So I just got home from a 620 mile trip with the dear wife on her own bike. I haven't had to experience this much but we ended up at customs in line waiting to cross back into the U.S. and this was after bikes were fully up to temp in about 75+ degree weather. Well there we sat creeping ahead every 2-3 minutes but add that 2-3 minutes to about 25-30 cars. Well about half way through line my biscuits were plenty warm, oil pressure gauge by my right inner thigh was untouchable. When I finally got to window the engine light popped on right when I shut it down to talk to the customs officer. Temp I would assume. I pulled away and engine light went out and never returned entire rest of trip. Anyhow question on my mind is at what point do you shut it down and restart or you just burn bunns up. I know all the accessories available for fans but I don't have one. The restarts are so often I would be afraid of starter issue or killing battery after 25 restarts in a row. My thought was a minute or two engine off isn't near enough to cool down anyways. It was painful. on me and my 2005 RK. It was like the worst possible scenario, can't exit line, Line moving but very slow. After I rolled down the road at highway speed about 2-3 miles I pulled over, oil temp was 232 at that point.

 

If down hill or level ground, I shut off after about a minute. A line like that for customs is tough, going to be there a while, I would not want the bike running. I have no issue rolling the bike down a hill or pushing on level ground to keep her from burning up. If up hill, you are stuck.

 

Any more than a few minutes of stopped traffic and I'm shutting it down, being air cooled and all.

 

Not attempting to make this an oil thread but that's when full synthetic has an advantage. It handles heat better than dino oils do. May decrease the need to shut it down quite as often.

 

I shut it down, just did this a few weeks ago. The blue water bridge was insane to cross, we had to be there a hour. I shut it off and it makes a huge difference. Drives the wife crazy though.

 

I would of shut mine off rolling up.

Bikes warm and it starts easy, not to hard on battery.

 

I’d shut her down

 

Going through the southern border here we just split lanes and go to front of the line.

 

I think it takes something like this happening at least once to make one plan for the next time of stopped high heat. Not sure if turning the bike on or off is a best answer but the best answer is to not get in that situation or if you do be prepared for it with options to cool the bike.

About 25 years ago on my then new EVO I was at the Myrtle Beach Bike Week on Ocean Blvd back when Myrtle Beach was bike friendly and I remember talk of up to 800K bikes unlike today is its now Murrells Inlet bike week and Myrtle Beach is almost a ghost town as far as bikes.

Back in the 90's the blvd traffic was crazy ( great memories ) but this was the first time my oil light came on from thinning oil and the top end started to tick but I was able to turn and get on the highway and hit highway speeds and cool off.

The next year I changed from 20W-50 oil to a 25w-60 and a extra long oil filter and it did help with oil pressure a tiny bit when hot but I also knew to turn up and hit the highway before I got too hot.

Fast forward to last year, I almost purchased a new 23 Police bike and notice the Police Harley comes stock with the oil cooler fan. ( for parade duty )

I ended up buying a new 2023 Street Glide air oil cooled M8 and before taking delivery I had the dealer install that same oil cooler fan the Police bikes use and flash the bike so it comes on when hot. I did this day one when the bike was brand new as managing heat to me is that important.

I'm considering a 2024 that will now be a water cooled M8 but some suggest still a need to also cool the oil so I intend to research options as I never want to see an oil light flicker again from thinning oil.

Living in the hot south with heavy traffic I will be one to go 3rd party to cool the oil if I go 24+ m8

 

My vote: Shut down.
And "duck walk".