Twin Cylinder Shootout

[ron521]

Considering only motorcycles with two cylinders, which areas do you feel the Sportster excells? Which areas do you feel are superior on some other brand?

For example, many would say that the old Triumphs handled much more easily, having owned several, I would have to concur. It isn't that a Sportster won't hold a line, just that the geometry makes it require more effort to lean it over, actually not unlike some of the big Ducatis.

However, I would say that in the area of carburetion, the worst Sportster ever is still equal or better than the best Amal Concentric or Monobloc (don't know about the newer Amal Mk II, they might be ok).

The 5 speed transmission on my Sportster is supposed to be able to handle up to 100 hp, however it does shift noisily at times. My old Triumph 5 speed was very smooth and slick, same for my BSAs. Perhaps I'll try a different brand lubricant?

I'm not aware of any British twin which would run 50,000 miles without opening up the motor, but have heard of a number of Sportsters which did.
Also knew a fellow with a Benelli twin which ran some very high mileage, and he never had the head off.

Many people think of Sportsters as mobile vibrators, but do they actually shake as badly as the old British twins, which had both pistons travelling up and down together? BMW's shook the most at redlights (and in an odd, side-to-side manner), and at low speeds in town, but smoothed out wonderfully on the highway as rpm climbed.

What areas do you think Sportsters "XL" at (sorry, couldn't resist).

[jessearias]

The sportsters have always been about equal with the British twins. All your points are accurate.

My 1973 750 Triumph Bonnieville would trash any 1973 Sportster. Performance wise and handling wise. Amal carburators and all.

Even nowdays, the new British twins will be a equal match to any Sportster. The new British twins are pretty smooth all around.

The Sportster just has a lot of potential when modified. It can be turned into a pretty fast, good handling bike. But, it requires a lot of money.

But, it's a Harley and that all you need to say.

[Ireeman]

Can i include the crazy guy that built the brittainy? That would smoke anything, period.

[Moved On / My Own Choice]

Ron what are you trying to compare though - power, speed, balance, versatility?

I like Guzzis a lot because they combine some of what is the best of a Harley motor (a pushrod, shared-crankpin, torquey V-twin) with some of the best of BMW (better balanced, slightly higher revving, nickasil liner - LONG LIVED). It's not uncommon to see Guzzi California's like my Jackal with 100-200k on the clock.

Sportys are probably THE MOST maintenance friendly, super easy. That's a huge plus.

They're also the most torquey and most solid feeling (which some will prefer, others won't).

I never thought my airheads shook much at idle, and the slighty torque effect wiggle at a stop light was nothing more than a shimmy. I did think they actually buzzed a bit annoyingly at high speeds though. The early oilheads were worse in that sense (more buzzy). Not sure what the current generation (R1200's) are like.

[bigjnsa]

Kev, you bring up a good point. I rode my Dad's 2004 1150R a few weeks ago and it does have that wiggle at idle and a BIG wiggle when up shifting.

[Moved On / My Own Choice]

Originally Posted by bigjnsa

Kev, you bring up a good point. I rode my Dad's 2004 1150R a few weeks ago and it does have that wiggle at idle and a BIG wiggle when up shifting.

BIG WIGGLE? You gotta be kidding me, I've never felt the torque effect except when goosing at idle on any of my BMWs or Guzzis.

BIG WIGGLE? no way.

Unless you were lazy on the shifting and what you actually were feeling was just the disconnect power applied, power not applied, power applied...

[bigjnsa]

Originally Posted by Kev M

BIG WIGGLE? You gotta be kidding me, I've never felt the torque effect except when goosing at idle on any of my BMWs or Guzzis.

BIG WIGGLE? no way.

Unless you were lazy on the shifting and what you actually were feeling was just the disconnect power applied, power not applied, power applied...

We both commented about the wiggle when up shifting. Maybe it was caused by the power coming on an off, but we tried everything we could think of to smooth it out or get rid of it.

[Moved On / My Own Choice]

Originally Posted by bigjnsa

We both commented about the wiggle when up shifting. Maybe it was caused by the power coming on an off, but we tried everything we could think of to smooth it out or get rid of it.

That just doesn't sound right... I dunno.

There are a lot of people who think the torque effect is huge on BMWs and Guzzis, but most of them have never ridden them.

I mean, if the effect was so big, you've think that they'd slam a bike down in a corner right?

Get on or off the throttle of any bike in a curve and you're gonna feel it and it's not torque effect.

But upright, going down the road or highway, and get in it good, I've never felt a wiggle and I've not only owned nearly half a dozen Guzzis and BMWs, I've had a good dozen or two more (BMWs at least) from press fleets. I just don't get what you're saying.

[bigjnsa]

Originally Posted by Kev M

But upright, going down the road or highway, and get in it good, I've never felt a wiggle and I've not only owned nearly half a dozen Guzzis and BMWs, I've had a good dozen or two more (BMWs at least) from press fleets. I just don't get what you're saying.

I'll have to ride it again to see if its still the same.

[Moved On / My Own Choice]

Originally Posted by bigjnsa

I'll have to ride it again to see if its still the same.

Lemmie know, I'll be real curious.

I'll goose the goose a couple of time on the way home too, under different circumstances and see if I'm missing something subtle...