I spent a small fortune on in Vegas has been pushed aside in the new shop and ridden very little. I had pushed the motor to its limits with the last build, but I was never really happy with the way it ran. So here we go again....I pulled the top end down this weekend, but want to get back an enjoyable bike to ride. I am tired of 150+hp tweeking, race gas, ect. Because I have been out of the loop for the last couple years, it looks like some new heads, cams, carbs, ect have hit the streets. I am looking for some suggestions as to a fairly mild 117 build that will be as reliable and fun to ride as my original Baisley headed, SK505 motor. I want to run pump gas. I have a set of Axtell cylinders that have a 4.135 bore. I am not putting the Super Billet heads back on, nor am I going to use the Zippers Super "D" or the Gen 1 PSI (should have been called POS). I don't believe I want to use the Wood TW-68G's, either. So how bout some suggestions for piston/head combo's, cams and carbs. Sorry for the long winded post, I am trying to catch up from my two year MIA stint. I would appreciate any suggestions to get me back up to speed, so to speak.

[KingofCubes]

As far as I'm concerned there would only be one head choice, the R&R stage 5 cast heads and the RR615 cam. No funny gas needed, no pinging, just quick torque. The Bassani Road Rage pipes have an almoct perfect torque curve. The S&S G carb works great on these or the Gen4 R&R/PSI carb even better.

[TXCHOP]

Welcome back, funny you posted i was reading some of you olds posts just last night.

How back going back to the 9b or f and another good set of heads and 11 to 1 or a bit higher comp. I went with the 9b and Hillside heads and am happy. The Psi carb seems nice as i have been going back and forth on that or the Wood's Sk505 on which to get..

[nighttrain67]

I will look into the heads and pistons from R&R. I have had the same advice from others. As far as the PSI carb goes.....well, no disrespect intended to anyone, but I would never give Bruce another dime of my money. I bought the Gen. 1 carb after he brought it to the the Vegas show a couple years ago, had problems from the get go. After charging me almost $1,000 that really never ran right out of the box, Bruce charged me another $120 for a leaner needle that did not fix the driveability of the carb. After numerous conversations with him, he never would admit there was a design problem.....it was always a problem with my bike. Then, just 6-months later he comes out with a re-designed Gen II. Now, from what I read, he has done a Gen. III. Here I am, stuck with a $1,120 paper weight. First time......my bad, but there will never be a second time with him. The new carb may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it the principle that will keep me from ever running a PSI again.

[nighttrain67]

Originally Posted by TXCHOP

Welcome back, funny you posted i was reading some of you olds posts just last night.

How back going back to the 9b or f and another good set of heads and 11 to 1 or a bit higher comp. I went with the 9b and Hillside heads and am happy. The Psi carb seems nice as i have been going back and forth on that or the Wood's Sk505 on which to get..

Your right.....I sure did enjoy the 9FG/SK505 setup. Made mid 140's Tq/Hp and never gave me so much as a hint of trouble. I have a buddy I rode with in Vegas who is going to donate a set of TR650G's, which are close enough to the 9FG's and probably a little less agressive on the valvetrain. Funny thing is, I have 4 sets of cams, but they are all monsters. As far as the carbs go.....based on my experience, and my experience alone, the SK505 is a much better carb for close to the same money as the PSI, although in all fairness, I have no experience with the latest incarnation of Bruce's carb. I like Bob Wood alot, and he has always done me right in the past.

[hawgout]

what kind of performance could be expected from the rr615 cam mated with the 1.7 baisley roller rockers and the stage V or IV.

[compressor#v]

nighttrain, the R&R .615 is a very quiet cam. I run them in a 113", they like 10.5-10.8cr and I bet would be the ticket in a 117". If pistons are going to be flat tops in conjunction with a bath tub chamber, pump gas and reliability are a shoe in. IMO.

[ejk_dyna]

You are down in Tennessee now. Use the Tman 650 cam and have TMan port you a set of stockers. Set it up around 200psi ccc. Bassani Road Rage or FatCat and a Mik48 (TMan will recommend this since he is divorced from Bob W...LOL). If you still have the sk505 i would use that in a second.

[arealinvestor]

That's alot of comp to be running on a bike with no coolant!!!!!!!!!!!!geesh.I bet its a rocket though.Damn it must be hot!!!!!!!!!!!

[nighttrain67]

Originally Posted by arealinvestor

That's alot of comp to be running on a bike with no coolant!!!!!!!!!!!!geesh.I bet its a rocket though.Damn it must be hot!!!!!!!!!!!

It was something else above 4,000 rpm, but never really got it to clean up at cruising rpm levels. It was a classic example of going over the edge. I got wrapped up in the HP chase so much so that I left it alone for almost two years without touching it. I just want to ride again, so I am going to tame it down a few notches and have fun with it again without worrying about the numbers.

[nighttrain67]

So here is what it looks like I am going to do. I talked with Randy today a couple of times and have put together a package with the R&R Stage V heads, Flat Top pistons, 1.800 intake and the R&R 615 cams. I am still undecided on the carb selection. Maybe I will try the Mik. 48 and think about getting with Bob W. for another SK505. Now I need to figure out what to do about exhaust. Any suggestions there?? It is for an 2002 Softail.

[hawgout]

Are you still going with the 1.7 Baisely Roller Rockers? If so, what did Randy say about the increased lift?
As far as exhaust??? Bassani...D&D...or if you can find it, WB E-Series I guess would be the top choices.

[nighttrain67]

I have a couple sets of standard ratio rocker arms laying around somewhere in the tool box. I can always use them. It is amazing how much stuff I have accumulated with all of the changes I made to the motor a couple of years ago. I think the numbers on the R&R 615 look pretty tight for a 11:1 117, but I am going to have to trust Randy on his advice. I know nothing about these heads or setup, so I am going to actually trust someone else for a change....LOL

[hawgout]

I was thinking with the 1.7 Baisely roller rockers it should really breathe great on the top end as will, not to mention the added cylinder fill.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge can answer this...

[route66paul]

You can go as high a 2.02 intakes