Rode over to my local Steeler today, first good weather day in the NY Metro area. Temps in the 70's. Took a back route and hit some Stop and Go traffice, all I can say is OUCH [:@]. You guys weren't kidding thses '07's run HOT. What am I gonna do when it REALLY get HOT?

Looks like I'm in for Pipes and a K&N at the 1000 mile service. Will that cool me off a bit? Also, haven't noticed the 5th Gear Whine, but a very slight tick (not ping) on accell in 6th. It's not loaded up, not lugging. My guess is the light break in oil. What do you experts say?

Thanks,

 

Not an expert but there is no "Break in oil" in the HD from the factory, it's the real stuff thats suppose to be there. The only thing I know of that will cool the bike off is a Dyno tune.

 

No longer releasing new bikes w/break in oil.Upgrading the fuel,exh,AC is the only way to rid the heat.Do it now,dont breakin a bike w/these temps.

 

I agree with Pittguy
I rode my 07 Ultra two thousand miles, then decide to build the engine. When I pulled it down, there was scuffing on the rear piston, not bad, but it shouldn't have been there at all. Having built auto engine for years and bikes for some time, I must blame this on heat, breakdown of lubrication due to heat or the uneven expansion of the cylinder due to heat. Mine was hot, way too hot to ride in stop and go traffic in any temps above 70 degrees, fried my inner thighs!

Now it is no different than my earlier bikes. Not necesary to do a full blown engine build, but definitely necessary to do the AC and tune, and pipes included would be better but the tune is the key to get the AF mixture back to a reasonable level. These new motors just run way too lean. Hd has been having a run of the 110" SE engines failing due to heat, they are replacing them with same under waranty. Heat is the culprit, they have to run them lean to meet new emmision requirements.

 

OK, I'll bite. If running lean means that you are burning less fuel, then why does the engine run hotter?

 

Lean A/F mixtures burn slower, (combustion time will be the same) hotterand are harder to ignite. The heat of the combustion process is higher. This heat is then dissipated through the piston, rings, cylinder and cooling finshence the hotter running engine. Fuel is also used to cool, the 14.7 to 1 stoichometric ratio has less fuel for a given volume of air by weight in comparison to a 12.5 to 1 (Richer A/F) ratio. This richer ratio(more fuel)will in turn cool the motor down. Hope this helps.

Streeter

 

Hard to believe but fuel/gas does aid in the cooling process in a engine. The lower the fuel to air ratio in a engine the hotter it will run.

 

Yes it does. Thank you.
Now where do I go to find out what is the theoretical optimal MPG of a vehicle that weighs 920 lbs gross and is moving at 70 mph?
I'm not a member of Green Piece, but I do think that Harley can do much better with their gas mileage (like at least double it). Gas is $7 a gallon in England and is headed this way.
/gets off soap box

 

Had same issue breaking in my RKC, added Mobil 1 Vat 200 miles, seemed to cool it down a little. The remap at the 1000 mile service really seemed to take the temp down, think it was a fix from Harley. Live in Florida so I plan to either confirm the engine is good this summer or get Harley to replace it under warranty.

 

Cant they just get the mixture richer .. like on carb bikes ?? I aint no expert ... I should be picking up a new RG in the next week ... and am interested in what I will need to do to get the bike not to run too hot ... intake and pipes and eventually synthetic oil ??