Heya guys......

Hey I've got a pretty much stock (motored) wrecked 99 Softail. I'm building a custom out of it and will go cam, carb and exhaust for now to pick up a few ponies. I got a nice new 200 series frame, 4" up stretch, 1 1/2" backbone stretch, 36 degrees, 180/60/17 rear, 21" front.

So, my very first question..............

I'm replacing the stock carb (Keihin) with a Super E. The bike came with the Kuryakyn Hypercharger and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me positively, yes or no, if the Hypercharger offers any performance increase over the factory Super E air cleaner. Then if you're up for it maybe an explanation as to any "yes's" or "no's".

Thanx in advance.

Build it backwards.

You build your engine, select the cams (lifters and pushrods) based on the performance you desire. (Slow speed, mid-range, or acting like a balls-out teenager). I don't drag race, but I do use acceleration ramps and get behind slow farmers. I use a 203 cam, and I suppose a 204 would be good, as well.

Based upon the volumetric efficiency needed, you select pipes. (Real two-into-two, two scanvenged or two-into-one).

Now you know the fuel to air needs of your motor. Now you buy a carb or a new download for an EFI.

Buy a carb first and you'll be wrenching a motor willy-nilly to make it work. Some guys like that aspect of motorcycling. I was a young mechanic who fixed the mistakes others made to poor unfortunate shovelheads.

BTW, most stuff runs on computers now. A rented hour on a dynamometer is a good investment.

So, knowing that I understand your point and with all due respect, is that a "yes" or a "no"?

Kuryakyn claims a performance increase with their bolt on Hypercharger. If everything is hinged on the info you provided isnt that irresponsible of them to make such a blanket statement while not knowing what has been done to a buyers motor?

The engine mods will come in time on my new build its just that I'd like to get the bike mocked up and running. My question doesnt lead toward trying to grab some cheap horsepower, more that for now I just dont want to be going backward if the Hypercharger is robbing me. This is just a fu fu fancy looking hard tail build and that Hypercharger adds to the custom look but as I just stated if I'm going backward by using it I'll just stick with the Super E air cleaner.

I've been doing the research and havent decided which way I want to go with the build yet. Since this is a rigid I'm probably not going to do any cross countries with it so I'm looking for a combo that will give me the most low end torque, respectively.

Thank you for your input.

Truthfully, I don't know. You're building a bike for you, I built one for me.

I will tell you this, I learned the hard way, the hard way through others. It was fashionable during the stone age to put the biggest honking carburetor onto any bike. Stop at an intersection, and you had to keep blipping the throttle so the engine wouldn't drown. I went with a 1 3/4 inch S&S carburetor. Milder Sifton. Solid lifters. Alloy pushrods. I left those guys in the dirt, or rather, in "the flood."

It was the proper mix of air, fuel and exhaust.

So I ask you, is the flow of air through your desired filtration system the proper size/micron for the amount of air you must use to mix fuel and then expel from your engine? If you don't know, I suggest you find out before you spend a wad of cash.

BTW, I do not use "big sucker" style filtration. I use a Stage One and a dyno. That's because I didn't know either, and I wanted to find out.

Without going in to a long history of my background believe me when I tell you I understand what you're sayin.

I guess while the motor is still in its stock configuration I'll simply stick with the Keihin. The heads are gonna have to come off when I do the motor mods anyway so why bolt the ramjet manifold and the Super E on at this point, yes?

Thanx again for the input.

Sounds like a very good, logical and prudent plan. I wish more guys thought as you did before dumping a bunch of "ego money" into a poor running engine that frags the first time it gets wound up.

My bike runs clean at all speeds, and goes really fast when it should. I wish you the same good fortune!

I'm going to say no it doesn't offer anything better than the S&S but they do look cool.If your worried about it ,they make a taller air filter adapter kit for the S&S super E system.It is suppose to increase the air flow by 37% but in saying that, would it be needed ?Like the Ness big sucker kit I have, I'm sure it's not pulling the maximum volume of air that the big sucker kit would allow, therefore its an overkill of sorts.