Anyone know how far off HD is from going to water cooled motors in the softail/Dyna range?

Is this a good or bad thing?

cheers, Wingnut

It'll be a sad day indeed.
When the day comes that they go liquid cooled big twins, I will sell my Harley and never buy another.
That, in my eyes would be a betrayal of the highest order.
The only real reason I can see they would go liquid cooling is for engine noise reduction.
Losing the push rods would probably help as much, but this would be just as bad in my eyes.

I hope it never needs to happen.

Yep, if the pushrod engine makes way for a watercooled one then that is the end of H.D. as far as I'm concerned.

Water cooled engines will come over the next few years because the pollution laws in the US demand that bikes comply and the only way to comply is with a water cooled engine.  I did read some where thats why they built the V Rods, to get the technology up to speed in the company.  Will be intersting what ever happens.

I also wonder if it will be a water cooled version of the 45 degree twin cam or the 60 degree V rod motor that gets used.

cheers
Surly

Surely it would have to be the same angle as the current models. Half the reason Harleys are harleys is because of the sound they make, that would kill a lot of sales I reckon.

I dont understand, how would water cooling change the sound?

Seems HD is getting involved and having a stake in MV Augusta, I wonder where that is leading. Methinks that some states in the US will determine what happens to traditional HD, California being one.

Just my 02%

Bt

I gotta be honest and say I never really liked the note of a Harley, has always sounded like a tractor to me. Now the sound of a Ducati on song is something else. Anyway, I didn't buy it for the sound (not that I would want a quiet one) and I've learned to love it but, if H.D. turn to watercooled engines then it just ain't a Harley no more, it's just another bike which happens to have a Harley badge on it. If you don't have the ease of maintenence that comes with a pushrod motor then the major reason you buy a Harley (unless you just like to pose) is pointless in my humble opinion. Over time there have been a lot of changes eg: kickstarts are gone, points are gone, carbys are gone etc but, if and when they lose the pushrod motor then Harley is truely dead - Not The Company But The Bike - I'm sure the company will continue to prosper because most folk will buy whatever H.D. tells them is a good thing. But gone will be the foundation that Harley was built on and after a while no one will care anyway. The world will be full of " very happy to give you a wave anytime " watercooled Harley riders. So if it's gonna take Harley 110 years to catch up to the Japs, why not buy a Honda now and get a head start.

True And Sad.