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[CVO2FIXUP]

   Just a question to the folks here.  I am doing a bit of engine work and will probably ( hopefully ) end up with 120 to 125 FPT   and around 110 HP.  So I am wondering if my stock clutch will withstand the extra power or will it start slipping.  I am sure allot of guy's built up there engines to around that power range, and I am wondering what your experience has bin with the clutch? Cheers.

[North Georgia Hawg]

After my engine mods - that may not even be making as much TQ as your planned ones - my clutch was slipping noticeably in power runs.

I went with the Energy One extra plate clutch pack, a 480 lb AIM clutch spring, and the ClutchWiz to reduce clutch lever pull effort for the big spring.

This setup works well for me, and doesn't slip at all.

Ken

[SDCVO]

I put in a 120r and had to change the clutch

[JKM]

when I did head work this past winter and sitting around 115ft torque I upgraded at the heaviest SE clutch spring (changed out the compensator at the same time).  No slipping so far

[RayG]

I also installed the Energy One clutch with the VP-92 kit.  I just followed what Sadunbar put in his 120 motor setup.  Can't go wrong with the info some of these guys have.  I have the S&S 124 and everything holds up well but I no longer ride it as hard as I used to.  If I did it all over again and I had the extra cash which I didn't at the time I would have put a clutch system that replaced the stock POS clutch basket.  That may be prove to be your week area depending on how you drive.  I know If I start doing hotshots again I will be replacing drive belts and a few more clutch baskets.   I just want to ride, not afraid to ride it hard once I'm going which is what you will find most guys here do with there modified marvels.  Hard to find a bike better looking and better thought out CVO than Ken's gorgeous bike.  But I'm still a bare boned Road King guy.

[North Georgia Hawg]

I also installed the Energy One clutch with the VP-92 kit.  I just followed what Sadunbar put in his 120 motor setup.  Can't go wrong with the info some of these guys have.  I have the S&S 124 and everything holds up well but I no longer ride it as hard as I used to.  If I did it all over again and I had the extra cash which I didn't at the time I would have put a clutch system that replaced the stock POS clutch basket.  That may be prove to be your week area depending on how you drive.  I know If I start doing hotshots again I will be replacing drive belts and a few more clutch baskets.   I just want to ride, not afraid to ride it hard once I'm going which is what you will find most guys here do with there modified marvels.  Hard to find a bike better looking and better thought out CVO than Ken's gorgeous bike.  But I'm still a bare boned Road King guy.

Ummm... Thanks!   

I love the RK... It's still the best-looking Harley Touring bike, I think... But I need my TUNES! 

If I go much beyond where I am... and certainly if I ever go to a 124 or bigger... I would go to a Barnett Scorpion or Rivera Pro clutch along with it. The stock Harley clutch is really not built strong enough to handle much more than stock torque.

I wouldn't trust the belt final drive for very long with that much power either. I'd probably go with the Drago's IDS Chain Drive, and change the gearing a bit as well. Frank claims that it's good for up to 350 HP. A broken belt is a real hassle that I don't EVER want to deal with. In contrast, changing a chain is super easy and can be done on the side of the road if needed... no need to remove the primary nor or the rear wheel. Master links are great, and it wouldn't bother me to have to oil it once a month. I've never had a chain fail...

After doing all that, the tranny would probably crap out next... and it would be time for a Baker DD7! 

This chit never ends... but hey, I can DREAM!!! 

Me

[Badger Mike]

If you drop in the stock S&S 124, and assuming I'm not doing burn outs all the time, do you think the stock CVO system can handle it?

[RayG]

It's possible that you might get by but you will need to change the spring to a heavier one.  How many miles are on the current clutch and other parts in the primary?  If you are rough on take offs with the 124 say good-buy to your clutch basket.  As I mention previously most knowledgable big HP bike builders usually recommend replacing that entire assembly due to the weakness & ability to spill metal shaving everywhere in your primary.  That can get expensive if not checked often.  I don't have the capacity to have the big motor and not give it a test now & then. 

[Badger Mike]

Agreed, we're looking at a couple of different options to beef up that part.  Purchasing the AIM CF S&S clutch assembly to start.

[ltank]

I got a Barnett Scorpion 10 plate clutch using the green springs. They are the 2 heaviest springs in the set. Comes with 4 different sets.. use in town and cross country.

[Rooster]

I have the Rivera Pro Clutch with Jim's 131. Added the Gold diaphragm spring. No more slipping and hookup is right now.

[Dan_Lockwood]

With a good condition low mileage CVO '08 or newer, to just add heavy duty springs without going any deeper?

If so, will this extend the service life of my clutch, a stage 1 setup with 2" Fullsac and Fullsac's TTS dyno proven map?

Just ask'n...

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

Putting 2013/ 2014 bikes a side you are dealing with the same clutch pack that is every bike. Keep it simple a Se/ barnett spring will be OK for about 115 tq on avg. Now it may slip a tad in the low end with a WOT dyno pull.  I am not a fan of the lock up units as they make it hard to pull the clutch in at high RPM. 

So we completed a 2012 RG with the 124 it made 139 hp and 135 tq   We installed the $475 Barnett lock up head kit with a + one fiber kit.. Slipped we got heavier tungsten weights and even heavier springs. It held however no way to find neutral or pull the clutch in at 5000+ RPM. We swapped it out for a scorpion unit problem solved.

The Barnett lock up head unit is a nice middle of the road kit that lets you play with springs and works well. Cost though is there where you could just buy a new hub with larger plates and be done with it.

I have a clutch Wiz coming to test that with a 480 spring. I am going to use a fish scale to test stock pull then with the several springs that are out there along with the WIZ on each one to have a pull rate.

Keep in mind that these clutches are like everything else HD sells us mass made with loose specs.. Stack up tolerance may be your friend today however may bike you on the rear the next.

Evolution sells springs as well does AIM. Some lock up units can put pressure on the plate kit sooner than others. Being that that the HD engine makes a fair amount of tq early on that is all about clamp force at that point, tall gearing and a heavy bike. All of this takes it toll on getting the pack to hold the load.

The big HEAVY cover springs work well to a point but create a issue with lever pull. Traffic only makes that worse, with a CVO set up and the cast cover with the bearing the spring at some point with enough force will distort the cover. When this happens it will drag and create other issues.

[Dan_Lockwood]

That's really great information.

Not knowing much about the lockup type swing weights used in some like the Barnett system, I always wondered about lever pull at full throttle.

Not too many years ago I had a few Cushman scooters and mine were all Silver Eagles with the hi/lo transmissions.  They had a centrifugal clutch, but it also had a clutch pedal.  The clutch was loosly setup like the lockup Barnett with three main fly weights.  At idle when putting it in lo it was not a hard push to do so.  After it was in gear you could take your foot off the clutch pedal and just sit there.  Give it throttle and away you went.  BUT when you were reved up and wanted to shift into hi, the pedal was very hard to push in.

So with that experience I always thought that the clutch lever might get hard at higer revs on a Harley.

So why do they recommend this type of clutch for people with weak hands?  It may work good for stop and go foot speed traffic, but at highway speeds it would be too hard for a weak grip to pull in.

Just asking the question...

On my bike with the stock setup and not having any issues, I may pop in a set of upgraded springs this winter just to keep it all up tight, so to speak.

Thanks GMR for the great report.

[Badger Mike]

So would your final recommendation be to go with the Barnett Scorpion kit?