BUILDING A BETTER MILWAUKEE-EIGHT PART 1

TAPPING THE 114’S HIDDEN POTENTIAL

Ok, I’ve been a self-admitted Evo guy for as long as I can recall…not so much because I love them, so to speak, but because I’ve come to understand and tolerate them. But after 20-plus years of tolerating, I finally decided to bite the bullet and join the M8 Softail crowd, as begrudging as that was at first.

When the first Low Rider S was released a few years back, I had the “pleasure” of riding an off-the-floor model…and I’ll admit, I was beyond impressed. But because I wasn’t ready to make the jump at that time, I put that experience in the back of my mind. Fast-forward to this past summer, and not only did the opportunity to purchase a previously owned S-model arise, but one with a load of upgrades—for a killer price. I quickly put my beloved FXR on the market (I know…I know) and snatched the bike up. At first, I was just as impressed as I was after my first test ride, but it didn’t take long for me to discover some of the 114’s subtle shortcomings.

First and foremost was the lack of a decent rear brake, but after a phone call with my good friend Chris Staab from FXR Division, that issue was pretty much rectified with their adjustable linkage. And during our phone call, Chris asked me what I thought about the performance of the bike, and I quickly told him I felt there was some untapped potential in the M8. Unbeknownst to me, he was just preparing me for what I was about to have done that, ultimately, would wake the bike up… and then some. Chris told me, “Hop on that thing, ride your ass out to Arizona, and we’ll get you taken care of!”

Together with Danny Wilson, Leading Edge V-Twin (which, along with Justin Coleman, Torch Industries, comprises Collective Phoenix), FXR Division has developed what I’d consider the entry-level solution to the M8’s subtle performance shortcomings. It’s a package deal that included a Fuel Moto stainless 2-into-1 pipe with a custom-ground Wood Performance .480-lift cam, S&S cam chest upgrade with adjustable lifters, HPI billet aluminum intake manifold (to replace the stock plastic one, which was leaking) and 62mm throttle body (up from the factory 55mm Mikuni), and a custom tune by the Motor Witch himself, Danny Wilson.

“The Woods 777XE cam is a great bolt in cam.” Danny claims. “It has a broad powerband that provides linear power delivery and substantial gains even with a stock top end. When used in conjunction with high-flow heads and more displacement and compression it will produce even more power.”

So, one cold-ass January morning, I hopped on my Softail and made the four-hour ride out to Phoenix from SoCal (it normally takes around five, but I find a nice harmonic balance with the M8 right around 100mph, so…). Upon arriving that afternoon, Chris and I went over the whole package that Danny would be installing the following morning. Knowing how long it takes me to do an oil change, I assumed it would be a two-day job (I’d planned on being in Phoenix Wednesday–Sunday anyway).

I went about some business the following morning (Thursday), and just after lunch, Chris texted me a pic of my bike on the lift with the new pipe and HPI air intake on, with the simple caption: “Done. 127 hp.” Not only had Danny installed the pipe and new fuel system but finished the entire cam swap and dyno-tuned the bike…she was ready to go. But I wasn’t!

THE HOT BIKE MILWAUKEE-EIGHT114: PART 1

■ Max power = 127.63 hp at 6,110 rpm ■ Max torque = 119.27 pound-feet at 3.640 rpm

THE 114 “WAKE-UP” RECIPE:

I spent the next couple of days blasting around Phoenix with Chris and Justin (FXR Division/Torch Industries)…and despite AZ not having the same lane-splitting luxuries CA does, I quickly came to fully appreciate what that M8 now had to offer! But, it wasn’t until my ride home Sunday that I fully appreciated what it was capable of, without a single hiccup the entire 300-plus miles home (it ran so much better than before, with such a noticeable increase in power). Chris and Danny wouldn’t let me leave without “tempting” with their next level package: the Leading Edge 129ci top-end kit! So, the next time you hear from me, it’ll most likely be from Collective Phoenix once again! For now, I’m more than stoked with the 127 hp/120 lb-ft…a substantial increase from the stock 114ci numbers.

I’m told that the new “wake-up” recipe comes alive even more with Danny’s recommended clutch setup. I’m itching to try it out, so the next time I head to Phoenix, I think I’ll be opening up the M8’s primary too. Stay tuned! HB