If that's right Lloyd, then why did Honda offer a factory oil cooler kit for the SOHC CB750's as an optional extra, along with steering dampers, dual disc conversions, etc, and why did all of the (aircooled) DOHC 750's, 900's and 1100's built after the first SOHC4's all come with oil coolers as standard?
Maybe the same reason why some auto manufacturers offer a police option as well as many other options not included with the base model.
And to placate those who get it in their tiny brains that things found on special purpose race machines also belong on ordinary street machines.
Many of the auto manufacturers made options available, in order to run cars competitively in a production class. These options aren't required to drive across country or around town. They were for winning races, and available as bragging rights for wanna be racers with more money than practical sense.
Weren't the CB750's in a factory race class during those days? As I said, if you run at peak power and in hot weather all the time taxing the air cooling system, oil coolers can help the oil live longer. Do you think an oil cooler would be of primary benefit in an arctic setting?
Regarding the DOHC4 diversional rathole BS. The extra geegaws were a sales device. It's called marketing toward competitor offerings or what the consumer demands, rather than what they actually need. Joe Cool see a Yamaha with an oil cooler on it. Gee, Yamaha's must be SO powerful that they need an oil cooler just like the race bikes have. What? Honda does have one? Well, it must be inferior or underpowered, then.
Can you explain why SUVs become so popular? Or, bikes capable of 200MPH driven off the showroom floor? Was there a crying need for that on the urban highways? As for modern bikes, if I were an engineer and the marketing guys told me I had to include an oil cooler, I'd make use of it the best way I could. What you fail to realize is that whatever production machine you choose, it was made as a total package, and not some piecemeal parts assemblage that was contrived in some backwater garage. A part or subsystem necessary for a modern machine can easily be superfluous on and older one. Imagine fuel injection and a turbocharger in a model T Ford. If the engine survived the hop up, would the rest of the drive train?
Ya know, I've seen weight lifters who can lift 500 lbs wearing those cool weight belts. If I put on a cool belt like that, I can lift 500lbs, too?
Anyway, you've presented no real information about why oil coolers should be included other than:
- "why not, if it is possible put one on,
- because somebody else did it in a different application,
- or some other orthogonal rationale."
It's kinda like bucket seats, ape hangers, oversize tires, pod filters, drag pipes, clubman bars, solo seat, or anything else that fits the "style" image foisted upon the subject bike. What real data do you have that shows adding an oil cooler to a stock SOHC4, in any way extends its longevity?
We have example bikes without oil coolers that have lasted beyond 100K miles. Do you have evidence showing benefit with an oil cooler in an A/B comparison with the only variable being an oil cooler? Or, are you just selling a dream, wish, or hope, as so much of today's marketing does?
As and oil cooler manufacturer//provider, I would expect you would have done laboratory testing to prove the benefits of your offered device. Will you share that data/evidence with us please?
Cheers, Lloyd
