In September of last year, I had Moonshine Harley-Davidson install their "Stage 2" setup on my '23 Road Glide Limited with about 5200 miles and the performance bug hit me hard. I scheduled my build for their 128" package for December and dropped the bike off with about 9500 on the ODO. The build was supposed to be finished by the time I returned from Germany, but delays caused it to stretch out until March and I got it back five days before a scheduled surgery on my wrist. I wrote up and initial review on this thread:
The build specs were:
I didn't feel it would do anyone a service in writing up a review until I actually got to put some miles on the damn thing. I had less than 500 on it before I parked it until I was cleared by the doctor to start riding again (early May). During that time, I also swapped out a lot of parts on my own and I'll address them as well. Additionally, I was on an emotional high when I got it back and wanted to let the new and shiny wear off before I gave it a stellar review or a thumbs down. Last thing I want to do is influence anyone to spend this kind of money with only having "what the sales guy told me" under my belt.
Since that time, I have put almost 8100 miles on the build with most of that coming from the recent trip that I am updating on another thread. Overall I love it and I'm happy with the decision. It's performed great, but there are things that need to be shared. I'll break it up into the categories of Power, Handling and Braking since that is what we are all concerned about.
Engine Performance:
Now...I wouldn't do it again though. I think bang for your buck, stop at Stage 2. You get so much for so little compared to the pricing for these bigger builds. Bigger bikes are harder to take on the long trips that I want to continue to take. The stage 2 worked great for me. I had plenty of power for very little invested compared to this. Future bikes will most likely go that route though and stop. I just wanted to have one really built engine at some point. Just to have done it. I'm glad that I did. I'm not over having it because it is a hell of a lot of fun, but I am done seeking the numbers.
Anyway...I told people that I would post an update so here it is. Not as exciting as some, but I gave my real opinion of the good and the bad.
The build specs were:
- Beringer Aerotech 4 piston calipers (front and rear)
- Kraus Radial brake mounts
- Bridgestone Battlecruise H50 tires
- Galfer Wave rotors (front)
- Darkhorse Man-O-War flywheel with MHP Lightning rods by CP Carrillo
- S&S Piston jets
- Kraus Vector One Rear Axel Adjuster
- Ferodo solid rear rotor
- Alloy Art Cush Drive
- Rekluse Clutch Basket (Torque Drive Clutch and Smooth Compensator previously installed)
- Trask Check M8 Transmission Cover
- Redshift 552 Cam (Feuling Race Lifters and S&S Quickie Adjustable Push Rods-S&S pump and plate during previous build)
- S&S 128" cylinder kit
- MHP 66mm manifold (SE 64mm throttle body and S&S Stealth Air Stinger Intake from previous build)
- 7.08GM/Second Injectors
- Feuling Head Breathers
- Frankenstein Engine Dynamics MHP Streetfighter Heads +1.5mm OS (Twin Cooled)
- Reuse existing S&S Sidewinder Exhaust (High-Flow Cat)
- Custom brake lines
- Custom powder coat scheme
I didn't feel it would do anyone a service in writing up a review until I actually got to put some miles on the damn thing. I had less than 500 on it before I parked it until I was cleared by the doctor to start riding again (early May). During that time, I also swapped out a lot of parts on my own and I'll address them as well. Additionally, I was on an emotional high when I got it back and wanted to let the new and shiny wear off before I gave it a stellar review or a thumbs down. Last thing I want to do is influence anyone to spend this kind of money with only having "what the sales guy told me" under my belt.
Since that time, I have put almost 8100 miles on the build with most of that coming from the recent trip that I am updating on another thread. Overall I love it and I'm happy with the decision. It's performed great, but there are things that need to be shared. I'll break it up into the categories of Power, Handling and Braking since that is what we are all concerned about.
Engine Performance:
- I absolutely love engine breaking and having the counter balancer removed helped make that even more impactful. Call it vanity, but that rumble when you release the throttle and feel the engine working against the momentum. It hits you in the gut. That was the biggest advantage of the counter balancer removal, but it may have cost me a few ft/lbs of torque. I don't think my butt dyno could feel that though. I don't know of many builders who do remove the counter balancer, but I'm happy that I went that route in the end. The runnout was somewhere in the 1 thousandth range when the flywheel was installed. Not sure what I had on the stock. With the counter balancer removed, you don't notice it in motion. At idle though, you get a lot more vibration. Kind of like the TC's. See note below on handling and how this impacted me.
- The cam gets me that "potato potato" sound that I love about Harley-Davidson. The combination of the RedShift 552 Cam and the Sidewinder 2-1 exhaust gives it a tone that I haven't heard on any other bike. It's not overly loud, but is really deep. After pushing for a 1K day, I can say that the sound/volume was never a concern. I have no problems using this setup for touring as related to NVH (noise, vibration, handling).
- I run the +1" filter on my S&S intake and 3/4" spacers for my floorboards (Thrashin Apex). This doesn't cause me a problem with pushing my leg out at an uncomfortable angle when riding which was a concern for me with the larger filter.
- Fuel economy sucks. No way I can say anything about that. I did hit 200 on one tank but I think I stalled pulling into the pump on that one. We ride for an hour to 1-1/2 hours at a time and then stop to stretch. We would fuel up at each stop so I rarely needed fuel. I would say that when romping around town I'm in the 170 miles per tank range. Not good numbers when you are talking touring bike, but I knew that going in.
- Oil consumption was not an issue for me...blowby was. My exhaust took a licking with blowby on it. The thing is...it never amounted to enough that I needed to add oil to the fill. I put in 3-1/2" during the oil change before we left. Maybe a little closer to 3-3/4" and that put me at the bottom two dots on the hot jiffy stand mark. That is right where they told me to keep it and it held. I added just a smidge of oil at one point just because I thought it couldn't be right and that pulled me up to 3 dots. I still got blowby the entire ride and I want to figure that one out. I pushed this thing hard though. 1K in a day, elevation changes, temperature changes, dirt roads, 5400 miles, etc. Maybe it was just how I was riding it. Anyone have any thoughts. See photo below of the blowby when we got to Sturgis and note the exhaust and cam chest area.
-
- Passing power and torque is right where I want it. I run typically around the 2800-3200 range. Unless 70+ I'm not really hitting 6th gear. If I downshift, absolutely no issues blowing past a vehicle I want to pass. Most of the time I didn't even downshift. Just instant roll on and roll off. No dips and not lag. When you have it in 3rd or 4th and hit that 3500-5000 RPM range, hold on to your nipples. They are going to be ripped off behind you. This thing pulls.
- The AFR's are dead nuts. Not running rich. Not running lean. Just running right. That's all I got to say about that.
- That table...damn she's flat. This is what you want and I can't be more happy with the results.
-
- Based on some recommendations and knowing that I didn't want to change tires mid trip, I threw on a set of Bridgestone Battlecruise H50's during the build. I wanted a more aggressive tire than OEM, better tread life, and cheaper than AE's. Overall I'm happy with the tire. No whining sound from them and they have held up fairly well. I did get a little slippage on some rain, but that may be a combo of the added torque and rider error. We'll see about longevity but like I said, I've got almost 8100 miles on them now and they seem to be in good shape.
- Counter balancer removal impacted my handlebar setup. I started with 14" KST Spearheads when I first got the bike but moved over to Thrashin 9-1/2" kickbacks with their mid bend bars. I loved that setup and it worked great for the Stage 2. They are solid mounted so no bushings at all. Once the counter balancer was removed, the vibration was hand numbing though. I had to do something different so I changed over to the Kraus 10-1/2" kickbacks, T-Rex plate, and FM bars. This is solid mounted as well with the exception of Kraus putting bushings in the kickback portion. This kills a great deal of the vibration and made me happy riding again. The Thrashin setup is still superb, but it just wouldn't work for a bike that vibrates this much and you want to do long distances.
- It's rideable. I don't let people ride my bike, but I had two guys who wanted bar setups like mine that I trusted to give it a spin. Neither one of them said anything about the handlebars as they forgot that was their original purpose. They only commented about how rideable the bike was. To have that much displacement and the thing just felt good. It felt like they could go hundreds of miles without issues. They said this independently of what I felt about it. Then when I told them about my 1K in a day, they said they could see how that was easily completed on this bike. It was just ridable. The guys at Moonshine actually talked me down from their 131" that I went in for and into the 128" because of this. They knew that was the sweet spot and I'm grateful for the trouble and money saved by them doing so.
- I have mixed emotions about the braking. I love the break feel, modulation, aggressiveness, and response. I HATE THE FU$K!NG NOISE. These things are quiet when you start out but the moment they get hot, if you take your time to come to a complete stop they squeal really badly. That sucks because it sounds like your pads need to be replaced, it happens in a parking lot when everyone is around, or it happens when you stop at the 50-11 stop signs on Lazelle or Main Street in Sturgis. They function excellently, but sound horrible. I contacted Galfer and Berringer and redid the bedding/cleaning processes they said to follow. No dice. I sanded the pads, no dice. I don't think anyone makes a pad that fits these calipers other than Berringer so I don't have an alternate. I'm probably going to reach out to them again and see what they say. I followed their cleaning and bedding instructions to a T.
- They look cool though and most people have Brembos...so I'm different. That's why I went with the black road glide...to be different from everyone else.
Now...I wouldn't do it again though. I think bang for your buck, stop at Stage 2. You get so much for so little compared to the pricing for these bigger builds. Bigger bikes are harder to take on the long trips that I want to continue to take. The stage 2 worked great for me. I had plenty of power for very little invested compared to this. Future bikes will most likely go that route though and stop. I just wanted to have one really built engine at some point. Just to have done it. I'm glad that I did. I'm not over having it because it is a hell of a lot of fun, but I am done seeking the numbers.
Anyway...I told people that I would post an update so here it is. Not as exciting as some, but I gave my real opinion of the good and the bad.
