The Radiator

Ownership, maintenance, equipping, operation, and riding of the new 2015 r12r lc. R1200RS info goes in here too!

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Bill Stevenson
Lifer
Posts: 334
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:08 pm
Donating Member #: 701
Location: West Palm Beach, FL

The Radiator

Post by Bill Stevenson »

For those of us who live in a hot climate, a bike with a radiator is a mixed bag. And for a naked bike the chance to channel hot air coming through the radiator by redirection via body work is negated. And so it is with the new wasser-boxer. I was going to wait until the end of summer to report on this aspect of the new RR, but with 3,000 miles of riding in generally hot weather the time has come. Yesterday I entered the Florida Turnpike at about 1700 hours and came to a complete standstill with traffic. It took about 45 minutes to travel approximately 4.5 miles because an RV that had caught fire and burned up pretty much completely. Emergency vehicles, fire fighters, stopped traffic and so on had things pretty plugged up for several hours. The ambient temperature was 89-90 degrees F. I switched to monitoring engine coolant temperature once I realized the whole situation. The coolant temp varied from 204 to 214 as the fan cycled on and off. The engine never overheated or showed any sign of stress. The clutch worked fine too, and because of the light pull it was kind to my left hand. On my previous Hexhead this situation would have required me to pull over and shut the engine off and let the bike cool down. I am reasonably sure that either of my previous K-bikes would have required off time too. So it is fair to say that the motor is well controlled in terms of heat management in even very stressful situations. At the same time, the amount of heat that I feel mostly on my knees and thighs is not unbearable either stopped or when moving. Of course the extra heat is more noticeable as ambient temperatures rise. The hottest temperature I have experienced so far was 99 degrees F, with 85 degrees typical during my morning commute and 90-94 degrees typical in the afternoon ride home. All things considered, I think the overall effectiveness of the engine temperature management system is worth the tradeoff of a perceptible, but tolerable amount of heat off the radiator. YRMV
User avatar
peels
Basic User
Posts: 1121
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:12 am
Location: Southeast Iowa, USA.

Re: The Radiator

Post by peels »

stop it. JUST stop it.

No more positive reviews.


:lol: I'm kidding. If we weren't pinching pennies to buy a new family boat, I think I would have one.

I can find no other negative for this motorcycle, other than THAT... spending $.

great read and review.

thanks!
2002 R1150R. Helmets save more lives than loud pipes.
Paul-from-VA
Lifer
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:34 am
Donating Member #: 0
Location: Central Virginia

Re: The Radiator

Post by Paul-from-VA »

I'd love to say something negative about mine.......let me think about it for a while, I'm sure I can come up with something. Oh yes, no backrest available for my wife, hmmm, wasn't one for my 13 R12R either, oh and there is one in the works from Pirates Lair for the RLC. Ok, I'm just going to think about it some more.
Paul
MrPMS
Double Lifer
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:24 am

Re: The Radiator

Post by MrPMS »

Just had mine out for the first time in over 80F ambient and maybe my blood's thicker or my pants thinner but I can feel a significant difference in heat on my legs and feet vs. my 2008 R12R. Enough to make me want to figure out a way to shield the air down and away if I'm going to ride long distances in warm temperatures, which is most of what I do.
Bill Stevenson
Lifer
Posts: 334
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:08 pm
Donating Member #: 701
Location: West Palm Beach, FL

Re: The Radiator

Post by Bill Stevenson »

The November 2015 issue of Rider just came out and has a road test of both the 2015 R1200R and the 2016 R1200RS. Mark Tuttle wrote the review. On page 47 he says "Engine heat was never an issue on either bike, though the catalytic converter can bake your right foot on long rides in warm weather." Now at the end of the summer here in South Florida, my comments are much the same as they were when I started this thread. There is some heat, but it is really subjectively not greatly different than the amount off of my 2008 R1200R. Everyone is different, of course and YRMV.
chumrider
Basic User
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 4:41 am

Re: The Radiator

Post by chumrider »

MrPMS wrote:Just had mine out for the first time in over 80F ambient and maybe my blood's thicker or my pants thinner but I can feel a significant difference in heat on my legs and feet vs. my 2008 R12R. Enough to make me want to figure out a way to shield the air down and away if I'm going to ride long distances in warm temperatures, which is most of what I do.

I agree, as soon as the temperature gets over 25 degrees C (77F, I think) here in Melbourne, I find my right foot and right leg, in particular, get hot. Some days it is quite uncomfortable. I fitted a Mudsling but I think it worsens the situation - it seems to trap hot air around the back of my leg.

I don't think the heat source is the radiator or the fact that the exhaust headers are now below and closer to your feet. I have worn vented boots and if I stick my toes down I can feel cooler air coming from the under the cylinders.

I think the heat source is the cat converter and somehow or other the air is not being funneled away quickly enough. On other sites people have suggested that the electrical component under the seat (near the ECU) runs very hot and if you have the low seat with little thickness (as I do) you can feel more heat. One other thing: For me it is never a problem in the first hour of riding, but after I have been on the bike for 2 or 3 hours it is very noticeable and much hotter than my previous "camhead".

Like you Mr PMS I would like to solve the problem.
Post Reply