| Author | Message | ||
     Dynasport |
The engine on my FXDX is basically stock with stage one filter and screaming eagle pipes. I have been wanting more performance and had thought I'd get it by buying another bike when I can afford it, which will be a bit over a year from now if things go well. Anyway, I thought that before I make any final decisions about buying a new bike I should look into upgrading the performance on the one I have now. So I contacted a well respected performance shop who I am confident would do good work. I kept my requirements fairly minimal I thought, 80+ hp with good reliability. The cost was over $3600. I should have expected that, but it sure seems like a lot of money. Money I could put toward a Buell. So now I am thinking that it would not be wise to do such a thing. Any thoughts? | ||
| Bill0351 |
That's right about what my Cyclone cost and of the many bikes I have owned, it is my favorite so far. I have been thinking hard of getting another HD to keep it company in the garage. A pairing like you would have would be perfect. Bill | ||
| Creature_x1 |
at the shop I work at, big bore cylinders with flat top cast pistons, and gear driven .510 cams from S&S cost around $2000 to $2200 to do out the door. It is a VERY reliable setup , and makes torque #'s in the 95 - 102 range (depending on what carb. or FI). $3600 sounds like a lot of money for what you describe. If that is the going rate around you area, just buy the Buell for the hot rod. You will get more for your money. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Without knowing the exact list of modifications, it is hard to know if the $3600 is high or not. It sounds reasonable to me. When one "soups up" a FXDX, there are several reliability upgrades that are more or less required, if you want to retain some of the reliability of the stock motor. I would list these as: 1. High output oil pump 2. Gear drive for cams 3. Competition Clutch 4. Hydraulic primary chain adjuster 5. Oil cooler 6. Cam bearing plate 7. Roller rockers 8. Stronger starter motor Handling and braking upgrades are a good idea too, now that the bike will be a lot faster. I would suggest: 1. Metzler tires 2. Fork brace 3. Floating brake rotors 4. Upgraded brake pads and brake lines 5. Steering damper Once you start on this road it is pretty easy to drop five grand. Unless you also do something pretty dramatic to the cosmetics on the bike, so that a new buyer might find it irresistible, you most likely will find that the bike is now worth LESS on the resale market, as many buyers prefer to buy a used bike that is 100% stock. Bottom line: Don't do it. I would stay calm, and start saving for a nice used Buell, and keep the FXDX more or less the way it is. Having a Harley and a Buell is a lot of fun, and $5K will get you a very nice used tuber or early XB. As Buells and Harleys are sort of second cousins, they are different enough to make riding each one an entirely different experience, but similar enough to simplify maintenance quite a bit. You might be able to get a little more out of your current engine by going with a K+N air cleaner, rejetted carb and an upgraded ignition for a couple of hundred bucks. That might keep you happy until you get your new ride. | ||
| Dynasport |
Jon, I have already done some of the upgrades you suggested, and the $3600 included several of the others. I want to make clear I am not suggesting the $3600 was high for the upgrades the shop was recommending, it is just a lot of money for what I feel is not a drastic improvement. So, I think I will probably stop spending money on my bike for upgrades and keep it more or less the way it is for now. Then, one day, I will buy a Buell to keep it company. I wish I was patient. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
There is a current series on HBO about the life and times of our second President, John Quincy Adams. A wise man, and great patriot he observed: "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. " I would have to give him a big ten four on that!  PS: I totally agree that it is a lot of money for a small improvement. On another note, it shows what a great value one gets in a Buell which comes with a properly set up motor, and great suspension and brakes right out of the box. (Message edited by gentleman_jon on April 13, 2008) | ||
| Ftd |
Lots of info on that subject here: http://groups.msn.com/HarleyTechTalk/tc88fathead.m snw Research the "Hippo build" which costs < $3600 and yields 100hp/100tq reliably: bore cylinders 95" flat top pistons (valve reliefs must be enlarged) S&S 570 gear driven cams 0.030 cometic head gasket adj. push rods SE perf heads good 2 into 1 pipe good dyno tune | ||
| Pammy |
Frank, that is what our package puts out 100+ depending on exhaust and the cost is somewhere around $3600. I believe Wes is who he talked to. I think all he asked for was at least 88. That is certainly not all he would get. | ||
| Jackbequick |
My FXD will be at 60,000 miles or so at the end of this season and I'm thinking about rebuilding it. My initial thoughts are that I'd like to either add SE heads or have the heads rebuilt to those or better standards to improve flow. I'd get them decked to bring the compression up to about 9.2:1 with the standard cylinders and flat top pistons. I'd add a set of streetable (Andrews?) cams that would take advantage of the increased flow, stay with the CV-40 carb, and expect to see about 80 HP or so out of it. That would add 15 HP over the stock 65 HP rating and I think it would give me both the amount of power I'd like to have and good long term reliability and reasonable mileage too. I'd have the lower end rebuilt, add rings (and .010 over pistons if needed), and hope to do all this for under $3K. That would be with me pulling the engine and reinstalling it. I'll have more in a Dyna than I'll ever get back out of it but I've decided it is going to be a long term keeper and don't really care. I've looked at the newer Dynas and stuff and there is just no interest for me to go there. Jack | ||
| Citified |
S@S has 4 valve hemi heads. Nothin more satisfying than spankin a sportbike with a "slow" hog  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
The upgrades I was looking at doing to my Sportster to make it a rip snorter 1203 Thunderstorm from the 883 was about 3200... Made more sense to use that money to the Buell side of the house. No regrets. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I don't know my overall cost involved, but my 96 FLHP (1340 Evo; 80") puts down 90/90 hp/tq at the wheel: .005" o/s S/E forged pistons, 10.5:1 compression machined stock cylinders Cometic top end gaskets ported / big valve stock heads, stock rockers S/E adjustable pushrods V-Thunder .569" cam (I want to say model 3030) Daytona TwinTec singlefire ignition, cone mounted, adjustable/selectable curve S/E singlefire coil S/E twincam-spec (extra plate) clutch with 2006 OEM "easy pull" ball and ramp Stock carb with thunderslide kit; S/E hi-flow air cleaner Stock headers with S/E II slip-ons I've probably got less than $1300 in parts; machine and dyno work may have touched $400 and I did the assembly myself. The bike has nearly 60k on it (about 20k on the current package) and it's got no issues at all. Starts right up with the stock starter (although in winter I do have to put it on a tender every night - compression, cold battery and cold oil make it a tough start) and runs like a champ, dead-nuts reliable. I have to admit, though...as well as it runs, I'm still on a Buell more often than I'm on the HD. |
