Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Why Liquid cooling?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 28, 2008 | 04:27 PM
  #61  
nemick's Avatar
nemick
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 7
From: Indianapolis
Default RE: Why Liquid cooling?

That settles it then. I'm getting a V-Rod with apes and bags.
 
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2008 | 04:30 PM
  #62  
TMART's Avatar
TMART
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 767
Likes: 1
From: Longview,TX
Default RE: Why Liquid cooling?

Sucking hot air off the engine through the radiator,the dam thang would boil over before you get to the end of the block......
 
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2008 | 06:48 PM
  #63  
Skidrow's Avatar
Skidrow
Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 568
Likes: 2
From: Republic of Texas
Default RE: Why Liquid cooling?

This topic sounds like the Porsche forums circa 1997, just before the water cooled 911s came out.
 
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2008 | 07:29 PM
  #64  
glens's Avatar
glens
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 1
From: Indy area
Default RE: Why Liquid cooling?

ORIGINAL: nemick

That settles it then. I'm getting a V-Rod with apes and bags.
I know, or at least believe, you are joking. But seriously, check out some of the VROD-centric forums on the Internet and look at the heat complaints when they went closed-loop EMS for 08. They were reporting blisters and burnt jeans, etc. Water cooling does very little for heat management. It mostly relocates the emission of some of the heat.
 
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2008 | 08:03 PM
  #65  
skootchnc's Avatar
skootchnc
Grand HDF Member
Veteran: Air Force
15 Year Member
Shutterbug
Liked
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,529
Likes: 606
From: Raleigh NC
Default RE: Why Liquid cooling?

ORIGINAL: GGC

Why all the whinning about liquid cooling? Real motorcycles are air cooled.
Buy a car or buy a wing!
&nbsp\\;
A water-cooled engine is manufactored to tighter tolerances, and should (in theory) run better, and longer. if staying "true" was what everyone was about.... we'd all be riding one cylinder beasts with wooden wheels....
 
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2009 | 12:46 PM
  #66  
kellyb's Avatar
kellyb
Stage III
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Default

It just goes on and on when it comes to change. At one time guys with front brake were kittens, fuel injection is for punks, radios are for the car, belts are for pants , etc. etc.
 
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2009 | 12:52 PM
  #67  
robzuc97's Avatar
robzuc97
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, AZ
Default

Huh? but I'll answer this. The greatest improvement of a liquid verses air cooled motor is the liquid cooled has tighter clearance tolerances in the engine. How'd you like to have a Harley with .0005" tolerance on the piston-to-cylinder clearance? It's called a V-Rod!
 
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2009 | 01:07 PM
  #68  
bdaug50's Avatar
bdaug50
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Default

Think I'll bust my ride out today. Then I can have a snow-cooled motor. Think of how much better that would be.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 21, 2009 | 01:11 PM
  #69  
traveler's Avatar
traveler
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 12,946
Likes: 32
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Default

IMHO,

There are 2 distinct "crowds" here concerning this topic.

The first one, is the crowd that likes the H/D tradition. It is of a bike that is simplistic, and has a direct connection to all the Halrey's going back to the wood shed where the frist one was assembled in 1903. Once someone gets used to it....nothing else feels the same.

The second, that sees lower operating temps and tighter engine tolerances as the way to go. They see that EPA reg's are pushing the MOCO that direction, and that it is an enevitability.....that we should "embrace" the future.

MY TAKE. I like all bikes. My heart is with the past. S&S created their new Wedge motor to server as a compromise. I still don't like it. I PERSONALLY prefer Air Cooled traditional 45 degree V-twin, single throw crank, because it is simple, and has that tie to the first bike built in milwaukee.

When Water cooling finally does take over, there will be, as there is now, a large number of used bikes with the Air Cooled drivetrain.

I plan on keeping my Superglide. Wouldn't mind getting a Road King sometime down the road....perhaps one of the last Air Cooled motors.

~Joe
 

Last edited by traveler; Feb 21, 2009 at 08:25 PM.
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2009 | 01:13 PM
  #70  
Chicago Spike's Avatar
Chicago Spike
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 7
From: St. Charles, IL
Default

This is hilarious!! Really, some of the most cave manish answers I have ever heard! But, this is why HD still has that century old technology because some people think it's better or the only way to go.
I have one thing to say to you guys that think it is the only way a bike should be. Airplanes were air cooled way back then too. You know what happened to them don't cha? Planes engines evolved and newer and better technologies were invented and pioneered. These newer engines were faster, lighter, and were far more easier to maintain. They also found that these new water-cooled engines were better at producing power when they were cooled and they were better at fuel usage and they could get more power and longer distances out of these engines. Just thing, if the airplane builders thought like some of the people here, there would be no supersonic jets.

Get over it, HD will be water-cooled soon enough. I don't see the problem with them going to water-cooled really. All it will do is make a good product better.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:28 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE