Why black engines?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,144
Likes: 1
From: British Columbia
When one of the reasons people like Harley's is that they engines are beautiful industrial/mechanical designs. The engines are exposed to be seen and appreciated not as the other bikes that cover up/hide their engines behind body work.
So when you get a Blacked Out bike you then are hiding the engine. Making it's detail, thus it's beauty obscured. Harley owner's are proud of their engines.
So why hide them by camouflage the engine with flat black paint?
Now Black paint on the tins is a whole other story. To me nothing shines as a black bike after washed and waxed.
I love the look when the aluminum parts of an engine are polished. Wash it little wax and it looks new. The black paint on the engines is harder to keep looking like new.
So when you get a Blacked Out bike you then are hiding the engine. Making it's detail, thus it's beauty obscured. Harley owner's are proud of their engines.
So why hide them by camouflage the engine with flat black paint?
Now Black paint on the tins is a whole other story. To me nothing shines as a black bike after washed and waxed.
I love the look when the aluminum parts of an engine are polished. Wash it little wax and it looks new. The black paint on the engines is harder to keep looking like new.
because the silver engines suck huge ***.......I HATE my silver engine....you want to talk about hard to keep looking good?.......I've seriously thought of having it redone in black.
not sure i agree with all the heat info, we have powder countless blocks and jugs in all colors under the sun and never heard of any type of heat displacement changes...
on mine i did not want to tear apart the tranny when i did my motor build so i cleaned up and re powder some of the flat, then matched that with a high gloss black on the covers... looks trick
on mine i did not want to tear apart the tranny when i did my motor build so i cleaned up and re powder some of the flat, then matched that with a high gloss black on the covers... looks trick
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 17,625
Likes: 1,665
From: Blairsville GA
We started painting our old iron barrel engines black because they leaked and looked dirty too quickly. Now I think it's more a style issue. More people like black than natural. If they could sell as many natural engines as black ones they would save the money no doubt.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 2
From: Lafayette, LA.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,968
Likes: 34
From: Lockport Township, IL
[QUOTE=JRK5892;7070003]not sure i agree with all the heat info, we have powder countless blocks and jugs in all colors under the sun and never heard of any type of heat displacement changes... /QUOTE]
Could not agree more! The heat created/retained by an air-cooled HD has nothing to do with the color of the engine! If ya like black - fine. If ya like silver - fine. Your bike, your choice. Who cares if anyone else likes the style you pick? Don't try to justify your choice of black by claiming it disipates heat better! That's pure nonsense.
Could not agree more! The heat created/retained by an air-cooled HD has nothing to do with the color of the engine! If ya like black - fine. If ya like silver - fine. Your bike, your choice. Who cares if anyone else likes the style you pick? Don't try to justify your choice of black by claiming it disipates heat better! That's pure nonsense.
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