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[laylonlor]

whats the best oil temp.  gauge , is it  the dip stick, or the in dash gauge 

[Twolanerider]

whats the best oil temp.  gauge , is it  the dip stick, or the in dash gauge 

Dipstick is exceptionally practical if you only care what your engine parameters are when you're stopped standing beside the bike.

[HDDOCFL]

I have had two of the dipstick gauges and both took a dump, now have the HD indash and its a keeper.  Doc

[grc]

It's probably best to stay away from either version, unless you enjoy worrying about stuff you can't do much about.  I think I asked this question one time before in an old thread, but what do you plan to do if the temp climbs above what you think is normal?  Pull off the road and take an hour or two to let it cool down, ride a little further until it gets a little too high again, repeat the process, etc.?  Doesn't sound like fun.

If you really think you want to know your average oil temp, I would suggest you forget the dipstick and go with a full time gauge that you can read without bending over and pushing a button. 


Jerry

[HD Street Performance]

The "best" are not sold by HD or the HD aftermarket, they are for aviation.

[Rooster]

Only goes to 300

[Trapperdog]

Only goes to 300

   

[HD Street Performance]

I know just kidding
They make them higher and digital too. Ready to bore 4 holes in the ultra dash and get er done?
If serious you can expect to spend some pretty good change to buy one of these.
This little guy is 600+ dollars

[miker]

I ignore the ones I have...mostly...

[sem_bunda]

I'm with Jerry. 

You know an HD product is not worth it when the sales guy at the local HD shop tells you to save your $$ and not buy it.  If you decide to get one, don't go with the HD digital dipstick, as the rapid heating and then cooling makes it fog up usually in just a few months - and HD won't warrant it because of the conditions it faces, according to the sales guy.

[tennisman]

I stand by the HD in-dash gauge with the sensor in the oil pan (some sensors go elsewhere).  I climbed Mt Washington on a warm day (1st and 2nd gear for 7+ miles and a 4400 foot rise in elevation).  My "normal" oil temp does not exceed 230 measured degrees.  I hit 270 on the way up.  My point being I believe the gauge gives you a relative temp indication to your "norm".
BTW, air temp was around 60 and winds were calm (main problem - not much air movement at 20 mph and less).  With synthetic, I wasn't concerned and engine sounded as good at 270 degrees as 230 degrees. 
T-man

[HOGMIKE]

whats the best oil temp.  gauge , is it  the dip stick, or the in dash gauge  

/quote]


After reading this, I took some time to check my dip stick gauge.
Got a cup of water to 212 degrees and measured with 2 separate digital temp gauges with remote sensors.
Both of my test instruments registered 212 +/- 2.
My dipstick was reading 15 degrees higher.
Conclusion: time to add 15 to whatever reading I see there, or, get an in-dash gauge.
Don't really know if there's a way to calibrate the dipstick, I'll have to tear it apart and take a look.
 

[relxn88]

The dash gauge will read a different temperature(15+-) then the dipstick, because one is reading the oil at bottom(going into engine) of the oil pan and the dipstick is reading oil coming out of engine.

[HOGMIKE]

The dash gauge will read a different temperature(15+-) then the dipstick, because one is reading the oil at bottom(going into engine) of the oil pan and the dipstick is reading oil coming out of engine.

I should have said this would be a '09 and newer Touring bike, sorry for the confusion!
Oil path for '09  and up:

Quote:
"Oil enters above metal plate, flows to rear and down into lower baffles. Large hole is for dipstick.
Oil flows forward around walls to pickup in front of pan."

The pickup in the front of the lower pan is the feed to the engine, and also the area where the remote sensor is for your gauge. The dipstick is halfway back in the lower portion of the pan and should read nearly the same. I can't believe the oil would be more than 1 or 2 degrees different from the middle of the pan to the front pickup area.

Never the less, I can check my temps and be satisfied that I know EXACTLY what they are, and adjust accordingly. Gives me a little more peace of mind to know my dipstick temp gauge is reading way high!