true... i just like the HD motor a bit more... Rev tech is the one i tend to stay away from although i have used them... problem is compression... putting that monster together and not having the space for compression releases sucks! i am pulling the heads off a revtech 110 right now to have releases put in.. hahaha problem i run into with REV an S&S is the idnition systems they over heat, you have to mill out the cases to keep them cool and then you run them exposed for moisutre... that is really the only neg i have to say, plus wiht a simple spring repalcemetn on a twin cam you can get WAY WAY better oil flow allwing you to run longer lines and oil coolers thus keeping the motor cooler and the legs/balls of the rider from baking on hot days... other than that... s&S and rev tech both have completely polished motors.. and to be honest... that is simply SICK! i love it... if i could get a polished twin cam for a build i woudl be all over it, problem is i would have to do it myself and i like my fingertips... all that time over the wheel would suck! hahaha
Harley Davidson Cafe Racer?
- Thread starter Griff5268
- Start date
Rider52
Over 1,000 Posts
I've owned a few XLCRs in the mid 80s. The XLCR was not received well by HD riders due to the rear sets and low bars which felt awkward to most riders. The weight of the flywheels and the pulse of the motor caused the bike to attempt to "stand up" in the corners. This freaked out the HD diehards and the bike got a bad reputation. Many of them were parted out by the dealers because they were too hard to sell. I bought a new 78 in the crate in 1982 from a dealer in Augusta, GA for $1000. He was tickled to see it leave. It's ironic that they are so popular with collectors. We've owned a few Buells, got one at the moment, and sadly they have the same problem trying to "stand up" in the corners. Fortunately the improved suspensions of the Buells mask the effect to a point. Still the HD dealers were tickled to see them go! I wonder if the Buells will be the next collectable bike....
Rider
Rider
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
Rider52 said:
You really have to fiddle with the suspension set up on the Buell. I've owned two, still have one, actually. Totally different ride than an inline 4! It was so weird trying to turn that thing, that I had no confidence entering corners. It was an un-nerving experience, to say the least. I searched on line and found a good article, followed the suspension set up from Sportrider mag and tweaked from there. What a world of difference in handling. It was no longer an effort to turn the beast. Important to note, suspension set up is super important. My then new Gixxer 1k ('02) ran wide in corners. Talk about scary! Here I had the baddest mofo on the road, and I couldn't keep up with older 600's and tuber Buells. Finally moved on from factory settings to dropping the forks through the trees and lifting up the rear. The big gixx suddenly handled like a 600 and was a joy to ride. A new in the crate street bike for a grand? I could spend a few bucks on suspension upgrades for that!
VonYinzer
Over 10,000 Posts
Ya know Joe, RevTech, S&S, as well as the couple othe aftermarket VTwin motor builders do make engines smaller than 101 or 120 c.i.? Hahaha... I bet compression and other issues arent too bad when your running an 80" Shovelhead knockoff. Thats my other issue... The excess amongst much of the HD crowd/aftermarket... Anyway, Im on my phone so I cant post pics right now but everyone should look up the early K Model flat track bikes. Maybe my all time favorite HD racers in any form. Simple, brutal, effective. Those bikes kicked ass for decades.
hahaha so true so true... 100% with you on that... i lvoe the shovel and knuck re pops... they are sick, i am a huge fan of old scoots but can not see myself rocking anyting older than a evo on the HD side of the ball... granted my dad i think can pull a shovel or pan apart in our driveway with a pocket knife from hearing their road trip stories from when he was younger, hahaha i am not into constant wrenching all the time...
i did look at the case kits for my twin cam when i bilt my dyna this last go round to make it look like a shovel... but could not bring myself to do it... the S&S flathead line is just awesome!!! imagine all the look and sound of a vintage HD motor but none of the BS ...........SOLD to this guy!
i did look at the case kits for my twin cam when i bilt my dyna this last go round to make it look like a shovel... but could not bring myself to do it... the S&S flathead line is just awesome!!! imagine all the look and sound of a vintage HD motor but none of the BS ...........SOLD to this guy!
have had this site saved to drool over every now and then... repop of all the vintage twins... all upgraded guts
http://www.washingtonchoppers.com/enginesalespage.htm
http://www.washingtonchoppers.com/enginesalespage.htm
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
How about Roland Sands' No Regrets? H-D engine 124", 150hp cafe racer???
http://www.rolandsands.com/wp/2006/06/06/no-regrets/
http://www.rolandsands.com/wp/2006/06/06/no-regrets/
platkeyboy
Been Around the Block
VonYinzer said:
You mean, like these? I know what you mean, and the fact that they might not exactly be classified as "cafe" is irrelevant because A.) the term cafe racer was just a twinkle in someone's daddy's eye when they were made, and B.) they were more "racer" than most other bikes, both yesterday and today.
1950 WR 750 Racer
1956 KR
Basically the same engine foundation as the one in Rayborn's back-to-back-Daytona-winning KRTT:
crazypj
Split personality, I fake being smart
biker_reject said:
Weird, I didn't have the slightest problem jumping on a Buell Lightning with 'race' motor and hitting 35mph posted bends at 90+.
Felt the handling was fine, just hold a steady throttle and go for it. Trying to accelerate or decelerate will make it handle pretty 'strange' I thought most people replying to this thread were 'experienced' motorcyclists?
Doesn't seem like it if your screwing with throttle in corners
crazypj said:Weird, I didn't have the slightest problem jumping on a Buell Lightning with 'race' motor and hitting 35mph posted bends at 90+.
Felt the handling was fine, just hold a steady throttle and go for it. Trying to accelerate or decelerate will make it handle pretty 'strange' I thought most people replying to this thread were 'experienced' motorcyclists?
Doesn't seem like it if your screwing with throttle in corners
says the man who has been riding bikes with sub-par handling since before the telegraph was invented... I get the feeling "experienced" and "confidence" are being mistaken here. biker_reject (and I'm sure myself, as well
) have nowhere near the cahones and riding ability as you, oh great master PJ xD
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
Oh no. I NEVER chop the throttle in a corner! I ain't suicidal. :-D I was talking about just turning the thing. I came off riding in line four race reps (11 years). Going to my first Buell, an XB12R, I experiencing a totally different animal. It takes much more effort on the bars to lean, whereas one can flick an in-line with just a thought. I still can't ride a Buell as quickly as a Japanese sportbike, but I'm trying!
I love Harleys. I dig Sportsters. Especially the 1200S. That is a bike that the factory got right. My 2000 model is the most fun bike I've ever owned. I've done a few upgrades that have made it even better.
Excuse the ugly rack, I just finished making that for the trip to the Born Free 3 show in Cali next weekend.
Excuse the ugly rack, I just finished making that for the trip to the Born Free 3 show in Cali next weekend.
JustinLonghorn
No Purple Hearts, No Blue Ribbons
Half Sporty, Half Buell. I can dig it.
biker_reject
Over 1,000 Posts
That, I like.