One of the best mods that you can do to a Harley M8 114 is to slap on a new set of cams. However, choosing a camshaft is not easy, especially with all of the technical jargon.
Even if you do get around the technical specifications, which type of camshaft should you choose for your M8 114? Should you go with a cam that puts a lot of torque down low or do you maximize horsepower at high RPMs?
Luckily, we are here to help you make that decision. In this article, we will be discussing the best cams for M8 114 Harleys. We will go over the different types of cams and their benefits, so you can make an informed decision on which cam is right for you.
The 4 Best Cams for M8 114
 | Best HP Cam 1. S&S Cycle 550G |
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 | Best Top End 2. COMP Cams Mega 8 246/252 |
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 | Best Touring 3. S&S Cycle 310-1014A |
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| | Most Aggressive 4. COMP Cams Mega 8 Hi-Lift 248/254 |
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1. S&S Cycle 550G – Best HP
If you’re looking to make the most horsepower possible out of your M8 114, then the S&S Cycle 550G cam is the way to go.
With a lift of .550 inches and intake duration of 218.9 front and 214.2 rear with a 103 LSA, the S&S Cycle 550G will give your 114 M8 around 121 horsepower at 5800 RPM. Even better, to complement such high HP numbers, this cam also provides 128.65 torque right around 4100 RPM, which is very impressive. This means a great powerband with a focus on higher RPMs.
Now, the 550G cam kit does replace the drive chain with gears, but S&S also produces the 550C if you want to keep the chain drive. However, we chose drive gears for two reasons – reliability and precision.
That’s right, if you’re planning on pushing your 114 M8 to the limit, you need to be certain that the valvetrain is rock-solid and can handle the high loads. With gears, you won’t have to worry about the chain slacking or breaking – gears will last the whole life of the engine.
Furthermore, gears do not stretch and have little to no delay in timing, unlike the cam chain. Therefore, we recommend going with the 550G over the 550C for anyone looking to make some serious horsepower.
Last but not least, we recommend pairing the S&S 550 cam with adjustable pushrods and heavy-duty valve springs. It will bring the total cost up, but it’s highly recommended to avoid any valvetrain issues.
- Lift: .550″
- Intake Duration: 218.9/214.2
- LSA: 103
2. COMP Cams Mega 8 246/252 – Best Top End
If you want to push the peak HP on your 114 M8 even higher, then you might want to consider the COMP Cams Mega 8. It’s the perfect cam for riders who love to ride fast and push their Harley to screaming high RPMs.
This camshaft features a .472 lift, 246/252 duration, and a 110 LSA. With these numbers, the Mega 8 will make around 125 horsepower at the very top end of the RPM range. Because of that, this cam is incredibly fun to ride on and will really transform your 114 M8.
However, keep in mind that the torque curve of the Mega 8 stays consistent throughout the RPM range. This makes the COMP Cams Mega 8 more predictable than you’d expect until you hit 5500 RPM.
Lastly, we’d like to remind you that the Mega 8 (like all high-performance cams) needs adjustable pushrods and heavy-duty valve springs to work properly, so don’t forget to factor that into the cost.
- Lift: .472″
- Intake Duration: 246/252
- LSA: 110
3. S&S Cycle 475G – Best Touring
For guys and gals who prefer having all the torque in the world at lower RPMs, the S&S 475G is the best option. It’s a cam that’s designed for excellent low to mid-range power, making it perfect for touring. Better yet, the 475G has a nice lope to it at idle, which is always a bonus.
With a duration of 213.5/263.9 and an LSA of 102, the S&S 475G produces peak torque of 109.95 at just around 3000 RPM. With specifications like that, your Harley will pull like a freight train the instance you crack open the throttle. This makes the 475G the perfect cam for two-up riding.
With that said, the best thing about the S&S Cycle 475G is that it’s a bolt-in cam. This means that you don’t need to upgrade the stock valve springs or anything else to enjoy the 100HP that this cam provides.
However, we recommend going with the 310-1014A kit from S&S, because it comes with an upgraded oil pump, stronger tappets, and a cam gear conversion kit. All of these improvements are worth the extra money in our opinion.
- Lift: .475″
- Intake Duration: 213.5/263.9
- LSA: 102
4. COMP Cams Mega 8 Hi-Lift 248/254 – Most Aggressive
We’ll finish our top 4 list with the most aggressive cam on the market for the 114 M8 – the COMP Cams Mega 8 Hi-Lift.
The Mega 8 Hi-Lift is best combined with a high-flow air cleaner, performance exhaust, and ported heads. With the mods installed, your M8 114 will be pushing over 138 HP – this cam is no joke.
With a lift of .522″ and 248/254 duration, the Mega 8 Hi-Lift is designed to produce peak horsepower at the very top end of the RPM range and peak torque at around 4000 RPM. This makes the Mega 8 Hi-Lift the perfect choice for experienced riders looking to push their Harley to the limit.
Lastly, we want to remind you again that this cam requires heavy-duty adjustable pushrods, heavy-duty valve springs, and ideally high compression pistons to really utilize all of the power that it produces.
- Lift: .522″
- Intake Duration: 248/254
- LSA: 110
Choosing the Best Cam for M8 114 Harley – Everything You Need to Know
There you have it – our top 4 picks for the best cam for M8 114 Harley Davidson motorcycles, but don’t go anywhere yet! As we promised, we’re going to spill the beans on everything you need to know about choosing the right cam for your bike.
Determine Your Riding Style
Before you even start looking at different camshafts, you need to ask yourself what kind of rider you are. Answering this question is crucial because it will help you determine which cam is best suited for your needs.
Are you a casual rider who likes to take their Harley out for a spin on the weekends? Or are you an experienced rider who’s always looking to push your bike to the limit? These are the kinds of questions you need to ask yourself.
If you’re a casual rider, we recommend going with a cam that produces good low and mid-range power. This way, you won’t have to worry about your bike being too difficult to ride at lower speeds. A touring cam would be a good choice in this case.
If you’re an experienced rider, on the other hand, we recommend going with a cam that produces peak power at higher RPMs. This way, you can really open up the throttle and enjoy all the power that your Harley has to offer. A high-lift cam would be a good choice in this case.
Consider the Mods You’ve Made (Or Plan to Make)
The next thing you need to think about is the mods you’ve made (or plan to make) to your Harley. This is important because it will help you determine which cam is best suited for your bike. You can just install the most aggressive highest lift cam without any supporting mods and just call it a day – it will make your 114 M8 run like a dog.
For example, if you’ve installed high-flow heads and a performance exhaust, you’ll want to choose a cam that takes advantage of these mods. A high-lift aggressive cam would be a good choice in this case.
On the other hand, if you haven’t made any mods to your Harley, we recommend sticking with a bolt-in camshaft. This way, you won’t have to worry about any compatibility issues on a stock M8, and you can install more mods later on down the road.
Familiarize Yourself With the Most Important Camshaft Specs
Finally, you need to learn how to read camshaft specs if you want to make sure you’re choosing the right cam for your bike. It’s very confusing at first and it’s definitely not for everyone, so consider calling S&S Cycles, FuelMoto, or any other reputable performance camshaft manufacturer and asking for help if you’re unsure about anything.
There are a lot of confusing terms and numbers when it comes to camshafts, but the three most important things you need to look at are lift, duration, and valve timing.
Lift
When you’re looking at camshaft specs, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the lift.
The purpose of a camshaft is to lift the intake and exhaust valves, thus lift is a very important measurement. We measure lift in fractions of an inch. For example, an aggressive cam might have a .540″ lift, while a more mild cam could have a .440″ lift.
Now, more lift (bigger number) means more power at mid to high RPMs. Remember, more lift equals more airflow to the combustion chamber.
Duration
Next, let’s quickly go over the duration.
Duration is measured in degrees of crankshaft rotation and it tells us how long the intake and exhaust valves are open. The higher the number, the higher the duration. For example, a cam with 230° of duration holds the valve open longer than a camshaft with 205° duration.
A camshaft that has a longer duration improves low-range torque and makes the bike idle a bit better, however, it sacrifices top-end horsepower in return. On the other hand, a cam with a shorter duration improves horsepower at the high-end of the RPM range, but sacrifices torque down low and makes the bike idle worse.
Valve Timing
Finally, we need to talk about valve timing.
Valve timing is extremely important and it’s something that you need to pay close attention to when choosing a camshaft. Valve timing is essentially the timing of when the intake and exhaust valves open and close in relation to the position of the piston.
We measure valve timing in degrees of crankshaft rotation after top dead center (ATDC) and after bottom dead center (ABDC).
Intake Valve Timing
A late opening intake valve (0°) increases power at low RPMs but sacrifices high RPM power. On the other hand, an early opening intake valve (25°) increases power at high RPMs but sacrifices low RPM power and idle quality.
Now, an early closing intake valve (25°) will give more power at low RPMs and sometimes mid range, but a late closing intake valve (5°) will push the power curve to the very top end.
Exhaust Valve Timing
When it comes to the exhaust valve, we can see a very similar pattern.
A late opening exhaust valve (0°) gives more power at low RPMs, while an early opening exhaust valve (25°) gives more power at high RPMs.
Last but not least, an early closing exhaust valve (5°) gives the bike a much smoother idle with better gas mileage and even reduces emissions. On the other hand, a late closing exhaust valve (15°) can give a bit more power at high RPMs.
Now that you’re familiar with the basics, you can start looking into other important specs, like LSA, but that is beyond the scope of this article.
Related: Motorcycle Valve Adjustment Cost
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when choosing the best cam for your M8 114. Take your time, do your research, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
The most important thing is to find a camshaft that matches your riding style and the type of performance you’re looking for.
Thanks for reading and I hope this article was helpful.
Nick Kowalski is a diesel mechanic by trade, but his passion lies in motorcycles.
He’s been riding them since he was just a wee lad, and he loves restoring old Japanese street bikes and ATVs in his spare time.
Nick is an adrenaline junkie at heart, and he loves nothing more than hitting the open road on his motorcycle.