The Milwaukee 8 was a racing motor, never designed to deal with EPA restrictions, they'll never fix it.
The Milwaukee 8 was a racing motor, never designed to deal with EPA restrictions, they'll never fix it.
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In 2020, I added a new Road King to my garage. Has the Milwaukee 8 engine. Yes, she gets warm in the hotter weather, so, I just ride other bikes on hot days. Not a big deal to me. I have been pleased with the Harley so far, only has 7k miles, but absolutely no problems or leaks. Has the 6 speed transmission that I wish the F6B had. But if I am going riding for more than an afternoon, I always ride the F6B. Much better all around bike!
I don't read much Harley Davidson news. I'm often embarrassed when some guy tells me about his 'FXYZ Spring Tail' and I have no idea which model he's talking about! But 5 years ago when they released the Milwaukee 8 I read a long tech article about it and was very impressed.Originally Posted by taxfree4
It seems odd that H-D would develop such a refined engine, with a catalytic converter and available in 3 distinct variations, primarily for racing. And that they'd design it without considering emissions regulations. What the heck do they race those engines in? And how did they end up in all those cruisers?
Why would you be embarrassed? The Harley pirates are a cult of their own. No need for you to keep abreast of their models or features.
21 years Army (retired)
...been everywhere, seen everything, done almost everything.
IBA 80537
The Milwaukee 8 is not and never was a racing motor. It is an evolution of the traditional Harley V-twin. The Twin Cam it replaces was a evolution from the Evo and so on all the way back to the Knucklehead. As a result of more efficient combustion and relocation of the catalytic converter the exhaust temps were lowered by 100 degrees.
The last Harley motor with 4 valves per cylinder was the V-Rod, before that the only 8 valve motor Harley produced was the 1916 Model 17 racing motorcycle.
Last edited by Az Wingrider; 07-08-2022 at 01:43 PM.
Somebody better tell Harley because they're using it for King of the Baggers racing series. And as far as efficient combustion take a look at a engine tear down after just 500 miles of this engine, they're on YouTube. Every engine Harley ever made is an "evolution" of the previous engine so I don't see the point.
Last edited by taxfree4; 07-09-2022 at 03:20 PM.
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Not technically true. They were commissioned during WW2 to design and make an engine that could hang with the Germans and basically copied the design from BMW. They called it the XA. It was a flat twin and shaft driven, and ran about a hundred degrees cooler than the V due to the fins being out in the air. But God forbid Harley stick with an efficient and long lasting design, so they discontinued them after the Army leaned more into the Jeep, and only a thousand of them were made.
Jason
King of the Bagger racing is for production motorcycles with production motors. Very few modifications are allowed. The Milwaukee Eight motor is a 45 degree, air cooled, pushrod V twin motor with a flat plane crank. As I said previously it is based on the Knucklehead that was introduced in 1936, It wasn't a race motor in 1936 and is not a race motgor now. Harley has made much more technologically based motors that would have been far better race motors. The new Revolution Max engine is a 60 degree, water cooled, overhead cam, V-twin with a split plane crank and a 9500 rpm rev limit. If Harley wanted to build a race motor this is current technology.
Again, since the revolution max is not yet on any production motorcycles they're using the Miluakee 8...for racing. Doesn't change anything I stated. I could look up the specs myself, for what, the fact remains that's the engine they're going with.
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The Revolution Max is in both the Pan American and the Sportster S
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