I enjoy different brands of motorcycles too, Owned more jap bikes then HD in 35 yrs of riding bikes in my life. I have been on a Gold Wing. I don't like the looks of a GW. But I also don't like the looks of an Ultra\EG either, not into fairing bikes period. I can appreciate why people like them, but I do not share their passion for the plastic case around the bike.

 

I dont know what HDs reasons are. but here is something to think about....... Have you ever had a car engine overheat?Sure everyone has sooner or later.......water cooling brings a whole bunch of problems as a Motorcycle ages ,as the bike ages it becomes a whole lot less reliable as opposed to air cooling especially with the vibration a Vtwin makes.I kinda like the parade fan solution You can keep the whole water buffaloe idea as far as Im concerned.........

 

You can't compare a 1800cc horizontally opposed V6 to a 1600cc V-Twin.
Look where the engine is located on the GW and where it is on the Ultra. You're sitting on top of the engine on a HD, not on a GW.

What I'd like to see is a comparison of engine temp between a water cooled V-Twin and a HD V-Twin.in stop and go traffic. Not what the rider feels but what the actual temp of the engine is. Plus, keep in mind that the lower fairings trap the heat around your legs. Take them off in summer and you'll feel the difference.

 

Works the same way as the old "radiator" style heating units in apartments years ago. There was no fan blowing air through them but they did "radiate" the heat. Oil cooler works the same way but it is more efficient with air blowing through it.

 

The manager of the store near me says in time all Harley engines will eventually be water cooled. I think the patent drawing is the future of Harleys Vtwin engines.

When I saw the patent drawings, I noticed the water pump was located near where the oil cooler is now. It suggest to me that Harley is going to do away with the oil cooler once the water cooled heads appear.

Beary

 

Sure, glad to explain; it's basic thermal dynamics, the high temperature heat in the oil is naturally drawn to its lower temperature surroundings, the air, in an attempt to equalize. The cooler, or heat exchanger, is mechanically designed to maximixe or accelerate the natural rate of transfer in the equalization process. heat rises, so even sitting still, as the hot air rises off the cooler a lower pressure condition is left in its absence, new air is drawn from below to absorb and carry away more heat, and continue the cycle. True it works better when moving or when more air passes the heat exchanger, but to say it doesn't work at all when not moving is far from correct. I have permanant temp sensors on the inlet and outlet of my cooler, sitting still it will shed 7-10F, moving it will shed 20-25F, so sitting still it is shedding 30-40% of the heat that it would if moving, and that's not nothing. Actually I think I was at a Motel 6 when I figured that out, or rather made the observation.

 

That's cool and I do understand, there are bikes that I don't like too, though they are few. At this point in our lifes, touring is what my wife and I like to do and fairinged bikes just work better when we are spending weeks on the road in what ever weather nature throws at us. I'm glad they make bikes for all of us.

As for the plastic, I got to checking, my Limited has a plastic fairing, inner fairing, side covers, bags, and tour pack. Most of what you see on an Ultra is plastic. Doesn't bother me at all as long as it serves its intended function.

 

Does anyone know what these new EPA standards are the MoCo will have to deal with? This would probably help the convo and give us better insight now that some numbers from temps entering and leaving the cooler are available.

 

Oh and BTW there are a LOT of air cooled VWs still on the road after 50 plus years every design has its drawbacks and advantages

 

When I'm stuck in stop and go traffic in Houston, Tx. and the temps are over 100 degees, the only thing that is important to me is what the rider feels. Even with the lowers removed, sitting on top of that air cooled rear cylinder sitting still with no wind on a hot day, you are still going to feel that heat boiling up. A water cooled engine, if properly designed, can at lest remove most of that heat and blow it away form you.With a water cooled engine, if the fan isn't running constantly, then the engine is going to be at the temp that it is supposed to maintain. Considering that Wings normally last over 200K and sometimes over 300K with no troubles out of the cooling system, then I'm sure Harley can do the same thing. I know most Harley fans want to keep the looks of the air cooled V-twin. Yamaha has shown that with the exception of the radiator, the engine can be made to look the same with or without water cooling. If Harley can incorporate water jackets on the cylinders and heads and somehow hide the necessory radiators, then I think they will have the best of both worlds. If you can get most of the excess heat away from the motor and also get it away from the rider, it's going to make for both a longer lived motor and a more comfortable ride.