Why Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Have ‘Underpowered’ Engines

The name Harley-Davidson alone has a connotation of raw Americana. These are brutish and big bikes that you hear coming long before you see them. The aesthetics alone turn heads with gorgeous twists of chrome pipe, swept bars, and — more often than not — accents of black leather and buffed fairings. Harleys have a strong cultural cache, appearing as formidable and powerful bikes, with models like the Sportster seemingly made to fit this description. However, if we zoom out and consider Harley-Davidsons within the broader context of bikes, they could be perceived as underpowered. It’s a known fact that these motorcycles will get you off the line quickly with a deep well of torque to draw from, and for most fans, the low-end torque is the entire point. Its stock engine designs actually preclude massive horsepower potential by nature.
The lack of power is by design, built-in to these 45-degree V-Twins as a bug — or feature, depending on how you see it. To wit, Harley’s engines are