Cylinder Heads

[WhipLash96]

I am looking to get some opinions what people like for heads between the Buell ThunderStorm heads and the SE 55cc Sportster heads. At this point I am only interested in these two pair.. Looking forward to everyone's thoughts..

[jsachs1]

Buell..    and there's always room for improvement. You'll need to use matching pistons also.
John

[turboprop]

STD castings with the raised ports and spread valves are good castings to start with. There are a bunch of STD XR style casting floating around as well. Also, not very hard to convert big twin heads to run on XL cases. Port and chamber work are similar but the pushrod holes have to be relocated. Most any big name head shop can relocate those holes. No need to limit your search to only XL or Buell heads.

[mayor]

I ran the thunderstorms on my sporty, but that was before the Buell XB's were available.  If I were to build a sporty again, it would feature the XB heads (available stock on '04 and up HD 1200's).  The thunderstorms is a pretty good head, but as John mentions you need to run the thunderstorm piston with them as well due to the beveled quench bands.  They are also limited to .500" or so lift.  I'm not sure what the 55cc SE sporterster heads are, but if it's the SE dual plug head....the thunderstorms would out flow and out perform as is.  If you buy a set of Tstorms and want a pretty sharp cookie to make them better...jsachs is one of the best. 

[HILLSIDECYCLE]

Buell.
Scott

[14Frisco]

I am running the XB heads in my Sporty with flattop pistons.  For some reason OP is not interested in those.
The 55cc SE heads, though, may be a derivative of the XB heads, I don't know.

Buell..    and there's always room for improvement. You'll need to use matching pistons also.
John

What do you think about the XB heads?

[prodrag1320]

we get more air starting with the buell heads than the SE heads,but youve already got the SE heads and you really dont want to do headwork anyway,so its kinda a moot point

[jimlibo]

  "The 55cc SE heads, though, may be a derivative of the XB heads"


  Bingo!

[WhipLash96]

we get more air starting with the buell heads than the SE heads,but youve already got the SE heads and you really dont want to do headwork anyway,so its kinda a moot point

I never said that I didn't want any head work done it is that I just am not interested at doing it at this particular point because I have no idea what I am going to be able to do with my new combination of a well tuned carb, along with new pipes. 

It sounds like most people are big on the Xb heads. OK, so if there were some work that needed to be done to the XB's what should be done to them? How reliable are they in comparison to the SE heads??

[mayor]

The XB have bath tub chambers, bee-hive springs which handle higher lift cams (~.570"), out flow the Tstorms, and have less issue with valve to valve clearance than the Tstorms.  If the SE's that you have are the same as the XB castings as Jimlibo suggests, you have a really good set of heads. 

[turboprop]

Really depends on the intended application. Doesn't make sense to put $5k into head work for a mild (sub 100 hp) street engine. Likewise a ProMod race engine will need every bit and more of that $5k. You really need to be more specific.

[WhipLash96]

The XB have bath tub chambers, bee-hive springs which handle higher lift cams (~.570"), out flow the Tstorms, and have less issue with valve to valve clearance than the Tstorms.  If the SE's that you have are the same as the XB castings as Jimlibo suggests, you have a really good set of heads.

The SE heads that I have are part number 16677-05 and they are equipped with the bee-hive springs....

[mayor]

those should be a derivative of the XB castings. As Turbo said, you can spend money on them to chase bigger numbers or you can accept them as being likely the best "as cast" set of evo sportster heads out there.  Myself, I think you would be better served spending your porting money on a good set of pipes (but, you already know I don't think much of the pipes you are running  ). 

[WhipLash96]

I have a different set purchased and ready to install as we speak. 

[jimlibo]

"If the SE's that you have are the same as the XB castings as Jimlibo suggests"

I didn't suggest they were the same, only pointed out that the 55cc SE heads as Frisco14 suggested ARE a "derivative of the XB heads". The base castings are identical but there are subtle differences between the two ASSEMBLIES (other than the -.050") deck. Most notably The valves, spring pack and spring pad locations. Due partially to the valve differences they also flow a little less air than the XB assemblies. I mentioned this on another string by the OP.
  There has been a few minor running changes in these assemblies as well.

[WhipLash96]

"If the SE's that you have are the same as the XB castings as Jimlibo suggests"

I didn't suggest they were the same, only pointed out that the 55cc SE heads as Frisco14 suggested ARE a "derivative of the XB heads". The base castings are identical but there are subtle differences between the two ASSEMBLIES (other than the -.050") deck. Most notably The valves, spring pack and spring pad locations. Due partially to the valve differences they also flow a little less air than the XB assemblies. I mentioned this on another string by the OP.
  There has been a few minor running changes in these assemblies as well.

So the SE Heads flow a little less air?? Are you talking about such a small number that it would be hard to justify scraping my SE's for the XB's??

[jimlibo]

They will work well enough I'm sure, if you get your exhaust system and potential tuning issues properly taken care of you'll have a decent runner. They're far better than the heads you took of a 1996 883 (in stock form that is).

[WhipLash96]

I am ready for a road ripper that is for sure.. Thanks for the input gentleman.

[strokerjlk]

STD castings with the raised ports and spread valves are good castings to start with. There are a bunch of STD XR style casting floating around as well. Also, not very hard to convert big twin heads to run on XL cases. Port and chamber work are similar but the pushrod holes have to be relocated. Most any big name head shop can relocate those holes. No need to limit your search to only XL or Buell heads.

Hummm...

[jvvjvv]

Not to totally hijack this thread...............

I have a stock '95 Buell S2..........(stock sportster engine)......going to have it gone through .060 bore and most likely SE 500 or 535 lift cam.....(still deciding what cam).  I am going to use either xb or thunderstorm heads.  I use this bike for touring and am looking for great low end torque. 2 or so to 4,000 rpms.

I have no problem in getting either set of heads reworked,...........(or even rework the stock ones)......... but am thinking that most porting/larger valves etc.  only help in the higher rpms.........true???

Thanks, Jack

[Avenger]

Hate to through a monkey wrench into the works" BUT " check out branch O'Keeffe they have their #5 heads with pistons to match if your into the serious stuff or the # 4 heads or give em a call and tell them what you expect and they will tell you what you need to do it. They have more flowbench time than anybody.