Just a note from the field. I've seen several 110 ci CVO motors develop an interference issue between the spring retainers and rocker boxes-usually the rear cylinder first. Gets worse with miles. The lift of the 255s is great , and the short valve events make off idle torque , but I'm beginning to suspect this leads to the valve seats getting hammered and the installed height of the valves growing-BANG-witness marks on the rocker box and an annoyingly loud motor. No major damage , but suspect engineering nonetheless. With a 103" motor , the 204 cams should be pretty stout , with a much gentler profile. My $.02. With a lighter bike (Dyna or FX Softtail , the 203s are very nice bolt in cams.)

 

You have good, early tq with the SE 255 because the intake close is at 25*. But you also make very little horsepower for a 96" cammed engine--so while it produces tq, it does so slowly. An 18-wheeler has great tq, but makes it slowly to give a gross example of the relationship between tq and hp.

Also, I don't understand the question about "off-idle." My bike idles at about 980 rpm, but I seldom ride at below 2000 rpm.

The post earlier about "area under the curve" is also perfectly valid and true--if you want to know how well a cam makes power, look at the area under the curve where you ride--past 5K is irrelevant to me, for example.

One of the few (only?) bolt-in cams (i.e. no issues with valve springs, piston clearance, etc.) with a 36* intake close is the HQ-500/HQ-0034. Almost all the others close at 40* (and users often use a 4* advance key to create the earlier close). There are many happy users of the HQ 500/0034, myself included.

 

The most important valve event is the intake closing. After that , overlap. The rest of the cam timing numbers are clearance issues. Harleypingman is right. A flat torque curve is great-if you're towing a trailer up a hill. Acceleration calls for a little more aggressive cam timing.

 

Gotta agree with the HQ0034. This is a great useable HP/TQ cam. It starts pulling down low and does not stop. Just did another one in a standard with no headwork and just 95" big bore 9.7:1 pistons and the thing breaks loose shifting into second gear.

 

He has a 96" engine. The HQ 0034 cam is designed for the 95" big bore. Never used this cam so I can not related to how it would/would not help.

 

I believe the HQ-500 is the HQ-0034 but for the 96". You can still use the 0034 in the 95" Big Bore

 

I've only got about 80 miles with my 103" and 204 cams. Great throttle respnse and great power from 2000rpm and above. However, the tune is making a big difference as well as I go through the V-Tune process with the help of Doc. I have not lost anything below 2000rpm compared with stock. My service manager and tech thought this combo is much better than with the 255s.

 

Doc just help me tweak my Mastertune and the stage I bike has never run better. I had thought about changing cams but I'm pretty pleased with stock now. The ability to tune it properly, made a big difference.