Great video and great techniques for comparison. Always good to provide good knowledge and real-world tests and results to those who wouldn't necessarily do these things themselves. Also, congrats on 2K! One point of information on the type of oil allowing the engine to run cooler. I race bikes and have built and run race motors for quite some time. All of my race motors run synthetic oil. The heat generated is two fold. 1. The actual combustion processes, and 2. The friction heat produced by moving parts. The synthetic oil "seems to be" a bit slicker, allowing parts to glide more smoothly past one another. Most importantly though, as you mentioned in the video, synthetic oil is able to retain it's lubricating properties at higher temps. What this means is, as we are running engines harder and harder, the potential frictional heat load increases. This increase will heat the oil as well. At those higher temps, conventional oil can begin to lose its lubricating properties and allow greater frictional heat load. This will heat parts, and heat the oil and in turn, make the bike run hotter. Synthetic oil will retain those lubricating properties as the motor is running harder and will assist in keeping the frictional heat load down. So, is synthetic oil necessary for all engines, maybe or maybe not. Does it have definite "pros"? Yes it does. Also, synthetic oils maintain viscosity for longer periods if time for most users. Just my $.02
Thanks for sharing! I don't race my bikes so I don't have your experience. However you described it very well. I can see how synthetic oil is vital in that particular use. The biggest heat issue I run across is traffic jams.....the bike can get very hot in stop and go traffic.
wow! 100deg difference! My Vrod is watercooled, and without a doubt, in stop and go city traffic, I can tell the engine is definitely cooler than my air cooled Heritage
Seeing this bike so close to this amazing car with that gorgeous shiny paint gives me goosebumps. I’m here like, please man don’t touch that bike and make it touch the car. 😅😅😅 That is too close.
Howdy, Great Video. The reason I'm researching this is because I am thinking of purchasing a Trike from HD and find that of the 3 models available this year, only the Tri Glide Ultra comes with the Twin-Cooled version of the 114. Now I am not a fan of Fairings & Tour Packs, and would be more than happy with the Freewheeler with a windshield, a passenger backrest, and a luggage rack and buy a Garmin GPS for the handle bar, but I do believe that the Twin-Cooled version of the 114 would be more durable than the Air Cooled 114. The only thing I can think of doing is purchasing the Tri Glide and start Stripping it down till I'm Happy, and selling the leftovers on ebay...
I think it depends on the type of riding you will do. What I learned from my experiment is that there are advantages to the Twin Cooled AND Air Cooled. Technically, the air cooled has 2 cooling systems: air and oil. Add a fan, and you should be fine in most circumstances. I've been stuck in traffic with my Twin Cooled Road Glide and it gets HOT!!
Congrats on 2k subs brother! 100 degree difference is huge. My next bike will be an ultra limited. Harley should definitely move to twin cooled on all touring bikes. Possible if they start putting the revolution max engines in the bike.
There are after market fans available such as love jugs that blow air across the top of each cylinder head. They claim to reduce temps up to 50 deg I believe
I really enjoy your show you put out some good information. I purchased the seat lock and I am very please. Thanks for the advice and keep up the good work. I hope to catch you on Beale Street Bike night
Congrats on the subscribers Cue! You might pick up "FLUKE" as a sponsor too 😀 (I have a laser thermometer like that too) I never thought about using it for that. Great idea!
Interesting stuff. Im gonna say, your temps lower on the engine are more precise. Its the oil you want to measure. Using those guns on shiny surfaces can give wonky temps. Maybe try putting some painters tape where you point the gun. Measuring oil temp might be the best way to measure. Just my two cents. My question for you, since you ride both bikes, how is the "felt" temperatures on your legs?
Great question. I have 85,000 miles on the Road Glide and only 11,000 on the Street Glide. I've been stuck in traffic several times with the Road Glide and it got HOOTTT!! I've never been in traffic on the Street Glide, so I don't have a good comparison.
Very good interesting Cue. Did you have the vents on the lower fairings open or closed? I wonder what temperature difference would be when running slow speeds for 5-15 minutes, as in stop and go traffic or a parade.
Congratulations on 2,000 Subscribers. It’s ironic that you mentioned oil. I used Lucas Full Synthetic in my first bike. I wasn’t really impressed with it. So when I purchased my second bike I used Mobile One full synthetic V-Twin oil. So far I’m very happy with it. I don’t know if it actually matters.
@@joshmumaw857 I saw a few videos where Harley will not automatically deny warranty claims due to using non-Harley parts. I have been told that I'm the past, Harley frowned upon using "non-Harley" oil.
@@joshmumaw857 I haven't had any problems with any of my bikes, so I don't have any personal experience to share. Honestly, I don't worry abt warranty issues.....but maybe I've been lucky!
On my TC 103 i added a Jagg Vertical Mounted Oil Cooler...It makes a difference here in the Hot Central Valley of Cali....Your right...Synthtic Oil has a higher temp rating before it breaks down...Ive checked my oil right after riding in 100F plus temps...Mineral oil has turned to bubbles vs Synthetic not...Only thing i dont like is more valve train noise...
Nice video about wet heads I'm in my mid 80s have a dina lowrider got some moter work 107 wet heads done by shortblock Charlie. Heat was. To much for my old body so I installed some wet heads with a pair of radiators on the engine guard hoping it will run cooler not worred about appearance just cooler riding. Using late model water pump let me know what you think young man. Rick erie pa.
Wow! I didn't know you could convert them. You may also want to add a fan to help manage the heat. Riding in hot weather or getting stuck in traffic isn't fun on any motorcycle...you still feel the heat
All I've ever owned were water cooled m8s. A 17 ultra limited and now a 21 road glide limited. The oil pump is different for the water cooled and air cooled m8s. My 17 oil pump failed. 21 so far so good. They said the gears in the water cooled oil pump were smaller.
My 21 road glide limited is dual cooled. I tell my riding buddy's those radiators aren't for the bike. They are for me and her I feel way more comfortable on the bike long distances Hot or cold. I can control the temps by simply adjusting the lowers. Bike is a 21 bought in Aug has almost 9800 on it now.
I'm trying to find a good headlight for my 2016 Road Glide Ultra. Can you do some headlight performance reviews? Stock looks good but the visibility at night leaves alot to be desired.
I test rode a road glide limited while wearing jeans and half calf leather boots and my right foot felt like it was being cooked inside my boot, no burn marks so I don't think I could have been brushing the exhaust
I've seen positive things about them on other channels (Cycle Fanatix and Kelly B Gliding). The concept makes sense to me. I don't have a high power motor, so I'm ok with what I have. If I can get my hands on one of those systems I'll test it and compare it to a stock setup
I know first hand my liquid cooled night rod ran insanely cooler with amsoil full synthetic over Harley’s oil. I could keep my hand on the side of the fins below 100 ambient Fahrenheit with amsoil. Harleys I couldn’t 5 mins after riding in any temperature. If you believe better oil could offer better protection meaning less friction then that would equal lower temperatures. I’m an amsoil believer wish I could afford it in the 5.0 but 10 quarts 😅
Thanks for a great channel. Always good information. The music while you are talking makes it hard to listen to you. A little overwhelming. Just saying.
