Harley Davidson 1450CC's Engine Specifications
by Lindsey FisherUpdated June 22, 2023
The 1,450 cc Harley Davidson Engine, also known as the Twin Cam 88, was a breakthrough in motorcycle history when it came out. The engine was made and used on many different Harley Davidson bikes from 1999 to 2006. This engine has recently been retired and a new engine based on the 1,450 cc is being used in new Harley Models. The 1,450 cc remains a favorite engine for Harley riders to this day.
Type of Engine
The 1,450 cc is equivalent to an 88 cubic inch block, and is is a twin-camshaft engine. The twin camshaft was also released as a Twin Cam 88B which was quite a bit bigger at 96 cubic inches. The bore of this engine is 3.75 inches and the stroke is four inches. It pushes 80 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. The torque of this engine is 82 ft-lb at 3,500 rpm. The engine can have different bore and strokes as well as horsepower and torque ratings depending on what motorcycle it is in.
Unique Features
This Harley Davidson engine has a dual coil system which ensures that spark can’t be wasted. It also has a uniquely shaped combustion chamber. This chamber is shaped like a bathtub and allows for higher engine compression levels. This improves engine efficiency.
Camshaft
The camshafts in the 1,450 cc engine are what give it the name Twin Cam. As its title insinuates, there are two camshafts in this engine, one for each of the engine’s cylinders. These camshafts then align easily with other engine components with their two cam lobes. A chain, that is silent, drives the camshafts’ operation. Although the lack of noise from the chain can be nice, this chain causes timing issues. To correct the problem, many Harley owners put in after-market camshaft drives.
Bikes
Many bikes were made from 1999 to 2006 with the 1,450 cc. These included Dyna-Glide bikes such as the FXD, FXDX, FXDL, FXDWD and the FXDs-CONV. Softail bikes were also made with the 1,450 cc Twin Cam such as the FXST/FXSTI Softail Standard and theFXSTB/FXSTBI Night Train. Harley’s FLHT Electra Glide Standard and FLHR/FLHRI Road King are just a couple of touring bikes that came with the 1,450 cc engine.
Writer Bio
Lindsey Fisher began writing professionally in 2010. Fisher has been published in the online magazine “Domestic Driver.” She graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and technical communications with a minor in sociology.
