Hotfoot

[fredintoon]

Ran an errand on my rig in town today, rode mebbe 10 miles total.
Got a funny feeling through my boot at my right ankle after a while.
When I got home I felt the clutch cover, hot enough to feel through the leather, too hot to comfortably touch.
Mind you, it's 92ºF out which is an unusually high temperature for Saskatoon.
OK then,
has Mr. Stupid just never noticed the hot casting before, or is it just the hot weather doing it or is the bike in trouble so I will have to do something about it?
And if so, what?

[Yahman]

Ran an errand on my rig in town today, rode mebbe 10 miles total.
Got a funny feeling through my boot at my right ankle after a while.
When I got home I felt the clutch cover, hot enough to feel through the leather, too hot to comfortably touch.
Mind you, it's 92ºF out which is an unusually high temperature for Saskatoon.
OK then,
has Mr. Stupid just never noticed the hot casting before, or is it just the hot weather doing it or is the bike in trouble so I will have to do something about it?
And if so, what?

I've seen my oil temps hit 235ºF when it was 92ºF here in Oregon. I need to get an oil cooler on it ASAP!

Larry

[WMarshy]

Its hard to get exact numbers from any manufacture on this issue but in general, temp range should be above 180*F and below 240-250*F. Much more than 240*F (continuous) with conventional oil the life can be cut in half. Maybe the high running temp of our bikes partially explains why Yamaha suggests changing oil at 2000 mile intervals (in addition to wet clutch reasons)? Same theory for synthetics but up to 280*F (so I've read).

Heres some good reading about Oil base stock and clears some myths about oils...

http://www.zddplus.com/TechBrief10%2...e%20Stocks.pdf

[MPittma100]

Normal Temperature

I am suggesting that the "feel" through your boot is a normal temperature for an air cooled bike on a hot day. Imagine what it would feel like to your bare hand. There aren't too many parts of these bike (engines) that you are willing to touch when they are at operating temperature. Might want to take a temperature reading with a laser gun just to get an idea.

MP

[Rasputin]

Fred it was almost 42 degrees here today in the sun so tomorrow may be your day to get this weather. I was hanging chutes on my mixer (which are light grey in color) and they were almost too hot to hold. This unknown to us weather has us all a bit wary about stuff. I would not sweat it a lot until things return to more normal.

[fredintoon]

Panic over

Thanks for all the reassuring replies.
I ran the same errand this morning when it was only 68ºF and although that same case was still just about too warm to hold my hand on, it was definitely cooler than last time.

[xs11jack]

Is it clutch slipage? Is that possible to heat the case and not be noticeable in the riding quality? Just thinking out loud.
Ole Jack

[fredintoon]

Is it clutch slipage? Is that possible to heat the case and not be noticeable in the riding quality? Just thinking out loud.
Ole Jack

Hi Jack,
good lateral thinking but the alternator cover was equally hot as was the ignition cover on t'other side so I'm tending to discount clutch slip as a cause.
Especially as clutch slip would really be noticeable on a sidecar rig.