Do you happen to be a Harley-Davidson biker who is looking to get the Stage 2 performance upgrade on your Harley-Davidson bike, but first wants to know about it first? If yes, then you are in the right place at the right time.
Stage 2 on a Harley-Davidson bike is a performance upgrade that involves a cam change. A Stage 2 torque kit will give you a significant improvement when you are passing or accelerating by targeting lower RPM performance.
A Stage 2 Power Kit Upgrade will increase the rev limit to 6400 RPM and offer increased mid-range horsepower. Depending on the kit that you are choosing, you will be getting 10 percent more torque and 30 percent more horsepower when the kit is correctly installed and tuned. Moreover, when the upgrade is dealer installed, the bike’s original warranty will stay in place. Remember, installing the Stage 2 kit will require you to already have Stage 1 kit installed on your bike.
In this guide, you will get to know all about Stage 2 kits on Harley-Davidson bikes, what is stage 2 on a Harley-Davidson bike, what is included in a stage 2 kit, what are the other performance kits for a Harley-Davidson bike, and more. Continue reading to get all the answers that you are looking for.
What do you mean by a Performance Kit
In the Harley-Davidson world, almost every modification has its own nomenclature. Most of this is marketing, but it can also serve a purpose and can be quite helpful when interpreted correctly. The OEMs and aftermarket companies have been incredibly successful using the term “Stage” with their kits. For many companies, including Harley-Davidson, this is a way of educating customers on performance levels and how complex or comprehensive a set of modifications might be.Â
Some of the first brands to offer components in Stages were Kerker and K&N back in the 80s. The company offered exhaust systems and jet kits at different levels that ranged from the semi-restrictive exhaust and stock airbox to full open headers with the airbox removed. As performance changed with every combination, the companies started referring to the kits as Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and so on. These terms were very popular as they allowed the customers to better understand the products they were buying. The same can be said for today’s V-Twin performance market. In most cases, the term “Stage” is used to apply to various levels of performance.
As the various stages will increase, so will the amount of needed modifications. With the modifications increasing exponentially, so will the necessity of the components to support the given power level. For instance, an exhaust system capable of 90-100 horsepower isn’t going to work on a 130 HP build. While a Stage 1 Performance build can be quite forgiving on the exhaust and intake, a Stage 2, 3, and 4 builds will require a specific recipe. The components used will either make or break the entire combination.
What is a Stage 2 Harley-Davidson upgrade
A Stage 2 Harley-Davidson Performance Kit is the second-level upgrade kit for Harley-Davidson bikes. It will offer your bike an instant power increase. This performance kit is recommended for performance-minded riders looking for better performance and higher speeds. You should keep in mind that a Stage 2 Performance Kit will require you to already have Stage 1 installed on your Harley-Davidson bike.
The Stage 2 Harley-Davidson Kit will involve a cam change. The Stage 2 Torque Kit will give your bike a significant improvement when you’re passing or accelerating as it targets lower RPM performance. Meanwhile, the Stage 2 Power Kit Upgrade will increase the rev limit to 6400 RPM for increased mid-range horsepower. Depending on the performance kit you are choosing, you’ll get a 30% increase in horsepower and a 10% increase in torque when correctly installed and tuned. Moreover, when your upgrade is dealer installed, your bike’s original warranty will stay in place.
Stage 2 Harley-Davidson engines will involve Stage 1 changes and changes to some internal bolt-in engine components. The bolt-in modifications will include camshafts and milling of the heads for increasing the compression. Some special tools and knowledge of engines will be needed to perform Stage 2 modifications. The modifications will range from 60 to 80 HP at the rear wheel of a late Harley-Davidson big twin Evolution engine, depending on the condition of the engine and the components that you have used.
All the Stage 1 parts and a few other parts will go into a Stage 2 engine. When installed and tuned properly, the Stage 2 Performance Kit parts will improve the rear wheel horsepower of your big twin engine.
How much power will a Stage 2 Performance Kit add to your Harley-Davidson bike
Depending on your riding style, you can either choose Torque or Power Stage 2 kits. The general rule is that the Torque Stage 2 kit will increase the performance in the low and mid-RPM range up to 15 percent. This will translate into a crisp throttle response and faster acceleration at lower speeds. This will be helpful when you’re passing slower vehicles without shifting down.
In contrast, the Power Stage 2 Kit will be tuned for the maximum peak power, which ensures a performance increase of up to 25% in the range of mid and upper RPM. With this cam configuration, you will be able to ride at thrilling top speeds while also pushing the tachometer toward the red line.
How much does a Harley-Davidson Stage 2 kit cost
Compared to other performance kits, a Harley-Davidson Stage 2 Performance Kit is rather affordable, as it costs only $450 to $550. This should come as no surprise, as this performance kit only contains an upgraded cam and adjustable pushrods. However, you will need to already have the Stage 1 Kit installed on your bike before you install the Stage 2 Performance Kit.
Simply put, Harley-Davidson’s Stage 2 Kit will contain a Screamin’ Eagle Performance Cam as well as adjustable pushrods. These performance parts will come intended to increase the duration of the valve opening as well as the lift in the valve train. In simple words, the new cam will push the valves to open further and keeps them open for longer.
What are the different stages of Harley-Davidson Performance Kits
The following descriptions can be used for describing the various performance levels –
Stage 1 Performance kit
The Stage 1 Performance Kit is generally considered to be the exhaust and intake modifications to a stock engine alongside the appropriate EFI Tuner. A Stage 1 Performance Kit will typically result in a power increase of 10-15 percent over the stock settings.Â
Stage 2 Performance Kit
This is generally referred to as an engine with a performance Cam upgrade and other components within a Stage 1 combination. A typical Stage 2 Performance Kit will generally have a 20-25 percent increase in horsepower compared to the stock settings.
Stage 3 Performance Kit
Most people refer to the Stage 3 Performance Kit as a mild, big bore and cam upgrade. Moreover, it also includes the other components of the lower stages. This type of performance upgrade makes use of the stock throttle body and most other stock components. With the Stage 3 Performance Kit, the horsepower will have an increase of 30-40 percent from stock.
Stage 4 Performance Kit
This is a moderate compression big bore combination, and it includes headwork and more cam as compared to the Stage 4 Performance Kit. With a Harley-Davidson Stage 4 Performance Kit, your bike will get a larger throttle body and injectors. Additional supportive mods will be needed, such as clutch and other upgrades. The power levels can result in an increase of 50 to 60 percent over the stock settings.
Stage 5 Performance Kit
The Stage 5 Performance Kit is a custom high compression big bore combination. The kit will include comprehensive headwork and aggressive cam, while also requiring a larger throttle body and injectors with additional supportive mods. It will be considered fuel and tune-sensitive. The power levels will experience an increase of 70 to 80 percent over stock.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading. Hopefully, now you know a lot more about Stage 2 kits on Harley-Davidson bikes, what is stage 2 on a Harley-Davidson bike, what is included in a stage 2 kit, what are the other performance kits for a Harley-Davidson bike, and more. Stage 2 kits on a Harley-Davidson bike is a performance upgrade that involves a cam change. A Stage 2 torque kit will give you a significant improvement when you are passing or accelerating by targeting lower RPM performance.
A Stage 2 Power Kit Upgrade will increase the rev limit to 6400 RPM and offer increased mid-range horsepower. Depending on the kit that you’re choosing, you will be getting a 10 percent more torque and 30 percent more horsepower when the kit is correctly installed and tuned. Moreover, when the upgrade is dealer installed, the bike’s original warranty will stay in place. Remember, installing the Stage 2 kit will require you to already have Stage 1 kit installed on your bike.
