For a number of reason's I've booked in to get the SE Stage 3 Kit installed on my Street Bob. Of course there are so many options when looking at performance upgrades but this fit my requirements. HD will install this kit and still give the full 2 year warranty on the bike as its new where as the stage 4 does not come with this option (from what I was told at the shop), plus I am very happy with the price I have been given for the install. Comes with the high comp piston's, valve springs, pushrods, clutch spring and 585 cam. I have read everything I can find on the cams that come with this kit and after reading and speaking with a number of HD techs I am still a bit uncertain which way to go... A few people are suggesting to swap out the SE 585 (that comes with the kit) for the 259e cam but when I push them for why their answers are very fluffy and make me think they don't really have experience with both these cams but are just regurgitating other peoples opinions. I realize it all depends on what you are going for but I would appreciate anyone's opinion on the difference on these two cams and what they would suggest in this kit. In the SE manual it says the 585 is "big torque at the low end" cam, great for heavy touring models. By Harley Davidson standards I would say the Street bob is at the lighter end of the spectrum and I am no heavy weight myself so thinking the 259e might suit me better. In the screaming eagle catalogue it shows the torque on the 259e coming in later but the HP overtaking the 585 as it gets higher in the rev range. Only thing is this graph represents the cam in a stock bike with only filter and mufflers where as I will have the high comp pistons and performance exhuast. Any advice welcome... Cheers

I'm pretty sure you'd be happy with either so dont stress too much about making this decision (as cam choices often do). You'll be happy either way. The 585 is gonna be more Street friendly, ie for most of us that ride between 2500rpm and 4000rpm. That'd be my personal choice but everyone's a bit different.

Cheers fatbat. Thought i was all sorted and then a Harley tech threw rocks in my pond saying the 585 is not a good cam. Have seen some dyno charts and a youtube vid where they got what looked like pretty good results with the stage 3 mod and the 585. Just hoping it doesnt drop off too hard as it gets higher in the rev range. Had tonnes of bikes but first Harley so still relying on others advice. Dropping it off in the morning so having that last minute indecisiveness. Would love to try both in the same buikd but that aint going to happen....

Hey mate. Have an 08 Streetbob with the 103 stage 3 kit. Running 259E cams. I find it pulls hard all the way out to the limiter. Have no taco so cant tell you what revs they really come on from, but if you roll the throttle, youll stay on the cam, if you know what i mean. I have to say that if u do a lot of riding in traffic be prepared to do a fair bit of clutching and coasting, cos they dont like putting along at 30-40kmph.
Have no experience with the 585 cam. That was an S&S designation/grind that went with their 106 kits. Maybe Harley are trying to circumvent some of that popularity by bringing out their own version?
Either way, you wont be disappointed whichever way you go....also lots of other options out there, but that just leads to yet another "which cams" thread.

259e, give you potential for further mods down the track and just change down gears of ya what more early

The stage 3 kit looks wrong on paper.
Small cam and high compression. Sounds like a potential hot runner.
The tune will be fairly critical.
A simple bolt in cam with a good tune will do what you want without pulling the engine down.

Thanks boys.. all things being equal which cam would win a drag race..?

Here is a quote I found -

 

585: Designed for 88 to 95 CID engines with compression ratios from 9.7:1 to 10.5:1 and 100 to 124 CID engines from 9:1 to 10:1 compression. Provides massive horsepower and torque increases starting at 3000rpm and holds steady all the way to redline. 3500-6000 rpm for 88" - 103" engines and 2500-5500 for larger engines.

You may be different to me but I'd be wanting the power to come in a lot lower than 3,500rpm. I run SE204 cams and my torque starts right down low. I can roll on from 2,000 and by 2,500 it is pulling hard. I also know a bloke who has the same kit you are talking about with the 259 cams and it goes like a cat with metho up its arse! I'm flat out hanging on to him and the only reason I can stay close is because mine's dyno tuned and his only has a canned tune. His is a Street Bob also If it was me I would go the 259 cams, but it is not my choice, it is yours. WHichever way you go it will be an improvement on the crappy stock cams..

Methus' your quoting the s&s 585 cam.
Diff' beast than the SE585.

The SE 585 and 259E cams are not similar in any way except they are cams. Myself , the 585 is a good upgrade for a stock engine. With 10.5 comp no.

Not on my phone now, the SE585 is almost like a high lift 203. The 259E is more suitable for your 10.5 comp kit. An andrews 55H would be another option... There are many, like oils. Look at the timing figures and compare.

Whoa didn't realise that kit went to 10.5 comp. I guess the stage 3 kit is effectively the same as the sage 4 kit minus the stage 4 heads. Funny how the dealer is still recommending the 585 cam and lots of yanks are using it too in similar builds. Intake close at 36 seems early for 10.5 comp. Tune and fuel would need to be spot-on

I do not know Hilly. It is beyond me. Why do we still have 255 cams appearing in 96/103 combos with 10:1? Matching cam and comp is the most important thing in any engine combination , pretty much. Harley, Triumph, Yamaha whatever. If you create something stupid it will not work. 10.5 comp to me a 259E almost has too much CCP.

Right or wrong I've gone for the 259E. Bike is already in pieces and going back together tomorrow... As Ando suggested i like the idea of doing some headwork in the future. Also bit of a racer at heart so dont might reving the thing to get its potential.

Appreciate the opinions gents. Cant wait to give it a good run, although have been told i have to run it in for the first 1000 before i can get a proper tune and open it up properly. How come some of the boys getting the stage IV are saying they flog the thing from the day they get it..? Tech says its important to run it in properly with the high comp pistons?

mine is a 07 wideglide with a 103 kit running se 251 cam  came with bike when i bought it, pulls pretty hard and im happy with it but is there a better cam to use or am i better off geting a dyno done its got a se pro race tuner.    cheers BRUSH

Martic, i'd be concerned about running a "canned" map for 1000km.
I dont know if the factory even has a map for this combo using stock heads ?
Find a reputable tuner, and have it run in and tuned.
Maybe Lushy could chime in ?

Cheers speedzter. Have been asking around for recommendations on who to go in Sydney for a dyno tune. Suprisingly no one i have spoken to was confident in recommending anyone. I know of two close to me but always like to here some good stories about someone before giving them my business, especially when its working on my bike. (Love my motos and am a bit anal with them). So if anyone knows a good dyno tuner in Sydney please pass them on... happy to travel for good service.

Jobs done..! Picked bike up this morning. Has a run in tune and rev limiter set to just over 4000 so was not expecting to be blown away with the result. Harley tech said when i dropped it off that i would call him a c*#t for the first 1000ks until i run it in and get a proper tune but insisted that it was the best thing to build a strong motor. He was extremely knowledgeable and also confirmed like many of you boys that after talking to me he thought i would be happier with the 259e instead of the 585. After all the reports of the 259e being no good down low i must say i was pleasantly surprised. Takes off better than before with just the stage 1 but definitely starts to come alive after 3000 revs. As it approaches 4000 the smile continues to grow and has a lot more legs to go. Very happy so far but also cant wait to get a proper tune in it. Only negative i could say is its definitely more noisy. Te te te te from the top of the motor. Exhaust sounds great though. Wife and kids busy tomorrow so going to cover as many kms as i can to get closer to a proper tune..

Good one mate.

I knew you'd be happy. Have done over 32000km on my stage 3 and still get a big grin on my face when I give it a fist-full.