95"

[Bordercreek]

First time out :)

I am also a first time 2006 HD RKC rider. Love the bike, but like some, I tend to like a strong power band...

I think I may have been miss lead on my 95"... 260 cams, SE heads. pistons... 10.5 comp... with rinehart true Ds... and race tuner... It was installed at 5000 miles with a dyno pf 93tq and 95hp... The power band kicks in around 3900 and pulls stroung through 5500... Aslo useing Syn3 oil...

The bike ran good for about 4000 miles and then begain using oil... Took it to the shop and they did a down flow and the back cylinder was lossing about 15% and the front maybe 5%.. Took her apart and the Mech informed me that the back piston was sticking and she was scared up... A bad install as he put it...

As the sad story goes, i had to have the cylinders reworked, 5 over pistons reinstalled... we are talking a learning curve here...

So the rebuild begins... I think a would like to go with a woods set up... and the shop and good Bob Wood recommends TW9BG with a 24 tooth gear drive...

The charts i have reviewed for this set up tend to be in the direction i wish to go... I was really not please with the SE260 cam... The qestion in the back of my little brain is am i going down the wrong undependable road where my engine drinks to much, or did i just end up on the wrong side, with a bad put together 95"... The Mech i am currently working with is a HD dealer service guy and he leaves me with more then reassured feeling he knows what he is doing, unlike my first attempt...

Not looking for the moon, just a happy grin when i ride... My first HD is a hell of a lot of fun and i will never go back... I just would like a little help on the learning curve thing...

Thank you for any in-sight you may wish to share with Northern Ca mountain riding kinda guy...

[Mike]

I hope I do not muck up the waters too much here!! Do not know about a "bad install" on the pistons as they are fit to the cylinders from the factory (unless the cylinders were bored locally). I agree the 260 cam is WAY too much timing for a 10.5 compression 95. Your tq numbers are low because the motor is not making cylinder pressure due to too much duration. I would recommend the Wood TW8. The 9B would be an improvement vs. the 260 but the 8 is more suitable for your heads, compression, type of bike and what you are trying to achieve. The earlier timing will make more cylinder pressure (more torque) and the lower lift will be easier on the valve train (less stress, longer life) yet still high enough to work well with the ports. The 24/37 primary drive will make the bike accelerate quicker but turn slightly higher rpms at cruise. With the lower gears you can also stand a little more cam since the bike can more easily move through the torque dip. The above will work equally well with the SE Performance, HTCC or CNC Ported versions (not sure which you have).
Thanks, Mike