Sportster engine to a Buel?

[kd]

Will a Sportster engine swap over to a Buell? I have an opportunity to pick up a Buell with a real bad engine and would consider a project if the parts would interchange. The Buell forums don't seem to talk about it in the detail of a complete swap. I understand some things are the same but need to figure out the possibilities.

[1FSTRK]

What year/model Buell?
What year/model Sportster?
Some will, some won't.

[kd]

Turns out it's an 07 or 08. I haven't been able to confirm and don't really want to appear to be too interested if I can help it.  I do know the top end is really trashed but I have not spun the wheels or looked any deeper into it. I was hoping some of the major components would be interchangeable and I could ebay up some lo-cost parts. If they would fit I would start to look at the costs and make a decision of sorts.

[Pete_Vit]

hope it's not my son's 08 Buell with a blown motor 

[kd]

hope it's not my son's 08 Buell with a blown motor 

Not unless it was last in Alberta Canada. It was on it's way to the dump cuz it was starting to cost too much to keep fixing and a fellow in my Ontario town agreed to a work exchange for doing the top end. The work hasn't happened on both sides so it may be on the way to the dump again. I may try to intercept it for a "favor". 

[Pete_Vit]

hope it's not my son's 08 Buell with a blown motor 

Not unless it was last in Alberta Canada. It was on it's way to the dump cuz it was starting to cost too much to keep fixing and a fellow in my Ontario town agreed to a work exchange for doing the top end. The work hasn't happened on both sides so it may be on the way to the dump again. I may try to intercept it for a "favor". 

nope, stolen in Central Arkansas, most probably in pieces, and being sold on sleeze-bay

[One4Tone]

...I have an 03 firebolt...would like what years sportster would accept this mill...this was a racebike that raced at Mosport, Ontario, Canada. It,s 100 horsepower, chain drive, would make a great Sportster

[xlfan]

AFAIK, no sportster engine will swap directly over in a Buell XB chassis.

[Pete_Vit]

AFAIK, no sportster engine will swap directly over in a Buell XB chassis.

checked my sons new bike out the other day, subtle differences, oil filter location and line routing, not that it would be impossible, the other thing is the gear set and cams I think are slightly different, so if you can make it fit it will not perform like a Buell 

[xlfan]

I've always taken it for granted that XB cases are quite different front and rear, engine mount wise, than -04 and up sportster rubber mount cases.

Maybe they are identical?

[aswracing]

The 86-03 XL, 04+ XL, and 03+ XB each use a completely different mounting system. Interchanging the motor/chassis between them would require major fabrication.

[kd]

My original question was to allow the rebuild of a bike with a cooked engine (top end for sure). What are your thoughts on using the Sportster internals in the Buel cases? Heads and barrels, crank if necessary etc..  What are the possibilities?

[Pete_Vit]

I pretty sure that can be done, the differences, from what I see are all external, some gearing difference, at least for my son's Buel, oil line and filter location, and the drive belt setup, mounts....

[aswracing]

My original question was to allow the rebuild of a bike with a cooked engine (top end for sure). What are your thoughts on using the Sportster internals in the Buel cases? Heads and barrels, crank if necessary etc..  What are the possibilities?

The precise answer to that depends on the year of the cooked engine. We've figured out that the Buell motor is an XB, but what year is this Sportster motor you're trying to fit with Buell parts?