Best Carb - S&s Super-e Vs Mikuni

[ILFLHT]

I am torn between the S&S Super-E and the Mikuni carb and manifold kits. I have had good luck with Mikuni carbs on my off road bikes. I have seen a lot of bikes with the S&S. I am adding a cam and 2 into 1 on my 1340 Evo in a FLHT. Do the carb kits really make that much difference on a stock bore or should I try jetting the stock one first?

[joepenoso]

Try jetting the stock carb 1 st.
joepenoso

[slickone]

I would try jetting the stock CV carb first.
Marc M.

[wurkenman]

I would throw the CV carb in the shitcan and put on a Mikuni. The first thing I do on any of my bikes is a mikuni, even before new pipes.

[ILFLHT]

So the Mikuni really performs $400 better than the stock carb?

[joepenoso]

Naw not with my money
joepenoso

[Ryan]

re-jetting the stock carb should work just fine with what you have done so far. you can always get a bigger carb later if you change anything else. Iv'e used S&S and mikuni carbs in the past and they both work well, the S&S is simple and easy to tune, but the mikuni will get better gas mileage if set up right.

[wurkenman]

You can get the Mikuni Easy Kit that will bolt right in place and use all of your stock components.

[joepenoso]

Or you could save $$$$$
rejet the CV
and reap the same rewards.
joepenoso

[HDWRENCH]

S&S needs/requires a thunder jet installed to run correctly

[jadrian]

I put the HSR42 on my '03 FXST and it feels like a completely different bike. The throttle response is incredible. I wouldn't waste your money on new jets, it's the best $258 I've spent on the bike. I bought it from Jireh Cycles, no tax and free shipping.

[HD1200R]

Originally posted by HDWRENCH
S&S needs/requires a thunder jet installed to run correctly

Why does the S&S need a thunder jet installed to run correctly?

[Ryan]

the thunder jet adds another fuel curcuit, making it more like the cv or mikuni, more efficient. the S&S is a basic, simple, old tech carb, very easy to tune, which is why it is popular, the mikuni is more difficult to to tune, a bunch more time required to set up, but worth it if you're fussy.

[Tappet]

In different performance tests, the stock CV carb was only narrowly edged out by the Mikuni and was much better on the street (not the track) than S&S. Your CV carb, with a few changes, will do just fine for you until you get up around 100 Ci. I put a 42 mm Mikuni on my Road King a few years back and like it a lot, but I've since learned a lot about the CV that I didn't know, and would be perfectly comfortable to be running it now! The CV carb is a good carb!!

[HDWRENCH]

S& S is a basic, simple, old tech carb, very easy to tune, which is why it is popular, the mikuni is more difficult to to tune, a bunch more time required to set up, but worth it if you're fussy.


No the Mik is not hard to tune the tomatoe can with a flap is the tuning problem. Mik's tune very nicly. No need for any custom manifold block or air cleaner covers, or cables. The mik is a bolt on deal run with it. S&S do work but require the extra effort and cash. Check out Zippers site they do a ton of thunder jet kits to "FIX" the S&S carb. Any one that is tuning the S&S for good performance will install the thunder jet kit.


Check it out there has been several large write up in many mags comparing the S&S to the Mik. Overall easy of tunablity and over all cost hard to beat the Mik