Facing tough new European emission standards BMW has chosen to eliminate it's air cooled boxer engine which made it famous. The current air cooled model has been in production for ~5 years and is used in several different models. They will be replacing this with a totally new boxer design using water cooling and injection. The 1250cc engine is estimated to put out 145HP and similar torque numbers. Interestingly while redesigning the engine they've managed to make more powerful, cleaner and more fuel efficient all at the same time.

This begs the question of what will happen to Harley. Will they stop selling bikes in California and Europe or do they have a new cleaner and more efficient engine design on the horizon?

 

good question. If the common modifications to increase HP and torque in Harley Davidsons are banned, where will performance come from? I suspect and expect the MOCO will make some changes.

 

The "emission" that is hard to control without water cooling is NOX emissions. That said every countries emissions standards ( as "arbitrary" as they might be) are all lowering both HC and NOx emissions. So at some point everyone (see Harley) will be need to have water cooling to meet these standards. It appears from many of the "patents"
leaked around the web that Harley may try just water cooling the heads for a while.
(As an aside waterjacketed engines are also better for noise passby, as the waterjacket insulates noise.)

But is will remain an issue as long as NOx are regulated as an emission output.

 

Pretty sure the v-rod engine will have no problem meeting those new standards. Once the old guard is too old to ride it will gain acceptance. It's a killer engine with more potential than any motor Harley has ever built.
But it doesn't sound right

 

Are there any states in the US that require motorcycle emission testing annually or semi annually? Here in Washington state vehicles (cars & trucks) in Western Washington where the owners reside in & around the larger cities have to test emissions every 2 years. What about other states? Are motorcycle emissions required?

 

I havent really paid attention to Vrod engines from a sound perspective, but I have noticed that the thing people most worry about when contemplating liquid cooled engines is the sound.

Which is bizarre because we're talking about cooling the engine, not the exhaust system.

I'm constantly amazed at bike nights because I always hear a lot of great sounding bikes and very often its from a liquid cooled bike.

So I dont think water cooled equates to quiet.

 

The MoCo no doubt has some designs for liquid cooled B-Ts and Sportys...Testing of designs and going into production is an extreme cost issue.

Another issue is will they sell if they go into production?

 

HD has water cooled engines already.

Do you honestly think that this wouldn't sell?



The aftermarket will come up with different exhausts, some people won't like it and will stop buying and others will be attracted to the marque.

 

As long as they don't outlaw operating current bikes, I'm not worried about what might be.

 

When Harley goes liquid cooled it will loose that Harley mystique. That being said, if they price the bikes right they will stay in business. But at that point they really wont be a Harley anymore will they. Theyll be just another bike. The Revolution engine would be a fine engine for them to put in anything. It sounds like **** with aftermarket exhaust but sounds fine with stock exhaust on it. A lot of people who want to be in the Harley club but only like the name would be jazzed about a Revolution motor in a touring bike. But it wouldnt be a "Harley". It would just be a motorcycle. Id ride one. Id enjoy riding one. But no more or less than any other Marque.