Cams

[Skip dennison]

Has anyone beefed up a cam for a 04 1500 nomad? If so how did it work.

[DragonLady58]

Works really well, improves performance, really strong mid range, absolutely awesome top end.
Theres 2 diff. cam grinders that I use. I used to use Reed Cams there in Atlanta, but I think they changed or moved.... but Webcams make a really good set.
http://webcamshafts.com/pages_vehicl...asaki/250.html
I've used #453, HardWeld 60-481....
Then, theres Elgin Cams which is SuperLobes....
Then, theres MegaCycle Cams, I've used the 415-1X. Thats my favorite grind....
KAWASAKI 1500 VULCAN
-----Hardfaced on customer cores, per pair.
415-x1 .345" 234° 109° OK with stock pistons. Must use 343-K. 8 btc/46 abc hydraulic rocker/
.345" 234° 109° Mid-range and top-end improvement. 46 bbc/8 atc lash n/a
Stock .298" 213.4° 112° 1996 Vulcan 1500 Classic stock cam spec----

[DragonLady58]

OK, let me explain something with the big Vulcan 1500-1600 engines....
The stock 1500-1600s, are extremely smooth, powerful and torquey. As you go about improving things, add coasters, disconnect/remove air solenoids, add a low restriction air cleaner, and a free flowing exhaust, you can add a efi tuner, and all this improves breathing. You can richen up the mix, with the breathing improvements, you can easily get up about 85 horses. Thats a improvement you can feel. The engine is more powerful and its alot peppier because it breaths alot better than stock.

To get the most outta your cams thru your mods, the improvements above, and the addition of the tuner.....you can easily get to the 90HP range. Thats quite a jump from the stock tuning and factory pieces parts....

My hotrodded 1500 that I call my Thunder 1500 which has the above, plus a basic big bore kit, cnc ported heads, intake, throttlebody, running the big bore/hi compression pistons, Hi-flow injectors, dynatek coils with mallory plug wires/boots, slightly larger valves, crank/rods/pistons are balanced....my engine has been dyno'ed at over 110 hp, and thats with the bone stock ecu....

But, the basics with the cams is a big improvement....If you have the 1500, think about trading up? Wanna save some money? Get your 1500 rebuilt fresh, add those cams, plus all the coasters, air sol. delete, with a new exhaust and intake....your bike will feel stronger than the 1600s.... Just sayin....
Have more performance, rock solid reliability with the fresh rebuilt 1500, and alot less than the cost of a new bike.....

Remember, these big 1500/1600s and the big 1600/1700 yamas are the very big displacement cruisers that cause Harley to get to the big displacement 98/103/107/110s .....the big displacement cruisers had the HD folks flocking to them cause they could pull the big loads, 2 up, up and down mountains all day every day.....and the harleys were underpowered. HD had to step up or loose a bunch of their advocates/buyers to the japanese mfg'ers.....

[andyvh1959]

What gets me about this, is Harley HAD the engine to do the job AND more! The "little" V-Rod engine never got into a chassis/style of bike to expand that market. Friend of mine worked in the engine development dyno room at Harley. He said they could not get a V-Rod engine to fail, and it made great power. He is a very critical type, and had no bad comments about the V-rod engine. But Harley only packaged it into a chassis with weird ergonomics only suited to bar hop riding at most. Harley could have packaged it into a modern v-twin sport-touring chassis.

And now Harley shelved the Revolution engine in the Bronx chassis. Instead they're going ahead with a larger version of that engine into an adventure bike chassis? That market is really tough and full of adventure bikes from BMW, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph. HD is well behind the game on this again.

[redjay]

A stock 1300 Yamaha V Star 1300 produces 72bhp and with an aftermarket intake, slip on muffler and ECU reprogram its at 86 bhp in a package that weighs 720 lbs. The touring model has a windshield and hard bags. Sadly it went out of production in 2017. Like most other manufacturers Yamaha have almost abandoned the cruiser in favour of adventure and sport bikes.

[andyvh1959]

Ok, I know engines well enough to determine everything you explained, but "coasters?"

Can't say I've heard that word applied to a built engine.

[ldhthept]

Smog/intake stuff on 1500/1600

[andyvh1959]

Ahh,...when I bought my 1600 (used) the PO had already removed all that crap. He also installed a Baron air intake, V&H pipes and a Power Commander. It runs great. In fact, yesterday was the first day of this season to start it since last November. Fired right off after brief cranking.

[alwhite00]

So what is a 1500 putting to the ground with cams, air filter and good mufflers along with a tune? Anyone have any dyno numbers?

[redjay]

My guess is around 65 hp.


2003 Kawasaki VN 1500 Mean Streak The engine produces a maximum peak output power of 71.00 HP (51.8 kW) @ 5500 RPM and a maximum torque of 114.00 Nm (11.6 kgf-m or 84.1 ft.lbs) @ 3000 RPM .

[andyvh1959]

65 at the rear wheel sounds about right, perhaps near to 70 hp. Consider about 15% power lost through the 90 degree power turn at the rear hub and the 90 degree power turn again at the tranny output, means about 76 to 80 hp at the crank.

According to DragonLady58, 85 hp at the crank would be about 72 hp at the rear wheel.

[alwhite00]

Thanks for the dyno info.