I've been told the 2004 TC was the high water mark in regards to quality.

 

The twin cam engines are cheaper to manufacture than the EVO engines.

Chain and sprockets driving the twin cams versus hardened and ground gears that come in various sizes for both the cam gear and pinion. Cheap straight roller bearing on the crank shaft drive versus tapered Timken bearings with a ground spacer for fine adjustment. (No Wet Sumping due to crank run-out so bad that it foams and the oil and cavitates in the oil pump.
Cheap pot metal Oil pump and cam support plate versus four gear cast aluminum oil pump.
No replaceable lifter blocks...Should I go on...
Just look at the recalls between the two engines...Not to mention the "Single Cam" M8's and that new Revolution thing they just came out with...

Twinkie = cheap
Even junk *bay EVO's cost more than twinks....



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2000 / 2001 with Timken crank support bearing. After gear drive install at 83,000, I retired the '00 Road Glide (95") by donating to a charity, and at 172,000 miles never split the cases.

 

If you didn't let the engine warm up and allow the cylinders to grow and compress the gaskets you could develop leaks. Mostly it was a problem caused by those that whipped the throttle on a cold engine....(You know who you are...Smiles)

Build a cheap frame without a down tube and you have to bolt the transmission to the engine....(Think Sportster....)
I'm happy you're happy with your 06 but it's a throwaway.... NOBODY will covet it like a Blockhead, Shovel, Pan, Knuckle or Flathead.....it's just a fact.

 

EVO engines came stock with those....

 

Im very happy, it's my forth trouble-free twinkie and I have no illusions of restoring it. If the engine grenades I'll just buy a used one locally or another cheap bike just to get an engine and away I go but I doubt that'll happen. I have those other bikes you listed which is why I ride the twinkie as a daily and the others are for occasions but an Evo isn't something to be coveted nor is it in the same category as a knuckle or pan.

 

I'm okay with the gearing in my 07' Dyna. I never had any issues until I had my Indy go through it at 75k and they suggested a new cam to replace the stock cam. 5k miles later (80k) their work caused catastrophic damage and I had to have the entire engine rebuilt using all Harley parts. Up until then, my bike ran fine. It would still be cranking out the miles if it wasn't for me wanting to do a precautionary checkup. I'm still running the original clutch and drive belt. The 80k tranny appears to be fine or my dealer would have suggested rebuilding it along with the engine.Yes, the rebuild was expensive, but it was my first Harley and it's near and dear to me.

 

I am waiting on an unmolested 06 Road Glide to be picked up and delivered to me via Haul Bikes. I bought the thing sight unseen thru a dealer auction There's just way too many used bike deals out there. I bought it for less than some dealer markups on new bikes. If it is "as represented" I'll be happy. A good going over once it gets here will be in order. Crazy, I would have never even thought about doing this 10 years ago. Like most, I always wanted the latest and greatest. Now it's the most bang for the buck. At this price, I can have 3 or more different bikes for the price of a new R/G.

 

Gear it and good engine. Bore it to 95" while you are at it.

Last year of timken bearing. I think crank changed a year or two later.

 

I guess that's why I bought it so cheap. I'll ride the crap out of it, and enjoy it as much as anything else. BTW, back in the day when I bought a new '06', it was the latest and greatest, and rode just fine for thousands of miles