Does high wind hinder engine performance?

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Mar 30, 2016 | 03:23 AM

#21

joe40x

Road Warrior

Joined: Mar 2014

Posts: 1,623

Likes: 698

From: nowhere

Wind turns houses into firewood in a heartbeat.
Wind pushes sailboats around the world.
Effect a Harley? No way!
Wow!

Mar 30, 2016 | 11:27 AM

#22

HrdNox

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2012

Posts: 2,099

Likes: 214

From: Delawere

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevil

A good tail wind is always welcome.

It depends...If she's cute i'm all in!

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvaria

it causes engine to doubt itself and its ability to make you happy . mechanical ed follows... disappointment and shame You got issues bud!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 103 sedona orange

Engine performance, No. Handling, yes.

Yea,like those guys from the UK that have those HUGE tags its like "left Full Rudder!"

Mar 30, 2016 | 03:58 PM

#23

fxdlx

Road Master

Joined: Jun 2013

Posts: 1,181

Likes: 98

From: north of the south pole

Sometimes my lack of social skills surprises even myself. While being a smartalec or wisecracker is sometimes entertaining, seems this forum is best when we're helpful. What is obvious to some may not be to others.
Wind for example. While what martinj and some others said may be normally true, if you were to harness the wind, in a ram air or cold air induction system you could gain some horsepower. Like these guys at sport rider magazine did on a dyno. http://www.sportrider.com/ram-air-test-part-deux

Last edited by fxdlx; Mar 31, 2016 at 09:17 AM.

Mar 30, 2016 | 06:56 PM

#24

Hippie49

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2013

Posts: 4,018

Likes: 231

From: Kentucky, USA

It just keeps getting better and better.

Mar 30, 2016 | 07:34 PM

#25

lh4x4

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 13,402

Likes: 941

From: Illinois

A couple of weeks back I rode in winds that measured up to 62 mph at the airport. The winds were straight from the west and my route was a north south one. Only crossed the centerline three times in fierce gusts. Good thing I was on lonely roads. Should have taken the trike.

Mar 30, 2016 | 09:54 PM

#26

AKFXD

Road Captain

Joined: Oct 2015

Posts: 706

Likes: 30

From: Alaska

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbyville

Last night riding home from work in a pretty nasty windstorm it seemed like the bike didn't have as much punch as usual. Sure it could have been from cross winds and resistance but it seemed like an engine issue.

Started to wonder if perhaps the turbulance could actually limit the air flow through the air cleaner in some way.

Any thoughts?

I think we need to know the exact angle the wind was hitting the bike, and the humidity and temperature. You just can't calculate the affects wind would have on an engine without knowing the variables.

Mar 30, 2016 | 10:05 PM

#27

robbyville

Thread Starter

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: May 2014

Posts: 3,410

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From: Palm Desert,CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKFXD

Lol! I'd tell you but I was too busy clinging on in full pucker mode!

Mar 31, 2016 | 06:50 AM

#28

Warp Factor

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2012

Posts: 3,217

Likes: 90

From: Detroit

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxdlx

Wind for example. While what martinj and some others said may be normally true, if you were to harness the wind, in a ram air or cold air induction system you could gain 20 - 30 horsepower. Like these guys at sport rider magazine did on a dyno. http://www.sportrider.com/ram-air-test-part-deux

Their gains were more along the lines of 7 horsepower, at 150 mph, using induction systems factory-designed for ram-air. Boost generation at much lower speeds is negligible, because the air pressure drops exponentially with a reduction in speed.
Maybe one could get something like one horsepower extra out of a Harley at 100 mph by designing and building a ram-air induction system. Or five, driving at 100 mph into a 50 mph headwind.

More power potential might be realized by tuning the intake manifold lengths (ours are way too short), and that would also have the advantage of being independent of forward speed. It's hard to figure out how to fit really long separate intake manifold runners onto a Harley though, without it looking absurd, or interfering with rider ergonomics. It's also a challenge to fit two separate tubes to the intake ports, with the limited space between the cylinders.
Maybe if one used two front heads, or two rear heads, or flipped one of the heads around backwards....

Last edited by Warp Factor; Mar 31, 2016 at 07:24 AM.