Street Glide may look funny with a mud flap. Need to keep the fins clean and exposed. They do make a thing called a water hose which will flush the debris out of the Oil Cooler fins. I do my best to avoid mud roads... I understand the necessities but no one said Harleys were maintenance free.

 

I have often wondered about damage or clogging to the oil cooler from road debris as well. I think a screen or louvered covered would only serve to block air flow. I'm just gonna ride mine...

 

heres my bike with the mud flap that was on it when i bought it, about two weeks ago. looking at it does look funny. but, for myself at least, i dont see or notice it. the only reason i found it was i was searching for the tire valve stem. im leaving it. maybe the original owner had a rock fly into the cooler and destroy it. there has to be reason and he put 25,000 miles on it with no problem.

 

This is all that was needed on mine to keep junk from whacking the radiator.
Length is different for all models so just put a straight edge at the bottom of the tire to the bottom of the radiator and measure.
Simple fix, not the most beautiful but it works and I just feel I have done what I can to keep piece of mind.
All Harley has to do is make it that much longer but just think of all the money they loose out on for repairs.
Chances are one may never ever have a problem just leaving it alone but when do most bike owners leave things alone?

 

my last bike, 90 FXSTC, had the cooler way up high. thinking about it, what a awful place to put one, geeez why not put it under the bike, lol.

 

i unbolted mine , ran longer hoses to it and mounted it to my helmet....then i covered it with a strainer to keep the bugs out...now i need to figure out a way to stop birds from hitting it... birds have never hit my helmet before... but you cant be too safe right... now if i ever take it out and ride it well i dont know what ill do..........

 

You mean you finally took out the beer holders with the long straws on each side of your helmet?

 

lol, good one

 

i never did understand why HD didn't keep putting the cooler in the same spot as the 79 low riders had them back in the day. up and out of the way and in the air flow.

 

yeah i dont think theres anything preventing them from putting it up and away.