Air-cooled motorcycles in SA heat

[sinsativ]

When an air cooled head does overheat, the bike has trouble idling and won't restart if it stalls. If you have the time to let it set and cool, it's no big deal, although it is a good idea to change the oil afterwards. One of the things that shorten the life of any engine is a wide range of operating temps. In order for an air cooled engine to last lots of slow cruising in hot weather, or getting stuck in slow traffic a lot, will shorten the life of an engine. Long distance riding with most of the miles on the open road with a GOOD steady airflow is important for an air cooled engine, more so for large displacements. and in an aircooled V-Twin, the rear cylinder get even hotter in slow riding. A liquid cooled V-Twin like 75% of the metric V-Twin cruisers have very steady engine temps, which is why they last for 100,000 miles with proper maintenance. One thing that everyone who reads this thread should know is that with engine/transsmission units that use the same oil, it is very important to change the oil closer to every 2000 miles as the transmission will break down multiweight oils ability to maintain it's multiweight properties due to the shear action of the gears on the oil. If you were to take oil that has been in the engine/tranny for 3500 miles tested you would find that your 20w50 oil is now straight 20 weight by then. 10w40 is usually good for 1500 miles, and 20w50 for 2000-2250 miles. since most motorcycles use 3-3.5 quarts of oil, it still cheap insurance.

[sinsativ]

[quote]

Originally Posted by ArkansasTraveler

Cool the bike!! How about cooling me when driving the sucker with the sun beating down on me poor back. The only thing I can come up with is putting an ice chest in the rig and pumping ice water through a specially made 'suit'.

Here, this might work.

[Reallybigshoe]

Bikes don't overheat because of the temperature. If you sit still on an air cooled bike, it will overheat unless it's FREEZING outside, it's just a matter of time.

They make water cooled (and heated) suits for riders, yes. Google them. They are not cheap though.

Please wear your leather whether it is hot or not. A good leather jacket will be vented
enough to allow this. Sweat while you stop becomes evaporation AC when you get going again.

Honestly riding in traffic doesn't make sense though. I had a motorcycle for two years as my only transportation, so I have been around the whole "hard core" thing. It's completely overrated. You might be a 'tough guy' but nobody pretends it's fun or cool after the first few months - it just becomes a fight against whatever elements the world throws at you, on top of the usual battle to stay alive in traffic. Bikes are for enjoying, and that means secondary transportation when you can get away to the country, during daylight hours with minimal wildlife risk. City driving is becoming suicide.

Not attacking anyone here, just voicing an opinion.

[Shazzner]

Or you can get an Air-Cooled car like I did.