So the first of August, the girlfriend and I are taking our first trip out to the Southwest. We're heading through Colorado, down through southern Utah, into Vegas, and then back across Arizona. As I understand it, it tends to get a little on the warm side out there...

I'll be riding my Road King, and I was planning on leaving my lower fairings on (they're the newer ones that are vented.) So long as I don't get stuck in stop-and-go traffic, should I be concerned about overheating? Dealership was really trying to sell me an oil cooler for my ride, and I don't think they're a bad idea, I just don't want to put out the $500 to get one installed right now. Already running synthetic to lower the temps a little bit. Thoughts and suggestions?

 

A good synthetic like Mobil 1 will reduce the temps a few degreese, but you have to see what temps your motor see's when you ride, a safe area is 200-250 approximately , anything over that and you should think about a cooler.JMHO

 

I'm no mechanic that's for sure and this is my first Harley 05 Ultra. I was BLOWN AWAY by how darn hot the bike ran compared to my previous metric bikes (none were water cooled either), but other Harely types I know said "Yep they do run hot". I picked up a thermometer and ran the bike a bit, it was always above 240 degrees. At my 1000K service I had a stage 1 put in, they dyno'd it etc... and I did ask about the temperature. The dealer said and I quote " Everything is running fantastic, some bike just like to run hotter!" I think this is a load of crap, but what do I know. I had them put in synthetic's at the 1000 mile and the temp is now around 235 - 240. I'm leaning toward the oil cooler myself. I've read and been told that both the cooler and the fan option both will lower the temp a bit (maybe 20 degrees???) but I don't like the look of the fan. Prior to the 1000 mile service on a hot day 90 degrees or so my girl and I did a benefit run. She was begging to get off of the thing, my calves were buring myself! This was prior to the thermometer so I'm afraid to guess what the temp of the oil was.

Joe

 

That oil temp is completely normal, and yes the HD motor seems to put off way more heat than the metrics. If you were to purchase an oil cooler that has the thermostat bypass, it is set to open/close at 230-240. Normal oil temps are 220-280 regardless of whether your running synthetic. The synthetic will tend to run on the cooler side as compared to standard dino.
As to running lowers? I could have sworn that the HD owners manual recommends removing them at temps greater than 68f, I could be mistaken but that was my understanding. I have the DDogs which I carry and slap on if I hit a bunch of real sloppy weather. Takes only seconds to on/off them and they take up little storage space.
As to oil coolers? They can't hurt anything but definitely not a requirement. If you can't afford to spend the extra cash right now I sure wouldn't concern myself.JMO

 

Lived and rode in AZ for many years. It will be hotter than a @#$^ in August. There is a saying in AZ to the effect that it is so hot the devil packed up and went back to hell.....Drink ALOT of water. Also I used to just soak my t-shirt in the sink before heading out. It wouldn't stay wet for long but definitely helps. Try not to ride mid day and you will be fine.

 

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

For what it's worth, I swore that I saw somewhere that I wasn't supposed to run with lower fairings above "X" temperature also, but when I went back and re-read the entire owners manual (really, REALLY boring reading, for what it's worth) and I skimmed through the service manual, I couldn't find anything at all about removing fairings above a certain temp. Apparently though, it's only been a year or two since Harley started manufacturing their lower fairings with vents designed to get more air onto the engine. How well they work, well....anybody got an 05 Ultra with stock engine that overheated?

 

The '05 faring lowers are designed to give more ventilaton the the RIDER, not the engine, the pre '05 lowers were designed to aid in cooling the engine as they direct more air onto it. On an older Electra Glide, EVO, there was a factory oil temprature gauge and I found that it actually ran cooler with the lowers on. I on the other hand ran the opposite and would bake on the hot days so I removed the lowers and was cooler but the oil temp gauge read hotter.

DC.

 

I live in AZ now...depending on what part of AZ you are planning on going through, it's going to be hotter than anything you have felt before (I would imagine). August is wicked hot...it'll routinely be at 115 during the late afternoon. Coolest time is between about 4AM and 8PM. It's 1230 here, and it's 108.5 in my back yard. It's predicted to get to 112 today. It's a dry heat, so it doesn't feel as bad as you might think, but believe me when I tell you, it's HOT.

I moved here last year on August 2nd from Jacksonville, NC. It's hot and muggy there, and it was WAY hotter here. The advice you received from above, WATER is your friend, is probably the best advice you can get. I would tend to worry more about you and your passenger than I would your bike. I just finished an install of an oil cooler on my ride. Many of my buddies motors will start chirping and some have had the back cylinder shut down on them when sitting in traffic/parades that kind of thing. A buddy that has an oil cooler has never had these problems...perhaps haveing the cooler oil going into the traffic provided the difference.

Don't rev the motor, be paitent, DRINK WATER, a LOT of it, and you will be fine. Preparation is the key...don't forget suntan lotion...

Mac