It is not as much as losing power at high temp but you are losing longevity. Have you heard stories about flaking plating on cylinders and what it would cost to replace?
My other bike's fan goes on at 221 and shuts off at 208 again. Only in real heavy traffic and after a long while did I ever hear the fan go on. Sure the SP2's fans bring the temp down quick, but it only takes one long light to get up to 220. For how long would you think the engine will last if this keeps going on and on?
The guy who said he reached 240 I have a hard time picturing. 223 is the highest I ever saw. I imagine he lives in NM or AZ and I also imagine he rarely if ever sees traffic. A few upshifts and he is off to desert land. Some of us have to travel through a town to get to nicer areas to ride and with full gear on having a 220 engine between your legs is not what I call a fun ride. Having a little switch to flip the fans on above 190 when you encounter traffic can't possibly hurt anything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wingnutt
.. the only internal combustion engine that can sustain 250 + water temps is the infamous leaning tower of power 225 slant six mopar 
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I had one of those, real old, with adjustable valves! Nothing would kill the beast no matter how much you tried. But there is no magic to engine that weighs as much as a Honda civic and makes 90hp at 2800rpm. Diesels are heat monsters and weigh twice as much as gas engines but their cooling systems are so enormous that they can;t tell the difference between snow and 125' weather.