For over 50 years , the SU carburetor in modified form , known as the SU Eliminator II , has been a ' go to ' for early American V-twin motorcycles . American Prime Manufacturing ' s ( APM ) Ben Kudon says : " It provides smooth , even power and torque throughout the entire power band , with excellent cold-start characteristics and drivability . Although originally intended for aircraft and automobile use , the SU carburetor has proven to be unmatched in performance when adapted for use on American V- twins such as Harley Knuckle , Pan and Shovelhead motorcycles . " The SU gives added potential over the entire rpm range where other carburetors fail to perform . APM is stepping up to the plate by adding a lot of replacement and service parts for the SU , and we are
going to be adding more every month . " So , good news for all you diehard SU fanatics out there - and the generations of vintage H-D fans who want the authenticity of the ultimate in old school looks and performance ." The story of the SU is a part of V-twin industry lore - one that goes right back to 1908 when George Skinner got a patent for a carb with a ' collapsible chamber ' and a ' fuel needle valve ' and formed the " S . U . Company Ltd " in 1910 , ( S . U being a contraction of ' Skinners Union '). Fast forward to 1970 and Mel Magnet reworked automobile SU carbs in his garage for Harley motorcycles . Mel ' s first SU customer was Bianchi Motors of San Francisco in 1972 . There have been many successes for the SU on Harleys ever since - a highlight coming in 1978 when Dave Mackie ' s 1974 74 " Shovel was the fastest stock production H-D with an SU carb . Since then , much has changed in the performance aftermarket , but " one thing that hasn ' t changed ," says Ben , " is the legendary status of the venerable SU and its ' old school ' authenticity ."
AMERICAN PRIME MANUFACTURING Santa Fe Springs , CA , USA , info @ apminc . us www . americanprimemfginc . com
44 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - FEBRUARY 2022 www . AMDchampionship . com