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I apologise if this is some where else but I wanted to mention that I had purposefully shyed away from a new '07 or '08 FLHTCUI because of the motor being run "hot" from the factory. What does that mean? Heat isn't good for a motor. Its not just a leaner carb.

And besides that 1998 80 inch 1340 evo is a proven ste up. How many years running?

I think the new Harley's are Great!

Have you ridden one?

I jumped on board the local Harley 'Demo Day' train & loved it!

Gee....I even liked the FATBOY!

any input on what they mean when they say the 96 inch motor runs hotter?

My '07 has the new 96in motor and, yes, it runs hotter than the motor on my '04 FLHT did. There's no carb on the 07's, btw, it's all EFI now. And they had to lean out the mixture in order to meet EPA standards, which is why they run so hot now.

BUT - keep in mind that they come with a 2yr unlimited mileage warranty, so if anything happens, you're covered. I tend to put a lot of miles on my bikes, so I opted for the extended warranty and my bike is fully covered until 2013.

Still, it is very unlikely that the heat will cause any breakdowns unless you leave it idling while parked for hours on end. As long as the bike is moving and air flows over the motor, everything will be fine. What people are complaining about is the amount of heat radiating off the rear cylinder head. If you ride in shorts or thin pants, it will cause a lot of discomfort at stop lights - but if you wear jeans and chaps it helps insulate your legs against the heat. Some people have opted to install a Power Commander, or similar fuel management system, which richens the mixture and allows the motor to run cooler (and with a bit more power). I don't think this invalidates the warranty, but don't quote me on it. I'm planning to leave my bike bone stock at least for the next year or two, then I might look at making some changes to the motor. But in the mean time, it works quite well for my needs - the heat doesn't bother me (all my riding is done on the highway, not parading through town) and there's more than enough power and performance to keep me happy.

Gummiente',

Again, thanks for the informative and knowledgable from experience rundown on the 96 inch heat issue. I understood about the system being leaned out. There was speculation of the damage over the long haul or being inheriently good for the longevity of the machine. The 1998 Ultra also has a rear cylinder heat issues while idling as descibed in that article I posted somewhere on another category.

Do I regret not snagging a '07 or '08 instead of the low milage Ultra w/ sidecar? Slightly, although having a grandson and once the wife gets use to riding in it, I believe I'll feel better about my choice. The bike toodles along comfortably around 70+ w/ no one in it. Haven't taken it on the highway with a passenger yet. Not crazy about what appears to be less then great gas milage with the sidedcar and a 6 gallon gas tank could be a blessing. I coulda bought 5 years of extended warranty but only bought 2.

Again, thanks.

badinfluence63 wrote:Again, thanks for the informative and knowledgable from experience rundown on the 96 inch heat issue.

No problem. But your '98 will run just as well and just as long and troublefree as mine will - pretty much ANY year Harley from '85 and up will, in fact.

Amen to that....

yes they run lean=hot check out <motorcycle performace guide for harley davidson> that site will give you the reason and the anser

Gummiente wrote:My '07 has the new 96in motor and, yes, it runs hotter than the motor on my '04 FLHT did. There's no carb on the 07's, btw, it's all EFI now. And they had to lean out the mixture in order to meet EPA standards, which is why they run so hot now.

(snip)

Still, it is very unlikely that the heat will cause any breakdowns unless you leave it idling while parked for hours on end. As long as the bike is moving and air flows over the motor, everything will be fine. What people are complaining about is the amount of heat radiating off the rear cylinder head. If you ride in shorts or thin pants, it will cause a lot of discomfort at stop lights - but if you wear jeans and chaps it helps insulate your legs against the heat. Some people have opted to install a Power Commander, or similar fuel management system, which richens the mixture and allows the motor to run cooler (and with a bit more power). I don't think this invalidates the warranty, but don't quote me on it. I'm planning to leave my bike bone stock at least for the next year or two, then I might look at making some changes to the motor. But in the mean time, it works quite well for my needs - the heat doesn't bother me (all my riding is done on the highway, not parading through town) and there's more than enough power and performance to keep me happy.

I've heard of this before...

Couple questions? Does the Power Commander cause the bike to fail annual inspections? And can you get a oil cooler for a new full sized Harley? I live in Texas where it can get up to 100+ degrees in the shade. So I'm a bit worried.

I've gotten to a point where chaps are a must even when the guys are wearing shorts and a Tshirt. I kind of like my bod. It works so much better in one piece. Now about helmets...

Ryethil wrote:I've gotten to a point where chaps are a must even when the guys are wearing shorts and a Tshirt. I kind of like my bod. It works so much better in one piece.

What about your butt though?