EVO better than Twin cam ?

[Pilgrim]

By God, I know I've gotten old when I recall several generations of riders bemoaning the engine changes from shovel to Evo, then from Evo to Twinkie.  It's always the same, and it's worth a laugh to see.

I have a 1984 FXRT with about 185,000 miles on it.  I put an S&S 107" in it at around 135,000 miles because getting 85hp/95tq out of the built 80" mill and it using to cover mile after mile at high speed (85 - 90mph cruise) just wore it out, top and bottom.  Among the things that failed was the crank (the old 5-piece one); the flywheel spun on the output shaft as I pulled away from a light, and no, I did not drop the clutch on hi revs so I could do burnouts (IMHO, they're just downright stupid), or use an impact wrench on the comp sprocket.  Another time, at around 100k miles the front piston blew up, and I mean it blew up so thoroughly that the biggest piece left was about the size of half my thumb, hanging from the crankpin.  It took place while I was cruising I-5 at about 70mph, steady throttle.  Never did find out what did that.

Now I have an '07 Road Glide that I've done stage 1 mods to, and put in an Andrews 26.  After 20k miles on it in a year, I can say that except for cornering clearance, it's a better bike than the stock FXRT ever was - and I thought they'd bury me with the FXRT.  I still ride it, and love it in a nostalgic, "we were there" sort of way, but if I've absolutely, positively gotta be in Denver tomorrow night (I'm in central Washington) the RG is what I'll straddle.

What I'm sayin' is that no engine Harley ever built has been without problems somewhere - learning to live with 'em is part of the charm.

What I do miss with the Twinkie is being able to work on it beside the road with a Crescent wrench and a bent Phillips screwdriver.  But then, I haven't had to work on the RG beside the road, so maybe I don't need to miss that at all.  At home, in the shop, well, I got all the tools I need except maybe a Scanalyzer.

Pilgrim

[motardue]

I have a 2003 fxdx Twinkye and an 1997 FXDL Evo. Gear driven andrews 26 on TC,  Ev3 on the Evo. Both are good bikes, lights, good handling and pretty fast but....If I have to do an all day long run I have no doubt in choosing the the TC: is smoother, has more torque than the evo, absolutely reliable (40k miles on it)and has a better mileage (stock carb with n72). If I go out for a short trip Evo is my choiche, its more ruvid, has a rough character, but I like it more. Even having the crap roller on bottom end I am not so concerned about life expectancy of the Tc. I know how I treated it, and when I installed the GD runout was in the specs perfectly. Nevertheless it I will have to let one go this will not be the Evo: it seems me more precious at least because it SO difficult to find in good conditions.

[HogBob]

My '95 Ultra has the 80" Evo motor and will lope along at 75-80 mph all day. Close to 100,000 miles and the bottom end has never been split. Still carries 20 to 23 psi oil pressure going down the road. My '99 FXDX has the 88" TC motor and runs and sounds good. Put the upgraded cam bearing and Crane cam in just for peace of mind. Both are carburated and very reliable. Love 'em both. I don't like riding along at 85-90 mph anymore. Too many deer, junebugs, road stones and nitwits on the road to be enjoyable for an an old fart like me. I just like to ride along enjoying the sound of my pipes "smelling the flowers and seeing the sights.

Bob

[mp]

Well, the Evo comes standard with a gear drive cam, and the super strong tapered Timken crank bearings on the sprocket side. 
Evos run cool, while ALL TC's run hot, and the new 96's run even hotter.
Evo's have the quiet 5 speed as opposed to the current 6 that makes so much noise some owners report they're embarrassed to ride them.
Evos get much better fuel mileage.
As bad as the stock EPA Evo cam is, it's still better than any stock TC cams, as it keeps the power down low, where it belongs.
Most Evo rubbermounts have the proper 3 rubber mounts; the TC rubbermounts have only two rubber mounts which cannot stabilize the drivetrain in the frame like the triangulated Evo mounts. (Dyna Evos have only two rubber mounts, and I think some of the FLH Evos have only two.)
The Evo, and a few shovelheads, came in the superior FXR frame, still by far the best frame the Motor Company ever came up with.
An admittedly weak point of the Evo was when they replaced the Torrington full complement inner cam bearing with the INA caged bearings.  Which regularly fell apart.  But the newest TC's don't even HAVE a bearing for the cams in the support plate!  Nor a bushing, nor anything else!  The shaft just spins merrily away in a machined hole in the plate, metal on metal, and you'd better hope some oil gets in there.
Evo heads flow better.
There are some things about the TC design that look better than the Evo on paper.  And some things are plainly better.  Like the lifters.  But in the real world, overall, the Evo is just plain superior.

[brick1]

exactly what Kirbo said..........i dont know everything about her, yet, but i'm gettin' there!

i've had countless compliments from folks passing by, looking at the motorcycles parked anywhere at bike week and biketoberfest.......as long as they see her and say, that is a beautiful bike, i'm keepin' her!!!  i get up every morning, and before coffee, i run out in the garage and hug her and tell her how much i missed her.....my lovely bride of 42 years, senses an affair??

well, all those close to me always said i aint right??

bill

[Flat Dog]

I love the smoothness of the Ultra Twinkie I have, but it just didn't have the balls of what I consider a real Harley. Heck-I used to swear I wouldn't own an evo, and now have one and a twinkie. I like the Evo better just for sheer personality...the Twinkie is almost like riding a Honda.

[sandrooney]

I also swore I would never own an EVO,I rode shovels, pans, and old ironhead sporty's my whole life. Then one day I said to my wife ( who by the way at age 58 was still riding her 76 FLH ) that once in my life I would like to push a brand new Harley off the showroom floor. She said lets go get one. After about 15 miles away from the dealer on my 05 Ultra I was hooked nicest ride I ever had,didn't know what I had been missing. Of course in 07 I had to go for the 96" 6 Speed so traded the 05 for an 07 Ultra. Then I said we skipped right over the EVO we better get one. I searched and found a 95 RK with 15,000 miles from the original owner. I rode it home 200 miles and WOW again didn't know what I was missing, solid, tight, smooth, just felt right like a Harley should. I love my TC 32,000 miles, I have only had the EVO since Aug. and only 5,000 miles and it has become one of the bikes that will be with me forever, it is just a great bike.
SR

[Flat Dog]

SR-couldn't have said it better myself...sounds almost like you told my story.

-John

[RKC03]

If I may jump in here gentlemen, I LOVE my EVO because it's the last of the potato- potato sound. The new bikes with their EFI cause them to have to idle so much faster, combine that with a performance cam, and it don't quite sound "harley-ish". Like was said several times plainly, it's the ability to do anything but the simplest of repairs on the road ended with the EVO .  Just my .05 worth (.02 don't  get ya much these days, but then again what will .o5 git ya?)  LOL    RKC03