Ride Cooler, Ride Longer
Always on the lookout for "innovative products that offer real value to Harley riders," Zodiac International recently added the Dual-Cool Harley Cooling System - which the company believes is a "standout addition" to its catalog.
Describing it as a solution to the century-old problem of keeping a Harley engine and its vital oil cool under all riding conditions, Zodiac says it has tested The Dual-Cool extensively, in real world conditions and with independent lab tests.
The results speak for themselves with engines running up to 100°F (55°C) cooler resulting in a drop in oil temperature by an impressive 50°F (28°C) with intake air temperature also dropping by 35°F (20°C).
"This results in pure extra horsepower - proven effectiveness, even at idle for over an hour - with all the added benefits of improved engine component life and reliability.
"We'll admit it," said Zodiac GM Vincent Pels. "We were just as sceptical as anyone else would be when Dual-Cool claimed engine temps could drop by so much, so we had to see for ourselves. We ran the test using a 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob Softail. And the results were convincing.
"We let the engine idle for over an hour, with ambient temps below 65°F (19°C) - pretty mild conditions. Yet, even then, the EITMS (Engine Idle Temperature Management System) kicked in without the Dual-Cool running. Imagine what happens in real-world summer traffic, with 90°F (32°C) or more and nowhere to go. That's when Dual-Cool really earns its keep.
"The data speaks for itself. We've plotted the three key temperatures: engine, oil, and intake air. Without the Dual-Cool, engine temps soared to a critical 320°F (160°C), with both engine and oil temperatures still climbing fast. But with the Dual-Cool running, all temperatures stabilized - making your engine run cooler and safer.
"And with the intake air being much cooler, that denser air simply means more horsepower."
Vincent says that The Dual Cool works on any Harley, no matter what the year; that is performs in any climate, even when it's not blazing hot - "the Dual Cool is essential for parade riding or long idling" - and that the reduced engine heat means improved rider comfort (no more scorched inner thighs!).
The Twin Cam was always regarded as notorious for its cooling problems, but the M8 is even worse according to Vincent. "Fuel Injection tuning or the installation of tuning parts like open air cleaners, open exhausts, performance cams and/or Big Bore kits are well-known to increase cooling problems.
"The Dual-Cool system is an easy install solution that even improves the looks of the bike. Dual-Cool kits bolt to the horn mount on the left side of the frame, just between the front and rear cylinder heads - it really is that simple.
"They direct lots of cool air to the cylinder head hot spots, cooling them down to reduce engine and oil temperature and increase engine life. There are choices of Dual-Cool. The Dual-Cool Windstorm is a minimalistic design that solves moderate cooling issues with the Dual-Cool Hurricane featuring bigger ventilator fans that solve even severe cooling issues.
"The bigger size makes the Hurricane weigh more and this makes the use of a Vibration Tamer kit essential on 2009-2016 Twin Cam Touring and Trike applications and is also recommended on other models that vibrate more than average."
Another Zodiac option - The Vibration Moderator kit – is offered as a design to reduce vibrations and improve the overall efficiency of the Dual-Cool on engines that don't require the heavier duty damping efficiency of the Vibration Tamer - a viable alternative for bikes for which the Vibration Tamer is not available.
Essentially the Dual-Cool as a Plug-n-Play install for 1999-2013 Touring models with others requiring the separate purchase of a model-specific wiring adapter.
ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL BV
