Dying of heat!

18410 Views 137 Replies 23 Participants Last post by exavid, Jul 13, 2005

GSMacLean

Discussion Starter · Jun 5, 2005

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I had my 82 GL1100 out today for a few hours, and while my wife on the back was quite comfy in the 90 degree weather, I was sweltering from the heat pouring out of the engine - especially going up hills. I was literally dripping and trying to hold body parts (one at a time) out in the airstream.

It would seem the Goldwing fairing is a little TOO efficient in hot weather. I'm sure there must be aftermarket wings and such that clamp on somewhere to direct air in behind the fairing for hot-weather riding. Can anyone point me to such a thing before I go out with some aluminum and design something myself?

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Kyle

· #21 · Jun 7, 2005

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KISS....Keep it simple.....Wet bandanna around the neck cools off the carotid arteries. Also soak down your t-shirt if it's that hot. Been down the Gulf Coast of Louisiana in July and the only thing that kept me alive was what's her name would get one of those Big Gulp pails and fill it with ice at the gas stops. She would rub the ice in around my neck and keep my shirt wet. C'mon...some of our Engineer Degree Guru's gotta figure out a compressed cold air system for us.

Kyle

Goldwinger1984

· #22 · Jun 7, 2005

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How about a Pro Stock drag race carhood scoop mounted on our shoulders? LOL

Vic

Frenchy

· #23 · Jun 7, 2005

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The problem that we're experiencing with Susan's bike, & possibly what GSMacLeanis talking about, won't be fixed by a windshield vent, The problem on Susan's is that the heat from the radiator doesn't dissipate very well..... It buildsaround the base of the pod right behind the fairing, & lingers back toward the driver.:XI have the same fairing set up on mine, & the heat's there, but dissipates quickly. It really kills her in town driving!! I pulled the fairing off yesterday, & the heat dissipates fine... We've discussed it, & Susan just might be riding naked this summer.:shock:The bike, not her.:goofygrin:

Hobie1

· #24 · Jun 7, 2005

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Frenchy,

I'm curious about a statement you made. You said Susan's bike runs on the high side of normal. Could you possibly need a new thermostat in the bike or maybe a lower temp. one?

This may not have any bearing at all with what you are concerned with but I had to ask.:action:

The wings I got from JCW and what GWMaclean show in his attachment are one in the same. I think they help but not so much in slow traffic.

Hobie

AZWinger

· #25 · Jun 7, 2005

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Frenchy,

I know exactly what you mean! My legs cook when the fan comes on. I don't do to much in-town driving. Too hot in the summer and too many Snowbirds in the winter!

Bob

Frenchy

· #26 · Jun 7, 2005

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Hobie,

I've done quite a bit of fooling around with the trike this past weekend.....I feel one of the main reasons for the high normal (beside the 90 plus heat this weekend) was the carbs........ I re-synced them this weekend, & it seem to have madea difference

(the carbs were out of sync a bit:?). Iput several miles on it. In town, & on the open road. The temp was around 80 ( I think a little under), & I could feel the heat going down the road, & it was terrible in town:crying:....The bike was running in the low normal range.

I had thought about trying to convert some Vetter lowers to work like the Honda Line ones on a gl1100I. Venting the heat out of the side of the lower, getting it further away from the driver. But after reading Bob's post, I'm not so sure now. We're getting a handle bar mount windscreen tonight, for a ABATE sponsored ride to Lansing tomorrow (protesting the helmet law), & we'll see how she likes that.:?

Goldwinger1984

· #27 · Jun 7, 2005

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Frenchy, are the seals and plastic positioned correctly on Susan's bike? Quite often I've seen guys take the lowers off and then they don't reinstall them correctly or cut sections out to make removal easier, then they leak hot air directly onto the riders legs instead of blowing the air down like the factory designed it. The seals and plastic I speak of are attached the the fairing lowers and they seal to the vertical metal plate behind the fan.

Good luck with that anti helmet ride. It should be our choice to wear a helmet if we choose to and not.

Vic

dean_3326

· #28 · Jun 7, 2005

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Goldwinger1984 wrote:

Good luck with that anti helmet ride. It should be our choice to wear a helmet if we choose to and not.

Vic

I am glad we have a choice in Texas.:clapper:

:12red:

PatinIdaho

· #29 · Jun 7, 2005

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I have the same heat problem.I can tell on a cool morning when the thermostat opens. It seems to me Honda made some air vents that went into the lower part of the fearing and would open up for cool air BUT that was many years ago when i looked at the "new" 84 wingit just might be a weak memory of something else.

Pat

Hobie1

· #30 · Jun 8, 2005

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In Illinois, helmets are optional. We decide.

Frenchy, Use some small fans on each side of the lowers to duct the heat out. A couple of computer 12v. fans should help. As a matter of fact, I'm going to experiment with that myself.

I think we might be on to something.

Film at 11.

hobie

Goldwinger1984

· #31 · Jun 8, 2005

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Hobie, make certain that you keep tabs on current draw with the new fansor else you may end up with a dead battery.

Vic

axelwik

· #32 · Jun 8, 2005

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dean_3326 wrote:

Goldwinger1984 wrote:

Good luck with that anti helmet ride. It should be our choice to wear a helmet if we choose to and not.

Vic

Click to expand...

I am glad we have a choice in Texas.:clapper:

:12red:

I too, think peopleshould have the freedom to die or become an invalid if they so choose (by not wearing a helmet). In our over-protective world it's one of the last ways for humans to die by natural selection.

But just one small detail... why should I, as a taxpayer, have to pay for your long-term medical care or disability?????? Not many people have insurance coverage that will cover it, andthat's not givingME a choice! It's not fair to me or the other taxpayers.

There's more than one reason for helmet laws.

Patch

· #33 · Jun 8, 2005

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Keep up the posts!!! I too have this problem on my 84 Aspencade. The heat is almost unbearable. I was wondering, everyonesays that they are running in the"low normal" heat, my bike has the digital dash and right where the water temp gauge turns from a single line to a double line is where mine runs all the time. Seems to me that is a little too hot for it to be running.

exavid

· #34 · Jun 8, 2005

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If it stays there and doesn't overheat, sounds okay to me. You will have a rise in temp with increasing ambient temperature. Stop and go and slow riding is something to watch out for in very hot weather, it isn't a design fault so much as there are compromises in designing a bike, the radiator can only be so big and the fan can only draw a limited amount of power.

Hobie1

· #35 · Jun 8, 2005

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You know, the first reaction I had to the post about taxpayers and helmet laws was "BS" but in all fairness I decided to go and look up some info for my own education.

I must admit that statistically helmets do work to save lives and help or reduce debilitating head trauma. I thought at first this statisticmight be an aberation due to the rapid increase in motorcycle ownership in this country over the last decade. But, that doesn't hold water. Research after research clearly indicated that when the mandantory federal law on helmet usage was dropped back in the '70's and states dropped the mandantory use, injuries and fatalities due to head trauma immediately anddramatically rose.

Also as stated, the cost of caring for the invalids far exceeds most insurance coverage that is commonly carried by most individuals, leaving the public domain(taxpayers) to pick up the tab. Hmmm.

So, I freely admit that you've made a valid point and actually made me re-think my own helmet usage. I believe I shall bewearing mine as well as my child-bride wearing her's too.:waving:

Hobie

Now, did weever get that cooling problem sorted out?:gunhead:

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GSMacLean

Discussion Starter · #36 · Jun 8, 2005

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Not to take this thread on too much of a tangent, but I'll chime in here. If not for the fact that I was wearing my helmet on my very first motorcycle 19 years ago when I was cut off by an idiot in his pickup truck, I would not be here right now. I swerved left and opened the throttle to try to squeeze through (my only option) but didn't quite make it. I went over the hood of the truck, flew through the air and landed directly on my head at about 30 mph. Crushed the top of my helmet in, but my head was unscathed. Other parts of my body didn't fare so well, but my head was intact, so I'm here writing this today. I've never ridden without a helmet. Not even once.

Now that I live in Ohio where there is no helmet law, I'm astounded to see that (my rough guess) around 10% of riders wear helmets. If I didn't have a helmet, I wouldn't ride.

As for the heat problem, I've ordered some wings, and I'll report back once I've installed them.

AZWinger

· #37 · Jun 8, 2005

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csanders67217 wrote:

Keep up the posts!!! I too have this problem on my 84 Aspencade. The heat is almost unbearable. I was wondering, everyonesays that they are running in the"low normal" heat, my bike has the digital dash and right where the water temp gauge turns from a single line to a double line is where mine runs all the time. Seems to me that is a little too hot for it to be running.

I also have the digital dash on my 83 Aspencade.When the air temp is only about 100 deg. F. I normally run right where the line doubles, while going down the highway at 60-75 mph. Once I get into town and start hitting the stop lights it creeps up a couple of notches until the fan comes on, then goes back down to the first double line. When the temp is 110+ my operating temp goes up (even while running at highway speeds) a notch, sometimes two if the air temp is high enough. Once I get into town it stays up at least one notch above where the double line starts, sometimes two. This is when I start to worry. I don't worry so much about the bike overheating (it never has) but I do worry about my battery being sucked down by a constantly running fan. If Iget into much traffic, and have to sit through a traffic light cycle or two, the bike never has a chance to cool down enough for the fan to cycle off before I get to the next light. I am thinking about putting in a switch to disable the headlight while going from light to light. It should be simple to set up.

Bob

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axelwik

· #38 · Jun 8, 2005

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GSMacLean wrote:

Not to take this thread on too much of a tangent, but I'll chime in here. If not for the fact that I was wearing my helmet on my very first motorcycle 19 years ago when I was cut off by an idiot in his pickup truck, I would not be here right now. I swerved left and opened the throttle to try to squeeze through (my only option) but didn't quite make it. I went over the hood of the truck, flew through the air and landed directly on my head at about 30 mph. Crushed the top of my helmet in, but my head was unscathed. Other parts of my body didn't fare so well, but my head was intact, so I'm here writing this today. I've never ridden without a helmet. Not even once.

Now that I live in Ohio where there is no helmet law, I'm astounded to see that (my rough guess) around 10% of riders wear helmets. If I didn't have a helmet, I wouldn't ride.

As for the heat problem, I've ordered some wings, and I'll report back once I've installed them.

Hi Hobie,

I'm glad that you took the time to do your own research, and really glad that you decided to go with the protection... the numbers don't lie.

We all make mistakes in life and nobody is perfect. Accidents happen, and they don't always happen to the other guy.One small driving mistake by others, or riding mistakeby oneselfshouldn't have to change your or your family'slife forever.

Anyway, this has gone on a tangent... I haven't tried it, but have been reading a lot about evaporative cooling vests for staying cool. From what I've read, you soak them in cool water in the morning and it lasts all day. Like a swamp cooler, they work on the principle of evaporative cooling (as the name implies). I've read that the lower the humidity, the better they work.

AZWinger

· #39 · Jun 8, 2005

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Axelwik,

If they work better in low humidity I should give one a try! Like everyone says about Arizona, "at least it's a dry heat" except during the Monsoon (wet season) anyway! Dry or not, anything over 110 is HOT!

I'll have to do some reading on them. You wouldn't have a good link would you?

Thanks,

Bob

exavid

· #40 · Jun 8, 2005

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The cooling effect of evaporation is enhanced with low humidity. That's why swamp coolers work so well on the desert and so poorly in Florida. The only problem is keeping the item wet.

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