Inside your ride
Going
Big Bore E
ither you’re the kind of rider who is happy with his engine the way it is or you’re the kind who wants more power. If you’re the first guy, then there’s certainly good reason to keep your engine stock. For starters, most riders think the Harley motor has ample power and torque and, as engines go, it’s certainly a proven product. The men who designed it considered rugged simplicity a virtue, and the passage of time has only served to underscore the rightness of their thinking. Add the efficiency and durability that modern metals and computer-controlled machining bring to a Harley engine and you have, arguably, the perfect motorcycle engine. By JAMES H. COOPER Senior Contributing Editor 92
GLORY ROAD I 2009-2010
Power is good, more power is better—to know it’s on tap, or to beat the other guy, or to easily haul touring gear and a passenger
In a stock Harley V-Twin, you’re getting the best of everything—power, durability, a distinctive look and a unique sound—often copied but never equaled. Why mess with success? Well, maybe because you’re the other guy, the guy who wants more power. There are many reasons you might want to modify your engine for more power. Maybe you’re the kind of guy who likes putting his own stamp on the mechanical side of things. There are few experiences as rewarding as the sense of accomplishment you get from building your own engine. There’s also the satisfaction of having all that extra power on tap. Or knowing you can beat the other guy. There are also some practical reasons to want more power: You ride two-up, or you tour in the mountains or pull a trailer. Where do you start in your quest for
power? One place is with your favorite dealer and ours. The Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships has everything you need to increase your motor’s performance in the way of parts and, more importantly, in needed expertise. But regardless of who’s doing the work, the first step is to decide what level of performance you want, then pick the parts you need to get there and do the build. Parts are not just parts!
Want to save yourself a lot of headaches right from the start? Open the HarleyDavidson accessories and parts catalog (available at all Chester dealerships) to the section that says Screamin’ Eagle and read. What you get is a short course in Harley performance tuning—a straightforward explanation of the different levels of performance you can get from a H-D engine and what parts you need www.gloryroadmagazine.com