Harley RWHP

[Boostmax]

I have a fully custom blacked out Roadglide, with the screaming eagle 103 engine and 6 speed transmission. Not much stock left on the bike. Last year at bike week, she pulled 102HP and 110 Tq at the wheels. Gets 45 mpg average! Drifting 1st gear around turns is always fun! I actually had a guy with a magna 750 try to show me up, he was the one who got surprised when a big black bagger left him in the dust! lol! Feels like a slug after riding my supercharged max though.... I literally pulled over to make sure the throttle was opening all the way, it used to feel fast, and it was, just not next to my new toy. :biglaugh:

Couple pics....

The stock HP numbers look about accurate. Part of the reason for the low HP numbers is that these motors dont rev out like 4 cyl bikes do. They are torque monsters and max rpm is 6000. Similar to a 8000 pound Cummins diesel truck that makes 200HP that will blow the doors off a 3000 pound V8 mustang. That 200HP is at 3200 rpm, where the torque is around 800 ft-lbs or so. Same thing with the HD's, they typically make more torque than HP, which makes them look slow on paper, but in actuality some of the lighter bikes are surprisingly quick.

I personally dont care what you ride, I feel that the more customized the bike is, the more interesting it and the rider is, regardless of what manufacturer. I've heard it while on the max, "get that kami-dog outta here" (instead of Yamadog, it a kami-dog, I laughed at that one) or "its all about what you ride" (I laughed in that guy's face as well. Both comments from old time bikers that I see frequently, they dont have any type of censor function either.... For me, its all about enjoying the ride....which I do much more so on the max on short trips, and the bagger on long trips. Stereo, heated hand grips, storage, big comfy seat, a less whiney wife, less urge to get a ticket for going 150mph.....all good things about the bagger.... Classic and Classy too.

 

[old timer]

Only a fool would buy a Harley for it's horsepower , it's the exact reverse of buying a Max . I really enjoy having one of each...unk:

 

[DakRatFink]

Only a fool would buy a Harley for it's horsepower , it's the exact reverse of buying a Max . I really enjoy having one of each...

So it would be like buying a Max with stock seat for comfort

I didn't mind the Street Glide I rented last year in WI. It was nice to have a radio up under that fairing.

 

[CaptainKyle]

I have a fully custom blacked out Roadglide, with the screaming eagle 103 engine and 6 speed transmission. Not much stock left on the bike. Last year at bike week, she pulled 102HP and 110 Tq at the wheels. Gets 45 mpg average! Drifting 1st gear around turns is always fun! I actually had a guy with a magna 750 try to show me up, he was the one who got surprised when a big black bagger left him in the dust! lol! Feels like a slug after riding my supercharged max though.... I literally pulled over to make sure the throttle was opening all the way, it used to feel fast, and it was, just not next to my new toy. :biglaugh:

Couple pics....

The stock HP numbers look about accurate. Part of the reason for the low HP numbers is that these motors dont rev out like 4 cyl bikes do. They are torque monsters and max rpm is 6000. Similar to a 8000 pound Cummins diesel truck that makes 200HP that will blow the doors off a 3000 pound V8 mustang. That 200HP is at 3200 rpm, where the torque is around 800 ft-lbs or so. Same thing with the HD's, they typically make more torque than HP, which makes them look slow on paper, but in actuality some of the lighter bikes are surprisingly quick.

I personally dont care what you ride, I feel that the more customized the bike is, the more interesting it and the rider is, regardless of what manufacturer. I've heard it while on the max, "get that kami-dog outta here" (instead of Yamadog, it a kami-dog, I laughed at that one) or "its all about what you ride" (I laughed in that guy's face as well. Both comments from old time bikers that I see frequently, they dont have any type of censor function either.... For me, its all about enjoying the ride....which I do much more so on the max on short trips, and the bagger on long trips. Stereo, heated hand grips, storage, big comfy seat, a less whiney wife, less urge to get a ticket for going 150mph.....all good things about the bagger.... Classic and Classy too.

I worked at Rossmyers turning wrenches the week before bike week started & the first Friday of bike week. Your bike looks like one I saw parked out side of saints & Sinners

 

[MikeTD3]

I purchased an 08 Street Glide this spring and I have to tell you…I don’t care what it has for RWHP (not much) this thing is just plain awesome. I never realized how uncomfortable I was on the VMax until I rode this. Crank the radio, set the cruise control (which works perfectly), sit back, relax and click the miles off. Yep…life in the slow lane isn’t bad at all.

Only down side…..now everyone waves…..enough already, it’s just a bike and anyone can go buy one. ;-)

 

[CaptainKyle]

I have no problem with HD the only thing I have to say is with the twin cams you better start checking the cam shoes around 40,000 miles if not sooner. If I had one I would put gear drive cams in & get it over with. It s a fact they star going bad around that milage. Im not ragging on them just letting people know what to watch out for so you dont end up with a junk engine.

 

[WolfMax]

I once bought a 1200 Shovel Head Dyna Glide turned Wide Glide instead of a Vmax. It then took me 11 years before I finally got my Max. Did I make a mistake?...

Yes and no.

Yes, because I would have had the bike I always wanted much sooner although the HD was fun to ride and stopped on a dime (You don't believe me I'm sure but I had to do it once), I was kind of coersed into it by my then girlfriend.

And no, because I wound up having to sell it due to money issues and if it had been the Max I'd had to sell I would have been devestated.

As you could probably gather from the above, of the 2 bikes the Max is my favorite but they are both so different that I would have another HD if I had the money and (more importantly) the room to store it, as it was a great bike to ride when all you want to do is cruse.
The Max is for when you need to laugh maniacally as the VBoost kicks in and the adrenalin starts to flow.

Cheers All

 

[ouchez]

I started up my Son in Laws 1200-05 Sportster and pulled it out of the garage for him and then did the same on my 05 Max, just doing that was the difference between a prop plane and a jet fighter. And I have owned plenty of Sportys in my young days.

O

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

Boostmax is correct. Low hp but big torque down low. I just can't stand the vibration that their engines kick out, otherwise I'd own one.

 

[Boostmax]

Boostmax is correct. Low hp but big torque down low. I just can't stand the vibration that their engines kick out, otherwise I'd own one.

They started using counterbalancers in the evo motors years 04 and up? I'm not sure exactly when, but when you put my 2001 at idle next to my father in law's (06?) Mine is sitting there looking like the engine is going to fall off the bike because it is moving so much, his is perfectly motionless and smooth. Mine shakes your voice and everything else at idle, but I kinda like it.... : ) Feels smooth enough for me off idle and up. : )

 

[Boostmax]

I worked at Rossmyers turning wrenches the week before bike week started & the first Friday of bike week. Your bike looks like one I saw parked out side of saints & Sinners

I rode the max this year. Got poured on the entire time! Agh! Without spending a fortune on a HD, it is very hard to have one that is truly unique. I've probably got over $20k in goodies on my bike, but it still blends in with all the other custom baggers out there. It takes a good $60k-$80k to build a HD and have it truly unique, otherwise, youre just playing with the same bolt ons that everyone else is. I think that the roadglide is FUGLY in stock form, however, properly customized, it looks quite different than the rest of the baggers out there and thats what I like about it aesthetically. Does a streetglide look better? Yeah, I think it does, but everyone has a streetglide. I dont like riding what everyone else does and blending in with the crowd. Thats why I love my max. Beautifully customized, fun, fast, nothing else looks like it, nothing else sounds like it, and not much can keep up with it! unk:

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Ridden a few, never owned one, yes a very comfortable bike if not pushed too hard.
I could definetely live with one.

As for the sound?? Absolutely effin cool, think of it as a brand new antique bike.

Like a radial engine stearmam biplane, the sound of the engine is a part of the magic, doesn't need to be fast to be awesome, the stearman upgraded to a 450 horse 9 cylinder radial only goes around 120 mph. Slow but a blast, unlike the HD tho part of the magic is that it has superior agility to just about anything in its speed class.

 

[MikeTD3]

Slow but a blast, unlike the HD tho part of the magic is that it has superior agility to just about anything in its speed class.

I am actually very surprised at how well a stock Street Glide handles; it feels very nimble and is quite easy to ride. When my VMax had stock springs and shocks to was a beast to handle and wallowed around corners with a mind of it's own.

 

[dman1961]

Probably 70% of my friends ride Harley's and probably 70% of the people I've met on Harley's are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. It's the other 30% that tell me I need to buy "a real bike" that I absolutely LOVE to mess with! Most of them don't have a clue about bikes, cars, or anything mechanical for that matter and I really love making them look like the back asswards fools they are and 99% of my Harley buddies are laughing their asses off while I do it! Bottom line is, it's not about the bike at all... it's about the person riding it unk:

That says it all...:clapping:

 

[Redbone]

I am actually very surprised at how well a stock Street Glide handles; it feels very nimble and is quite easy to ride. When my VMax had stock springs and shocks to was a beast to handle and wallowed around corners with a mind of it's own.

I'd have to generally agree with that. When I picked my '92, which was completely stock, right down to factory brake pads that did little to stop the speedy Vmax and a 270 lb rider. And the suspension, your first fast trip through even a mild set of corners will set you to sweating; either from the work it takes or the worrying if your going to make it (or not!!).:biglaugh:
I'm sure it's like any bike that was designed prior to modern engineering advances that a few well purchased parts can make the bike much better, maybe even close to a modern day bike. :confused2:
It's either that or the rider developes larger than life nads to compensate for the bikes shortcomings! :rofl_200::rofl_200:

 

[srk468]

Ridden a few, never owned one, yes a very comfortable bike if not pushed too hard.
I could definetely live with one.

As for the sound?? Absolutely effin cool, think of it as a brand new antique bike.

Like a radial engine stearmam biplane, the sound of the engine is a part of the magic, doesn't need to be fast to be awesome, the stearman upgraded to a 450 horse 9 cylinder radial only goes around 120 mph. Slow but a blast, unlike the HD tho part of the magic is that it has superior agility to just about anything in its speed class.

See that's one thing that drives me nuts about a HD, you can just hear how inefficient the engine is... To me 95% of them sound like an 85 chevy pickup with a 305 with about 7:1 compression with a couple lobes burnt off the cam and some glasspacks... Like I said ride whatever you want and if your cool with me then I'm cool with you but I'll keep my Vmax that sounds like a healthy sbc with about 11:1 and a big roller cam...

 

[MikeTD3]

I'm sure it's like any bike that was designed prior to modern engineering advances that a few well purchased parts can make the bike much better, maybe even close to a modern day bike.

I completely agree with that statement. Front springs, rear shocks, different bars, bar risers and the VMax was a different animal.......I never did get around to upgrading the brakes, which it needed badly.

 

[RaWarrior]

I really don't get why people lose their shirt over how cool Harleys sound. It sounds like a bike in desperate need of a tune-up, barely managing to run on it's own. There's nothing behind it. Just blat ta blat ta blat. No undertone of power or precision. It's just really loud.


Turning off the highway onto one of my favorite back roads the other day, some dolt on a HD with obviously straight pipes cut me off (he made a left turn, I was making a right). Drives through town in second gear at what must have been redline. Behind him, this thing was LOUD. Like feel-the-vibration loud, at the speed limit of 40mph. We get out of town a little way, goes to a 55, and a dotted yellow. I click to third and swing out to pass. He must have noticed since I instantly could tell he floored it to try and stop me. Lol. I shot by him like he wasn't even moving. Even in front of him I could tell the exact position of his throttle. He gave chase for a bit, he would up to 80 or so before probably getting speed wobble and having to back off.


Making something fast, will probably also make it loud.
Making something loud, will not make it fast.

 

[MikeTD3]

I really don't get why people lose their shirt over how cool Harleys sound. It sounds like a bike in desperate need of a tune-up, barely managing to run on it's own. There's nothing behind it. Just blat ta blat ta blat. No undertone of power or precision. It's just really loud.


Turning off the highway onto one of my favorite back roads the other day, some dolt on a HD with obviously straight pipes cut me off (he made a left turn, I was making a right). Drives through town in second gear at what must have been redline. Behind him, this thing was LOUD. Like feel-the-vibration loud, at the speed limit of 40mph. We get out of town a little way, goes to a 55, and a dotted yellow. I click to third and swing out to pass. He must have noticed since I instantly could tell he floored it to try and stop me. Lol. I shot by him like he wasn't even moving. Even in front of him I could tell the exact position of his throttle. He gave chase for a bit, he would up to 80 or so before probably getting speed wobble and having to back off.


Making something fast, will probably also make it loud.
Making something loud, will not make it fast.

I really don't get why some people give two shits about what someone else likes? You seem a bit on the defensive side in any thread talking about a Harley. I take all bikes for what they are, some I like, some I don't, either way I usually don't get all worked up over it.....kinda wierd to me.

 

[sdt354]

i bought my wife a 1200 sportster low for Valentines day a month after she got her MC endorsment. The bike was a lot of fun. i upgraded the forks and shocks for her /me and the bike handled good up to about 65 or 70mph. That sportster embaressed quite a few big inch twins from all makers it ran very good. What was fun, you could be hauling ass on that bike and still not get into big trouble. I haul ass on the max and trouble is never far away! The wife lost interest in riding and we finally sold the sportster.

That reminds me of the Hog,poser crowd, calling a Sportster a girls bike. You have to ride a hog, and they like you?

What kiind of bull is that? Prolly what an under cover cop would ride while working.
The Vrod (redesigned in Germany I believe) gets the same desrespect from THAT crowd. I like all bikes, the Sportster being my first new bike. An old XLCH 900. I had lots of fun on that bike. The 1200 custom is interesting and looks like a good second bike.
The term-Jap piece of shit still gets used, by the poser crowd. Now why would I want them to like me anyway?