How do I know if it's TOO hot?

[Guest]

Have an 81 400 L, and as far as the engine is concerned, it runs great. But as it's getting hotter outside, I was wondering if it's ever too hot to ride?

Is there such a thing as a bike overheating?

As long as it has oil, is cruising at 40-80kph enough air flow to keep the engine from melting down?

And what about the dummy light on the gauge cluster for the oil pressure? Does that have anything to do with oil temperature? I'm not exactly sure what that light does.

I don't have an owners manual, just a service manual, and it's mostly just schematics.

Any info is appreciated!

[steveb922]

Bikes can certainly overheat.

It's unlikely to happen while you're cruising. But if it's a hot day and you're stopped (say at lights or something) you may wish to consider shutting the engine off. Also, if you're working on a stationary bike with the engine running (eg synching carbs) a fan would be a good idea.

The light on the gauge cluster will illuminate if your oil pressure drops to an unsafe level ie the engine is not being lubricated adequately. If that light comes on, it's best to stop and investigate.

I don't know if it's possible to fit a temp gauge to a twin - others here may know more.

[GS1150Pilot]

May not be quite as accurate as a plumbed line, but ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OIL-TEMPERATURE-709-13-17-analog-display/dp/B00G80NPYY

[mrbill5491]

Have an 81 400 L, and as far as the engine is concerned, it runs great. But as it's getting hotter outside, I was wondering if it's ever too hot to ride?

Is there such a thing as a bike overheating?

As long as it has oil, is cruising at 40-80kph enough air flow to keep the engine from melting down?

And what about the dummy light on the gauge cluster for the oil pressure? Does that have anything to do with oil temperature? I'm not exactly sure what that light does.

I don't have an owners manual, just a service manual, and it's mostly just schematics.

Any info is appreciated!

I don't think heat is gonna be a problem for you up there. Here where I live, it can be. I've ridden in 100+F heat alot. I just make sure I use a very very good oil and if the bike engine seems to be getting toasty, and I can only recall only once it doing that, find some shade and sit for a couple of hours. Remember once you shut off the engine the engine temp will spike because of no air going through the fins. Gonna take some time to cool down. JUST DON"T SPRAY WATER ON IT! I read somewhere for the engine to start properly cooling you need to be running at least 35mph. Don't remember what they said about the ambient air temp was though.

The oil light is just oil pressure.

[Badooka]

I rode my GS650 G in Phoenix- 120 on most rides to and from work.
I used 20-50 weight oil , changed every 1K miles and endured traffic but not once was the bike overheating ever a problem.
Now the heat hitting your legs- wow- it's best with pants!!!!

[fyarl666]

Now the heat hitting your legs- wow- it's best with pants!!!!

Yeah I think that's the thing that worries me the most, I can feel how hot the bike is when I'm stopped at a light, or wherever.

That and it's always got a hot oily smell to it. Not burning oil, but like a hot oil, hot metal smell. I'm assuming that's normal, cuz it's not farting out blue exhaust.

[eil]

These engines are pretty robust by design. Unless you're in a traffic jam or similar mess that has the engine running for extended periods of time with zero to minimal air flow, you don't have much to worry about. I've said before that air-cooled bikes wouldn't have sold very well if they couldn't take idling for awhile at a stop without self-destructing.

I took two MSF courses (the second as a refresher) and their entire fleet of bikes was air-cooled engines, mostly Suzukis. Those bikes spend all summer idling and puttering around a hot parking lot all day long with nary a complaint.

For setting the idle speed, my GS850 service manual advises warming up the engine by running it at 2000 rpm for 10 minutes in 86-degree weather.

[tkent02]

Ride and smile, you have one of the most reliable engines ever made, it will be fine. Imperial California is hotter than Saskatoon ever thought of being, I never had any trouble there or anywhere else in the desert. As long s it's tuned right and you don't run it while stopped for a long time it will be OK.

[Badooka]

Yeah I think that's the thing that worries me the most, I can feel how hot the bike is when I'm stopped at a light, or wherever.

That and it's always got a hot oily smell to it. Not burning oil, but like a hot oil, hot metal smell. I'm assuming that's normal, cuz it's not farting out blue exhaust.

That's not stink- that's Suzuki perfume!

[fyarl666]

That's not stink- that's Suzuki perfume!

I never said it was unpleasant. Quite the opposite, really.

[Badooka]

I never said it was unpleasant. Quite the opposite, really.

Exactly- they have smells just like aircraft- it's great. Like 2 wheeled musk!!!

[Grimly]

Have an 81 400 L, and as far as the engine is concerned, it runs great. But as it's getting hotter outside, I was wondering if it's ever too hot to ride?

Is there such a thing as a bike overheating?

Of course there is - ignore fools who tell you different. Any heat-producing maching can overheat.

As long as it has oil, is cruising at 40-80kph enough air flow to keep the engine from melting down?

Normally, yes. Air-cooled engines (provided the designers had a clue) are usually equipped with enough finning to cope with the heat of the expected conditions. It's not a guarantee though, and an oil temp gauge will be a useful addition.

[alanre]

At an extreme temp your oil may thin so much you would probably get a drop in oil pressure, thus an oil pressure light.. my 2 cents

[Rob S.]

And what about the dummy light on the gauge cluster for the oil pressure? Does that have anything to do with oil temperature?

No. It's only for oil pressure, which I'm certain the true wrenchers (I'm not one) will agree is more important than temperature.

Loss of oil pressure, turn the bike off immediately.

[Gorminrider]

stop-'n-go traffic is hard on ALL motors. There are plenty of stationary air-cooled generators out there in the world but these are not intended to idle and GO ,idle and GO..... I'm a believer in keeping the oil moving and not idling too low. Plus, these bikes are notorious for burning stators which ((merely my opinion) is at least partly a result of the poor cooling of them...

If the engine is smoking, it's Too hot...ie: if the surface somewhere is burning oil..