There is a lot of talk on this forum about Harley eventually "Having" to go to liquid cooling due to EPA. I used to have a bike in 93' (A suzuki Bandit) that had oil ports thoughout the head and block and had a small radiator (Oil cooler) that had a thermostaically controlled fan. The oil passed around the cylenders and heads prior to the oil cooler wich was larger than an aftermarket oil cooler for our bikes but smaller than an all out radiator. This would allow them to keep the air cooled look, not need a seperate waterpump or lines. I would hope something like this is engeneered R&D'd before putting a v-rod engine in all models.

Just a thought.

Merry x-mas!

 

Lots of EPA talk here, but how many people are just running at the mouth with this EPA thing without knowing a thing about the facts?
Does anybody really know the parameters without using EPA like some kind of buzz word?

Harley will be building the air cooled version of the 45 degree V-Twin for decades to come..

 

Have to agree George...the internet is full of fools fodder. Lot of folks blabbing without any facts. The Motor Company isn't going to destroy iteslf by dropping air cooled bikes. They helped write the EPA regs and they have repeatabley stated the air cooled platform will satisfy all regs for the foreseeable future.

Seperately from that issue, is the marketing issue of growing into new market segments and they will expand the water cooled idea in the future but not at the expense of air cooled. But it will not be a revolution motor in a bagger like most folks spout off about. An engine that revs to 9000 is not what touring is about. They will have to develop a large displacement, LOW TORQUE, LOW REVVING, platform. Hide the radiater in the lowers and keep it 45 degrees and with small fins so it looks air cooled.

 

Is this just like them denying they will EVER build a water cooled bike just 14 months before the release of the Vrod and 2 years into its development?

The MOCO will have no choice in the future. If you think they helped right the regs you are considerably mistaken. They would not be pushing wuiet bikes, cleaner running, etc. they are a small entity with all the other manufactures out there. They hold one of the smallest pieces of the puzzle. Its beenhappening to big car manufactures for years. HD is just the last one to start to get there act together.

 

Some other brands have built or considering building lean run engines.Direct injection much like todays diesels.This may give HD a few more yrs.

 

Kinda reminds me of the federally mandated fleet mileage rules. When they came out with those, Detroit hired an additional 1000 lawyers. Japan hired an additional 1000 engineers. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

Was talking to the local dealer Saturday and his claim is that the V Twin will meet EPA standards for the next ten years.

So I asked, "What if the standards are changed?"


All I heard was crickets.....

 

You guys crack me up..
Just how do you link a liquid cooled engine and a cleaner burning engine together?
Just how do you dismiss the air cooled engine as something unworkable?
Do you really think your "dealer" has any knowledgeconcerningclean air engine technology?
You guys flame your dealers as morons, but then you think they are also geniuses when they answer absurd questions to your liking..
Do you think you guys have any more knowledge when it comes to making an engine burn cleaner?
Is liquid cooling some kind of total cure for the small motorcycle engine?

I got to admit, this place can be an intellectual wasteland.

 

Water cooling and drive shaft's shouldn't change the bike in any great way.I can barely see most radiators on water cooled bikes.And if they keep the fins the mill shouldn't look different.I hadn't looked at Harleys in almost 30 years before I bought one.When looking at ALL the bikes out there,I kinda assumed HD's did have water cooling and shafts,I mean at least the touring bikes they have.I mean Yamaha put a shaft in everything bigger than a 650.

 

George,

First off ... I wouldn't count on any present standards staying the same once GW is gone. Having said that, cleaner leaner motors have to be watercooled because of the tremendous heat. That's just how it is.
At some point, the air cooled motor will go bye bye.