Cause some people don't like to deal with a laptop to tune their car. NASCAR and NHRA still use carbs, you can make more peak power with them. Not everyone buys a vehicle and leaves it stock and never opens the hood. Personally, I don't want a big dorky looking radiator on the front of my bike. I'll never ride a water cooled Harley. Well, maybe a Night Rod Special. Even with the rad, it is still pretty bad ***.

 

HHHmmm...... I'd have to see some good evidence that you can make better power anywhere with a carb. NASCAR and NHRA use carbs to keep costs down, is the excuse I've heard. And I believe that. A good FI system is infinitely tweakable from the comfort of a desk chair. BTW... NHRA nitro cars, Indy cars, F1 cars, GP bikes, and now even MX bikes all use FI. I see a trend there......

I remember when FI was becoming popular on cars in the '80s. I vowed I'd never want FI. Now I'd never go w/out it. No pumping the pedal to start, no flooding, no auto choke to malfunction. I've tuned many a carb and I'd rather tweak ignition and mixture on a laptop than by getting gas and oil all over my hands and a sore back from leaning over a fender. Yup... I'm getting old.

The watercooled bikes will produce much better power, be quieter, and will last longer. There will always be those who will not want to upgrade, but the majority of the riding public will see the benefits.

 

HELL NO!

In fact I just got rid of my PT Crapper, uh, I mean "Cruiser" partly due to those damned screeching rear brake drums.

That car was a POS. Sadly I'll never buy another Chrysler as long as I live because of that pile of junk.

 

Thanks for all the replies!!! Even the funny ones[sm=funnypostabove.gif] Looking forward to the 09's regardless of what they change or don't change I will in the market for a new one. But it's safe to say water cool is right around the corner for the touring bikes..

 

I was amcar guy first, then a biker. Car Craft and Hot Rod both do a story at least once a year about it. Peak power is always better with a carb. The FI gives a more tuneable curve, you can adjust settings in infinite locations. You can only jet a carbs primaries and secondaries, if it's a 4 bbl anyway. I don't think the fuel system is going to send NASCAR and NHRA over budget. Motors alone cost well over 100 grand And they don't last more than a couple races. Indy, F1, GP, ect all spend time all over the RPM band. NASCARand NHRA not as much. It's all about peak power in one small band.Maybe one day I will be tired of tuneing a carb, but I hate computers now. I don't trust them. Plus, I like the smell of gas when I stab the throttle! I will agree it's not for everyone though.

I think Harley is about much more than the latest technology being "better" anyway. Let's face it, Harley is all about image, reputation and heritage. Where is that in a liquid cooled motor? Porsche switched due to their RACING heritage. For them it was a good move. Beside, you don't see the motor or radiator in the car. On a Harley, the v-twin is the focal point of teh whole bike. Trowing on a radiator ruins that IMO.

 

People throw on lowers (the air deflectors)on these touring bikes without even thinking about it. They mount in about the same place a radiator would (kinda).
Those things are huge and somehow accepted; however, the moment someone mentions "radiator" people are all like "that would suck!", "It's not a Harley tradition","We should just buy Jap bikes!", then they go buy the Oil Cooler (radiator) and put that on without even blinking an eye... Then they go buy a PCIII or SERT and RJ originals and thermal pants to help with the heat. But we don't want no freaking radiators!!!!

It's my opinion that a little radiator is not going to kill the "look". It will be a little box thing mounted between the down tubes, get over it people.
Besides, Harley will introduce the change in such a way that it will be accepted...You know they got "People"!!!

Radiators....people freaking....funny.

lp

 

1) The V-rod motor would never work in a heavy bike.
2) Tradition and popularity would be lost.
3) If Harley onlyswitched to a gear driven cam system, their stock and sales would go through the roof. They would command more performance respect too.
4) Harley can keep that upgrade to their chain drive. I'm not interested.

 

Great post LP.

Just goes to show, you really cant teach an ol(dgreydog7) new tricks.

Water cooled is coming, and I for one will welcome it. Bigger engines, more power, all while NOT roasting my nads. I'm all for it.

 

They did a really nice job disguising the radiator on the V-Rod. Doesnt look bad at all. Tighter EPA restrictions come, I believe, in 2010. At some point you cant make an air cooled bike run any leaner without it melting down. At least not in the HD configuration. BMW's air/oil cooled boxer engines, for example, can get away with it by having the cylinders hanging out in the wind. Not sure how much leaner the current HD V-Twin configuration can get and survive. Maybe they can figure something out and maybe not.