Harley going to Liquid Cooling for 2012?

[R_W_B]

Never seen a harley on the side of the road with green or off colored red stuff running out.
Liquid cooled means more parts ,more body parts to cover it up.
Not saying I am all against it but I like it smiple.

Yea I can relate to what you are saying but simple is becoming a thing of the past. I don't buy into all the Greenhouse proposed scenarios. But I can understand if you live in some big cities that Smog is an issue. But one thing is for sure, if they are gonna run them leaner then they are going to be hotter. Radiators are very dependable on autos, I have not had any experience with them on bikes, yet.

 

[Hoople]

Returned Saturday from a 3000 mile ride. 2500 of it was in 95 and up temps and high humidity . Two up loaded down 2011 RGU did just fine. Even in traffic in downtown Nashville. I for one am not ready to bury the Vtwin yet

Smitty, your not running any fueler of any type? Bone stock as you received it from the dealership. Would you know if your heat management software is enabled?

 

[R_W_B]

Returned Saturday from a 3000 mile ride. 2500 of it was in 95 and up temps and high humidity . Two up loaded down 2011 RGU did just fine. Even in traffic in downtown Nashville. I for one am not ready to bury the Vtwin yet

Nor am I but if they offer a water cooled touring bike I will buy it. Like I said before it runs hot and I don't want to deal with fans and having to turn the bike off in some scenarios etc. Just don't dig it. I realize you can run the heck of these HD engines, but there are scenarios where I'd rather have water cooled.

 

[Hoople]

100% stock

That is pretty impressive performance. I would have thought you might experience issues in the traffic and long red lights.

 

[R_W_B]

Not saying I would not buy one. If I wake up August 1 and there is one sitting at the dealer And I like the package I could take the first one on the floor home.
It would not be the first time I went out the door first on some thing.
But what I want is a Harley not a metric clone.
GW are boring.

Yep, I would buy it too, just not August 1st. Would have to wait awhile since my economic scenario is rather low right now. The way things are looking it may stay low forever and I'll just ride off into the sunset on my Air cooled Dyna (while turning it off at train crossings etc).

I don't have a problem with Metrics as a whole, they produce good bikes and have owned two of them. But in the touring department they just haven't made a bike as good as HD in my observation (yet).

I do support trying to keep jobs and production in America (as much as that is possible in this diluted import industry) but that is another story that's been covered in depth elsewhere.

Smitty what is GW ?

 

[nrs2420]

Smitty what is GW ?

GW = GoldWing

Now I don't think it will happen this year, just like the previous years. I don't want to ride a bike that has radiator fans blasting engine heat on me. I also don't like the fact that now when I smell antifreeze it could actually be me! I'll keep my bike for many years as of right now.

 

[R_W_B]

GW = GoldWing

Now I don't think it will happen this year, just like the previous years. I don't want to ride a bike that has radiator fans blasting engine heat on me. I also don't like the fact that now when I smell antifreeze it could actually be me! I'll keep my bike for many years as of right now.

Ooohh GoldWing, ok, I don't care much for the looks and sit of the GW either. Your feet are spread out like you're straddling a 4 wheeler.

I tend to like the Kawa Nomads and Voyagers more for the Metric side of things. I know several guys (with the PGR) that ride Honda VTX's but they don't offer any OEM tourpaks with them.

So you're saying the radiated bikes blast heat back on you and smell like antifreeze. I will have to ask them how they feel about the smell and heat, I've never had a radiated bike so I would not know.

 

[whacko]

So you're saying the radiated bikes blast heat back on you and smell like antifreeze. QUOTE]


I can't attest to the smell of coolant but I did ride a suzuki boulavard once.....yup the heat blows on you like crazy when the fan is running. The engiine runs cooler but you can still feel the heat of the engine......at least on the suzuki boulavard!

 

[R_W_B]

I can't attest to the smell of coolant but I did ride a suzuki boulavard once.....yup the heat blows on you like crazy when the fan is running. The engiine runs cooler but you can still feel the heat of the engine......at least on the suzuki boulavard!

Ok does the fan blow only when you are not moving ?

Please understand I love Harleys but I'm a practical minded person that likes all bikes and just want to get all the facts. I've got my first Harley and plan to keep it forever if possible. But as far as a second purchase I want all the facts.

 

[nrs2420]

What I was saying about the antifreeze smell is that when I currently ride I sometimes smell antifreeze from other vehicles. I know that it's not me because I'm air cooled. I don't like the fact that if I was riding a liquid cooled bike that smell could be me.