free website stats program the future HD | Harley Davidson Forums

the future HD

Future HD liquid cooled VS air cooled V Twin?

  • Yes, I can't wait for it!

    Votes: 11 10.6%
  • Cautiously optimistic

    Votes: 32 30.8%
  • Not too sure about it

    Votes: 16 15.4%
  • I HATE the idea. Leave it alone, its a legend!

    Votes: 45 43.3%

  • Total voters
    104
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.

walleye

Junior Member
Contributor
Although we do not know when, it is likely a fact that HD will offer a Liquid cooled touring bike. Wht do you think of this, presuming it does happen? Will you want one or are you like some that think the V Twin Air Cooled proven motor is what HD is all about. Truth is HD has a legacy, a history, even a legend with the air cooled engine. Others try to imitate, even have proven to out perform but still fail to match the HD loyaty. They are missing something they can't imitate. Time and history. What do you think?
 
Last edited:
For the liquid cooled they have the V-Rod and the Buell ,maybe they could build a touring model of one of them and leave the traditional bikes alone
 
Not to get political but....

HD has to run as lean as it is to pass EPA. With the initiatives that will come from the new administration those EPA regs are going to get more and more stringent.

I'm all for HD keeping to what they've done best for 105+ years. But its a very real possibility that those days are going to be numbers. HD may have no choice but to go liquid cooled.

I'm not for it, but it may be a reality in the near future. I bought my 08 as my first brand new HD. I'm never going to get rid of it.
 
Probably HD will migrate to Air/Oil cooled to continue the traditional product line for another few years (Suzuki did this on their UJMs before with their 1st Gen Katana back in the 80's that carried on through to 1995...! It is still part of the performance upgrade packages that have plenty of research and aftermarket support...so what most guys are doing by adding oil cooler is basically going to be savior faire going forward.

The V-Rod and Buell are prime examples ultimately where HD's liquid cooled versions will come...but begrudgingly! I like air and oil cooled engines, don't need to squeeze that extra horsepower or lean A/F ratios that mandate wather cooling, as I believe in simplicity and technology for longivity or performance sake only.
 
not a matter of if but when .. i would take a liquid cooled one they could make it look like a normal vtwin if they really wanted to
 
I have owned 3 water cooled metrics and they all ran lean as well so I am not sure it has to do with air or water cooled. I like the Air cooled better, infact Yamaha's new Raider is air cooled and is a cotton picky doozy of a machine.:newsmile090:
 
I do'nt think air cooled engines are coming to an end. If you take a look at Honda's latest generation air cooled designs for their high powered retro models, they more than meet the latest emission requirements and they are engineered to water cooled tolerances. I think your going to see an increasing trend in the use of these engines on various models in the future as they are cheaper to produce.
 
Harley has the ability to make both. No need to create a new water cooled motor. Why not stuff a V-Rod motor into a touring frame? Tune it for more torque and Ta Da! A water cooled Harley touring bike!

The V-Rod was a racing developed motor. So far the Harley public has snuggled right up to it. They moved it from a race bike (The VR1000) to a street bike. Now is the time to move it into a touring bike.
 
Just a couple days ago, there was a discussion of this air cooled/water cooled coming up between a few of us at a get together. One person was sure he had heard that S&S has gotten EPA 2010 standards with the big twin. He went on to say that so far Harley has not. What the? There is no place I could find to google that, but it might be fact or just rumor. I want to think that air cooled will still be around. If a V Rod engine is installed in a bagger, it will be interesting and might not be ugly either, since a good looking fairing just might disguise a radiator. There should be news coming up soon from MOCO. 2010 is right around the corner. No way will water cooled sound like air cooled though.
 
Just a couple days ago, there was a discussion of this air cooled/water cooled coming up between a few of us at a get together. One person was sure he had heard that S&S has gotten EPA 2010 standards with the big twin. He went on to say that so far Harley has not. What the?

Would'nt hurt my resale value at all if I owned the last year the the moco made an air cooled motor :newsmile048: But I don't believe it for one second.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top