Our Story

The Story of OilBud™ Oil Coolers

The days of sacrificing a Harley Davidson’s sleek lines and design style to keep oil temps cooler are gone. Perhaps the reluctance to bolt the traditional radiator-style oil cooler to the down tube or the front of the frame has turned some Harley owners away and allowed them to write off the importance of oil as a coolant. 

Bud Clarke understood the significance of regulating oil temps after working with experimental aircraft; you cannot just pull over and cool down! Knowing cooling power is so essential. The placement was vital to aesthetics, and he had to devise a workaround. So, by design, the OilBud™ is mounted up and in between the frame rails*. This means that it will not take away from the classic feel of your Harley Davidson, unlike other oil coolers on the market. Even more importantly, the placement allows a significantly larger cooling surface than the conventional cooler. (The OilBud™ inter-cooler efficiently delivers a 35°- 45°F oil cooling differential between the hot and cold side of the OilBud™ system.) 

When installing OilBud™, you will see Bud’s attention to detail in working with your Harley’s design, effectively maximizing its performance and, in the end, protecting your investment.

In The Beginning

Bud Clarke, the owner of Bud’s Biker Parts, wasn’t content to let oil temps on his 2005 Harley Softail run at 250°F (newer Harleys up to 300°F) and risk engine trouble. One day, when he was building an experimental airplane, a thought struck him: If the oil cooler he designed for a turbo-charged airplane could cool oil temperatures by 100°F, certainly he could create something for his Softail Harley Davidson. And that he did!

Inspired by aircraft technology, the OilBud™ oil cooler is built from aircraft-quality materials, braided stainless hoses, 6061-T6 aluminum extrusion, and welded header tank assembly. The temperature regulator starts to open when oil temps hit 170°F and fully opens at 190° F. Temperature differentials from the cold to the hot side of the cooler have been measured between 35°-45°F.

The durable OilBud™ oil cooler fits between the frame rails of your Harley, and once mounted under the motorcycle, it is virtually undetectable. It is designed for 1999-2016 model years Harley Touring, Harley Tri Glide (same mounting as the Touring model), 2000-2016 Harley Softail, including ABS models, 1999-2016 Harley Dyna*, and on all the NEW liquid-cooled engines. It is easily installed with no significant retrofits required. The OilBud™ cooler element does not hang below the frame rails on the Touring, Tri-Glide, or Softail.

*Due to the Dyna frame design, the cooling element cannot go between the frame rails. However, it is higher than the scrap guard that protects the engine crankcase. Due to the durability and way the OilBud™ is mounted to the bike, the rear cooling element on the Dyna makes for a great jack point!