Need some advice.. - Harley Forum

Straight Shooter · #1 01-29-2009, 10:19 PM

I have a new 110 RevTech (3 Gen) in my bike and after 500 miles she is knocking (Timken bearings pressed in on an angle). Eveyone is telling me that it is set-up issues. My problem is that I have read alot of good and bad about RevTech and I am really thinking about just ordering a S&S 113 and putting the RevTech up for sale. RevTech is going to take care of the problem but I am not sure I trust it. I really like the power and torque the RevTech has and don't want to loss that...any thought would be appreciated. SS

frisco-rigid · #2 01-30-2009, 02:56 AM

Hi Straight

I always try to speak Only of what I have First-Hand experience with but I have three buds (shop owners) that have nothing good to say about RevTech motors.. Sell it or spend bucks to have a Good motor builder take it apart and build it correctly..

I had 2 S&S Factory 113" motors..
One blew head gaskets at 1500 miles.. S&S fixed and sent back..
The one I put in my rigid frame shook sooo bad at 90mph+ it actually broke my frame.. I started thinking something was wrong,, ya rekon..
Then BOTH motors came apart identically on the same trip at 3 months-- 4000 miles..

OK,,,,, S&S tried to muscle & intimidate me saying it Must be My fault for Both motors to go down identically at once.. Well, I had paperwork, logs, witnesses and oil analyisis..
They said if they find something specific (they never said what that is) they would bill me for repair and shipping both ways before sending back..
Alrighty then,,,,, about 2 months later both motors showed up at the door totally Factory re-built.. Guess they didn't find That Specific Thing huh..!!
Never started em up again, sold them both,, told both new owners the story and have not heard from either so I guess the Factory re-builds did the trick.. No more S&S for me and I dealt with them for years too..
And believe it or not, neither motor was that strong when running good..
My 120" is only 7 inches larger but it is waaaay stronger..

Ok,, my Ultima 127" has had some probs but the warranty folk in Missouri have been terrific and it's running great now after a total Factory re-build at 4500 miles..
Just something to consider..

Straight Shooter · #3 01-30-2009, 09:44 AM

that is the kind of info I like to hear..straight! I am leaning towards getting it back and see what happens and at the first problem pull it out and go with someone else. I just hate the downtime. I had heard a lot of good things about the S&S and had also heard about the vibration (mine is a rigid). I have to say with the RevTech she is smooth as heck but I keep looking down at her waiting for a problem. Thanks and I will let you know what happens over the next few months. SS

unclepsycho · #4 01-30-2009, 11:22 AM

Well now i'm nervous. I got a 100" Revtech with over 20k on her. It is in a soft tail solid mount engine of course. when I twist the throttle full-on it vibrates the bike so bad the mirrors start coming off. One time I actually had both mirrors come loose, and spin right off !

Kinda funny to see both mirrors fly right over my shoulders...I have since gotten the right combo of stems and mirrors that will stay on. It only cost me 6 pairs of mirrirs to get it to that point.

but as far as the motor, it continues to run strong with the only real trouble being an oil leek that just stared on one of the oil lines.

Sure hope major trouble is not on my horizon.

good luck with yours, frisco has a lot more experience than I, so now I am wondering how much longer I got till my Revtech lets me down.

Straight Shooter · #5 01-30-2009, 04:36 PM

I know one guy near me that has got a RevTech100 and he beats the crap out of it and has not had the first problem. It really sounds as though there quality control is the problem and not parts failure. My 110 is solid mounted in a rigid and I can say she has no vibration issues at all. It sounds to me as though you got a good one and when you do they seem to run great, so ride on and remember nothing is bullet proof. SS

milindh · #6 01-30-2009, 05:31 PM

I've read both good and bad about certain RevTech engines as I have Harleys and S&S as well as others. It's hard to make out the truth. I will say, however, that if I had one I would ride it till it dies but if I were starting out from scratch I wouldn't put a new one in my bike. I'd build my motor from scratch using aftermarket EVO cases and so on. Keep things basically "Harley" because with the economic mess you don't know which engine builders will be around two years from now.

A friend of mine has two nice FXR's. One all Harley and pumped up. The other has a stock Revtech 100. He prefers the Revtech. Dead reliable and faster and parts and service from Custom Chrome are very good he says. I prefer my all 80" all SE Harley Evo. What can you say....?

unclepsycho · #7 01-30-2009, 10:42 PM

Whew ! thanks for the reply's SS and Mil

"beat the crap out of it" would be putting it lightly for some of the days I have riden the bmc with the revtech. with over 20k and running fine, I feel I got a good one.

when I get my shovel, it will be mostly harley. I dont know how much I want to pump up the motor yet. we'll see.

frisco-rigid · #8 04-17-2009, 02:35 PM

IM

Please expand on your remark..

Drive-by drops of esoteric in-complete remarks are Not encouraged here Bubba..

hotrodsporty · #9 04-17-2009, 04:46 PM

Is IM trying to help, or sell love drugs? Touch on that MODS.

frisco-rigid · #10 04-18-2009, 12:13 AM

Hey Hot

It looks like IM deleted his post and there's not even a record of it,, how's that work..??
I thougth there was a notation when a post gets deleted..