Interesting article on the future of air-cooled engines...
 

http://www.revzilla.com/common-tread...to-air-cooling

Good read.

Yes, it was well written.

I, for one, would really like to see HD offer a fully liquid cooled touring line up that would really smoke the metric manufacturers in terms of power, reliability, looks, etc. I think they could do it.
Perhaps they could keep offering the traditional air-cooled models for the purists, knowing that as time goes on, it would be a smaller & smaller segment of their sales, allowing them to offset the "good" EPA credits gained by selling lots of liquid cooled bikes. Could even keep using the tooling for a while, get some more value out of it.

Just a thought.

Personally, I think an all liquid cooled model lineup is inevitable. No way around it, really.

Customers want more power, society wants cleaner air. It's the only solution that meets both needs.

I think your idea of keeping a subset of air cooled models for the old-timers might just work. I wouldn't be surprised if the EPA applied CAFE to motorcycle manufacturers in the future, so that would be doable of the majority of the bikes were liquid cooled.

What the author is actually saying is that some BS legislation will cram water cooling down our throats. It is a shame how many would just roll over and say "Yeah, it's inevitable. Nothing we can do."...

In addition to the heads' and cylinders' fins, oil coolers and fans can add cooling capacity.

I kept my old Air cooled VW, but the inevitable happened there too. Oddly enough the shot across the bow at VW was when they came up with the twin cooled bus. Water cooled heads and the rest air cooled. Sound familiar? A few years later all the models were water cooled.

Good read and yes I think LC Harley's are not to far off in the future..

It's my belief that within a decade the MoCo will be selling more liquid cooled bikes than air cooled. Within 15 years all production of air cooled bikes will no longer exist. The Twin Cam most likely will be the last air cooled Harley Davidson.

The question that has been asked so often is "Why not put the Revolution (V-Rod) motor in the Electra Glide and see how it sells ?" I'd buy it.

122 hp in a Touring? Who'd want that?








:icon_banana:

This one seems like a no brainer to me. I get sick of the constant "if the MOCO would just..." ; and then we see some crazy idea that takes considerable will, resources, and retooling. BUT... The MOCO already has an amazing water cooled power plant. Why not introduce it to the touring line?
Now I understand that the Revolution motor may not be optimally suited for a heavy touring bike. Not enough down low torque, etc.. But how bout increasing the displacement ? Am I crazy? Can that not be done? 120 plus horses outta the box. Think about it... I certainly am.

I have a theory that the MOCO is making the assumption that the light sales numbers of the Vrod equals customers don't like the motor. For me it's the exact opposite. I've got some saddle time on vrods... But there is nothing about that setup and frame that would make it a substitute for any touring bike. Every time I ride someone's metric I get the the same pissed off feeling. While I can't stand the overall quality, fit, finish, and comfort... It's so annoying how much smooth power they posses. *sigh*. Rant over