Here’s an interesting post. The most obvious reply from you guys in the know will probably be “do nothing” but maybe not.

Here’s my scenario…

I have an '06 FLHRI. It has a few neat things on it like the SE I Pipes and a SERT with a stage one a/c.. Sounds great kind of like the old Harley sound and it even has somewhat of a cam lope which is cool.. It was running lean and coughing especially when cold or during take off from a red light during the first few minutes so I had it put on the dyno for a quick tune and she purr’s like a kitten now that the air/fuel mixture is correct and it puts out a whopping 75.5 HP and 78.4 TQ.

I've got a tru-track going on it next week along with a new rear tire (about 7300 miles on it)

So..... I have a butt load of '07Road King Custom(screamin eagle) take off parts with about 500 miles on them. Here’s the list.

Front brake calipers, CVO 255 cams with all the chain set ups, valve guide plates and roller rocker arms, pistons, throttle body, a complete set of pipes, clutch spring, starter and primary case.

I also have an '07 Dyna low and the same above parts from an '07 Dyna SE.

I have already put the SE mufflers on the Dyna, they look great and sound a little better than the stock mufflers. Since my wife rides it more than I do she doesn’t want anything else done to it.

I have already put on the front brake calipers on the RK. Looks better than the OEM black to me, so that works. I also know that from reading here that some of you say the CVO 255 cams are not worth anything.

Riding two up on the RK I would like to get a little more bottom end and mid torque. (we're about 320 lbs together) High end torque is really not needed as I am a 4 to 5K shifter on my fastest day.I’ve read where the 255 cams will give me that, just don’t know if it is true. I had also thought about the throttle body addition (50mmI think)with the cams and putting it on the dyno again may be a good idea.


Now that you know my story “What do I do now”? I will not do the work myself and it’s been years since I have done motor work but never on a bike. Do any of you have a few neat suggestions how I can make use of these parts or should I just leave well enough alone?

Thanks and stay safe--> Reksul

 

The larger TB will have to opposite effect of what you are looking for. It will (after proper tuning) increase "PEAK" HP numbers, but it will come at the expense of some low-end torque. The 06's have a very nice 46mm TB on them and that will easily support way more motor than what you have now. I know of an 06 SG with a 98" R&R build (heads, cams, etc) and it runs WAY better with the stock TB than it did with the HPI 50mm unit that was sent with the package. Until you reach the point at which you simply can not flow enough air to feed the engine, adding TB does nothing but reduce intake velocity & cylinder fill.

I run a stock 05 (44mm) TB on my 98" HQ build and it makes 113HP & 111ft/lbs of torque. There are plenty of folks "selling" BIG throttle bodies, but the biggest gain is really in profit, not results... at least until you get to some larger HOT builds.

As the cams go.... I'd say those are not a great candidate for your motor either. If ya want some decent & usable low-end grunt with just a bolt-in cam, look at either the HQ-0034 or Andrews 26. You will get far more of what you want/need from either of them than you would with the 50mm TB and/or the 255's.

 

^^^ I second the motion!

A little compression and an HQ cam is like Viagra for a HD!

 

Are you saying that these highlited parts were in a CVO? Which one comes with roller rockers and supports?

Also, the 255 cams are a very good mild cam set for low end torque. The 110 is capable of high RPM's to get to the torque and power but really not necessary with the big displacement. Low end torque is what the Harley Davidson engine is all about anyhow. Leave the high speed engines in sport bike frames and enjoy the ability to pass without downshifting - just twist tha' grip! But, while you're in there - might as well go for more of the good stuff and follow the previous advice. The cams are not hard to exchange at some later date so try the 255's and see what you think. I know for a fact that the SE roller rockers will work with the stock (unadjustable) push-rods and covers - so you can sneak them in....Takes about an hour or so to do the change without having to adjust push-rods, but you will need to clearance the rocker covers a little.

 

Thanks for the support guys... After reading here for a few weeks there was a funny feeling the answer would be the HQ-0034 or Andrews 26. You guys seem to have great faith in these cams.

08CVORK --> Errrr.. uhhhhh... they are stock take out parts from an 07 SE RK...I made an assumption "roller" cause that's whats on the new part box. Guess rollers went back in? I know the difference and will open the tape on the box and look at them later today.

PhilM--> Great advise on the TB... I had no idea... This is really why I came here. I've got 36 years of hands on mechanical working experience in my trade and really like to look before I leap.

I don't want to assume anything when making changes to my bike. Rocker clearance should only be for the 255's if I use them? And.. I will use a pro to do this work. The last thing I need is for my happy **** to dive into this and royally screw things up. YO! Tow truck please !

Sorry sir, but when you tossed in the new cams the piston slapped the crap out of the valves and oh, that big back fire you heard.. well, no worries, that will clean right up with a good washing but the third degree burns on your leg will take time.. too bad about your air cleaner though. Hate that you stepped on it when you jumped off the bike while you were on fire.

See, this is me and the cloud that looms to darkly over my head if I don't ask questions.

OK, right now I have a 2 to 1 opinion on the 255's. I really don't want to go in twice so if there are any other opinions or questions, let'm fly. Hey, I just may have a butt load of SE parts to get rid of.

Thanks again

Stay safe --> Reksul

 

The 255's are only .510 lift, lots of 'space' left. The rocker covers are the only clearance issue - also with any of these cams with the roller rockers.

About the roller rockers... seems to me that 30K motorcycle called a 'Screaming Eagle' would have all the goodies - including roller rockers but they don't. That's why I was asking about them. This '08 SERK does NOT have them but I wish to install a set and have been measuring and calculating to install them and try to 'get away' with it from a warranty standpoint. As you know, HD will use any excuse to void a warranty - even installing something that will benefit the engine's longevity! I have measured the rockers for push-rod length and have found that the rollers will work with the stock solid push-rods and push rod covers - so they are not seeing a change - those HD dealer folks. They would pat themselves on the back about how nice and quiet the valve train is in this bike!

Also, seems like a 30K bike would sound better than four skeletons jacking off on a tin roof...

 

Roger that..... I was flip-flopping to get an SE before I got this FLHRI but speed is not a $12,000.00 or "more"issue

I did open the box a little while ago and they are NOT roller rockers.

I would love to tell you about these other bike builds as each of them have 132 to 134 HP (or maybe a bit more) at the wheel and 154 + - at the crank, can't remember the TQ but that would be for another thread. I will tell you that I rode the RK after it was finished and I grinned so big I pushed my ears around to the rear of my head. My first impression was "ya want to trade" ! I was so excited that I was shaking for a few minutes. Sure there are faster and with more but it was really fun... to do it once.. LOL

I don't ever plan to do hot modifications for my bike. I'm just too old and grandma-ish to do that but it would be nice to have a little extra when ya need it. When I was younger I rode my KZ1000 like an animal.. ya know, lay on the tank and shift with your left hand while on the back wheel... I'm lucky to now have a great family and kids and grandkids so... they are much more important to me than smok'n the back tire or riding on a rail at 140 + like I used to.

Yup, a little cam lop and more pulling torque between 1500 and 5 grand would be nice. I'm using my mad money to do this and I'm not mad enough to build it crazy fast.

Thanks for the replies and keep'm coming


Stay safe --> Reksul

 

If it were me and I wanted torque and wanted to stay with chain drive I'd go with the new Andrews 54 and even better I would go with the gear drive RR525 for torque and use their cam cover to free up power.[/align]I also don't agree that you will loose torque by going to a bigger TB in fact we have seen where the torque and hp go up with a bigger hole. A year and a half ago I would have agreed with this but a TB does not work like a carb in this respect. With a carb the bigger you go up on hole size the signal strength goes down and so does the fuel atomization. The TB is just an air passage and your injectors atomize the fuel so as much air as you can pack in, and have the fuel set right, the more power. We have even experienced less pinging with bigger TB's.[/align]Don't ask me why, I'm not that smart.[/align]

 

As you guys get to know me you will see that I am almost always around a computerand quicklysee your posts and will gladlycontinue to show my ignorance. I also know that what I want to do is sounding like an echo in the grand canyon on HD forums and don't want to have just another Parrot thread... ya know, where everyone just has to repeat the same to the next new guy over and over.

However, I do want to hear what anyone and everyone has to say. The more info I get may help others with the same deal... so... tell me more Randy. What ya know that we don't?

I am also tossing the "torque" word around a lot. From what I have read it seems to be more important than "horse power". Am I incorrect in the terminology and thinking or am I just confusing the issue? I know I am confusing myself.

I do know that I want something when I twist the throttle. Not hellish power but more than what I have now and I am also thinking that most guys are like me... willing to fork out some cash to do it but have limits on how much they can fork, if you know what I mean.

Thanks again to everyone

Stay safe --> Reksul

 

We are torque junkys here, it's a product of VE (volumetric efficiency). What we have found on the TB's is at the higher end of the rpm it's not just the size of the throttle body but the plenum ares behind the throttle butterfly. If you have a big mouth throttle body and it's very crimped back there (behind the butterfly), that's the air that is going to be adding to cylinder fill. If there isn't enough of that compressed air back there then your not really going to pull it from outside the bike like people think.
So when you're going for high end not only is the diameter critical but thevolume behind the butterfly is critical as well.
Phil is right in the aspect that if you go way too big from what it needs you will start creating some bottom end problems but you have to be way out. the TB is less critical than the carb. For instance we have gone from a G to a D on a 127" engine and lost power but going from a G to a D is a hugh change. But if you went an equivilant TB "G" to a "D" you you would be less apt to see these problems than you would on a carb. There are limits, if it's way too big, your pressure wave becomes out of sinc because it's a diameter length formula andthe bigger you goit does not go back in and tune because it's out of sinc. What we also find isit effects ,as much as anything, the size of the cam and the timing- that,with a missized TB, can really create havic. You can go up and down a size or two with a throttle boby where with a carb you would be hard pressed to.Hope this helps.