I recently traded my 08 Ultra that I bought used. I was told it had a Stage 1 (intake, tune and pipes) but that was all.

I traded it on a 2011 Ultra Limited. I installed a stage 1 and transferred the pipes over from my 08.

The bikes sound completely different. I expected the 103 to be more badazz, but instead it is much, much tamer. Wayyyy too smooth.

Why, why, why??? Granted...I still have not broken it in yet so I am not rolling the throttle hard. Regardless though...I never had to roll the throttle hard on my other one and it was croisp and loud.

Could my other bike possibly have had new cams and nobody knew or are the engines that much different?

 

Not enough difference between a 103 and a 96 to matter. They have the same cams. My 96 runs plenty strong with the stage 1 and catless heat pipes.

 

I bought my 08 Street Glide with the 96 motor and thought it was to weak for the weight of the bike. So that winter I had it beefed up to a 103 with a 575 cam kit, to give me more lower end. There is no comparison in between the to.

This year I traded in my 06 fat boy for the 2010Electric Glide Ultra Limited with the 103. Now mind you I had to change the header and put a stage 1 on it. But the 96 motor is fine for soft tails and such. But when you are getting into a heavier bike, you are going to need a bigger motor IMO.

 

I agree and I will likely install a cam as well, but my question was more around the sound of the two bikes using the same setup. Why is the 103 more tame than my 96 was with the same upgrades?

 

Need a catless head pipe and cams!!

 

The 103 has 1.6 horsepower and 6.5 lb-ft of torque over a 96 in stock form. If you can tell the difference by seat of the pants, your a better man than me.
Gary D

 

Such as a D&D system with cam?

Its not about the added power, but the sound. Same setup and much different sound. I expected the 103 to be more badazz than the 96. It turns out to be the other way around. My 96 sounded beastly. My 103 sounds like a pussycat.

 

Sounds to me like your 96" had cams & you did't know it!

 

That is exactly what I was thinking. It had great low end torque. I could get up to speed very quickly with the OL on back screamin her head off (happy screams). Once I hit 70mph and cruising It lost all power to do much else though.

 

Definitely sounds like a camed up motor .