How Long Do You Idle In Traffic?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 2
From: Land of 10,000 lakes
Some of the worst traffic is on LaZelle street in Sturgis. I've been stuck there on more than 1 occasion during 100 + temps. Harleys are tested in closed rooms while running for hours. They are made to endure heat period. Relax and burn your crotch, the bike is fine.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 377
Likes: 5
From: Central California
Here in CA. lane splitting is the norm. Takes a little nerve getting used to, but it's great. I've also rode the shoulder for miles when necessary with no problem. I'll take the ticket if they can catch me. Those of you in other states should find a motorcycle friendly state legislator to sponsor a lane splitting bill. It's worth a try. If we can spit lanes in Ca. certainly the rest of the more sensible states can make it legal.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,832
Likes: 127
From: Coastal Carolina
Some of the worst traffic is on LaZelle street in Sturgis. I've been stuck there on more than 1 occasion during 100 + temps. Harleys are tested in closed rooms while running for hours. They are made to endure heat period. Relax and burn your crotch, the bike is fine.
I got stuck in stop and go traffic on a 90+ degree day for hours. Not fun, but didn't damage the bike.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,012
Likes: 298
From: Central Fl
Some of the worst traffic is on LaZelle street in Sturgis. I've been stuck there on more than 1 occasion during 100 + temps. Harleys are tested in closed rooms while running for hours. They are made to endure heat period. Relax and burn your crotch, the bike is fine.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
In Kentucky there was an accident that was 1 hour before we got out. It would move one car then stop for the entire hour so shutting the bike off and restarting would have killed the battery. I was on a 10 Ultra and the area was having a tropical heat wave. It was 100 degrees. I got the bike in late Aug. 09 and had several thousand miles before this trip.
The bike was set to cut the rear cylinder off but it never did. I did add a oil cooler in the winter and went with a fuel programmer that had a 12.8 to one AFR. That AFR and oil cooler kept the engine below the temp that would have activated the rear cylinder cut off.
It did just fine and one son's 06 Street Bob did okay. The 06 Dyna's were the first year of the heat management system. My other son was on a R1200RT BMW and he was concerned as his heat gauge was nearing the danger zone.
That experience and a couple years later on the same bike in Death Valley in the afternoon temps of 120 which the Bike performed well led me to believe that I need not worry that much about overheating.
Last year going through a large town in the Ontario Canada with stop signs for every block and bumper to bumper caused the rear cylinder to shut down each block. No damage to the bike.
Again, I think that there is not a great worry about how long it idles. At least I have not found the level that would be a problem with those three extreme cases.
The bike was set to cut the rear cylinder off but it never did. I did add a oil cooler in the winter and went with a fuel programmer that had a 12.8 to one AFR. That AFR and oil cooler kept the engine below the temp that would have activated the rear cylinder cut off.
It did just fine and one son's 06 Street Bob did okay. The 06 Dyna's were the first year of the heat management system. My other son was on a R1200RT BMW and he was concerned as his heat gauge was nearing the danger zone.
That experience and a couple years later on the same bike in Death Valley in the afternoon temps of 120 which the Bike performed well led me to believe that I need not worry that much about overheating.
Last year going through a large town in the Ontario Canada with stop signs for every block and bumper to bumper caused the rear cylinder to shut down each block. No damage to the bike.
Again, I think that there is not a great worry about how long it idles. At least I have not found the level that would be a problem with those three extreme cases.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 862
Likes: 1
From: Western PA
I had the same thing happen going across the Tampa Bay Bridge. Rush hour and an accident, 90 degree temp. Stop and go for 4 or 5 miles. The bike got hot! Rear cylinder shut down after 5 minutes.
Having a built motor with 10.5 to 1 compression added to the problem. I already had an oil cooler. Decided to add a Lenale fan that blows air across the heads and cylinders. Best 200$ I've spent in a while. According to the dash mounted oil temperature gauge, the oil temp does not go over 230 degrees in simular incidents.
Having a built motor with 10.5 to 1 compression added to the problem. I already had an oil cooler. Decided to add a Lenale fan that blows air across the heads and cylinders. Best 200$ I've spent in a while. According to the dash mounted oil temperature gauge, the oil temp does not go over 230 degrees in simular incidents.
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 677
Likes: 1
From: bay area
Honestly I had my girl following me in the car in LA traffic and I couldn't leave. I ended up turning the bike off and pushing it along with traffic. I'm young/stupid/strong enough to get away with it.
I've also pushed my bike 5 miles back home b/c it broke down, but that maybe just me?
I've also pushed my bike 5 miles back home b/c it broke down, but that maybe just me?
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 16
From: Fort Myers, Fl.
When going through the beach, traffic backs up and you can be sitting for quite a while or moving slower than the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk, in 100+ temps. Oil temp and coolers with fans are one thing, but head temp is another. I don't want to take the chance on cooking the engine (or all the gaskets), so I bought one of These
Flick it on when sitting, and it keeps the head temp below 300 which is where the heat management kicks in making you bike sound like a Honda Shadow.
Flick it on when sitting, and it keeps the head temp below 300 which is where the heat management kicks in making you bike sound like a Honda Shadow.
Last edited by Bagger Jim; Feb 14, 2013 at 04:02 AM.