Piloted by Ben Bostrom, the Feuling Harley-Davidson Road Glide ran strong through the practice sessions and qualified fourth on the grid for the Drag Specialties King of the Baggers Invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The team made key suspension changes and tire adjustments leading up to Saturday morning’s warmup session, and Bostrom dropped another two full seconds from his best lap time.
Unfortunately, on the final lap of warmup, the rear cylinder head failed on the big, air-cooled V-Twin. The exhaust rocker shaft broke and pulled the shaft stud threads out of the aluminum, which destroyed the perch.
With Harley-Davidson’s blessing, Vance & Hines provided the Feuling team with a new SE 131” crate engine. After a feverish, two-hour engine swap, Bostrom took to the starting grid just minutes before the race.
Aggressively launching the Road Glide off the line, Bostrom got a great start, but the Feuling machine quickly lost power. It became readily apparent that the gasket between the engine and transmission, which the team had to re-use when they swapped out the engine, was compromised and created an oil leak along with suction/sumping issues. Bostrom unfortunately DNFed but declared that he had a great time, and the team pledged to return again for next year’s Drag Specialties King of the Baggers Invitational.
Rider: Ben Bostrom
Engine: 124-cubic-inch V-twin engine with 4.50” stroke and 4.185” bore, ported cylinder heads and intake manifold, Feuling 592 Race Series Camchest Kit, Highflow oiling system and vented oil dipstick, Race Series lifters, heavy duty one-piece pushrods, high-load beehive valve springs w/titanium retainers, Horsepower Inc. throttle body with 6.1 gallons per second fuel injectors
Air Cleaner: Feuling Parts
Air Filter: K&N
Transmission: Alloy Art MFG Co. shift linkage, Baker Drivetrain transmission side bearing, Jim’s Transmission side door
Clutch: Barnett Scorpion, Rekluse slave cylinder
Exhaust: Feuling Parts 2-into-1 triple-stepped AR (Anti-Reversion) exhaust with dog ball resonator insert
Fuel: VP Racing
Final Drive: RK Excel Chain, PBI Sprockets
Front Suspension: Legend, SlyFox triple clamps, Alloy Art MFG Co. fork lowers
Rear Suspension: Legend, RWD, Alloy Art MFG Co. swingarm
Front Brakes: Lyndall brake pads and rotors, Alloy Art MFG Co. caliper mounts
Front Brakes: Lyndall brake pads and rotor
Wheels: Lyndall
Tires: Dunlop
Bodywork: SlyFox front fender and side covers
Windscreen: Klock Werks
Seat: Saddlemen
Handlebars: Thrashin Supply handlebars and risers, ODI handlebar grips
Foot Controls: The Speed Merchant, Thrashin Supply footpegs and shifter tip
