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[dlaws01]

I suggest that you ride it around the neighborhood for about 10 minutes before you start it so the engine will already be warm when you start the engine.

[grc]

I suggest that you ride it around the neighborhood for about 10 minutes before you start it so the engine will already be warm when you start the engine.

      OR, better yet, never shut it off, so you will never have to warm it up.  Set it up with family and friends just like the 24 hours of LeMans, keep swapping riders and just ride around the clock (forever).

Jerry

[North Georgia Hawg]

EXACTLY... 1-2 mins max. Start it, put your chit on, and ride away.

Back in the Evo days, we needed to let the engine warm up for 5 mins at least, so we didn't blow a base gasket. But with the twinkees and the O-ring base gaskets, that's no longer needed... thankfully!

Ken

[2 ROSE]

I have read in more than one article and maybe even somewhere on this site that excessive idling of the big V-Twin is not recommended. Don't remember why...maybe has to do with being air cooled.

[Lone Rider]

I have read in more than one article and maybe even somewhere on this site that excessive idling of the big V-Twin is not recommended. Don't remember why...maybe has to do with being air cooled.

Is there a difference in warm up times between air and oil cooled engines?

You would think Harley Davidson would have it in their manuals but they don't.

[grc]

Is there a difference in warm up times between air and oil cooled engines?

You would think Harley Davidson would have it in their manuals but they don't.

Only in some people's minds.  Many years ago people believed it was necessary to let a Harley engine warm up long enough to get the heads hot enough to be uncomfortable to rest your bare hand on, supposedly because if you didn't the head gaskets and base gaskets would leak.  In reality, the head gaskets and base gaskets leaked because the machining of the engines back then was very poor, and gaskets leaked no matter what you did.  That hasn't been a problem since they came out with the Twin Cams.

The other reason people let the engines warm up for several minutes had to do with how the carbureted bikes were set up.  With no heat to the intake manifold, like what was common in cars, it took a bit of heat to warm up that cold aluminum intake manifold enough so the fuel didn't just puddle.  Once again, no longer a problem with modern port injection EFI.

Jerry

[Cat Eye]

For me it depends on the temperature.

In the summer when the temperature is warm....start it and go with no worries.

Early spring, fall and winter when temp is 50's or below...will let the motor warmup until it idles down....then ride easy for 5 min or so.

[Wild Hog 4]

I start the bike and then put on my helmet and gloves. Once I get on the bike, I move out of the garage and close the door. By the time I get on the street and ease down the hill out of the subdivision, it is running nicely. I probably travel two or three miles before I can even get (legally) over 35 mph. This is how I have always ridden and haven't had any problems.

What he said x2

[brwk]

I think they all come pre-warm from the factory

[Dr.D]

I start the bike and then put on my helmet and gloves. Once I get on the bike, I move out of the garage and close the door. By the time I get on the street and ease down the hill out of the subdivision, it is running nicely. I probably travel two or three miles before I can even get (legally) over 35 mph. This is how I have always ridden and haven't had any problems.

Similar start to the ride here except it is a down hill coating ride to the main road about 400yds. When I hit the main road it is easy on for two miles then all bets are off. High Perf. car same thing.

[Phantom309]

Even all my old japper scrappers with carbs I only let them idle for a minute and took off with the choke still on so they didn't cough, spit and choke. Those days are long gone with EFI.