How hot does your bike run?

[SteveM]

My 2000 VFR800 seems to run hotter than i remember from when I owned them in the past.

At 40 mph and ambient temp of 70, it's sunning about 200.

The fan kicks in as it should at 220.

Also, when I pull into the garage and shut it off there is a muc more noticeable exhaust smell than with my newer VFR1200x. This might be related, but im guessing it's more likely emissions improvements over 17 years.

[e30addict]

My Tiger has a 190 degree thermostat. I have no idea what the actual running temp is, the gauge is just bars. I re-programmed the fan to come on either 99 or 100C to help keep it cool in summer. When I stop. The fan comes on pretty quick once I stop, so I imagine my operating temp is around 200 or so as well.

[RandyO]

when I did the 2 into 1 conversion on my V-strom 1000 it began to run slightly hotter, it still always runs at 2 bars (sorry, all it has is a graphic temp indicator) on the open road, but jumps to three bars quicker than it did with the oem 2 into 2 in urban traffic

[Falko]

Aftermarket exhaust? Free flowing exhaust could cause a slight lean mix, that'll get it warmer.

[onenut]

I have noticed that both my bikes that run no coolant " just water and WW" run about 20deg cooler than when they had coolant, both bikes run 185ish moving 200 sitting in traffic. I never would of guessed they would run cooler with just water but they do.

[capitalcrew]

My gsxr stays right at 180 when it is moving. Goes right up to 220 where the fan kicks on pretty quick when I stop and drops again quick once I'm moving. My zx6r runs a touch hotter, but it is also on the track so it's getting worked a lot harder

[nt650hawk]

st1300 - 3 bars

[ZX-12R]

I have noticed that both my bikes that run no coolant " just water and WW" run about 20deg cooler than when they had coolant, both bikes run 185ish moving 200 sitting in traffic. I never would of guessed they would run cooler with just water but they do.

Water has a higher specific heat than ethylene glycol which means that for any given amount of energy absorbed from the engine, water will have a lower rise in temperature than an antifreeze mixture.

[SteveM]

Stock exhaust.

My vfr1200x is usually 2 bars out of 5, in hot weather sometimes 3.

This is probably a case of too much data creating unnecessary worry. If it were bars and no numbers and not in the red zone, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

[onenut]

Water has a higher specific heat than ethylene glycol which means that for any given amount of energy absorbed from the engine, water will have a lower rise in temperature than an antifreeze mixture.

Thats science right there.... but I really just started running no coolant to justify the heated garage to the misses

[DucatiGuy]

My 998 has hit 240-250.

[e30addict]

Stock exhaust.

My vfr1200x is usually 2 bars out of 5, in hot weather sometimes 3.

This is probably a case of too much data creating unnecessary worry. If it were bars and no numbers and not in the red zone, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Everything newer tends to run hotter as well. Much tighter controls on engine management leading to better fuel efficiency and emissions etc...

Since we've basically had idiot gauges that indicate "normal" over a large spread in temp, we really have no idea what's going on in the motor.

My Camry will go from 180 to 200 pretty quick stopped in traffic, but once I start moving will drop right back down. Stock temp gauge never moves.

[stoinkythepig]

My ZX9R runs 155ish when it's cold out, 175ish when it's 70ish out and 195ish when it's hot out. It will climb to 214 if sitting still, then the fan will keep it between 210 and 218. I think the temperature sensor is upstream of the thermostat and that the engine is actually substantially hotter.

[number9]

My 2000 VFR800 seems to run hotter than i remember from when I owned them in the past.

At 40 mph and ambient temp of 70, it's sunning about 200.

If you're doing 40mph on a highway or actual road, then I think 200° is a little too hot. My VFR is closer to 170-175° at a constant 40mph. But if you're in start and stop traffic and only getting up to about 40mph when you're moving, 200° is probably about right.

The fan kicks in as it should at 220.

You can get a thermostat that opens at a lower temperature than stock, of course, but you can also get a thermoswitch that turns the fans on at a lower temperature than stock. I have one on my VFR, they're a pretty common upgrade. You can get them on eBay easily enough; here's a guy that did them on his RC51. Alternatively, you can leave the stock thermoswitch alone and add a switch to manually turn the fans on and off when you want. FYI, the thermoswitch is on the left-hand side radiator, meaning it's under the left-hand side fairing.

The other thing people have done (not me, though) is convert the VFR's "puller" fans to "pusher" fans using parts from a VTR. Frankly, I think this is overkill. If you have a healthy cooling system and don't live somewhere extremely hot or high altitude, the stock system is good enough.

[scootertrash]

My 2000 VFR800 runs similar temps. Maybe just a bit cooler? I think it is often 185-195. I will have to pay more attention and let you know for sure. I figured it was running hotter than my ZX9R because the VFR has an O2 sensor and cat in the exhaust and it probably helps with the emissions. My bike has an aftermarket underseat wolf exhaust. Which sounds friggin' awesome.

[union]

My Harley runs around 260 while moving. Seen it up over 300 while stopped in traffic. Apparently this is quite normal.

[Kurlon]

My Harley runs around 260 while moving. Seen it up over 300 while stopped in traffic. Apparently this is quite normal.

Oil temp vs water temp, oil should be reading higher as you noticed.

[breakdirt916]

3 bars

all day all night

2007 SUZUKI VSTROM 650