This past week brought some very bad news for the diehard "old skool" Harley-Davidson riders out there. If you're a biker you know the guy I'm talking about - the guy who's first bike was an old Knucklehead or Shovelhead that he got either for parts or in trade for an old car, who taught himself to take the thing apart and fix it no matter what was wrong with it, the guy who absolutely refuses to even consider an electric start on his bike but would rather stick with the old kick-start, and who considers anyone who can't fix their own bike a "poser." (And if you've been following my blog, then you know my feelings on the use of that term and others like it...but I digress.) For these old guys, the end of the world as they know it was announced quietly last week, and many of them may not even have heard it, the news was released so quietly.
So what was this devastating news, you ask? Simple: Harley-Davidson confirmed last week that the entire 2012 lineup of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, with the exception of the Sportster XR1200, would be - hang on to your hats - WATER COOLED.
That's right, ladies and gentlemen, the era of the air-cooled V-twin motorcycle engine has officially come to a close. Harley-Davidson was the ONLY bike manufacturer out there who steadfastly refused to convert their powerplants to water-cooled, but the changing times - and steadily more restrictive emission standards - have finally caught up with them.
For some of us, this was no surprise. When I was working at the local Harley shop as a salesman in 2007, the District Manager told us that the water-cooled engine in the V-Rod was such a big hit that the MoCo was working on incorporating that powerplant into the Touring lineup, and that we'd see it on the salesfloor by 2012, "if not sooner." My only question is, "What took you so long?"
My only complaint about Harley-Davidson bikes (aside from the price) is that the engines were NOT water-cooled. Air-cooled engines are fine as long as you're moving, but as I found out in the Biketoberfest traffic jam of 2003, an air-cooled engine absolutely WILL overheat when you're stuck in traffic. Then you get to pull the bike over to the side and sit for about an hour or so until the engine cools down enough to ride it - and you better pray that the traffic has cleared by then, or in about 20 minutes you get to repeat the whole thing all over again.
Been there, done that, and it ain't fun.
As I see it, the MoCo really had no choice in this for two reasons: first and most importantly, the only way to ensure that their engines can comply with the ever-tightening emission standards being put in place by the EPA is to make them water-cooled. Water-cooled engines have much lower emissions that air-cooled engines, and the only noticeable difference in the negative aspect is that the engine isn't quite as loud.
No biggie there - a quick trip to the local bike shop and a set of Vance & Hines pipes later, and you've got all the sound you need. I put a set of Hard Krome Double D's on a Suzuki Marauder in '02, and you could hear the bike coming from half a mile away.
But on the positive side, a water-cooled engine puts out more power than an air-cooled engine of the same size.
Hear that, gearheads? MORE POWER. I can almost hear Tim Allen grunting in the background.
For those of you who think that a radiator will ruin the looks of the bike, have a little faith, willya? The folks at the MoCo aren't idiots, and they've designed the water systems to be as unobtrusive and unnoticeable as possible. Sure, you'll be able to see it, but in some cases you're going to have to look for it to find it.
Personally, I'm all for this. I will readily admit that it'll be nice to be able to ride a Harley and NOT have to worry about getting stuck in traffic and having the motor overheat on you for a change. Of course, there will be those that will take the stand of, "Harley-Davidson is a bunch of traitors! I'll never buy another Harley again for as long as I live!"
Hey, if that's the way you feel, more power to you. No one's gonna twist your arm and come begging you to buy a new Harley, so get over it. You wanna stick with your old Shovel, then that's just fine with me. Like I've said before, I don't care WHAT you ride, as long as you RIDE.
As for Harley-Davidson and the new engine, all I can say is this: Welcome to the 21st century, and it's about damned time.
IHC
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