The Cincinnati V-Twin Expo is a smorgasbord for the cruiser and custom motorcycle crowd. With approximately 180 vendors attending this year’s expo, it took two days of pounding pavement to take it all in. With S&S Cycle launching its Power Tune Performance Systems, Vance & Hines debuting its High-Output Grenades, and Magna Flow showcasing its Ness brand of exhausts, we nicknamed the 2015 V-Twin Expo the “Year of the Pipe” because it was the most hotly contested market by far. While this is only a sampling of what we saw at the show, we compiled a list of ten hot products sure to be a hit with the cruiser crowd in 2015.
S&S Cycle Power Tune Performance Systems –
S&S’s new Power Tune Performance Systems feature 16 gauge steel in the muffler’s outer shell, a formed steel expansion chamber, and a spiral louvered baffle to create the desired amount of back pressure and dial in the exhaust’s note. While the Power Tune Systems cover a wide range of Harleys, we foresee the 4” Race/Tour Mufflers for Harley baggers being a big seller. The segment is hot and the 4” Race/Tour Mufflers will boost power and provide a bigger bark, S&S claiming they are “louder than our other muffler offerings for baggers.” Said to provide exceptional mid- and high-end gains, the pipes are available in chrome or with a Jet-Hot black ceramic finish. You can get them slash cut or standard with a wide selection of end caps to choose from. The 4” Race/Tour Mufflers fit 1995 – 2014 Harley-Davidson touring models and 2009-2014 Tri Glide models. Prices range from $499.95 for the Slash Cut Chrome pipes while chrome end caps, machined from 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum billet, start at $159.95.
Kraftwerks HD Blower –
Kraftwerks HD Blower caught our eye with its clean, compact design and promises of big power gains, said to boost power by 50% and torque by 25%. It’s a modular, two-piece design and comes with everything you need for installation, including plug-and-play electronics. Kraftwerks says it utilizes “an ultra-compact Rotrex HD Blower unit featuring patented
KraftWerks modular blower for Harley-Davidsons provides quite a boost in a tidy little package.
traction drive technology.” The unit is small, efficient, and nearly silent. It comes with an independent oiling and cooling system and has an intake plenum assembly disguised as an air cleaner. It’s designed to blend in with Harley styling, is available in a variety of finishes and can be outfitted with factory emblems. Kraftwerks says its HD Blower can be installed in three hours and sells for $3699 without engine management and $3999 with.
Performance Machine 8-caliper brake for big-wheeled baggers –
Performance Machine has been making monster-sized wheels for the bagger market for some time, but realized that a brake to handle the demands of all that mass was missing. So PM created an 8-piston caliper brake and 16-inch rotor combo for baggers with giant front wheels, claiming the arrangement provides comparable performance to having a dual disc set-up on a single rotor. To pull this off, PM takes two of its 4-piston calipers and mounts it on the left side of the wheel allowing an unobstructed view of the right side. Performance Machine’s Jet Air Cleaner also has the potential to be a big seller, not only for its clean, attractive design, but for its ability to be mounted horizontally or vertically. While we don’t have a price on the 8-piston caliper big wheeled brake, the PM Jet Air Cleaner sells for $499.95.
Reckluse EXP Auto-Clutch for Harleys –
The crew at Rekluse had two new H-D offerings, a high-performance manual clutch and its EXP automatic clutch for ’98 Harley Big Twins and newer motorcycles. The EXP centrifugal clutch allows riders to start and stop without using the clutch lever. But, riders can still manually bang through gears if so desired because the manual action of the clutch lever is fully functional all the time. The Auto-Clutch comes with 11 thin steel friction plates, 11 thin steel drive plates, a pair of hold down rings for tuning, a centrifugal clutch disk and 12 basket sleeves. Rekluse claims engagement is smoother and that the auto-clutch will increase the life of your clutch pack. “Works like magic,” according to Rekluse’s Idaho Joe. The EXP automatic-clutch lists for $799.
Vance & Hines High Output Grenades –
Among the new exhausts we saw at the 2015 V-Twin Expo, one set that stirred our soul is Vance & Hines High Output Grenades. Our only regret was not being able to hear them because with a name like High Output Grenades, they’d better belt out a big boom. The Sportster pipes are fairly short, the front one running below the mid-control foot pegs, the focal point being the big CNC-machined billet end caps or “Grenades.” The Vance & Hines pipe feature a three-step muffler design and are available in chrome or chrome with black tips for $749.95 and black with a pearl nickel tip or all black finish for $799.95.
Bad Dad Summit Rear Fender –
Bad Dad lived up to its name by bringing some bad baggers to the show. One that stood out in particular is a 2014 Harley Street Glide, with Bad Dad’s Summit Rear Fender, Stretched Saddlebags, Competition Series Speaker Lids with LEDS, and Long Strokes Exhaust.
The Bad Dad Summit Rear Fender is a handmade composite fender with stretched filler panels that really cleans up the look of a bagger’s back end. The three-piece design utilizes all of the factory mounting hardware and is compatible for accessories like detachable backrests or Tour Paks. All of the mounting holes are pre-drilled and finished in a blemish-free gel coat. The Summit Rear Fender is designed to work with Bad Dad’s Stretched Saddlebags or 4″ Saddlebag Extensions. Comes in a variety of exhaust cut-outs: dual, 2-into-1, or none. It’s been load-tested over a ton and sales for $790 – $1090.
Ken’s Factory –
We liked just about everything we saw coming out of Ken’s Factory, from their Neo-Classic Fusion Grips to their Trans Top Side and Top Covers. If you’re looking for that little something different that’s going to make your bike stand out, then check out the parts Ken Nagai is making out of his Signal Hill shop. The billet girder front end he’s making are outstanding, with 2”, 4” or 6” lengths designed per Ken’s factory specs. Built to order, Ken will hash out set-up, styling and treatment with each customer to ensure it suits the build.
Wirecare –
The team at Wirecare.com was showcasing its braided expandable sleeving for wires and cables. We love that they offer a wide variety of colors and patterns for wrapping motorcycle wires, another way to give your bike that little extra that sets it apart from everybody else. The protective braids come in different forms, from ones with Nomex fibers in Flexo NX high temperature sleeving to metal braids of copper or brass. WireCare has partnered with Techflex, a company “committed to creating precision wire harnessing braids. Techflex backs up its products with certifications and testing from military and civilian agencies including UL, FAA, CSA, and many more.”
Love Jugs Cooling System for Harley Engines –
Anybody who’s been stuck in traffic on their Harley on a blistering hot day knows how that big V-Twin can roast your thighs to well-done! Love Jugs aims to remedy that problem with their bolt-on cooling system for Harley engines.
The Love Jugs Cool-Master is comprised of dual fans which keep a constant flow of air running across the engine’s cooling fins. It mounts where the horn is located. CNC-machined from stainless steel parts, there are three different versions, the original Bullets Design, the Slots Design, and the Cool-Master. Some motorcycles will require a frame mounting kit ($79.50). The company offers a Vibration Master as well for an extra $79. Prices of the Love Jugs themselves range from $349 to $429.
Arlen Ness 10 Gauge Engine Cover Series –
Last but not least, the new Arlen Ness 10 Gauge Engine Cover Series is a great way to dress up your Twin Cam. Most covers are machined from 6061 T-6 billet aluminum, gaskets and hardware included, and are available in a black anodized finish or chrome. With a classy ribbed design, you can dress up your engine with a little Arlen Ness flair. It’d be nice to have the total package – 10 Gauge Transmission Sid Cover, Cam Cover, Lifter Block Cover, and Rocker Box Top Covers. Prices range from $169.95 and top out at $449.95 for the 10 Gauge Rocker Box Top Covers.
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