DARKHORSE PRO LINEUP

 Darkhorse / Man O-War

Products and Services Timeline

March 2020 

Through extensive model design & testing, the Man O-War Motorsprocket is released at Daytona Bike Week.  It proves to be the only product on the market today that is engineered for longevity compared to OEM compensating sprockets without sacrificing rider comfort.  This patented system also puts an emphasis on rider comfort compared to the noise and harsh feeling under loads associated with 1 piece solid motor sprockets. 

These premium features combined with being inexpensive to 

service versus expensive compensator based sprockets that fail and 

need to be replaced as an entire unit.

The Man O-War motorsprocket

 proves to be the 1st performance engineered primary motor 

sprocket on the market that provides 

"instant torque response" combined with a patented

“engine pulse absorbing cushion drive”  primary system for 

Harley-Davidson TwinCam® and Milwaukee 8®  models.

January 2018 

With the release of the Milwaukee 8 platform, we knew we had our work cut-out for us as we had close to 20 years of home runs 

with regards to TwinCam lower ends and 15 years of EVO's before that!  We knew that 1st on the engineering table was the ability to balance & blueprint the redesigned crankshaft for all of our engine builders that needed a blueprinted and balanced lower end to 

test HP gains on.  With that we developed our precision ground 

M-8 Oversized/stepped crankpin.  Similar in nature to our TwinCam crankpins this proved to be the easiest piece to engineer as we have decades in crankpin development, simultaneously we contract CARRILLO to develop a connrod to work with our 

proprietary crankpin and our rod roller bearings follow.

May 2015
With the longevity of the TwinCam® motor platform, both racers and customers alike demanded we add precision sizing of the lifter to lifter-bore clearance to our crankcase services. Too often, we see out-of-spec OEM crankcase lifter bore tolerance. We know this can be the root cause in volume and oil pressure loss to lifters and consequent top end components resulting in noise, reduced performance and shortened top-end lifespan. We engineered an in-house system to precision hone lifter bores to quality plus+ size lifters from AMS, JIMS and Feuling Motor Products that produce a fit and finished product that resolves all the issues related to large or out-of-round OEM H-D® lifter-bores at an extremely reasonable price vs case replacement. 

February 2015
Our new and improved Signature Series Man-O-War crankshaft assemblies are forged and machined to our exclusive specs, utilizing all of our precision engineered products giving you availability to the absolute best crankshaft assembly on the market today! With our forged, integral shaft wheel sets available in 4 3/8” Stroke for 99-Present A-models and 2007-Present 4 5/8” Stroke A-Model Twincams, you too can have a truly custom built crankshaft assembled by the finest cranksmiths in the world today! With your choice of connecting rods and our extensive library of balance factors and balancing techniques, there is no doubt this is the most powerful and precision built crankshaft on the market today! The TRUE Foundation for every serious engine builder!

July 2012
With the Darkhorse crankcase lifter-bore repair system, we are are able to sleeve one or all crankcase lifter-bores and precision bore it to proper tolerance without having to replace the crankcases. This procedure utilizes a similar process to our cam bearing bore repair.

November 2011
The release of our Darkhorse super-stepped crankpin is one more step in Darkhorse Crankworks flexibility in customer options.  This unique crankpin allows us to install any of our Darkhorse H-beam style rods into any of the S&S 1.5” crankpin flywheel halves. 

December 2010
Our precision cam bearing bore repair service is introduced due to a large demand of OEM cam bearing failures necessitating crankcase replacement.  This service allows us to repair the cam bearing bore with a superior grade aluminum, precision bore to blueprint crankcase for less than half of the cost of a new set of crankcases.

July 2009
Cam support plate bushing replacement service comes into play when crankshafts fail to stay in spec. They will often compromise the cam support plate bushing or support plate as a whole.  We engineered a cam support plate bushing replacement system to install or replace an OEM bushing and truly line-bore the cam-support plate to both OEM crankcase main bearing bores insuring proper fitment and alignment for product longevity and operation of oiling system.

October 2008
The release of our oversized stepped crankpin is designed and engineered to allow our crankshaft craftsmen to correct rod-race roundness and hone connecting rods to our spec fitment without having to replace seasoned connecting rods.

May 2006
Precision pinion shaft race replacement service is initiated for our dealer network.  As Harley-Davidson is phasing out their support of the Evolution motor program we have an increased demand to replace and grind to spec the pinion shaft bearing race on all 92-99 Evolution® style BT and 92-present XL crankshafts. 

December 2005
The “Darkhorse Competition” H-beam connecting rod is designed and engineered for connecting rod upgrades in the entire Twincam® lineup.

November 2005
Recognizing the potential for case bore misalignment, we reengineer our Timken upgrade system to verify and correct crankcase main bearing bore alignment.  Incorporating a retaining clip for the right side crankcase main bearing.

June 2005
The Timken bearing conversion system is put into place to upgrade 2003 or later Twin cam® engine cases to older double Timken bearing style main bearing for a solid foundation to support our dealers ever growing performance engine builds.

March 2003
The “Darkhorse Crankworks” brand and business is launched on a national level as a subsidiary of Hoban Brothers and Hoban Brothers Racing.

February 2003
The Darkhorse replacement part lineup takes shape with the addition of crankpins and rod races to allow us to fully remanufacture Bigtwin, Sportster and Buell® OEM crankshafts.

October 2001
Dealer and Distributor network begins to demand expanding services for twin cam style crankshafts with complete remanufacturing services.  The Darkhorse Pro-Plug is engineered and implemented to provide the structural integrity needed to retain pressed together flywheel halves straight and true.

June 1998
Hoban Brothers Racing begins to work with the “new” pressed together crankshaft that will be introduced in the 1999 Buell and Twin cam models through the factory Harley-Davidson racing department.  The H-D factory engineers and our racing department use a small steel plug pressed into a hollow centerless ground crankpin that was adopted from the XR750 crankshaft.

August 1996
Hoban Brothers concentrates efforts on performance engine building such as crankshaft service and specialty crankcase work through Hoban Brothers Racing. They enter AMA Twinsports road racing series through the late 1990’s. Hoban Brothers Racing is still racing Harley-Davidson’s with four National Championships under their belt.

November 1982
Hoban Cycle purchases one of their first S&S balancing kits to add “balancing” to their list of crankshaft remanufacturing services for local customers and dealers.

June 1980
Hoban Cycle is formed with Journeyman machinist Tom Hoban rebuilding crankshafts and providing various machining process’s for Harley Davidson® crankcases while Pat and Mike Hoban operate the small performance engine building shop behind the Osman General Store.