How's the latest Evo Sportster engine?

[mattVA]

Hey everyone,

I have some general questions to those of you that are more familiar with any problems of the Sportster line. I've only ever owned Dyna's ('95 FXDWG and now my current '09 FXDF Fat Bob). I'm looking to get a second bike to have fun with around town and for when I do more serious projects on my Dyna. My Fat Bob does everything I want and is slowly turning into a detachable touring setup just need a fairing and it'd be there.

So, here's my questions:

1) How's the current engine? Meaning, Harley has switched to a poor crankshaft design as of '03 on all of their TC motors. It shifts out of true and can cause oil pump failure. Are the sportster's evo's still using a solid design? TC's also use a less than desirable compensator. .I will address the above in time by taking the engine apart and sending out what needs sending out. Basically, I'm wondering if there's anything the MoCo has slouched off with the Sportster's evo motor?

2) This whole right side drive. .is there a good diagram somewhere explaining how the engines power is transferred? I'm assuming the timing chest is behind the belt meaning it'd be harder to do a cam change? (Remove exhaust, belt/final drive whereas now I just remove exhaust).

Any specific model years to avoid? My eye is on the 48 right now. I'm 6'3 and it felt comfortable when I sat on it.

Thanks,
Matt

[andyxlh]

Hello mate
the sportster transmission has the clutch shaft on the left and the drive shaft on the other side - like most transmissions - and this give a straight-through setup in top gear so the layshaft is not used in this gear. BT have the drive and clutch shafts coming out the same side.
The primary and trans share the same fluid. the 04-up do not have a trapdoor access to get to the transmission any more I believe, it is held between the 2 engine cases. this would mean a case split to get it out I presume - don't have one of the very new ones to look at myself!
the engine is unique - a quad-underhead cam setup. the cams are under the cover on the RH side of the engine between the oil filter mount and the pulley cover, gear driven by the end of the crankshaft. No need to remove the belt drive, but setting the cams up is fiddly as there's a while lot of end-floats to measure and adjust. Also they tend to be noisier as there's a whole lot of gear teeth meshing in there. OEM ones are computer matcched so tend to be quiet when stock.
I am familiar with the TC oil pump issue but have not heard of it on the sportster engines. certainly the older ones didn't do it and the design of that part I believe is very similar.
All this is from a '89 model owner so not first-hand info from the newer models - I'm sure someone with more recent experience will fill in the rest. The new sportsters are very good indeed to ride tho' IMHO.
cheers
Andy

[Bigs]

I personally think the newer -'04 on Sportsters engines are better than the twin cams. I had a '05 1200 which I put the SE stage II kit on with a D&D 2into1 exhaust with the quiet baffle. I went by the SE book and used all SE parts: SE performance cams, air cleaner , 7,000rpm ignition module and 44 SE Keihn carb. It dynoed at 84hp and 75tq. I ran great and I didn't baby it. I can't say I haven't had problems with twin cam engines and I now have a 2011 RGU.
   Bigs

[Lawless]

I personally would not want an 04 and up sporty for the lack of a trap door for tranny as andy said. I have a 2000 sporty that I did have to get at the tranny. Glad it has the trap door. Other than that mine has been bullet proof. Almost 40K and I don't baby it.

[epsporty]

other than the trap door issue, i believe the '04 and up have a rubber mounted engine.  In my opinion, it sure makes a world of difference in vibration.  I road my bro's '02 883 from Georgia to Nebraska and it sucked at interstate speeds as far as vibration goes.  I have an '05 1200 and it is a whole lot better.  Just something to consider.
-Eric

[PC_Hater]

My girlfriend has a 2008 1200N and that is an absolute delight to ride. I would change the suspension front and rear if it were mine.
The lack of a trap door on the gearbox really isn't a problem unless you intend to go racing. You won't have to mess with the gears for untold thousands of miles. My T140V Bonneville didn't have a trapdoor. In 88,000 miles I never had to take the engine apart to fix the gearbox.

You might want to ask in the AFR section of HTT about tuning the motor. As far as I am aware the ECU is a cut-down version of what they use on big twins and that can lead to some vexing problems if you make major changes to the motor. Nothing a carb won't fix though... I think 2006 is the last year with a carb but back-dating a newer Sportster shouldn't be beyond the wit of man.

Working on a Sportster can be a bit of a pain.
Everything does more than one thing and is so compact that you end up removing many parts to get at what you need to - that is on my 1999 Sportster and me making assorted mods to it etc. The later bikes seem to be more difficult to work on having had to fix broken indicators etc when she dropped it.