Twin Cam (88 + 96) motor life???

05 FLHTI, purchased March 16, 2005. Complete motor job at 81,500. All regular service, synthetic oil, touring style riding, obviously. Never a sign of a problem until a funny ticking type noise. Disaster inside, fortunately under extended warranty that took care of everything. I live
in Southwest Florida and ride year round. I believe Harley needs to put a liquid cooled engine in other bikes, not just the v-rod. This heat is to hard on an air cooled, 2 cylinder engine regardless of the temp benefits of synthetic oil. New engine will get the test. Southern loop begins on 4/16, includes the Natchez Trace, and a June/July ride cross country on route 50 and return across route 2 in Montana. Will report back. Ride safe1

[HarleyCruiser]

I am four miles from 80 thousand miles, plan on riding today so it will be history on my 01 fat. Bike still runs great, not afraid to go anyplace on it.
Replaced the tensioners at 45k still had plenty to go, so I am going to replace them at 100k along with lifters, cam bearings, and keep riding it. I hope to get 200k out of the top end, but wont complain if I get only 100k and have to go to the 95:-) ohh ohh ohh, honey maybe I need to replace the cam while I am doing it.
Always run Mobil 1, change the oil every 5, change primary and trans, at 10/15k.
Get 47-50 mpg.
Ride pretty conservative, but not afraid to get on it, but very seldom hit the rev limiter.
Love my Harley it defines who I am.

[PeterV]

80k on my 02. Took a look inside cam chest at 28k, what a mess. What was left of front tensioner was hangin on by a thread. Switched to gear drive, adjustables and lifters.
Got inside the chest again this last winter to have a boo.All's well. Changed lifters again for good measure.
Lots of life left. Love my garbage barge.

[ggreen6049@aol.com]

I bought new a 2000 Heritage Twin cam 88 and rode it seven years no trouble except cleaning the front and rear brake cylinders. Easy riding on trips to Strugis and Yellowstone Park. I followed the owners manual for regular maintence. After 60,000 miles the engine was still running like new with only a few drops of oil on the garage floor overnight,looked like shifter oil seal or output shaft.
Traded for fuel injection and six speed 07 Electrglide Classic. Hope this bike holds up as good. Ggreen6049@aol.com

I have a 06 roadking with almost exactly 30K miles. I just lost the inner Cam bearing which took out the Oil Pmp. and the rest of the engine followed. It now needs a complete rebuild. It is a HD SE 95 inch kit with SE high compression pistons and heads with a SE211 cam. After the failure I was told that I should have had the cam bearings upgraded when the cams were replaced. I ride the hell out of my bike but I think it should have lasted longer. All maintenance was always up to date.

[shovelmike]

Bummer about the death of the King, Napier. A responsible mechanic should have upgraded those cam bearings when he did the cams for sure, an expensive deal for you.
I hope your finances are good, now would be the time to build a really nice engine. Let us know how it goes.

[Tbone]

2006 Low Rider, 20,500 miles. Noisy upper. I haven't had major problems yet. I have the PC III, A/C and Rush slipons. I ride mostly grandpa but crack it open occasionally. Because I can. I hope it lasts until I finish paying for it.

[hdph1957]

I ride an 03 road king classic, have kept up with the scheduled maintenance, have always used syn 3 in it. I ride all year in all kinds of weather, the bike was purchased in Indiana and since 2005 has been in NC. I guess I ride far and try to get there quick most of the time with my wife on the back. Just, well three weeks ago, put the bike in the shop with the inner front cam bearing gone. Mileage was at 65,013. They will do the cam plate replacement kit thing (whatever all comes with that), hone the cylinders and ring it. As for the top end all looks good (so they say). Don't really have a guess as to how long it will last. Only thing I know is, a lot longer than the old pan used to.

[street bob]

I have an 07' street bob with V&H short shot staggerd's, screaming eagle air filter and power cones. I run at 70 lbs. torque and 83 hp.
The bike gets an oil change every 2500 miles.I use H-D 20/50 with formula plus in the primary. I change tranny fluid using redline heavy duty shockproof.
My next oil change will be to a synthetic.
I've not had any problems with this bike and hope to get 100,000 out of it.

[grandlp Tom]

07 Heritage 14K, trouble free & getting stronger as miles add up.
I believe the engine life is directly related to the right hand, the more times the motor is maxed out, the shorter it lives.
Kinda like us humans.
Reg Maint. a must , I use syn3 in engine, formula+ other two.