Harley-Davidson redefines motorcycle touring with new Milwaukee-Eight engine

Harley-Davidson says it has redefined motorcycle touring by unveiling the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engine, the ninth Big Twin in its history, plus all-new front and rear suspension for its Model Year 2017 Touring motorcycle lineup - the VCO Limited and Pro Street Break Out models.

‘ These are the most powerful, most responsive and most comfortable Touring motorcycles ever offered by Harley-Davidson,’ said Scott Miller, Vice-President of Styling and Product Development Strategy.

‘ The unmistakable look, sound and feel of Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles rise to even greater heights with the improvements we’ve made this year. You truly have to ride it to feel it – so we’re inviting all riders to go to their local dealer and take a test ride.’

The new Milwaukee-Eight engine, the ninth Big Twin design in the company’s storied lineage, is a clean-sheet design that combines the classic look, sound and feel of Harley-Davidson Big Twin engines with improvements in every aspect of engine performance.

‘ The Milwaukee-Eight engine carries the legacy of Harley-Davidson Big Twins into the future,” said Chief Powertrain Engineer Alex Bozmoski. “While respecting the essential Big Twin character, we’ve created an all-new motor. Every aspect of performance, durability and styling has been improved as a direct response to the voice of Harley-Davidson customers around the world.’

Retaining the classic 45-degree V-Twin cylinder angle, the Milwaukee-Eight engine produces up to 11 percent more torque than previous year models and features four-valve cylinder heads that offer 50 percent more intake and exhaust flow capacity. The Milwaukee-Eight engine is counter-balanced to cancel 75 percent of primary vibration at idle, retaining the classic feel of a Harley® V-Twin while being very smooth at highway speeds. A new heat management strategy for all Milwaukee-Eight engines improves rider and passenger comfort. Despite its increased power, the Milwaukee-Eight engine delivers better fuel economy compared to previous motorcycle models.

Milwaukee-Eight engines are offered in two displacements: the Milwaukee-Eight 107 (107 CID/1745cc) and Twin- Cooled™ Milwaukee-Eight 107 (107 CID/1745cc) for standard motorcycle models and the Twin- Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114 (114 CID/1870cc) for Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) motorcycle models.