[mudslinger]

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I decided to ask this when I seen this posted on another topic about trikes.



clpete wrote:

I have never been on a trike, but last summer, while in Redlodge, Mt I was talking with a guy that was on a beautiful GL1800 Trike. (They are really sharp looking IMO.) He was asking me if I had had any problems with my 1800 over heating. He said that going over Beartooth pass was a problem for him because the climb was causing it to over heat.

I don't know if this is a common problem on Goldwing trikes, or if it was just his. Is this a common problem?

Sounds like a start of a good topic.... think I'll start it for you.

SOOOOO. Have any of you GWers ever have a problem with your bike overheating?Thanks

 

[Rudy]

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Mine gets pretty warm here in Atlanta in stop and go freeway traffic during the summer when you are coming back from Macon on I-75 and it all just stops about half way to Atlanta.

I have done that many times with Mrs.Rudy and the trailer both on.

My rads could probably use a rodding when I hear about others heating situations but even though the fans are running constantly, it never overheats. The fans can handle it.

The clutch is my main concern in those situations and when I was using Rotella-T, the plates would chatter badly each time I would start. Also I could hear the lifters knocking as the oil got real hot.

Since I have been using Chevron Delo-400 15w-40 in it, those clutch issues are gone and the knocking when hot is only there marginally during the hottest part of it.

 

[SpiderBob]

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So I don't know if you are aking specifically two wheel or trikes. So lets get both. Mine (trike) has never overheated as long as I've had it in both two wheel or three wheel. I do change out the fluid every two years. It gets hot, as was said, in heavy traffic, but once moving cools right down.

 

[rcmatt007]

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overheated a clutch in a sidecar game of driving blindfolded

 

[Lil Pete]

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Yes, a thermostat stuck shut. I replaced the thermostat wit one that has a small hole drilled in it. The next time it stuck shut, there was still water flow and the overheating was managable.

 

[lostinflorida]

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My 1200 got pretty warm on I95 while waiting for the traffic to get around a bad semi trailer wreck.

It climbed pretty well on the gauge, but never got to the red. The fans stayed on constantly.

I worried more about the clutch and the battery, since I was constantly staying on the brakes and the clutch.

We never were able to just idle along.

Finally I got past it and could get back up to speed. It cooled down as soon as the air flow picked up.

 

[Matt G]

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GL1800 in Phoenix Az in the summer in slow moving traffic, I got to the top of the red.
GL1500, while riding on the drill team in the summer ? nope, never even close

 

[mudslinger]

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Well thank you all for the replys...I know my Harley gets hot and I wish they made a water cooled touring bike. Was curious about the Wings overheating though....I have 4 friends with Hondas and none of theirs ever over heated. Thanks

 

[clpete]

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I had some overheating issues with my 1500. The PO had put regular anti-freeze in it and the silica did some damage to the cooling system. I ended up replacing a bunch of parts on it and it still would tend to overhead.

I would never put anything thing but the Hondaline antifreeze in one.

 

[Nightrider1]

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Mine was getting pretty close to to overheating at least I thought it was. It was about 2.5 of the Bar when climbing the 2nd Mountain in Tennessee, and I thought it wasn't normal. There was no auto parts store around, only convience stores, so I went in and purchased a bottle of clear water in the 16oz plastic containers. Worked well, but the needle was up a little due to climbing the mountains, plus, that was my 2nd long distance trip. Finally learned that it was normal it was normal.
Nightrider1

 

[peterbilt]

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mine over heated once got almost H on the display i limped it home and found the radiaor fins were full of dirt and debris blew it all out sprayed some coil cleaner in it i use on a/c jobs at the shop and voila now its cool as can be i might take the radiator out this winter and have it flushed

 

[AZgl1800]

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Rudy wrote:

,,,,,,,,, The fans can handle it.

The clutch is my main concern in those situations and when I was using Rotella-T, the plates would chatter badly each time I would start. Also I could hear the lifters knocking as the oil got real hot.

Since I have been using Chevron Delo-400 15w-40 in it, those clutch issues are gone and the knocking when hot is only there marginally during the hottest part of it.

I had the same experience as Rudy here where I quoted him....

In the Phoenix summer, stop 'n go at 115*F the fans would run about 90% of the time.
As soon as I got up to 30mph though, the fans would shut off.

Temp gauge would be about 3/4 way to the top, never saw it any higher than that.

Same experience on the oil. I used to hear the lifters when the engine got real hot, or I was running 85+ mph on I-8 going thru the sand dunes near Yuma, AZ. I got rid of the oil I was using and went to the Delo 400 15w40 and that was the end of lifter noise and the end of the clutch slipping on me.

 

[bbach]

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My heat gauge climbs up somewhere under half and seems to be right about there, in traffic, out on the highway, cool weather, hot weather, etc. I have not been down to Phoenix on this bike when the temps have been over 100, but I did have a Nissan Maxima where the so called leather steering wheel melted while in Phoenix. To Nissan's credit, they replaced it even though the Maxima was out of warranty. Ok, that belongs in the Nissan forum. So no, no overheating problems on the wing right now.
I figure to flush my radiator this winter and maybe replace the thermostat at the same time. I tend to do that in my autos every so often. No real schedule, just every so often.

 

[SpiderBob]

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A

Zgl1500 wrote:

Same experience on the oil. I used to hear the lifters when the engine got real hot, or I was running 85+ mph on I-8 going thru the sand dunes near Yuma, AZ. I got rid of the oil I was using and went to the Delo 400 15w40 and that was the end of lifter noise and the end of the clutch slipping on me.

Same here went to Delo 400 15w-40 AND I changed the little gromet where the tube goes into the overflow and never had an overheating problem sense. It is also 110+ and in traffic, stop and go, I survived.

 

[mudslinger]

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Seems like the Wings handle the heat fairly well. I cant understand why Harley wont cool their Touring Models with a radiator. Imagine what is happening to a HD engine. LOL

 

[SpiderBob]

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Can you really imagine if they changed over what a ruckus that would cause with the diehards. There full dress hogs would run better. But I just can't imagine.

 

[mudslinger]

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SpiderBob wrote:

Can you really imagine if they changed over what a ruckus that would cause with the diehards. There full dress hogs would run better. But I just can't imagine.

What Harley Davidson needs to undersatnd is that most riders in the past 10-20 years who buy Harleys are buying them cause of the name or they feel they are getting a more american made bike. Not cause they are air -cooled. There are of course some purest out there. If they were to water cool the engines...hell cool just some of the touring model engines. they would still have people buying Harleys. Perhaps some hard core Honda riders would consider them also. Mudslinger SHRUGS*. I mean look at the V-Rod ....they sell and its a water cooled engine.

I know I am considering my next bike to be a GW cause I tour and pull a trailer. I believe a GW is a more relieble bike for my needs. But I do love the comfort of my Ultrs Classic, Its just not as reliable and the engine gets so hot at a stand still.

 

[tomusa]

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I was out today with temp in the 90's and noticed temp guage moving up pretty fast in slow traffic, don't think the fans are working. The fuse is ok, got to check further.

 

[Tubawinger]

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Had overheating issues with my air-cooled CB550, but never with the GL.

The needle tends to be fairly active - when I leave the freeway and hit the first stoplight, the needle jumps up pretty rapidly, but the fan kicks in, and it never gets to the red.

I actually have more trouble getting it warmed up in the morning. It takes 5 minutes or more of riding to get it past the notch (don't know what it's actually called, it's the place where the thin line becomes the thick line ) I think the thermostat may be stuck partly open or something.

 

[rgbeard]

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Lil Pete wrote:

Yes, a thermostat stuck shut. I replaced the thermostat wit one that has a small hole drilled in it. The next time it stuck shut, there was still water flow and the overheating was managable.

You know the REAL purpose of the little hole is for bleeding air bubbles. Right?