Sportster Rebuild Project – Final Verdict

Brothers, if spring isn’t right here for most of us, it’s correct around the corner and I know my buddies in the Provinces are itching to get going.

Make it happen, captain!

All you folks that have been following my Sportster rebuild have most likely noticed that I haven’t had the dyno numbers however. I was arranging on pulling 90 horses out of that standard “small” block Evo. Well, as promised, I did dyno it on March 5 and with a lot of tinkering…

The very best pull was 87 horses at just shy of 6000 rpm. The Mikuni dumps a lot of fuel and the new heads just eat it up. Throttle response with the valve job and cams is extremely crisp, economy (whoever worries about that on a bike) seems to be a little greater – which I chalk up to greater flow through the SuperTrapp, and drivability … that most ethereal issue when it comes to a scoot … well, let’s just say I’m nevertheless receiving utilised to how quickly it reacts.

This factor is quickly.

Truly rapidly. Like sub-5 seconds -60 rapidly. I’ve tried to maintain my hand out of the throttle until we get everything completely tuned and the old hotrodder in me desires to preserve torqueing stuff on the engine, but after I get 1000 miles on it, I’m going to run it for a quarter time that I’m prepared to bet will be a lot closer to 12 than 13.

So what is the final verdict? I was capable to upgrade this bike to a newer and far more efficient engine making much more energy and torque for a hair significantly less than $ 3500 US. Provided the truth that the present numbers from the dyno session give me comparable power to the large-engined newer Sportsters and maintain older, more driveway-friendly electrical and fuel management systems in spot that I can truly work on indicates that maintenance fees will be decrease longer term.

And I still don’t have a payment on it.

Should you consider a project like this? If you have some mechanical capability and resources, Hell yeah! The Evo-engined Harleys can make great numbers, have tons of aftermarket goodies, and are reliable as a brick. What’s not to like? The ideal portion is that the systems in them are, for the most portion, straightforward to understand – tuning a carburetor is tuning a carburetor, no matter no matter whether it is a Holley Double-Pumper or a Mikuni.

Believe about it like this – Joe Sixpack doesn’t know a new bike from a late model but even your six year old knows what a Harley sounds like and looks like. Old iron can make some excellent power and not expense a fortune to obtain, so why not consider about tweaking your own? Just don’t do it appropriate now – it is Spring and it is time to ride!

Sportster Rebuild Project – Final Verdict