"W" cams in bread & butter conversion, is it worth it???

[wowee1]

I see "W" grind cams out of stock 04 and up 1200s all the time on ebay pretty cheap. I see that the 07 883s are now going to have these cams as well. Just wondering if it's worth it in time and expense to install these in my 04 conversion. I mean, if it's only gonna add a few HP it's probably wouldn't be worth it, at least to me...Anyone done this???

Thanks in advance....

[Shamdog]

I switched out my stock "D" cams for "W" cams on my 1200 when I colapsed a lifter and had the top end off. It felt a little better. I would not pull the bike apart just for this, but if you can find them for under $50 on E-Bay, go for it. It's only a couple of extra steps if you have the top end off. The only other thing you'll need is a cam cover gasket. I think it's less than $10 if I remember correctly.

[roadster]

I concur. I would not disassemble the motor just to install the W's. However,if you're doing the topend and can get a good set of w cams cheap,then it is worth it. I had a '98 S model. Replaced the heavy stock pistons with Wisecos and put some '04 1200 heads on it. Ran great and pulled strong to 6000 RPM.

[wowee1]

Thanks for the info! Maybe I'll try to get some cheap and just hang onto them until I need to do something on the top end...

[cantolina]

Ummmm.....

Cams are NOT in the top end, and they're real easy to do....

You can do it whenever you want, but you won't get any real benefit until you do headwork.....but, if you find a set cheap....DO IT...WTF can it hurt?!?!?! :)

[roadster]

True,they are not up there. But with the top off and the lifters unloaded,it's a good time to do a cam change. Ummmmmm......

[cantolina]

True,they are not up there. But with the top off and the lifters unloaded,it's a good time to do a cam change. Ummmmmm......

Ummmmmm......he's already DONE his conversion, it would seem, but unloading the lifters is no big deal...you don't have to tear the whole thing apart....

[Shamdog]

Sorry...I misread the initial post, too. I thought he had an 883 and was looking to do a conversion and wanted to know wheather he needed cams also. Like I said before, the W cams are not worth the effort unless you have to be in there for something else. Maybe if you found some cheap SE .497 cams, it might be worth it. Anything bigger and you'll need head work/more compression or the bike will run worse.

Wowee - You should change the bike you have listed in your profile to 883/1200 so that all us jeenyuses don't get confused.

[wowee1]

My signature says now a 1200....I thought most of you knew I had the conversion as that is what most of my posts are about on here. Anyway, thanks for the info. I think if I can score some for 50 bucks or so I'll just hang onto them until I need a project. Opinion seems to say not a big difference with the stock heads, and that's kinda what I figured. I would throw them in if I ever did stage II on the heads....

[Gone]

Ummmm.....

Cams are NOT in the top end, and they're real easy to do....

You can do it whenever you want, but you won't get any real benefit until you do headwork.....but, if you find a set cheap....DO IT...WTF can it hurt?!?!?! :)

What about any benefit to putting "W" cams in a stock (taxes paid) XL883?

[Homarr]

With the conversion already done, I wouldn't bother installing W's right away. But some day down the road you'll be bored and want to do it, so grab a good set when you can ;)

[picowatt]

I have been thinking of installing W cams on my 04 883/1200. I see that most of you say that it is more work than benefit gained. hopefullly I cna get a set. Up here in PA the winters suck and it gives you alot of time to tinker. It may be more work than cared for, but with a few months of cold white stuff there is nothing else to do, so why not change them?.

Even though it has been siad that there is a little difference, it is still a difference and on some of our budgets that is all we can hope for.