Budget Harley-Davidson Can Still Party (5 Ways to Stay under Budget)

Budget Harley-Davidson performance does exist, it's not cheap but it's cheaper and there's 5 ways to stay on budget. The biggest bang for the buck in Harley-Davidson performance quickly becomes not budget Harley-Davidson when we get into the while we are here. It's always best to do everything up front but budgets these days just don't allow for it. What we can do is go without a lot of things that would be great to do while we are there and just go with what we need to do. Now while there are some budget Harley-Davidson savings, there are a few things we absolutely must do!

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Bikes on the channel:

Motorcycle: 2016 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200CP (Sportster 1200 Custom)

Custom Parts Installed:
Screamin' Eagle Heavy Breather air cleaner
Harley-Davidson Reach Seat
Harley-Davidson Chrome and Rubber Collection grips
Drag Specialties Offset Clevis Footpeg Conversion Kit
Aftermarket Detachable Back Rest
Harley-Davidson Air Flow timing cover
Harley-Davidson Air Flow clutch cover
Screamin' Eagle spark plug wires
Screamin' Eagle spark plugs
Flipped Down Stock Mirrors

Motorcycle: 2017 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200X (Sportster Forty-Eight)

Custom Parts installed:
Harley-Davidson Factory Security System
Screamin' Eagle Exteme Billed Air Cleaner (Black)
Harley-Davidson Burst Collection Foot Pegs
Harley-Davidson Burst Collection Grips
Harley-Davidson Burst Collection Shifter Peg
Screamin' Eagle spark plug wires

[GixxerFoo]

What tricks have you done doing engine work and power upgrades on your Harley-Davidson? How did it go, was it great or a disaster?

[rarebreed]

I don't know how much money, time, and effort I've saved over 5 decades of buying used Harleys, and not doing anything more to "hop them up" than changing exhaust pipes and air cleaners.

[albertstabelli]

Best budget tips I have is to keep up on the maintenance and forget that hop up stuff.

[mikaldene]

Maintenance is one thing but rebuilding or upgrading is another. The one thing that saved me more money than anything was buying all the parts before I needed them. I buy parts that I know I will need to replace in the future. My ride ain't going anywhere, it's not being sold ever. So I bought gasket kits, loctite, tools, and parts a long time ago. The price for these items only goes up and parts become obsolete after 10 years. Now you may sell your ride or trade it in every few years. Buying parts to rebuild won't matter to you but having gaskets is always a must have. You never know when you'll need them...

[stephendrake]

Just get a cam kit, replace everything in the cam box, you'll save money in the long run with the extra durability. You can go Screamin Eagle, Feuling, or S & S, take your pick, I'm kinda partial to S & S since they add an extra stage to their oil pump, every thing else being equal. As for cams, just don't go to race cams for the street, you'll never use the top end horsepower, just go for low to mid range power because that is something you'll use. Remember that high lift cams will require top end work to keep from destroy your engine in so many ways and quickly too. If you do your research, due diligence and advance planning you can make a 100k mile motor, and may get much more than that, thus saving you big $$$ in the long run...

[peterollinger]

I do maintenance, don't do short cuts. Get a quote to do it right and not take short cuts and it's either I have the funds to it the right way and not skimp on anything or I wait and save up. Skimping or short cuts is a disaster waiting to happen.

[JoeFurtado-xvno]

I took my bone stock 2011 FLHX and totally went nuts this off season. I did all the work myself and my trusty service manual.

New updates

S&S 551C cams
S&S TC 3 camplate with high flow oil pump with S&S cam bearings
S&S precision lifters
S&S quickie adjust pushrods
Fuelmoto 2-1-2 headers
S&S Grand National Mufflers
JRI coil over rear shocks
Progressive Monotube front suspension
Arlen Ness air kit
KST 10” Mayhem bars
Darkhorse Comensator
Barnett Clutch w/ 6 spring pressure plate
Saddleman Step Up Seats

[yonniestone]

My 1999 FXDX was bought used, looked into the cam chest and found s&s gear drive, Feuling 7000 oil pump but stock cams and plate, so far its ran great with the addition of Daytona twintec ignition, Mikuni 45 jetted right and an old Supertrapp 2-1 exhaust I modified to fit, it runs great with strong oil pressure and quiet motor, I won't be changing anything until it needs to be.

[dcccharles]

The Screaming Eagle Kit was added and done by the Harley-Davidson Dealer on my 2003 Road King Classic after being purchased new, thus converting my 88 V-Twin to a 95.

My other performance upgrades include adding the Power Commander 6 Tuner and the Ultra Cool Oil Cooler which has made a tremendous difference in my bike's performance and operating engine temperatures.

I recently had my bike Dyno Tuned and my 2003 Road King Classic's horsepower rating is now at 88+ and my torque at 99+.  I feel a real difference with improved throttle torque response and top end ride performance. Fun.  Not too bad for an 03' Road King Classic.

In addition to my bike's elevated performance the bonus is my fuel mileage has greatly improved after I was shown my results by the shop after the Dyno Tune!

[richardbeucler]

I bought a camplate used and Feuling 525 conversion cams for my 2001 FLTRSE.Cost me 850 and couldn’t be happier!

[geraldscott]

I have an aftermarket exhaust, but only for the sound. I have the stock air cleaner. I have a carbureted EVO, so it don't need no "tuner". Aside from a few accessories, and a bunch of added chrome, it is stock. The engine is 100% stock. I just pack a few things on it, and hit the road. Cross a couple of state lines. That's how to have fun on a Harley. You don't need performance. Just a comfortable seat from which to watch the miles roll by.

[robertmcdaid]

My 2023 Street Glide is actually getting (Today) Zippers RD 468 Cam, cam bearing, Fueling Lifters, S&S Lifter Cuffs and adjustable pushrods. Bassani Cat-less head pipe. I chose to forgo The Cam Plate and Oil Pump as the bike is still in it's initial break in may upgrade those parts next winter....after my bank account has spring hit I already completed upgrades to seating, lighting, air cleaner, slip ons, bars, hand and foot controls and Ohlins front/ rear suspension. Oh and the Harley (Boat Anchor Tuner) that was an impulse buy at when I bought the SG upgraded to a Dynojet Power pick up my bike content as always you stated is spot on...based on my bike at

[MHfxdx]

2009 Super glide custom. just had an idea of what I wanted to do and slowly bought parts over a few months. I didn't buy the most expensive parts I could either. Got a dang good deal on the Woods tw222 cams. Bought S&S lifters, adjustable push rods and cam bearings. Bought feuling OE Plus cam plate and oil pump and tensioners. Already had the tuner.

[bradlozano]

I still believe if your gonna go Cams on a Older Bike?....Gotta do a whole Camchest Change....I did and am very happy with

[nickglorioso]

Yes all true. However the early m8's had a terrible oil pump. So definitely replace it when upgrading the cam.

[samslade]

I swapped the cam and cam bearings on my Evo at about 100 miles on bike. I ran the stock lifters for 70K miles. It had a little tick but ran great when I sold it. I did tell the new owner that they were the originals.

[DILLIGAF]

As an evo guy I will say cam bearing, lifter and quick adjust pushrods are a must

[anchorsaweigh]

I do everything at once. I think where the money really starts piling up is adding big bore kits. I did a cam chest upgrade with S&S 470 Gear Drive Kit and the Head Guardian kit on 114 M8 and it alone was a huge difference in performance under $2k. (Not including exhaust and tuner) The clutch has held up. (So far 😂)

I did the 88 to 95 upgrade 2002 FXDL in 2008 and it was $3k worth of parts back then. However it’s been rock solid reliable minus repairing leaks here and there over the years. I roasted a stator/regulator running a dead battery but that about the only real issue I’ve had.

[dugbucky]

Great video, I did the 255 cams and cam bearing's and S&S push rods and FP3 at 32K on the 09 flhtc. running strong at 78K.
Oh, I do change the oil and filter, (every 5-6k). I did lose the splines on the clutch basket at 70K and the compensator at 73K, replaced that with a dark horse unit. I call it a great success!

[richardlee]

Most important advice I can give is to match the components.
This is really important to get what you expect.
Bigbore blocks can't breath through badly shaped ports and valves without adequate valve lift or duration and overlap.
If you really want to enjoy the ride on the road be really cautious as it's so easy to get sidetracked by giant horsepower that you can rarely use.
117 M8 bottom end grunt is mediocre but I would rather keep that than have something that struggles to pull below 3 grand.