The Evo is without question the most reliable motor HD ever produced and saved the company from going down the tubes. HD now had a motor that could go 80000 miles without major work rather then 10000 miles.
I believe the TC-88 would be the shortest lived engine design ever produced by HD. The only reason they went to the 88 from the EVO 80 was because of the bigger is better mentality of the average consumer. Then they had all kinds of problems getting things right on that one. Now they are going through the same thing with the 95-96 motors.
Sound (as in exhaust tone) is 90% a function of pipes when comparing 45* V-twin engines. You can pretty much make em sound any way you want. You sure can tell a Shovel from an EVO by listening to the valve train noise but I'm not so sure I couldn't fool you at least some of the time by playing muscical pipes.
The bottom line for me is that when I hear an HD I know right away that is is an HD.
The same is true when I hear a Triumph.
That, among a couple other reasons, is why both of these great bikes have space in my garage.
