I am looking at an 01 Softail Standard. I know this is an early "Twinkie" but is it a B engine? I am almost sure it is, but I was told the early B's were not a very good engine. It has 19K on the clock. I owned an 02 Fatboy that was fine until 60 mph and then the vibration started, but it was nothing like my 90 EVO Heritage. What are your thoughts and experiences?

 

Who told you the early "B" engines weren't any good?


the "B" engine began in 2000FYI.

 

Waoo, I feel old now, because this was all the hype and I remember it .. here goes.
The Evolution Engine was solid (it actually was more reliable than the TC due to the Cams being not driven by chains).. but ... it Vibrated like hell.
The Engine was rubber mounted on Dynas and on FL bikes and it worked beautifully.
But on the Softails it was rigid mounted and it made speeds above 70 Miles per hour shaky, some said it was unbearable, and some said that it was 'character'.
Either way, it rattled out lots of nuts and bolts, anything that was not 'lock-tight' and done properly fell off and the bikes were never ridden for any longer distances.

So, the 'B' engine lost 2 ponies and made the softail fun to ride!.

I hope that helps.

 

Yes,,2000 first year of the B. I still have my 00 Heritage. I did upgrade the cams to gear drive to eliminate the spring loaded tensioners and the silent chain cam drive.

 

"The Evolution Engine was solid (it actually was more reliable than the TC due to the Cams being not driven by chains).. but ... it Vibrated like hell."

I have a 99 fatboy an love it.....first time I rode a evo after having a shovel head I was like "MAN THAT'S SMOOTH!"

 

I have a 2000 FLSTC with 40,000 miles on it. Engine seems okay to me.

 

I put double that on 2 separate early 'B" model equipped softails, without issue.

 

All twin cam engines in Softails are b, meaning counter balanced. The first year of a twin cam in a Softail was 2000. 2017 will probably be the last year of a twin cam in a Softail.

Dynas and Touring bikes with the twin cam engine do not have counter balancers. Twin cams in those were from 1999-2016.

 

I love my early "b" motor. As far as twin cams go 2000-2002 are my faves, they still had good features in them. They had forged cranks timken bearings and some say polished cam chains.

 

Lots of good information here. Thanks