From: mmanning@icomsim.com (Michael Mannning)
Subject: was: 4 valve heads now performance
Organization: Icom Simulations
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 16:45:36 GMT

Sasquatch writes:

|> I read rav's on the S&S "E" carb all the time on this news feed and also
|> our internal notes file. Do you have any experience with the clucking
|> chicken carbatutter, from the lit that I have read they seem to be very
|> comparible?  Here in the Springs the S&S was was about 10 to $15 more, so
|> I am going with the Harley part. That and the fact that the wife does not
|> like to mismatch components if a comparable Harley part can be had. I was
|> leaning with Crane and the S&S, until it worked out to be about $100 more
|> for all parts needed. I also here that the scoot will hold value better
|> if I stick to Harley parts. What are your feelings on these things? I am

I believe the Harley (SE) cams are manufactured by Crane. As for the SE carb, I've never had one. The shop manager at a dealer near me did. I was asking him about new carbs for my ride. His comment was,
"I had the 40mm SE carb on mine, the `92 40mm CVs are better than the older ones (CVs). I put a take off on my bike, and I like it a lot better than the SE. It rock & rolls with that thing on it. I'd leave it if I were you. You'll want to richen it up. I can't touch it for you.(EPA)"
He could easily have talked me into the SE, but choose to blow the sale. I can't say how he'd have felt about S&S vrs. CV. Remember this is what he said, I'm just passing it on. [as a side note this dealer regularly changes pipes for people, which is just as much of an EPA violation as mucking with the carb. So I don't know why he makes a distinction.]

I called a guy who's done machining for me in the past. One of the best Harley mechanics I've ever met. I Told him what I wanted to do. He said. "I could sell you an S&S although I really like the Mikuni. But to be honest the CV carb is nice, I would leave it. Cam it, put a Dyna Ignition on it and change the pipes, you'll be amazed." Again he could of had more of my $$. So it wasn't to his advantage to tell me this, at least in terms of $$.

Another dealer near me (LakeShore HD) swears by the S&S E. They feel it's a necessity for any reasonable build, and they do a lot of them. 

As for sticking to Harley parts. If you keep all your take-off parts, something I'd highly recommend, you can always offer a prospective buyer a stock bike (or the parts for one). If that's what he, or the current market, wants. I generally don't do anything I can't undo. This came from years of watching other people's nice bikes slowly dissipate into the wind. `68 FLHs slowly become superglides and then slowly junk. I haven't figured out how I'm going to un-mill my heads yet, so I may have to violate my o




wn rule if I don't choose new pistons instead.

I have to say that I've never met anyone who had anything bad to say about the S&S E. At least one dealer said the SE was no better than (not as good as) the stock CV. Against the pull of $$. 
You can always hang onto your stock carb if you're worried about resale value. But Chris is right, an S&S will most likely increase the value of you ride.

Michael

--
mmanning@icomsim.com

`92 FLSTF Fat Boy
`92 Ducati 900SS
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles.harley