I'm getting a new DakotaDigital speedo/tach and one of the functions is a high temp warning which is adjustable. I've had a lot of air cooled bikes but none of them had a temperatue gauge. I had a liquid cooled Kawi and it ran at 280F to 290F normaly.
The instructions that I downloaded off of the website says that the warning can be set anywhere between 279F to 390F.
The owners manual doesn't say and I don't have a service manual, does it say what it might be?Does anyone know?

 

That is one feature I do not use on my Dakota, it's an air cooled bike and when it gets hot the rear cylinder lets me know. The only time it happens is in traffic, so if it does I can choose what to do about it.

 

My bike has gotten pretty hot sitting in traffic but I've always managed to get it moving before it gave me any signs of shutting down. Does the rear cylinder start missing or what?

 

It will shut down the rear cylinder and it will start loping, or sounding like you have a serious cam. May be hard to keep idling as well. You really can't miss the change when it happens.
Before my PC III it has happened in 60 degree weather stuck in bumper to bumper on the interstate.

 

the rear cyclinder will stop fueling and sparking via the ECM...but continues to cycle air through the cylinder to act like an air pump therefore reducing the heat and keeping the engine from blowing up!!

 

Thanks guys. I would always make sure I was in the slow lane on the freeway when I was stopped in traffic because I assumed that the motor would just shut down completely when it overheated.
You (can) learn something new everyday on this forum!

 

I did experience that problem stuck in traffic a few weeks ago ... took 30 minutes to go about a mile.

 

http://www.explodingdog.com/dumbpict51/goodpie.gif

 

The literature with the super tuner software says 300 F, and they deal with it as stated, if it's enabled. On my 07 FXDL, it was "off" by default.

 

A lot of your newer High-End cars come with crankcase oil coolers, automatic transmission oil coolers, power steering fluid coolers, etc.

I can't afford High-End cars, so when I buy a new car (SUVs and P/Us) I make extra sure I get the Towing Package with them because that usually includes all those coolers as well as a thicker radiator core, heavier shocks, better alternator, bigger battery, etc. About $1,500 worth of stuff for about $400.

When I bought my bike, part of the deal was an oil cooler. It has a thermostat in it (185 degrees?) so if it's cold out, no worries.

I don't understand why people don't have oil coolers on their air-cooled MCs. I just don't get it. And while they're not as efficient when youre stuck in traffic, they still help bring down the oil temperature. Some of the aftermarket ones even have fans on them. Not a bad idea, maybe a little overkill.

A Harley motor is tough. Real tough. But if you're constantly letting it get hot, real hot, how much power are you losing over the course of the years? Valves can 'tulip' the engine bore can score, the rings get eaten up by the heat, bearings start to wear from the oil breaking down.

And the excuse, "they don't work in traffic" don't fly. Yes..... They do. Not nearly as well. But they still do. Just by exposing the hot oil to the ambient air temperature helps.

'nuff said.