Get an evo or shovel and forget about balancers and rubber mounts. Man up and get a real Harley.

 

Good point, I forgot to mention solid vs. rubber mounted engines.

 

Does a EVO and Shovel have the engine mounted into the frame with the rear wheel swing arm mounted to the end of the transmission like a Dyna?

 

I miss my B motor on my softail. As the B motor gets into the higher RPMs (3k) the balancer has a harder time keeping up and it starts to shake more but still it's nothing like the A motor. My teeth chatter at idle on the A.. which I don't really mind. Where I really notice it is when I pull in the clutch and brake. It feels like the ABS is kicking in but it's really just the motor shaking about. As cruising speed they feel about the same to me. It does feel like the A has a bit more power...which makes sense since it not using any power to keep things in balanced harmony.

 

ripsaw, my 92 fxr has the swingarm pivot shooting through a hole in the transmission. the "R" in fxR, stands for "rubber mount". just like staples, that was easy.

 

I never really appreciated the difference until I swapped my 10 year old soft tail on a touring bike.

 

Owned both and prefer the B. It doesn't shake at idle but once underway transmits its power pulses and feels more alive. The A is too smooth anywhere but idle, doesn't feel like a twin.

 

Yes, but that helps put the tour in touring. I'm not fond of having numb hands after a 5 or 600 mile day.

 

Like most, I have owned both, apples and oranges to compare really. The bikes have more differences than a balancing shaft, and they ride differently. Personally i am happy with the a version, mostly due to the whole bike that I bought and not the motor...
Question; There was an a and b motors in the Evo as well?

 

I think the answer to that is no. The Evo Softail bikes with the solid mounts shook a whole lot at idle and through the RPM range. Kinda like a Sporster prior to them getting rubber mounts around 04. I had 1999 Sporster and it was a lot of fun to ride, but I certainly would not want to tour on it.