An interesting conversation today… I got to talk to Robin, about the Panhead… Robin, as you may know was the head mechanic at the Harley shop… Now, he builds very high performance engines… And probably knows more about Harley Davidson‘s of every year, new and old Then just about anybody… And of course, Robin has opened up his own independent motorcycle shop where he will specialize in Harley Davidson‘s… I told Robin about my plan to maybe take the Panhead, and re-task it for The Salt… He said if I choose to do that, he will build the engine for me… He said he is very interested in the project and would love to be involved… So now I have some serious thinking to do across this winter.

 

So... I re-thought the whole motorcycle plan for 2021… And canceled the Pan-American… I will revisit that idea after the ‘Rona is over… So probably 2022… Robin and I have a plan to horsepower up on the eGlide, and he wants to do that work in February when he has time… Tuner, Cams, remove the Catalytic Converter and some slip-ons... I seriously doubt I’ll be crossing the border south next year...Newfoundland & back is starting to look like a plan...

 

Darla will be happy

 

And Rocky will appreciate the new jugs too

 

Rocky is getting new jugs?

 

c'mon, you know he is treating Darla with an enlargement.

 

Robin will do a leak down test, of course a compression test… And put a camera inside the heads to see how the top of the Pistons look… a new hi-performance oil pump, plus some other odds and sods… I also think that he wants to see a stage two tune-up on an engine that he designs for a very specific riding type... I told him I want the torque to peak at about 2,250 RPM, and stay flat to about 4000, with the peak horsepower hitting at 5000... I ride between about 2500 RPM and 3500 RPM with the occasional trip up to 5000 RPM… So that is our target... Once I am above 60 miles an hour I am in sixth gear, and I want to be able to just throw up and pass everything without having to downshift… if you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty much designing a truck motor… LOL… And I want her to pull like a freight train no matter what gear I’m in

 

What cc or cubes are you going up to?
What engine is it now
When you say tuner, dyno tune

 

it’s a 107 cu in M8 motor… It will stay that size… By tuner, I’m talking about the little module they put on that they can program the fuel injection with… That’s because they have to make changes due to the new camshaft, removed catalytic converter and the new muffler… Robin doesn’t use a Dyno to tune engines, he does it by the seat of his pants, and how the engine feels under acceleration taking into account the modifications he made to the motorcycle...

Even a little bit of research will tell you that dyno numbers can be cooked, that’s why Robin doesn’t use one, he had a wheel dyno at the Harley shop, and hardly ever used it, unless someone actually wanted a piece of paper to show their friends… A stock M8 should be making about 80 hp and 100 foot pounds of torque… We’re looking to get about 100 hp and 115 foot pounds of torque… But the torque will peak sooner, and stay flatter for longer… I’m not looking to build a horse power motor, I want a torque motor...

 

The M8 motors respond very well to cam changes. The cam change I did on my 103 is the best thing I have done to the bike without a doubt. You will have a new bike again and 6th gear will be much more useable.