So you want to get a little more power from your Harley-Davidson Sportster, but you’re not sure where to start. You’ve come to the right place. Here’s some basic info on Stage 1 tuning your Harley-Davidson Sportster, the pros and cons, and the costs. We’ll look at what it means to Stage 1 kit a motorcycle, what the required components are, how to do it, and what benefits you can expect. What is the Stage 1 Kit and where can I find / buy it? Stage 1 upgrades aren’t a “kit” per say, they’re a combination of enhancements or add-ons to your motorcycle to designed to improve performance. You can buy parts individually and adopt different strategies based on your preferences or budget. The key components of a Stage 1 kit are: What does free breathing mean and what is the Harley Tax? Free breathing is a state of being nonrestricted. In North America and Europe, the automotive industries face heavy regulation for environmental concerns. Motorcycles often come restricted so as to meet emission tests and other standards of compliance.

Restrictions can be found in motorcycle air intakes, throttles, variators, exhausts, carburetor jetting, fuel-injection mapping, and more. air purifiers for college dormsThe “Harley Tax” is the cost that many choose to pay to get their Sportsters or other Harleys running as they should’ve come from the factory, were it not from the government trying to save us from ourselves.air purifier for basement smell Depending on your local laws, Stage 1 upgrades may or may not be legal. vortex air duct cleaning floridaThey may leave your bike no longer meeting emission, noise, or other standards. They may also increase your fuel consumption and if done wrong could harm your engine. If you understand the risks and want to find out more about Stage 1, the best and easiest bang-for-your-buck way of improving your Harley-Davidson Sportster or any other motorcycle’s performance.

Here’s a quick look at some of the things you’ll need for a Stage 1 upgrade and why you’ll need them. We recommend you do the upgrades in this order and preferably all at once for the best interests of your engine and your wallet. This is Page 2 of our Stage 1 Kit guide, if you’ve missed Page 1 we recommend you check it out. There are a variety of hyperchargers and air cleaners available for the Sportster and for other motorcycles. My 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL-883 has a Screamin’ Eagle Air Cleaner on it. This cleaner has a surface area of roughly double the stock cleaner from the factory. Imagine you had double the lung capacity next time you had to run around the block. Expect to pay around $60 and up depending on features and design. For bang-for-buck-air-suck we recommend the Screamin’ Eagle filter. Opening up the exhaust can range from slip-on mufflers to full exhaust systems. The costs range from a couple hundred to near thousands. Slip-ons are easy to install, resemble stock, and help with performance.

Full exhaust systems may increase performance further or look much more appealing, but come at a much higher price range. We use the Screamin’ Eagle II exhaust slip-on. Harley-Davidson instructions clearly state: changes to both air cleaners and exhaust systems will require ECM recalibration. We recommend swapping air cleaners and exhausts at the same time, so as to avoid paying for recalibration twice. Rejetted Carburetor / Remapped EFI When you start touching your motorcycle’s air intake and exhaust you need to make sure that you’ve adjusted your bike to run a proper fuel mixture to compensate. If you have a carburetted Sportster (1957 – 2006 models) you’ll need to look at changing your carburettor jetting. For 2007 and newer Sportster models you’ll need to re-map the EFI. This can be achieved with use of tools such as a Power Commander. Expect to gain about a 10% increase in power by paying “The Harley Tax” or Stage 1 kitting your motorcycle. After a successful Stage 1, 883cc Sportsters should begin seeing horsepower in the low to mid 50s, and torque numbers at about the 50 ft-lbs mark.

Soon we’ll have a step by step instruction on how to use a Power Commander 3 USB on a Harley-Davidson Sportster. You may also be interested in learning how to identify what type of Sportster you have based on its VIN #. For now please leave a comment letting us know what tunning you’ve done and please ask some questions. Simple installation and easy adjustments make the Mikuni "Easy Kit" one of the best and most popular ways to improve the performance of a Harley-DavidsonEasy Kits use the stock intake manifold and stock throttle cables making installation very simple. The HSR's unmatched throttle response and excellent air/fuel mixture control gives it a clear advantage over its competition. The design evolution of the Mikuni HSR carburetors goes back more than 80 years and stands at the end of a long line of excellent Easy Kits for the Twin Cam and Evolution models add both power and all around performance to stock or moderately modified engines.

With a free-flowing air cleaner and mufflers a Twin Cam motor picks up a solid 15 Horsepower. A similar Evo gains 12 or more. These kits are complete with everything needed for a total installation. Kits include an HSR 42mm or 45mm carburetor, new performance manifold, rubber flange, high flow K&N filter, chrome cover, chrome breather kit and mountingStock throttle cables from 1990 and later Big TwinsNote: 1984 to 1989 models will need new cables from a 1990 to 1995 model. The HSR42 carb in the Sportster and Buell kits requires slightly different jetting and a different throttle cable bracket than the Big Twins. kits differ in that one includes a high performance air cleaner backplate and the other does not. This Mikuni backplate is a robust design that works with a K&N stock replacement air filter or the larger Buell racing filter. buy the 42-11 kit and must use an after market air cleaner assembly. Use stock Harley cables (1988 or later).

Easy Kits for Twin Cam, Evo and Sportster models designed to work with your original Harley-Davidson intake manifold, choke cable, air cleaner and throttle cables. You can run other high performance air filters designed for the CV type carb by using the special adapter included in the kit. 1990 to 1999 1340 Big Twin Evo with stock CV type manifold. Includes 42mm carb, airbox adapter, chrome cover, installation instructions and tuning manual. 1999 to present Twin Cam models; 1990 to 1999 Big Twin Evo. Includes 42mm carb, air box adapter and instructions. Twin Cam uses the stock oval chrome cover. Evo uses the Screamin' Eagle air cleaner or most aftermarket air cleaner assemblies. 1994 to 2000 Sportster 1200. Includes 42mm carb, with special air cleaner backplate. Can use the stock oval cover and stock filter element. 1994 to 2000 Sportster 1200, BuellMust use aftermarket performance Sportster tanks must have fuel petcock on left side of tank.

Big Twin Evolutions and Twin Cam models These kits are complete with everything needed for a total installation. an HSR 42mm or 45mm carburetor, new performance manifold, rubber flange, high flow K&N filter, round chrome cover, chrome breather kit and mounting hardware. Stock throttle cables from 1990 and later Big Twins can be used. NOTE: 1984 to 1989 models will need new cables from a 1990 to 1995 model. 1984 to 1999 1340 Big Twin Evo. Includes chrome breather kit #KHS-020 for 1993Note: 1984 to 1989 models require cables from 1999 to present Twin Cam 88/95. Includes new chrome breather kit #KHS-030 for Twin Cams. Note: Use your stock throttle cables. Includes 45mm big bore carb, chrome breather kit #KHS-020 and a 45mm rubber flange. 1984 to 1999 1340 Big Twin Evo Same as kit above without intake manifold. 1999 to present Twin Cam 95. 45mm big bore carb, chrome breather kit #KHS-030, new manifold with MAPS location and 45mm rubber flange.