"S" model specific Q&A

[jager1313]

Has anyone every lowered a 1200s?

I have been looking into blocks and lower shocks, but many kits say they are not compatible with the Sport model.

I am mainly going for a lower look, something like the nightster...

[Haggisman14]

Originally Posted by steelworker

If you want more go, Andrews N4's (or the Screamin' Eagle bolt-in cam - they are identical) certainly liven things up a bit, producing power up to 6800rpm or more without losing much low down.

How much more go will the N4's give you? Very noticeable without changing anything else?

[steelworker]

Originally Posted by Haggisman14

How much more go will the N4's give you? Very noticeable without changing anything else?

That's a good point, Haggisman. Anyone thinking of swapping cams should have first fitted decent pipes and a free-breathing air filter. I'd already done this, plus fitting a SE ignition module (which let the motor rev out a bit more, but didn't add much on the way of HP, as the power had pretty much plateaud before the stock 5300rpm rev limiter cut in). At that stage, it was making 71bhp at the rear wheel.
I then swapped the cams to N4's at the same time as fitting stage 2 light XB heads. This took the output to 97bhp. It's impossible to say how much of that gain was down to the cams and how much to the heads. Probably neither would have worked as well without the other.

[Haggisman14]

Steel - That's good to hear. I currently have the Ramflo A/C, and LSR 2-1, AND I also have the SE 6800 Ignition model....how much do those Andrews cost.....might be a nice winter mod for next year...combined with FINALLY chopping the cam cover.....

Wow...i LOVE this Sport specific thread!!

Marc

[pcwolf]

Originally Posted by steelworker

Hello Steve, and welcome to the XLF from Norfolk.

Stock cams on a 1200S are "W" grind, which is now standard in all rubbermount XL's. This is generally regarded as a torque cam, performing best at low- to mid-range rpm.

If you want more go, Andrews N4's (or the Screamin' Eagle bolt-in cam - they are identical) certainly liven things up a bit, producing power up to 6800rpm or more without losing much low down.

The SE536 cams are also popular and well rated around here as a cam that produces great power without losing too much reliability. They're not bolt-in though - there can be valve-to-piston clearance issues.

Steel ... do you know the stock # on the Screaming Eagle bolt-ins you mentioned? I am thinking SE536 are also Screaming Eagle parts from the part #.

thanks
Phil (VA)

[pcwolf]

Anyone else have to carry extra zip-ties for the next time this bracket breaks? I had one replaced under warranty with less than 5,000 miles.

-Phil (VA)

[steelworker]

Originally Posted by pcwolf

Anyone else have to carry extra zip-ties for the next time this bracket breaks? I had one replaced under warranty with less than 5,000 miles.

-Phil (VA)

Yep, I've had three break on me, the first was under warranty. They always break in the same place - across the right hand fixing hole (and yes, I always torque those bolts correctly).

I've just got and old bracket back from the powder coaters, which I had welded up, with washers welded on top of both holes to stiffen them up a bit. We'll see how that lasts!

The clocks are not exactly lightweight, and it seems that fixing method may be capable of supporting a single speedo, but not the additional weight of a rev counter. This is only a temporary fix for me, until I can afford a Motogadget mini speedo/rev counter, then the big clocks are going.

[steelworker]

Originally Posted by Haggisman14

Steel - That's good to hear. I currently have the Ramflo A/C, and LSR 2-1, AND I also have the SE 6800 Ignition model....how much do those Andrews cost.....might be a nice winter mod for next year...combined with FINALLY chopping the cam cover.....
Marc

$294.95 from NRHS.
When you swap the cams, be sure to check they spin freely as per the instructions that come with the cams (also available in one of the tech sheets on NRHS's website), and buy and fit the "yellow dot" pinion gear that NRHS also sell. I didn't change the pinion gear, but I did follow all the Andrews instructions. After one season of riding, and after a particularly crazy episode of chasing a sport bike, the pinion gear on the crankshaft gave up. You do not want this to happen, as it is not cheap to fix (trust me, I know ). The guy at the machine shop who rebuilt my crank and bottom end suggested that you do not have sufficient "feel" for free movement of the pinion gear and #2 cam gear when turning the engine over as per Andrews' instructions. He recommended, in addition to the method specified by Andrews, removing the rear inlet lifter, with the pinion gear and #2 cam in place and the cover torqued down, and check that the #2 cam can slide in and out freely. Any resistance is too tight, and you need the smaller pinion gear.

I too chopped my cam cover while it was off. I also stripped and polished it, which was fairly easy (smooth metal under the powder coat). I then stripped the powder coat from the primary to find that it was semi-rough cast. I polished that, too, but it was a complete b@st@rd and took ages. Worth the effort, though.

[steelworker]

Originally Posted by pcwolf

Steel ... do you know the stock # on the Screaming Eagle bolt-ins you mentioned? I am thinking SE536 are also Screaming Eagle parts from the part #.

25648-91 for the "XL bolt-in" cams (497's / Andrews N4)

25647-91 for the "High Performance XL Cam Kit", (536's) complete with heavier valve springs, collars & keepers.
25649-91 for the 536's without the valve spring pack.

Or buy them from NRHS. See my post above about checking / swapping the pinion gear.

The 536's are not bolt-in. They need stronger valve springs, and they have a high tdc lift, so you can get clearance problems with them.

[decman]

OK here is a weird one.

I took my 2001 'S' for a ride today, the first long one I've had since I
bought her. Used and only 2150 miles on it.

It runs fine, no problems. I happen to pull off the oil cap to makes sure the
oil flow was OK and the RPM dropped.... WTF, I did it several times more and
the same thing. Oil cap 'on' 1k RPM, oil cap 'off' maybe about 8k~9k.

Now I have 3 Sportsters. 1988, 2003 and this one. I also have a Dyna.
I've been riding bikes for 33+ years, and I never noticed this. But this is my first
bike with a MAP sensor.

Has anybody else noticed this?
If so can someone explain it?

Please no SWAG's I can do that myself.

Thanks
Dec