iread that if you live in a warm enviroment like say the southern united states a water cooled engine is better than air cooled. air cooled can run to hot. is that true? someone posted that on powersports.net

 

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Better? That's kind of subjective on what you consider better. Yea, they're gonna run hotter, but unless you're sitting in stop and go traffic or pulling parade duty, I wouldn't stress about it.

 

I live in Tucson and the only place I know around here that's hotter is Phoenix. I don't even have an oil cooler on my bike as a friend of mine who was the sales manager at the local dealership was the one that told me they were a waste of money. I've never had a problem with the air cooled Harley. Sure, if I put myself where I would be in a grid lock for an extended period of time it could become a problem but I'll take an escape route or just shut the engine off. Yes a water cooled would run at a more consistant temperature but that doesn't mean that air cooled is necessarily a no-no.

 

Water cooled is always better than air cooled,that's just fact.But luckily for all us cranky old sh*ts, who love our air cooled bikes, Harley realizes who their customers are and what they want.

 

I'm not sure I quite agree or even understand why liquid cooled would always be better than air cooled. Air cooling works very well in all kinds of environments. It's much less complicated component wise.

Gets plenty hot 'round these parts... The only place hotter than Phoenix would probably be Death Valley. We gots LOTS of two-wheelers in the Valley of the Sun.

 

It only makes sense that a water-cooled engine in a hot environment is better for the bike if you're gonna be idling in traffic, long intersections, parades, and so on. But there have been Harleys running around in the 'hot' southern and western states for ages, so they can survive the conditions.But with the newer EPA standards, all bets are off for the future of air-cooled V-twins.

Now, "better" for the comfort of the rider? Hell yeah, when it's hot, water-cooled is the way to go. When the air just above the surface of the road is 130, then you've got the heat radiating up at you from the engine, Oooh baby, stopping for more than a few minutes sucks.

 

I like the idea of keeping it simple. water cooled = more maintenance and more things to go wrong. 100 plus years of air cooled motors. Proof enough??

 

Water cooled- more parts, more problems (hoses, radiators, fluids, thermostats). May run more consistant temps & cooler but given the added maint for something that is not really needed it'snotbetter in my opinion.

 

Do you want a Harley? or not...the showerhead(VRod) is the only Harley with that option. Other wise if you plan on keeping this bike for the long Haul, slap an oil cooler on it, and change the oil, at recommended intervals, or earlier depending on your riding conditions....you'll be fine