Harley-Davidson may be doubling down on its battery bike plans, but it hasn’t forgotten about its traditionally-minded customers just yet. Oh no! Instead of swearing off the evils of dino juice, Harley-Davidson has just taken the wraps off its most powerful street-legal engine ever.
New, from K-Tel … er, from Harley-Davidson’s Screamin’ Eagle accessories program, comes the “Milwaukee-Eight 131 Crate Engine for Touring model motorcycles.” Harley-Davidson says this 131 cubic-inch motor (that works out to 2147 cc) makes 131 lb-ft of torque and 121 rear wheel horsepower if you are running the Screamin Eagle Street Cannon exhaust.
Obviously, the increased displacement is the main reason for that power jump from the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine; the new 131 engine has the same 4.5-inch stroke as the 114 engine, but with 4.31-inch bore cylinders, and trick heads and top end parts. Because of all these modifications, it can also run at higher rpm than the standard Milwaukee-Eight.
It’s made to replace the engines on 2017-and up Harley-Davidson tourers that originally came with the Milwaukee-Eight oil-cooled or water-cooled engines. Although we haven’t seen a Canadian price tag yet, we’ll likely see it available here soon. Ask your dealer, and they should be able to get you more details on local availability.
How much to buy one?
Why aren’t they just putting this engine in to start with, if it’s better in every way? Only H-D could sell someone a bike and then expect some of them to come back just a couplafew years later to purchase a crate motor upgrade (for mega moolah, I expect). I guess I just don’t get it.
That’s a pointless argument. The 107, 114 and 117 are all awesome powerful motors in their own right. It boils down to personal taste. Have you ever noticed how any given car model usually comes with 3 or 4 engine choices. That doesn’t mean manufacturers should just put the most powerful engine they make in all of their cars. Yeah? It’s called choice or free will even. Never miss a chance to dis on Harley though hey Ry! Have a good day man.