One of the first things most people do shortly
after they get their new motorcycle is start to modify the engine. In the time honor
tradition of Harley-Davidson, the first thing to go on most bikes are the stock mufflers
in an effort to improve the sound. This is usually the first in a long list of
changes to the engine. Changes to the carburetor and ignition system also rank very high
on the first to change list. These changes are done to improve the performance of the
bike.
There are many companies out there that are
competing for the dollars that Harley owners are willing to spend on their bikes.
As an owner, you will be bombarded with a vast array of promises, claims and inaccuracies
in an effort to get your money. Reading between the lines on many of the performance
claims can be bewildering.
Does the Harley-Davidson world need
another stock engine modification article? I decided it does, since the results obtained
by the engine upgrades listed here provided significantly better results than those
documented by the popular magazines aimed at the V-Twin crowd.
How to build your own Stage One engine
Stage One engines involve no internal changes to
the engine. All modifications are made by bolt-on changes to external components
on the engine. These components include air cleaners, carburetors, exhaust systems and
ignition systems. No special tools or training is required to perform these modifications,
although it is recommended you are comfortable working on your own motorcycle.
Over the past several years we have installed and
tested many manufacturers components. The list of parts used in building the
ultimate 'bolt-on parts' engine is the end result of this testing. The best and least
expensive of the individual components was selected and tested as a single package. The
fact that virtually all the parts used for the project are from Harley-Davidson is a
coincidence. There was no plan or idea to use mostly Screamin' Eagle parts for this
project.
All the parts used are
readily available through your Harley-Davidson Dealer except for the spark plug
wires, which can be ordered directly through Magnecor. No special tuning was performed to achieve the
results listed. All components were installed according to the manufacturer
instructions supplied.
