Yes, I've contemplated a few different options for shifting including the VP clutch, the BDL ball bearing lock-ups and more recently the Pingel electric speed shifter. Waiting to see how I go. I don't intend to drag just looking for a fun street ride, but have some limitations with my left wrist and left leg that have me exploring the other options for ease of shifting.


Mosly strength for reliability over time. Over the years I've read a few stories of some warping and cracking cases with the alloy 88s. Most likely it was under different usage than my own, but since I wasn't concerned with the extra weight and have added an oil cooler to hopefully deal with the extra heat, the 90" iron made sense for me. I also know a couple of guys who love their 88" Nikasil cylinders and haven't had any issues.

Love the dual brembos. I've ridden a few different setups on the Sporties, from single stock with floaters and braided, single brembo, dual stock, dual brembo, dual XR1200. I think my favourite was the XR duals, though I already had the single brembo for my original spoked 19" front, so stuck with those for the duals even though I changed to alloys. I love the feel of the duals, just effortless stopping power.

Tracey, the Pringle electric shift is slow, i used to race against a guy on a hot sporty, he had a pringle electric shift & i could shift my stock shifting harley quicker by foot. all i did was go flat out & while WOT put a load on gear change, then when the shift light came on, just back off, it flew through the shift smooth. people used to look over my bike to see why it was quick but all looked stock. some used a Baker shift with ignition cut out, think they make a shift for sporty's they are good much better than the pringle it was slow, but people in USA still claimed they are good. all i know is what i saw on time printout & result.

 

Trace, if you think reverse Shift ( one up Four down ) could be easier ?

Ooops meant XR calliper, Freudian slip, XLCR was one of the bikes I drooled over when I was a young bloke at 24.

And thanks for the post Tracey, just ordered the 88inch kit, and they do lay-bys so will be a few months, but hey they do it and its ordered.

That's excellent Howard Hope your upgrades go well and give you everything you want!

Hi Howard sounds good did you get the axtell Iron barrels or the alloy with iron linner?

Not much difference between 88" & 90" as six cubic inch = 100cc surprises me they go to trouble of two different, how many over sizes do they have with the two kits? like one day might need to straighten bore up or hone out wear & need to go oversize 10 thou, how many oversizes do they offer? Also L A Cycles in Sydney do a lot of big twin case resizing & could do your case bore, they have rebuilt a lot of Sporty motors too have all in house machining , top valve seat cutting & valve stem honeing. can rebuild the flywheels too ( not sure if can rebuild new sporty flywheels as could be like twin cam ? ) good luck with it Howard i have seen some quick 88" sporty's & Buell's!!, 10 second 1/4 mile just need to learn to ride it!!

Hi Krash,

First, is that a good name for a biker? Been there, done that and it hurts!

Went the alloy, Aaron at Hammer reckoned if not wanting to make 120hp+ go the alloys, run cooler and lighter and don't need an oil cooler (but we'll think about that for over here in the west anyways). As far as i know 90 inch is as far as you can go so no oversize for the 90, but I think 3 for the 88. After years on rice burners not reallyi nterested in top end just want low to middle range torque, so the 88 with the right set-up seems the way to go for me.

Thought about trading for the new Low Rider S, sporties have been the only Harleys I really liked (and I can't afford the sporty that I really want XLCR). Plus the S is about 100kg heavier, has less ground clearance, would need a new exhaust and pillion set up, so with all the suspension, brake, exhaust upgrades, plus tank lift and tidy up I've made to a bike I love why change?

Upgrade is going to cost shit loads so great that Hammer do lay-by. I will be getting it all through them as figured for the small percentage extra then sourcing some of the bits and getting some of the machining done (heads, throttle body etc) over here let them do it as a complete package as its their motor. Will source a Buell fly wheel from here though. 

Fuck this is costing!

So if anyone wants a set of 1200 cylinders, pistons, heads, cams and throttle bodyin a few months let me know, I'm a pensioner and need the cash!

 

 

Howard sounds like a plan!

I like having all machine work done in Australia so i can deal direct, but if you want it all done there, ask about the gear box, as this is very important with late Sportsters as at some point ( i think it was about 2002 year ) they stopped useing the trap door, so all sportsters after 2002 don't have a trap door to make it easy to work on the gear box. the late one's it requires the motor to come out the cases to be split to get to gear box. the gear box's on 5 speeds a strong gear box!!!! but i have seen a few that needed to come out. so ask them about that while they are in there.

But both you & Trace will have fast bikes!!! Trace's dyno result look hard to beat!!!

Meant to say heads and throttle body done by them, the rest done here.

And yes Tracey's does look awesome!

Just put the first down payment on, and "she-who-must-be-obeyed" is going to have to wait for the seat!

Howard, what Throtle Body? if the stock one what will they do to it?

I agree if they do heads & intake (TB & manifold ) they could flow test with TB + m , to get more accurate flow numbers .

They port OEM Intake Manifold & throttle body, and thought that for the extra $250 was worth getting them to it.

Well good luck with it all Howard! will be great when you finally get it all together!! everything i have seen from Hammer looks good, i saw a Sportster manifold they make for Carb model & it came ciremic coated looked first class.

 

Thanks mate, gear looks good and they are also great to deal with, unlike some other suppliers I have emailed.

Tracey did you get out for a ride, if so impressions?

Hi Tracey,

Lost your last email, hope all is going well.

Cheers,

Howard