Boreing and counterballanceing an EVO

[Starvin]

Alright guys, an aspireing gearhead could really use some help.

After my WG was stolen a few months ago I decided I wanted to get a Heritage Springer. And because I want to tour on it I knew I needed to have a counterballanced engine. Additionally I wanted a carb model beause I enjoy doing as much work on the bike myself as possible (even if it means some tuneing on the side of the road as I go from the mountains to the plains).

The problem is that the '00 and later HSs within 500 miles are as rare as hen's teeth (one on cycletrader every month or so, and usually at fairly heavty prices) and carb models are even less common.

So I have started to consider the idea of getting one of the '97-'99 evo models (as they are more common and thousands cheaper) and doing a big bore and ballance job on it.

Thing is though, I have no experiance with what would be involved in doing it (or if it is even possible to ballance a big bore mod).

If you folks could guide me around what would be involved and the prices associated with this project I would really appreciate it. I have access to a fairly comprehensive tool selection and have a bud who works on hotrods as a hobby that can assist me as well.

Thanks in advance for any information you can offer.

[MPZ]

http://www.balancemasters.com/motorcycles might be of interest to you. They use mercury attachments to balance clutch, sprockets and flywheel.

[Starvin]

Spiff, I remember seeing this before but I had lost the link, thanks.

Anyone have any experiance with these? The website dosn't provide as much technical information as I would like. Primarily, if altering the engines displacement would require a rebalancing (from the letters section it would appear not but as I said before, I am new to engine tinkering).

Any more input from other members would be great, right now the thought of getting an evo dosn't seem like so much of a step back.

EDIT: after doing a bit more studying I realised that doing an S&S large bore stroker kit would mean replaceing the flywheel which is the activly ballanced part from ballance masters. So if I wanted to under take the project it would make the most sense to order the bore kit, send their fly wheel off to ballance masters for the mercury job, then install it, thus taking care of both the performance mod and ballance job in one fell swoop. Sounds like more fun than just buying a TC88 with more pride in what I have done AND I will have still saved money over buying a newer bike!

[johnsachs]

Doesn't matter what you balance,with mercury or without mercury,you'll never get an Evo Softail as smooth as a Twin Cam.High speed/high revs will rattle your teeth.Now a Road King or Dyna is a different story.
John

[Starvin]

Originally Posted by johnsachs

Doesn't matter what you balance,with mercury or without mercury,you'll never get an Evo Softail as smooth as a Twin Cam.High speed/high revs will rattle your teeth.Now a Road King or Dyna is a different story.
John

How do you figgure? Seems to me ballanced is ballanced. Does Harley send their ballanced TCs off to be blessed by the Pope?

[Jeff S.]

Balanced is not counter balanced. First if your worried about smoothness I suggest a 1500 or 1800 golwing. They are great for smootheness and power. Balancing a set of flywheels is based on rotating and recipricating massess. With out getting too far into this, your basically balancing the wheels side to side and the tops meaning the top part of the rod and pin and pistons. And yes for you people out there the bottom part of the rod too with the lower rotating mass, etc, etc, etc. Like I said, I dont want toget too far into this. A counter balanced motor like the TC has 2 weights linked by a chain which is driven from a crankshaft pressed on sprocket. The idea is the counter weights offset the recipricatings heavy side. The difference is one has weights and a counter balance system and the other doesn't.

[Starvin]

I'm just intrested in getting it smooth enough that it dosn't numb my arms too bad on the ocassional long trip but I still want to feel a bit of life between my legs.

EDIT: Rereading my posts the past two might seem mildly abrasive. They arn't ment to be. I appreciate all inputs, which is why I created the post in the first place.

[rickr01]

Starvin,

Don't let them scare you off from your idea. Granted a TC-88 will be smoother then a rigid mounted EVO engine. A good balance job and a good state of tune however without a real crazy high lift cam will ride real nice and you can cruz at 75 mph all day without it wearing you out. Not buzzy at all just a mild rumble under your AZZ. Some of the TC-88 riders are starting to sound like some of the initial EVO owners of years back. EVO are far superior to Shovels, shovels don't last etc etc. The one I hate the most is the RUBS comment I'll just buy a new one every new model year SO I HAVE THE BEST!!! I'll just add it to my stable of 100 anniversary models. Buy a Friggin Gold Wing if you want to ride on something that sounds like a mad bumble bee in a tin can. We set up a buddys softail without balancing the flywheels. Real mild Cam good for torque at 1000 up rpm. stock pistons etc. High flow air cleaner, stock harley head pipes and some cycle shack mufflers. Smooth as a babys bottom from 30 mph to 85.

Rick Smuggler P.S. Ride a TC-88 softail. I think they are noisey and odd sounding and at 80 Buzzy as hell. Not vibration but that buzzy handlbar feeling

[Jeff S.]

You confused me with that post Rick, but I have been known to confuse lots of folks. My policy is Harleys dont vibrite. They never have, and never will. The TC, as Harley goes, is the absolute perfect bike. I suggest that people should have to ride a 1966 sportster for a month before being able to purchase a new bike. We had this type of discussion elswhere on this board, and I said there as I will here, for the cost, these bikes should ride and stay together perfectly. But they are harleys. They have improved for some, hugely over the last 30 years, but they are still harelys. The tradition of harely is that the owners of them didn't want the product to change. That may or may not be changing ( please wait till I die ) so they kept change slow. It cracks me up when I hear someone say things like rubber mount, or solid mounted engine??????? Anyway, I forgot what I was talking about, late friday, and you should know better than to let me type in this condition, so there.............

[rickr01]

Jeff,

In the same condition you should have known better then to let me respond!!!!