2001 Road King Classic overheating

After two years of riding this bike (the first year with no problems), I am
having a problem with overheating. This is happening only during very hot
days (in the 90's). In the morning with temperatures in the 60-70's the bike
runs fine. Later in the day with the temperatures in the 90's I start to get
speed changes when idling to the point of almost stalling. Also, the front
cylinder pipe has turned blue all the way down to the floorboard, a section
of the frame has paint bubbling off and a side reflector on the frame has
started melting. I brought the bike to the Harley dealer were I bought it
and was told everything is normal. They claim that during high temperatures
the on board computer changes fuel and air delivery to compensate and cool
the cylinders and in doing so changes in idle speed are normal.
I not sure if I buy this explanation because of the extremes I am seeing.
Especially since there were no problems like this last year during similar
heat.
Has anyone experienced anything like this and if so what was done to fix
this "normal" condition?

TIA
Farmer

 

Harleys have computers??

 

It's fuel-injected, so should compensate.

 

It will also "almost stall" if it's running very lean. You can melt more
than just the reflector and burn worse things than paint if you don't get
this fixed. Assuming that you haven't changed anything on the bike, perhaps
a sensor failed. Or perhaps it's just a dirty fuel filter.

I'd take it to someone who is willing to check it out.

 

Thanks for all the great responses. I finally got the bike to a mechanic
that LISTENS. He's working on it now and has determined it's an intake leak
and related controller mapping problem. Unfortunately I won't have it this
weekend. Have to take some days off next week.

Farmer

 

Hopefully your mechanic is going to do more than remap and
replace an intake gasket. You got it so hot that I suspect
there's internal damage.

Joe
96 FLHTCUI