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Bold changes help Harley find sweet spot

published December 18, 2006

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( 45 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
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Bummer.

This epiphany of sorts came to me as I was riding a handsome two-tone green 2007 Road King through the mountains east of San Diego. The Laguna Mountains rise and drop from near sea level to 4,000 feet in a matter of miles - and they've always been kryptonite for Harley's gasping, underpowered engines.


But this stock Road King zoomed up the steepest climbs without a moment's hesitation. It started, stopped and ran like a modern motorcycle, not a caricature from motorcycling's Dark Ages. It even handled halfway decently.

And the big, heavy baggers in Harley-Davidson's line, like the Road Kings and Ultra Classics, always have been the worst offenders.

What's going on here?

Just the biggest change in Harley-Davidson's 103-year history.

The 2007 model year marks the end of an era for Harley, and the dawning of another. Carburetors? Gone. Gutless engines? Get thee behind me, Satan. Grinding, howling transmissions? A thing of the past.

About four years ago, the motor company's brain trust started considering how it might improve its popular but flawed twin cam 88 and 88B (for counterbalanced) engines.

The engines weren't that old, and they were a quantum leap forward from the engines they replaced. But they were still noisy, maintenance-intensive, fuel-inefficient and competitively anemic on power.

The 88s struggled to meet emissions standards, and restrictive exhausts made them even less responsive. Harley couldn't open up the exhausts for two reasons: (1) The engines would flunk tougher states' emissions tests, and (2) the transmissions made so much racket, a louder exhaust would put them over most noise-level tolerances.

The result was this sad fact: A Harley no longer sounded like a Harley.

The way to solve this, engineers finally decided, was to increase displacement from 88 to 96 cubic inches. While the 88's standard 3 3/4-inch cylinder bore was retained to ensure reliability from the engine case, a new longer-stroke crankshaft was installed.

This crank is essentially the 4 3/8-inch upgrade previously sold through the Screamin' Eagle performance catalog and featured in the Custom Vehicle Operations' limited production models in recent years. The crank wasn't the only change; more than 700 new parts were added to make the stock power plant a screamer.

Think of that: The new Harleys essentially have a Screamin' Eagle engine, for the price of the old base models.

The numbers are impressive: Horsepower and torque are up between 13 percent and 17 percent, depending on the model. But the improvement goes beyond numbers. This V-Twin just seems happier in this configuration.

Skip Metz, Harley-Davidson's powertrain program manager, confirms this.

"The engine is finally running in its sweet spot," he says.

That is where it was meant to run. In most applications, the 96 runs with so little vibration, it doesn't need counterbalancing. A smoother motor means trim pieces and accessories are less likely to vibrate off.

So far, this seems like a win-win-win situation. And it is. There is no noticeable downside.

How this happened - and what other factors had to simultaneously fall into place - is complicated.

Bear with me: Electronic fuel injection means a more precise air-fuel ratio, for better performance and greater economy. EFI lent itself to a more powerful engine. The more powerful engine needed a better transmission, so it could put its power down more quickly and more smoothly.

The answer was a new six-speed strong box with helical-cut gears. The transmission proved to be so quiet, the exhausts could be made louder without running afoul of decibel regulations. The freer-flowing exhaust allowed the injected engine to become a heavy breather.

That's what's called coming full circle.

You might think a more powerful engine would mean lousier fuel mileage. It doesn't. Because the whole package runs better, it actually gets equal or slightly better fuel mileage than the outgoing models.

Harleys now accelerate faster and more responsively because the extra gear allows ratios to be more closely set. And the new top gear allows speed-limit cruising at lower RPMs. Lower revs mean longer engine life, less fuel consumed and quieter cruising.

Some Harleys also will enjoy longer fuel ranges, because some tanks have been enlarged slightly. Seats are even more comfortable. Gauges are new and improved. More accessories are available than ever before.

If all this power and refinement aren't enough for you, there's still more to be found in the performance catalog: A 103-inch big-bore kit is an easy install. And for those who demand the ultimate in performance, and who have a spare 20 grand or so, there's always the 110-inch motors in this year's four-vehicle Screamin' Eagle CVO line.

It's all good. Rats!

© Copley News Service

published December 18, 2006

( 45 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.