How Bad is the heat?

[Brave Salmon]

I read and hear that the ST puts out a lot of excess engine heat on the rider's legs. I live in a very hot area during the summer. How bad is the heat and can it be corrected for hot weater riding? thanks

[Txrebel]

It is subjective. I personally don't feel there is anymore heat from this bike as there was from my 84 Magna. I am currently riding with my inner cowls removed and there does seem to be a difference but again, it was not really very bad to begin with. I call my inner cowls my heat generators and I am planning on putting them back in as it gets cooler to take advantage of the extra heat them provide. HTH

[GRN]

Brave,

What heat? I know, I live in a cooler area than you, but in the 90+ days we did get this summer, I didn't notice engine heat... I was hot as hell in full gear, but that was constant on and off the bike. I have the fairing deflectors, have since early on to combat exposure to cold up here at the ends of the season... they may have helped, but I can't say for sure. It's a great bike, and there are improvements that folks have made with venting/deflecting, etc... IMO not a deal breaker for such a great ride. Good luck man :)

[jackpine savage]

Completely stock bike. No heat problem.
David

[Medicine Bear]

I agree with TxRebel - it's a subjective thing. My '03 ST :03biker: came with the CalSCi Hot Wings already installed by the previous owner. He apparently felt there was a heat problem. I've had them off and on and don't really notice a difference unless I'm wearing tennis shoes (my bad). :nuts1: There is definitely more heat without the wings but it isn't objectionable to me.

Moderate to hot weather (75-100 degrees) with my boots on and I don't feel a difference at all. Cool to moderate (55-75 degrees) and I can just feel some warmth at the soles of my boots.

I think you're going to get as many answers as riders. If you are able, try to find someone in your area that'll let you ride their ST and you can make up your own mind.

Fred

[SToler]

I think that different STs produce different amounts of heat. My dads bike is hotter than mine, but neither produces enough heat to make me not want to ride them.

Scott

[Kennedy]

Well if its in the 90 range over here then I will say I do feel some heat off the engine but the heat has to go some where and it has never got to the point that it bothered me.

[tdeboeser]

Not bad. Almost a myth. It was 100+ here, it was hot everywhere EDIT: outside, not just on the bike.

I've been as hot on my other bike. Do not fear the heat... :D


Tom de

[Killtimer]

For whatever reason, after about 15k miles and a switch to Synthetic oil a lot of former heat complainers don't have as much trouble with it. :shrug2: I do believe that the bike runs a bit cooller after some miles. Some are able to farkle it away. It's been a non-issue for me with my 2 ST1300s. Could be my climate though.

[Bones]

No heat problem here. I spent farkle time to ADD heat so I can ride earlier in the spring and later in the fall.

[GRN]

at NHfcSTOC, roadancer presented me with an octane boosting product that he has run in his bikes with great success (ST11, R1150R, and a Guzzi). He used a heat sensor to test engine temps and his results suggested the blocks ran significantly cooler... I want to say he said 70-90 degrees cooler... there was a significant amout of beer involved though.

Anyone else have any similar or opposing experiences?

[STeve1300]

I only notice "HOT" when riding in shorts at slower speeds in temps over 90. Just on the lower calves. I can avoid this by repositioning my legs until I can speed up. On a scale of 1-10 on "how big a problem is it?", I give it a 1... no problem at all. There is zero discomfort with jeans or proper riding pants.

[Doobage]

I agree it's subjective, but I haven't met someone that has had the "heat" issue in order to determine if it really is a physical thing, or primarily subjective (based on the persons tolerance of heat).

This summer I have ridden every day. I noticed the bike got hot a couple times when I got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and the outside temp was 105+ on black asphalt. Once moving, the bike as a whole cooled back down, but took a little longer than normal due to the high tempatures.

I don't believe it is any more (or less) than any other bike out there. And I also believe that if you are used to hot summers (I live in Houston), that you probably won't notice the heat, unless you aren't moving for a long period of time. (like 30 minutes in grid lock), but then even a bicycle will get hot).

[sherob]

I think if the heat was a REAL issue, Honda would have done something to fix the problem ala the FJR. ;)

[Rob Hephner]

I read and hear that the ST puts out a lot of excess engine heat on the rider's legs. I live in a very hot area during the summer. How bad is the heat and can it be corrected for hot weater riding? thanks

I live in Mesa, Arizona and trust me I know hot riding.

I found originally (in Feb) that the bike was hot and did not want to get into the summer with the heat on my legs.

I did some research here on the site and with suggestions added the side fairing deflectors.

That was the ticket and I have had no problems in that area.

For the side pockets I cut out some holes to allow airflow and I have zero issues there as well.

IF YOU HAVE HEAT ISSUES - Do an advanced search with my user name and heat and you will find both subjects!

Have fun!

[crinteastwood]

I only notice "HOT" when riding in shorts at slower speeds in temps over 90. Just on the lower calves. I can avoid this by repositioning my legs until I can speed up. On a scale of 1-10 on "how big a problem is it?", I give it a 1... no problem at all. There is zero discomfort with jeans or proper riding pants.
Steve: dont tell me that you ride without a helmet sometimes too - like someone else said, "you can wash sweat off, but not road rash". The only time that I go near my bike with shorts on is if she is getting her after ride soaping. Not meaning to flame you , but, dude - dont do that!
Sorry for the hijack - as others have said, the heat is a matter of finding out for yourself - to me it is a non issue - I didnt fall into the mania that some have tried to imply that we have an oven between our legs.
Mick :04biker:

[Tor]

I read and hear that the ST puts out a lot of excess engine heat on the rider's legs. I live in a very hot area during the summer. How bad is the heat and can it be corrected for hot weater riding? thanks

Riding an 05, I really don't have a heat problem people are talking about. On a really hot SC day, waiting on a red light, yes, I can feel it, but it's never to the point where it's uncomfortable.

[yoitsmatt!]

my bandit 1200 or my xr650l had more heat that my st, my vmax had a little less, i never rode my fj slow enough to notice? i have really enjoyed my st on 90+days here in NC. i agree its a very subjective issue, but ive had alot worse, and i love a little engine heat on a cool misty morning!

[Fastraveller]

The bike produces some heat, but not any more than most of the other bikes I've owned. I have recently taken several rides in temps of 103 degrees or higher (slow speeds and higher speeds) and the heat simply wasn't an issue for me. I wear jeans with regular Alpinestars boots and I don't notice the heat. I had fairing wind deflectors installed a couple of weeks ago and they made it even better. Based soley on my experience of riding two ST's in VERY high temps at various speeds I would say don't worry about it one bit. I nearly passed on the ST because of the reports of heat, and I am SOOOO glad I got that initial test ride on the dealer bike.

Good Luck

[steve3b3]

On my SS1K ride I was hot!

... until I took the liner out of my HT overpants.!

I've ridden every day this summer in MA, and when I was hot, it was because it was HOT OUT. The bike had very little to do with it.

Steve :04biker:

p.s. My son says if you want heat, ride a VFR.

[crazykz]

If you've ever ridden a Harley in your climate then you're not going to have a heat issue with the ST. That's just my observation after getting off an Ultra and going to the ST. Riding a V-Twin air cooled engine in hot weather gives new meaning to chestnuts roasting on an open fire. ;)

Curt

[gottaride]

The only time I've experienced any heat is when it's so hot I should have taken the cage anyway. That being said it's the faster and cooler :biker:

[Buckeye Rich]

My 03 produces some heat but it's a "dry" heat! :D

Seriously, it does produce more than my Concours did. I don't really notice it unless the outside temp is around the mid 80s or higher. I will probably try cut the inner fairings next spring.

[Gug]

What heat.....

[montyshaw]

My 03 produced some heat. No burning or anything, but hot air around the lower legs and in the crotch that was noticable when the temps were above ~85 or so. The biggest relief was though wrapping the headers, and then adding the fairing deflectors. From what I've seen here, I think the 03 is slightly hotter than the later years. But that is just a guess. YMMV

]Monty[

[Fireball18]

I had an '03 and my wife had an '04. Both put out some heat, but neither was significantly hotter or cooler than the other. And neither was so hot as to be acutely uncomfortable. When it's 90 and above, it's just plain hot out anyway. I noticed the heat the most when riding in traffic.

Now when I took my friend's HD trike for a ride, there's where I felt some intense heat. Man O Man!! That baby was hot. I was sweating in places I didn't know I had, it seems. Early on, someone posted some pics on the MSN board that showed some blisters and redness he said he got from riding his ST. It was never THAT hot. But it IS a motorcycle, and not a cage where one is totally isolated from every discomfort.

The heat saddle blanket, fairing side deflectors, etc., were a good combo in keeping the heat at bay. I think removing the inner cowl panels produced the most remarkable difference, though.

Sure miss my ST.

[jdos2]

It's a hot bike. Hotter than my Triumph Trophy was (at speed) as well as my CBR1100XX(w and x- nice old lady bought me a new one)

At 95 this summer, I had to ride without the jacket for the heat. I'm 6'3" with a 35' inseam, so my legs might be more in the heat than others. I've a friend who's about as tall as I but has shorter legs, and he's owned hotter bikes.

[K9inAZ]

Like everyone else said the heat issue is subjective. I use to ride a CBR954rr on the street in Arizona 110+ summer heat and that bad boy would heat up your inner thigh and bake your nuts to raisins! :rolleyes: :D

I now ride the ST on the street and don't feel the heat issue at all. :04biker: :bow1: :D

Rick

[Putt]

I wonder......
To those of you that say your ST is hot.. Do you ride with the
screen up??
I very rarely ride with the shield up, and have no heat problems.
However, that being said, when I raise the screen up, I DO notice
an increase in the heat being sucked up to my legs and torso
because of the increased vacuum when the shield is raised...
Shield height an issue maybe??

Putt..

[montyshaw]

When it is hot out, I ride with the screen down for obvious reasons (I get more air on my body). So that ain't it.

My last bike was a Pacific Coast, which has zero engine heat. So coming from that, this bike is hotter. I don't get burned, but there is hot air coming off the motor that gets the front of the seat hot and swirls around my legs making summer riding hotter than it ever was on my PC. Of course the motor is 1300cc vs 800cc, and the PC had a completely closed body and an internal fiberglass shroud over the motor, so I expect more heat. I think the heat issue is subjective in the sense of what you're used to or ridden prior to the ST. For me the ST is hotter than my PC, but not enough for me to dump the ST and get a PC.

I cannot over state what a BIG difference wrapping the headers has made for me.

YMMV

]Monty[

[MidLife]

I wonder......
...when I raise the screen up, I DO notice
an increase in the heat being sucked up to my legs and torso
because of the increased vacuum when the shield is raised...

Putt..

Noticed the same while raising the screen at highwway speed.

Lower it and feel the heat blown away from your legs.

[Louie Louie]

I agree about it being subjective. For instance, I live and ride in Palm Springs and have no complaints whatsoever. I have no idea what they are talking about in the Cycleworld article. I am 6'2 and have fairings, etc. Of course one feels heat..but not enough in my case to stop riding or switch bikes!.

[nurseBob]

I was never aware of the heat throughout the summer (but I always wear full gear). However, now that the weather is getting cooler, that my legs are warmer than my torso. So, on my red, there is heat coming off the engine that I'm detecting. It's just never been an issue in the hot weather since I was hot all over. Now the extra warmth is actually pleasant.

[sokay]

My bike doesn't bother me with heat. Nevertheless, avoid disappointment: If you are going to buy an ST1300, plan on making some inexpensive mods to deal with the heat that you may experience. :)