I'd have to say the biggest reason is that the Japanese companies have their research & development funded by their government. Where as in the U.S. the companies are funded by themselves. Big difference in costs.

 

Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

How about resizing the photos before you post. We have to go into the next county to read the thread.
Thanks
PS: As you say: Where there's a will, there's a way. Get it.

 

That's where I think they'll go first before adding a radiator. Actually, the twin cam is already an oil/air cooled bike since the oiling system squirts the bottom of the pistons just like my old Suzuki 1200 Bandit did. Look at the XR1200 with oil cooled heads. The lines are external but on a touring bike they could be more easily hidden.

 

i hve seen a couple of v rod touring bikes looked awesome-rdie safe

 

Yep.......Hey, consider this too:

Right now Harley is laying off, reducing production, shutting factories and strving out dealers....Right?

So ok, just where in all that do you think they have room to budget the R&D necessary to develop any oil/water cooled engine?

Nope, it ain't there, or if it is, they can't presently afford to do it properly. Our favorite moco might go broke not from just declining sales and tight credit, but from failure to afford to develop cleaner/quieter scooters!

Harley has it's back against the wall not just due to declining sales and constricted credit, they also have to invent cleaner and quieter bikes based on current EPA mandates.

If Obamawamma wants to help ALL the moco's and other manufactures of EVERY type left in this country, he needs to pick up his executive order pen and spend some ink SUSPENDING any and all future EPA constrictions.

We simply can't afford further EPA/OSHA type sillyness.

 

Harley will be out of business if they stop building air-cooled V-Twins.

 

Your guvment sez they will be out of business if they don't start building water cooled engines soon.....

No, they don't exactly demand they build watercooled engines, they instead demand they build cleaner and quieter engines with higher MPG...It just so happens that watercooled engine can meet those requirements whereas aircooled stuff has hit the wall and will never be able to meet the planned thresholds.

 

Personally, I've never fully understood this debate. If you can mainatin the heart and soul of a Harley and still come up with a better cooling system, why not do it? The history and heritage nonsense is just that...nonsense. There is no reason whatever that a half way competent engineer can't give you both. Having owned both, I can tell you, liquid cooled is more comfortable and less maintenance. It's about the $$$, folks. Our bikes already cost too much. Imagine what they'd cost if the MoCo re-designed and re-tooled for liquid cooled and even shaft drive! Ouch! I love my HD and I always will, but there's nothing wrong with a better mouse trap.

 

Oh great, more chrome to buy.