Relax,
There are many TC88B bikes out there with 100K and going. Every HD engine has an issue. They hold up fine with proper care and common sense, I would not own anything but the 88B. After consulting with HD wrenches that know whats up, not to worry. My next ride would not be anything but a TC88B. Why would I want anything different? As long as you are riding within the norm, below 6000 RPM, nothing to sweat. If you want more then that I doubt you would have bought a stock 88B to begin with. Enjoy your ride with no worry.

 

Hog...that makes more sense than anything I have seen on this subject!....just ride em, and take care of your ride.

 

with all this being said i change my oil frequently but i use regular old harley oil. will this cause a problem down the road or is it ok to use?

 

Nothin' wrong with regular HD oil, except the price. You can get better oil cheaper, and no, it won't affect your warranty. Drop down into the Tech section, check out the oil basics post in the top section.

 

Awsome reading!!!

I agree with this post except... You like the look and feel of the Softail (06 FXSTS) but after riding for 10k plus and you decide you want more punch.... Does the 88b holdup with mods? I do not know the answer to that.I agree that HD will say what is necessary to keep youHD happy (Customer Service 101).

So, what is the best mod after pipes and ac? I hear cams... Which cams? Andrews? Which ones? I do not know!!! Maybe there should be a poll on TC88b and cam mods? Anyway I hope this gets read as I am going to subscibe...

 

When I saw the statement that went something like increased internal engine loads results in increased torque I had to discount anything that followed. As the panic stricken rush to dump their Dueces I have to ask, has anyone actually seena"B" engine self destruct as described? There are thousands of these engines out there running around with tens of thousands of miles on them and years past the puny warranty. Is Harley secretly buyingup the dead ones and burrying them in the dead of night?

 

Hate to bust you bubble but the original softails never had a B motor in them. There is nothing wrong with theB motor. I cruise 90mph and it is smooth as silk.

 

Wow, This is the best reading I have had since the 32 valve Quad Cam Cobra Motors starting ticking in the SVT Cobra Mustangs.

Im riding my TC88B, and planning to ride the @*#& out of it, Just like my V-8 in my snake.

If it Breaks, it Breaks, Its machine, all machines break. Heck if we keep worrying about this too much, we might as well be walking.
As others have said too many on the road now, thousands of them, and I never see any broken or busted at the shop when I stop by, and thats at least once a week.

Get on the road and ride, thats why we have them in the first place.

If you want to go fast, buy the speed bikes, and remember just when you think you have the fastest one, you better look again, someone else out there had you beat last week.

By the way, one of the ten-commandments is to not ride our associate with those who sniffle or complain about their Harley, just thought I would throw that out there too.
Ride On Yall,[sm=biker.gif]

 

quote:

ORIGINAL: BClem

The softail frame is where Harley decided to put the B model because of the rigid engine mounts and it is amazing to me the number of people who own a softail and do not know about the engine. The touring bikes all have the 88 since the engine is rubber mounted. Harley was embarrassed about the vibration of the V twin and knew that it would destroy the light duty frame of the softail so included a major modification to the 88; flyweights attempting to balance the engine and cure some of the vibration
BClem


I enjoy and learn a lot from the information BClem's posts but can't imagine that Harley worried about a V Twin "destroying the light duty frame of the Softail." While mine has a different engine and frame, the clock on my 98 FXSTC just turned 50,000 miles and the EVO, a real shaker, hasn't had any noticable effect.I have hit lots of road hazzards that seem to stress the Softail frame more thanthe V-Twinengine ever could. With some of the frame problems Honda has experienced, putting a V-Twin on a Goldwing might well result in "destruction" but Softail frames, old or new, seem to me to be very well built.

All that said, based on friends that own newer models, I'dwouldn't hesitate to buy an 88B or 96 BTwin Softail if my bikewas wrecked or stolen.That is the way it would have to end because it is unlikely the Evolution motor will wear out ... before I do.

 

Honestly, my next scoot will probably be a custom. hehehehe.. something I know has poor reliability instead of something where the reliability is questionable. hehehehe Although it might have an Evo class motor in it, so it will probably run for eons provided the rest of the bike stays together.