how can I ID a motor??

[olymon]

I happen to get my hands on a Buell motor that we had around the shop for what seems like forever ( it might be a zero mile motor). I think the motor was out of an X1 but I'm not sure. How can I find out what the motor actually is? My wife thinks I should get a bike with a dead motor and swap in the motor, but I don't know how hard that would be. I'm used to working on snowmobiles and making custom parts if needed, so I think I could do it. The motor is missing the outer case cover on the right hand side and it looks like it could be missing the stator too. I'm not sure what else it might need but maybe a donor bike with a bad motor might have all I need on it already. Lots of ifs in this thread.... what do you think.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, olymon in Northern lower Michigan

[Cooter]

Post some pics. It will help my clairvoyance.

[olymon]

So I finally got a chance to take some pictures and post them up. Like I said before, I'm not sure what this came out of. Motor CC, year, anything like that is a mystery to me. I think it might have been an X1 project we were working on, I'm not positive. Thanks for any help that anybody could give me in identifying this motor.

[34nineteen]

V-rod motor?

[olymon]

Oh, yeah. That sure looks like what I have. I guess now I have to find a V- rod forum that might have some info on how to ID this thing. Maybe somebody here has some knowledge about these motors too.

[user_deleted]

it's an H-D Vrod motor. the 2001-2007 inclusive were 1131cc......the 2008 to present are 1247cc. arguably one of the finest motorcycle engines ever built anywhere at anytime.
the barcode sticker is unfamiliar to me. ran the # and it does not match any format the factory would have used to designate a new replacement motor destined for a dealership. H-D does not sell complete motors straight to the general public...only for replacement purposes.
in all likelihood it is a 2008 and later edition due to the blacked-out treatment. might be a night rod variant but appears to be later version. also H-D would never ship without the left side cover in place. they are all left hand drive belt sprocket oriented motors. might be from a recycler.
ID it this method:
go to the flat machined surface known as the "data stamp plate". it is on the left side lower engine case near the oil sump pan. get the number and then go to any of the vrod forums and decode it. simple.

[olymon]

The motor was left over from some R&D development parts that we created for Harley to use. I have to take a look for the serial number on the motor, if it even has one. Some of the stuff we work on is 1 or 2 years ahead of production some times.

Thanks for the great advice!!