HD Introducing water cooled bikes on Labor Day

[Garandman]

Big changes for them
http://www.jsonline.com/business/har...220141861.html

Eight new motorcycles will have Project Rushmore features: the Road King, Street Glide, Street Glide Special, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Ultra Limited, Tri Glide Ultra, CVO Ultra Limited and CVO Road King.

"Project Rushmore is the overarching name we are using for this family of bikes," King said.

New features include the first liquid-cooled engine for a Harley-Davidson touring bike, integrated front and rear anti-lock brakes, integrated audio, communications, navigation and vehicle information in a single electronic touch screen, five-way joy sticks on the left and right motorcycle hand controls for most of the system's functions, and a more comfortable passenger seat.

Linked braking, where braking with the front and rear wheels is synchronized, is activated at speeds above about 20 miles per hour. At highway speeds, the system will automatically calculate the amount of braking that's necessary under the existing conditions.

The company's styling team influenced every aspect of the makeover, with considerable input from customers.

"When we got this assignment, we knew that we were messing with the Holy Grail of motorcycles," said Brian Nelson, lead stylist on Project Rushmore.

"We don't do trend bikes or fashion-statement motorcycles. We try to make something that will last forever. But we also have an obligation to move the brand forward, to make it look and function better," Nelson added.

[DaveZX6r]

This is going to piss off a lot of purists.

[stoinkythepig]

Can't help but think Polaris/Indian could not have timed their launch any better.

[SteveM]

The price points should be interesting. The challenge is to modernize the bikes without losing their basic appeal and do so at a reasonable price.

There will be the usual bashing here, but I applaud their effort to improve the product.

Still prefer my Honda F6B.

[Chippertheripper]

You should sleep more Dana. 325? Hd?

[nhbubba]

I'll say it again. HD's CURRENT lineup kind of appeals to me.

Me, I'd ask them to improve their frames. But I am sure the EPA does not see it that way.

[Garandman]

You should sleep more Dana. 325? Hd?

I wanted to be first to deliver this scoop!

[I fell asleep on the couch about 8pm]

[maxim_X]

I wish they could do something else like the xr1200x and take it just a bit further. Maybe a mono shock and lighten it a bit and I would be interested in it. As far as the big bikes, they just don't do it for me.

[CBR929RE]

This is going to piss off a lot of purists.

I think we can convert them if we convince them that it'll be less time spent on maintenance which will free up more time for polishing their chrome.

[markbvt]

This liquid cooling system is even more half-assed than the one BMW introduced on the R1200GS this year. From Motorcycle USA:

Foremost among the announcements is the first liquid-cooled engine outfitted on a Harley touring bike called the Twin Cooled High Output Twin Cam 103 V-Twin. According to Harley PR, “Twin cooling cools the heads around the exhaust ports to deliver at or near peak performance under all operation conditions and temperatures.” This is achieved via a small 1.1 quart liquid-cooling system that routes through the downtubes to discreet radiators housed in the lower fairing louvers. Claiming the system will make less engine heat in stop-and-go traffic, it utilizes a higher flow airbox as well.

So there's a tiny water jacket on each head and 1.1 quarts in the whole system... how extravagant.

--mark

[nhbubba]

Emissions, emissions, emissions.

[R7]

Great, one more thing to leak on the ground!

[Stromper]

I smell the EPA

[RocketPunch]

[BostonShaun]

^ - ROFL

[Rambunctous]

There will need bellypans.

[jwm2k3]

I think this is a giant leap forward for HD.

[jasnmar]

Here's a pic of the new rock collectors radiators .

[markbvt]

Jesus. They call those discreet?

--mark

[nhbubba]

http://thekneeslider.com/harley-davi...-heads-patent/




Ewe.

[Inferno]

FB comment put it well: "Yesterday's technology, tomorrow's prices"

[gixxer72]

I hope this is a success for HD. The new street glide looks pretty sweet, pricing seems comparable to the Honda. I could never be part of the dress like a pirate crowd of dbags - but the big HD's I've ridden were fun rides. I recently rode an ST1300 and an FJR as a comparison.The ST was a soulless turd, the FJR a bit more powerful turd...

[nhbubba]

Their products aren't actually priced that bad. A well outfitted Shadow 750 is actually MORE than the base Sportster 883 model. And the GW out prices most of their plain jane tourers. (Not including the CVO branded stuff.)

As for yesterday's tech. I understand that too. It used to be motorcycles were about simplicity. It doesn't have to spin to 14k RPM, have an integrated GPS, or a carbon fiber frame to be fun.

That said, this system adds complexity to their product and, IMO, detracts from the desirability.

Like Stromper, I blame the EPA, not HD.

[CBR929RE]

water cooling isn't really all that complex. all the money they've saved by barely updating anything other than style over the last 50 years should make it easy for them to add real water cooling.

[Garrett]

water cooling isn't really all that complex. all the money they've saved by barely updating anything other than style over the last 50 years should make it easy for them to add real water cooling.

Lol! I agree