Upgrade suggestions....

[fripple]

I just purchased an 06 carb'd night train. I'm currently looking to purchase a Mikuni 42mm and the Bassani Pro-Streets. Would a 203 cam benefit me much? I just want a little more low end torque. I don't have the money to do a big bore or to get gear drive cams. I'm just trying to find the best combo for the buck and stay with the 88" for now. Any ideas?

[Mike]

The 203's will help but not by a huge amount. Problem is the goal to increase "low end torque". The Bassanni Pro-Streets have a significant torque dip between 2-3k rpm and is more severe as cam overlap and duration is increased (203's vs stock). Last, the Mikuni is an excellent carb (my personal favourite) but also does not promote low end torque as well as a CV style carb. Though your combo selection is excellent and will work quite well from 3500rpm and up, it may not achieve your expressed goal and in fact may reduce low end torque. At Latus Motors, we try very hard to match performance upgrades to the goals and expectations of the customer. That is why you will see a variety of cams, exhaust, etc. with our "packaged" kits. A better combo would be the stock CV recalibrated, 204 or Andrews 21 (possibly the 26a) cams, and the new (for 07) SE slip-on mufflers. The muffler choice will be the most critical to promoting low end torque. This web site has a extensive exhaust dyno folder for just such comparisons. Note that as cams get bigger and back pressure is reduced the torque dip is greater and conversely as motor size, compression and back pressure goes up the dip tends to get better.
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

Thanks for the reply Mike. What exactly is involved in the recalibration of the stock CV unit?

[Mike]

Basically a jet kit. Dynojet is popular, we use H-D jets and needle shims. Best done on a dyno but can be close with street testing.
Thanks, mike

[fripple]

how long does it usually take to dyno a carb'd bike verses a fuel injected one?

[Mike]

Expect 1-2 hours at $110.00/hour. No exhaust tuning, closer to the one hour (maybe 1.5). It depends on how responsive the bike is to changes. Very responsive, few changes required to zero in. Not so responsive, more changes, i.e. dyno time.
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

Ok Mike thanks for all of the replies. Here's another question for you.

I have the money now to do a small 95" build. I'm going to have to stay with stock heads,stock iginition, valvesprings, and pushrods. I will have to stay with a chain drive cam for cost reasons. Given my listed parts below, what cam & piston choice would you recommend that would give me the most bang for the buck? I'm having my stock cylinders bored to 1550 specs. I have listed the current parts below.....

42mm Mikuni
SE Stage 1
Bassani Pro-Streets

[Mike]

See our engine build in th Aug/Sept 06 issues of American Iron Magazine. This is exactly the type of build we did for them. It was H-D's SE cast 10.25 pistons and SE 211 cams. Stock heads, with cylinders bored for the pistons. Perfect match with the components you've already purchased. Expect a torque dip around 2.5k rpm with the Pro Streets but also expect 90-92hp and 100-105 tq.(5th gear STD correction, mag bike did 95/102).
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

Very nice and thanks for the reply. Compression releases won't be necessary with 10.25 compression will they? I just need the build to be reliable and last me for a while. Thanks again.

[Mike]

The compression release are nice to have but not required.
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

ok thanks for the help. i'll probably have to find a dyno somewhere and get my jetting right.

[Mike]

The dyno would be nice but you can get pretty close on the jetting by trial and error. You may want to upgrade your ignition, at a later date is fine. It'll make the increase in power more accessable and the bike will tend to run sharper. The SE fixed modules are good, I prefer an adjustable like the Dyna, Crane or Daytona.
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

Mike, you've been a HUGE help man. Thanks for all of the help. How many of these builds have you guys done? I'm just undecided on whether or not to get the stock heads drilled for compression releases. I've also been looking at the SE gaskets, stud kit, and the SE pro race ignition for this build.

I couldn't find your issue of the build anywhere. You wouldn't happen to have a website that the build is located on would you?

[Mike]

Go to the top of this forum, under "Dyno Charts", then to "211 kits", we list 28 211 builds and 60 251 builds. We've done many more but do not list all. I've also got a pretty big backlog of charts to add. We believe this library to be the largest on the web. The magazine build is listed as "2006 FLHTCUI, RHTD, 211, HERNANDEZ". You can also use the "Exhaust" folder to see how different pipes have performed and so get a feel for how your choices may work or compare others you may be considering. This is the same info we base much of our decisions and discussions on. This is a resource for all owners to use as you wish and as often as you like.
Thanks, Mike

[fripple]

Thanks again. With most of your 211 builds that use stock heads do any of them get compression releases installed? I'm just mainly wondering because of the higher compression. I just didn't want to run into any problems down the road, but if I really don't need them, then I won't spend the cash.

Yeah I've been seeing the torque dip from the pro streets in the dyno section. I've been looking through that for a while now. Lots of good info in there! Again you've been a big help, thanks!

[Mike]

The 211 kit is, by definition, to be used with stock heads. As this is the case, we would not normally install compression releases. The cranking cylinder pressure is actually less than stock with this setup, so starting has not been any more of an issue than stock.

Even though we raise mechanical compression, we lower cranking pressure due to later intake closing. Cranking pressure does not start to develop until the intake valve is closed. As part of any motor recommendations, these are among the many things we consider. We do these things to make the bikes more fun and so we try hard not to give you recommendations that may give you greif.
Thanks, Mike