Thread: Getting power out of a harley

Originally Posted by berg243

how to make a harley accelerate , stop and turn corners the only way possible. Attachment 150655

This Harley thing is a bit like 7mm08s. They are great for what they are designed for but other bikes do different things better....I have never had a Harley, but the 500cc LAMS one looks the part and seems to ride pretty well. I have a Jap cruiser ('85 Virago) It aint as fast as a sports bike but its not supposed to be....but I dont look like a fat pretzel wrapped around a bent beer can when I ride it either....test rode a 1000cc V Strom the other week.....that felt like a great way to say bye bye to my license....

Originally Posted by timattalon

This Harley thing is a bit like 7mm08s. They are great for what they are designed for but other bikes do different things better....I have never had a Harley, but the 500cc LAMS one looks the part and seems to ride pretty well. I have a Jap cruiser ('85 Virago) It aint as fast as a sports bike but its not supposed to be....but I dont look like a fat pretzel wrapped around a bent beer can when I ride it either....test rode a 1000cc V Strom the other week.....that felt like a great way to say bye bye to my license....

That’s a horrible thing to say about the 7mm08.

Heres 2 I regret parting with the most for completely different reasons... both adrenaline filled in different ways. Bloody hard to strike a balance but good fun trying

Very nice machines... so many different bikes styles to experiment with.

Cam - if I'm ever in the Bay I'll take up your offer for a ride on that Hardly.... Just have to find a german WW2 helmet to look the part

The Aprilia is a classic.

Originally Posted by cameronjackwhite

Attachment 150681Attachment 150687

Heres 2 I regret parting with the most for completely different reasons... both adrenaline filled in different ways. Bloody hard to strike a balance but good fun trying

Those headers on the Rocket are way cool! A ton better than the factory manifold.

Originally Posted by mimms2

Fixed that there for ya.

Except look cool - ya forgot that bit!

Remember: There’s only two types of riders; those that ride Harley - and those that WANT to ride Harleys!

Originally Posted by Shearer

The Aprilia is a classic.

Was going to squeeze a YZF 450 motocrosser engine into one of those, would have been a hell of an F3 bike!

Originally Posted by outlander

All hail the Kawasaki triples, RD Yamahas and Bridgestone 350.

I need a "more than like" button for that one.

To me Harleys are always going to be a cruising bike for crossing Australia or Arizona (stopping at every gas station on the way) so I cant see much advantage in making one go fast with 1930's technology engines. However, due to their bad name for reliability I would take a BMW any day for a cruiser. That would be my advice if you don't want a japanese bike. I have to say I do have a soft spot for Ducati's also but they are also expensive on the upkeep.

I remember in Australia reviving a fair amount of abuse from Harley riders while riding my RZ350, they usually abused me at the lights (rice burning tinny jap crap etc) and definitely jumped ahead for the first 50m or so but once the power valves opened they got left in the dust.

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

I suppose this thread is the motorbike equivalent of ‘How can I make my 7.62X39 into a good 600 yard+ hunting rifle’


Horses for courses...

more like 577 Snider

Originally Posted by XR500

Everytime I got off my H1 at the end of a ride I knew I was alive! And that was 45 years ago. 'Eyes as wide as saucers' alive.

OMG I am probably only here because I couldn't get mine off the garage floor, unfortunately parts supplies had dried up by the 90s 9it was missing a couple of parts). With great regret I sold it having never rode it as I moved to OZ. The S400 I had went OK for a while but was pretty tame and then suffered ignition problems, that also sold before I went to OZ.

I can only imagine what 2 smokes would be like now if Killafornias pollution laws hadn't killed them off. All hail to the mighty 2 stroke we will remember you always....

Originally Posted by Ftx325

Yep... had a cb750k2 at one stage with the ole 4-1 chasing horsepower. Then I made the mistake of test riding an rz350ypvs and had to have it . What a machine that was , more go than the big fours and could throw it around like a pushbike.
I often regret not keeping some of my bikes simply for investment value. The prices of the older jappa's nowadays are huge if you can find them. And to think of the abuse we used to give them.

I left mine in OZ more than 20 years ago, I should have bought another when I got back but it just didn't happen.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/m...2?bof=BKtkEHPA

pity about the paint scheme but so tempting...

Originally Posted by 40mm

WASH YOUR BLOODY MOUTH OUT.

The fearsum 'shree point shree' is a capable beast which will propel any mooring chain at a ridiculous pace straight to the bottom of Davy Jones' locker.


I had a black one in my VK wagon, manual with an exhaust. sounded great. but did lack a bit of power and the timing gears stripped off of it.
That was the only problem it ever had though.
Except the thrust face on the crank wore off.

I still liked it though. A straight six just sounds good.

I had a torana with a 186, 1/2 race came etc. One of the nicest sounding motors ever imho

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

I need a "more than like" button for that one.

To me Harleys are always going to be a cruising bike for crossing Australia or Arizona (stopping at every gas station on the way) so I cant see much advantage in making one go fast with 1930's technology engines. However, due to their bad name for reliability I would take a BMW any day for a cruiser. That would be my advice if you don't want a japanese bike. I have to say I do have a soft spot for Ducati's also but they are also expensive on the upkeep.

I remember in Australia reviving a fair amount of abuse from Harley riders while riding my RZ350, they usually abused me at the lights (rice burning tinny jap crap etc) and definitely jumped ahead for the first 50m or so but once the power valves opened they got left in the dust.

Got a mate with a warmed over big engined harley who wanted a drag with my crossplane R1 yammy. We lined up and he let rip.... I counted out 5 seconds then did the same. I passed him like he was going backwards as I clicked into second just on 160 kph .... We both new it was one-sided but he was amazed at just how fast a modern sportsbike is. I even converted an old die hard harley fan I have ridden with for 25 yrs. He was died in the wool harley man and we were riding back from the races. He was on some 1340 'sport' model...it had factory fitted flash 'normal' style rear shocks which apparently made it the sport model. I was on my T595 trumpy cruising round a longish corner with one hand on the throttle bar and the other fiddling with my helmet strap. Next thing I know he wasn't there anymore , so I turned round and found him parked on the side of the road trying to roll a smoke with shaking hands. He followed me round the bend and ended up riding up the bank when he ran out of ground clearance. Two weeks later he sold the harley and he bought a ducati monster...

Originally Posted by cameronjackwhite

Jesus I opened a can of worms here! I'm well aware of the pros and cons of most if not all bikes mentioned. I've done the jappa thing, even raced an rg150 at Manfield for a while in my earlier days as well as bucket racing as a kid. For no reason other than personal preference I enjoy the sporty. Was really gauging to see if anyone else had done cams right out to trask turbos in order to get more power. I'm certainly aware it can be a bottomless pit but hey, were only here once... theres a reason Harley's are still being sold, some of us seem to like them..

GUILTY as Charged.

This has definitely been one of the best and funniest threads for ages. Thanks!