I've been researching ways to keep warmer during cold rides while spending absolutely minimal cash. In doing so I've found tons of "keeping cool" threads but very few on mods to keep you warm and almost all of those were deflection or layering. Has anyone thought about or built a panel to use some of that lovely engine heat to keep you warm? I'm thinking I might try it out using some light gauge sheet metal at first since I'm better working with metal than plastic.
Template of the outside panel is in the pic. I always start with cardboard then cut my metal panels with some extra room so I can grind/sand them to a good fit. Plan is to cut the big panel, then the rear which will replace the stock access panel. The replacement for the access panel will hopefully end up with louvers so I can open or close them depending on the temp. When open, this should direct the engine-heated air directly across your legs and maybe even up into the negative-pressure zone you sit in.
The outside panel will have to be curved outward to clear the engine so I'll add some extra to the panel to cover that (hopefully). If I can work it out so that there are louvers on the bottom of the curve as well that would be ideal because it would let you ride with this piece in place further into the warm months.
Hoping to use the mounting points on the back side of the cowl that the black plastic attaches to and have a tunnel from the outside down to the mounting hole at the top of the original opening as well as the original plastic rivet on the access panel.
Obvious draw backs of something like this are that you'd have to pull the entire cowl to do any service (not a big deal) and that you'd most likely have to pull it off and put the stock pieces back on for summer months.
Thoughts? Particularly interested to hear if anyone has tried this and, if so, what they learned.
Template of the outside panel is in the pic. I always start with cardboard then cut my metal panels with some extra room so I can grind/sand them to a good fit. Plan is to cut the big panel, then the rear which will replace the stock access panel. The replacement for the access panel will hopefully end up with louvers so I can open or close them depending on the temp. When open, this should direct the engine-heated air directly across your legs and maybe even up into the negative-pressure zone you sit in.
The outside panel will have to be curved outward to clear the engine so I'll add some extra to the panel to cover that (hopefully). If I can work it out so that there are louvers on the bottom of the curve as well that would be ideal because it would let you ride with this piece in place further into the warm months.
Hoping to use the mounting points on the back side of the cowl that the black plastic attaches to and have a tunnel from the outside down to the mounting hole at the top of the original opening as well as the original plastic rivet on the access panel.
Obvious draw backs of something like this are that you'd have to pull the entire cowl to do any service (not a big deal) and that you'd most likely have to pull it off and put the stock pieces back on for summer months.
Thoughts? Particularly interested to hear if anyone has tried this and, if so, what they learned.