Installed in Harley-Davidson’s touring motorcycles is the 2023 Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 V-twin. New for the 1,977 cc Milwaukee-Eight 121 is variable valve timing (VVT), which H-D says produces 115 hp at 4,500 rpm with 189 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.
In this iteration, VVT advances or retards camshaft timing through 40-degrees of crankshaft rotation. This gives an improvement of three to five percent in fuel economy compared to the Milwaukee Eight 117 mill.
The cylinder is also redesigned with oval intake ports for the combustion chamber with a higher compression ratio leading to increased intake air velocity and greater combustion efficiency. An improved cooling system in the exhaust valve area improves thermal comfort, especially in low-speed riding situations and hot weather.
A high-performance camshaft with higher lift and longer duration increases power and torque. The valve train is updated with high-capacity lifters and inner cam bearing, and valve springs with higher lift.
Shifting is improved with a new shift drum that features a redesigned neutral pocket geometry for the six-speed gearbox, making neutral easier to find. Rounding out the changes for the Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 V-twin on H-D’s CVO models is a larger airbox and 12.5 mm larger diameter exhaust pipe from the previous 100 mm.
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