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[Mr_Ed]

So I'm getting ready to make a few changes to my FLHXSE2 now that I have enough miles on it.  Been riding the Ultra mainly due to weather, but I finally crested 1K on the SG.  I was really hoping to get some advice from the experience on this board.  Opinions are very welcome as well, I'll respect everyone of them, I've read enough posts on here to know that most mean well.

So first and foremost let me explain where I want to end up.  Solid running bike that doesn't stumble to bad off idle, doesn't ping on pump gas, didn't require 12k in engine work, is reliable and at least maintains longevity (would rather improve it though), comes on like a freight train early on and continues to pull hard, possibly allows me to not totally void my 7 year warranty, and last but not least allows me to use an exhaust system not many would be in favor of (it's not performance orientated  )

There are a few things STUCK in my head from things I've read here that may or may not work for me, either because of cost to perform, or from looking at things overall they might not be the best choice.  I'll list them next.

JCZ's cam choice and end results http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=44545.0
Truing and welding the Crank
Timken inner cam bearings and SE tapered adjustable pushrods
Guides, seals and a proper valve job
Fueling lifters
Piston to cylinder fit
If I'm looking at the right things please confirm, if something's missing or not needed please speak up, this is where I'm really looking for advice from you guys.  Don't want to go so far and "should have went a little further", or was there but didn't do something.

Now the exhaust.  I had a 07 SERK I put almost 30K on that had Vance and Hines True Duals with Cary Faas slip-ons.  To say I loved the sound of that set-up on a 110 motor is an understatement.  I know a lot of you might think that sound is childish and should never get in the way of performance, but I've been around loud things all my life (Helicopters, troubleshoot jets, 3 wives lmao) so I obviously must like it =)  I plan on going this route with my SG and I'm even thinking pretty seriously on using a set of modified CFR's from Paul Yaffe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVBvheQxyzo Spendy though, would love to hear those with true duals on a 120R.

The reason I bring this up is because maybe with little or no back pressure in the exhaust system  it has a bearing on which cam choice to go with (looking for an answer here)  Other than that I'm wide open for suggestions and opinions.  Which cams would or should work well, how deep into the motor should I go and what specific things should I have done while in there.

Another big question is who to do the work.  I live just outside of Seattle WA,  from the few mentions of good places I've found on this board and I think I'm in reach of, 1-Jim (HD-DUDE) at Metal Dragon / Bob (RC Cycles as tuner) in Hayward CA, 2-Lee at JARZ Performance LTD in Abbotsford BC.  Any thoughts ?  Planning on using a TTS Mastertune by the way.

My 07 SERK's dyno shows 98.7 HP and 118 TQ, It was tuned by Cyclpath in Kirkland WA and It was stock other than the exhaust setup and power commander.  I want a little more in my SG.  Actually I want as much as I can get without breaking the bank and at the same time improving reliability and longevity.  So chime in please and make some suggestions, I really want the opinions of the experienced ones on this board, you know who you are as do I, don't make me copy this post and PM the crap out of you lol.  I want to keep everything in this thread so I can come back to it, toss things around in my head, ask questions and figure out a path and plan.  I know not all opinions are the same and that's ok, it's what makes this board diverse and strong.  While I'm at it, thanks in advance for taking the time and sharing your hard earned experience, for those of us who know little like me, it's invaluable !!!

[Spiderman]

Said it 1000 times - - -will say it 1000 more

You can't go wrong with a call to Dave Mackie at DME and discuss with  him what you want out of your ride. 

That's it, I'm done,


B B

[Mr_Ed]

That much better than Jarz ?

[Mr_Ed]

Reason I ask is one is 18 hours away the other is 3 maybe....

[Spiderman]

That much better than Jarz ?

You call DME and after the person that answers the phone realizes she can't answer your highly technical questions, she fetches Dave himself. He gets on the line and you have a nice conversation about motorcycles - - specifically what you'd like yours to do that it doesn't. Now let me say at this point it ain't about money. Dave's stuff is (in my opinion) reasonably priced, but it ain't cheap and you'll still need to find a solid tech to do the install. DME makes and sells parts. He'll bore your cylinders and size your pistons and rings to them, port and polish your heads and do a valve job, suggest a cam and a bunch of other parts, box it all and ship it to you. He will also suggest an ignition system and an exhaust system. So you get your bundle of goodies from him, buy the ignition and exhaust system he recommends from whomever you choose and get a competent tech to install it. It's not like dropping your bike off at your local H-D dealership and having them do a nice build-up from the race only Screamin Eagle catalogue. You have to be very involved in the process. Hence I think why there are so many opinions on this subject. Some people like to mix and match their own parts, some folks have shops that use a particular Mfg parts and do all the work and so on and so on. I answered your initial question rather briefly because truth be told, to fully answer it giving just due to all of the fine mfgrs of quality performance parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles would use up most of Obi Won's band width. You can do a search for threads where this has been discussed before and read page after page of opinions and experiences. This and that together with deese and dose and voila you've got a rocketship between your legs. I thought I'd cut through the BS for you and send you to one guy who would at least get you pointed down a shorter road than many of the available choices. I think if you just want to drop of your bike and have it all done, we (the members of cvoharley.com) need to know where you live so we can suggest a shop.

B B

[fatboi1959]

Hello from Seatac. Those are some good numbers with the stock set-up. All the data i find for the 110 in stock trim is 72.9 h.p. and torque at 96.1. Don't ask me why the horsepower is taken at 4,500 rpm, i thought the 255's were good to at least 5,000 rpm,  torque was figured at 3,700 rpm. Welding and truing the crank with Timken bearings was first on my list. My FLHTCUSE2 only had about 5,000 miles on it when i tore it down and found .006 runout on the pinion shaft. That made me kind of sick after spending that kind of money on the bike. Am i correct in assuming your warranty is a thing of the past? I spent about $8,500 redoing mine and while at it made it a 117. The vibration i felt in the floorboards at 70 is gone now with the Darkhorse wheels and she pulls hard throughout the rev range. I have 6,500 miles on it now without any issues and if you would like we could meet somewhere and you can take her for a ride, Jim 

[Mr_Ed]

Spiderman....

Did you really read my post ?  Don't get mad, just asking....

I'm not looking for a list of performance parts and the manufacturers who make them....

I was really hoping to get some advice from the experience on this board

.....about cam choice and what to address in the motor.  I referenced JCZ's cam because I've always thought his results were outstanding considering not much else being done, and listed my target.....

Solid running bike that doesn't stumble to bad off idle, doesn't ping on pump gas.......... is reliable and at least maintains longevity (would rather improve it though), comes on like a freight train early on and continues to pull hard

....and my handicap.....

allows me to use an exhaust system not many would be in favor of (it's not performance orientated  )

....to see what other thought about cam choice given that criteria.....AND asked

how deep into the motor should I go and what specific things should I have done while in there

......to address known issues with the 110.  My list was....

Truing and welding the Crank
Timken inner cam bearings and SE tapered adjustable pushrods
Guides, seals and a proper valve job
Fueling lifters
Piston to cylinder fit

....looking to make the motor solid here is all.

Maybe you missed this part as well....

Another big question is who to do the work.  I live just outside of Seattle WA

I thought Jim at Metal Dragon and Lee at Jarz Performance were wrenches, and the best ones within riding distance that I might have access to.

[JCZ]

Jim at Metal Dragon is your guy.  There's a reason that he works on more CVOs than anybody else......ask any of the Nor Cal members or any of the So Cal members that have started coming up to Jim's.  Give him a call, I shot you his number in a PM.

[Mr_Ed]

Hey Jim (Fatboi), we're close to one another dog  

You know I have the dyno on that Serk, and after a ton of reading on here mostly about other peoples cam choices and their results, I started to question my own numbers a bit to be honest.  I don't know if you can fudge the numbers on a dyno, but I wasn't that far off from numbers some guys got after doing things I never did.../shrug.  The thing was, I had the true duals and CFR's put on at Eastside HD before they had a dyno, so the tech downloaded a map into it that he said would work until i got enough miles on it and got it tuned.  When I did and went to Cyclpath, well two things, one the bike ran noticeably stronger that's for sure, but I also know it would be to their benefit to show me great gains.  Who knows.  I know the bike ran strong, always did.  After reading all the problems some people had with the early 110's, toward the end I felt like I was riding a ticking time bomb though, put almost 30k on it.  To answer your question about the warranty, that's the bike I traded off for the Street Glide

[Mr_Ed]

Jim at Metal Dragon is your guy.  There's a reason that he works on more CVOs than anybody else......ask any of the Nor Cal members or any of the So Cal members that have started coming up to Jim's.  Give him a call, I shot you his number in a PM.

JCZ....thanks....with as many mods as you've done and I've read most of them....I respect your opinion highly friend !!!

[sadunbar]

Jim at Metal Dragon is your guy.  There's a reason that he works on more CVOs than anybody else......ask any of the Nor Cal members or any of the So Cal members that have started coming up to Jim's.  Give him a call, I shot you his number in a PM.

I agree with JCZ's recommendation of Jim as your builder.  And Bob is about the best tuner on the planet - you can't go wrong there either...

I could be wrong, but I don't think Jim ports heads.  If you plan on headwork, I'd ask Jim for his recommendation - but you can't go wrong having Dave Mackie do your headwork.  Even if you don't port your heads, I'd suggest you replace the guides...

As far as cams, I like Dave Mackie's TC598L cams, but I couldn't argue with JCZ's setup either...

I'd consider throttle body work...  HPI would be my recommendation.  The size of throttle body/injectors depends on your heads, cam and exhaust.  But a lot can be gained here...

I would not use Feuling lifters.  There are several others I would use first...specificly the stock Harley B lifter, S&S lifters (with limiters), or the Woods directional lifters...

I like JE pistons and CP pistons.  But the MOCO SE pistons are good also...

I like D&D pipes - either the FatCat or Boarzilla.

But overall, if Jim does your work, let him guide you thru your choices.

And I assume your bike came with the SE compensator, but if not - you should install one.

Good Luck and have fun with it!  

[Mr_Ed]

Thanks Sadunbar....that's EXACTLY the type of info I'm looking for 

[HD Street Performance]

I'd send you to Dean in Vancouver BC. Great guy and very good builder / tuner. Trained by DOC.
I see no issue with your plan. I am here in Edgewood, feel free to call me during the week.
Vancouver Island Performance Tuning

[Spiderman]

I don't get mad at anyone in cyberspace dude. It's just a bunch of words floating around in the cosmic soup of the universe.  And yes I read your post(s) which is why I was talking about finding a one stop shop BUT, you CANNOT mix and match parts no matter how much some people would like to which is why I suggested a call to DME. I wasn't trying to sell you a load of parts nor even get you to buy a load of parts from DME. My point was simply that in my opinion, Dave Mackie is the best in the business for putting together the best combination of parts for YOUR needs EVEN if he doesn't ncecessarily make the part he feels is the best. Generally speaking, the best wrenches out there DON'T make parts. The point of my whole post(s) was to point this out. There are good shops that do good work and make solid suggestions on parts packages based on past experience and feedback from their customers. In my opinion, that still does not necessarily give YOU what YOU want. My personal experience and that of many of my friends is that a call to Mackie is worth it's weight in gold in getting to where you have a solid plan for what works best for YOU ! There's one thing I won't do however and that is critique a member's list of modifications as that tells me he's already been talking to folks and probably has his mind made up and is basically looking for some sort of group blessing.

B B

[Mr_Ed]

I'd send you to Dean in Vancouver BC. Great guy and very good builder / tuner. Trained by DOC.
I see no issue with your plan. I am here in Edgewood, feel free to call me during the week.
Vancouver Island Performance Tuning

Wow...didn't know you were up by Federal Way...we're close as well...

Question....is step decking the same process as head surfacing ?