Another Post about ST's Heat

I think this heat issue has more to do with ambient temp that the ST1300 itself. Is the normal operating engine temp different whether it is 50 or 115 outside? I do not think so. That is what the fan is for. Walk accross an concrete or asphalt street with bear feet when it is 50, and then try it when it is 115 (fry eggs on the street at 115 as well as you feet). So the body get's the same feeling when sitting on a motorcycle when it is 115, it is just plain hot, with our legs strapped over metal and plastic, with an engine putting out heat, and over 200 degrees coming off the road it is going to feel hot.

It is not the ST1300 alone, it is just that when the temp is 100, 110, 115, IT'S JUST TOO HOT TO SIT ON TOP OF ANY BIKE. It could be a HD, Vespa, bikecycle, anything. So if the temp is too hot to ride, then don't. That is what people do when it's too cold. Same difference. In Arizona, riders can get 9-10 months of reasonable riding weather in. The other 2-3 just gets very limited riding time. Not because the ST1300 is too hot to ride by itself, the weather is just to damn hot to ride in.

I love my ST, and I ride in every months temp, but I do not enjoy riding in 110+ heat as much as I do in 60-90 degrees.

So, once again, it is not just the heat of the ST, it is the heat from the outside temp that cooks your buns. I have have many bikes and none of them were cool at 110.

Stay cool my two-wheel friends.
 
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I agree about the ambient air temperature affecting your perception of heat radiating from the bike. I have been watching this heat issue on this board since I bought my '05. Some of my friends complain about the heat as a serious issue, I have not experienced a problem until this last week. We returned from a trip from the western states, Sunday we rode through western Colorado and Nebraska. During the 14 hour ride that day, the temperature ranged from 108 to 113 degrees, this is the hotest I have ridden in for a long period. Its' the first time I experienced heat in the seat area and on the shins through my suit. But it was so hot everywhere, I can not honestly say what heat the bike was contributing and what ambient air was affecting. The bottom line is, ambient air temp and riding apparel has a lot to do with the perception of heat coming off the bike, IMHO.
 
So far heat hasn't been a real concern for me. What was a concern, or rather a serious issue, was with the Wing I had. I never liked it going up to the red zone on the engine temperature at slow speeds!
 
Ragnar,
You have missed an important point. You are correct that the coolant system maintains the same engine temperature regardless of ambient. What you forgot is that as the ambient increases, the coolant system must radiate more of the engines heat to maintain the same engine temperature. The engine does just run at 185 it is maintained at 185 by the coolant system. The hotter the ambient, the more heat must be radiated. It is not just perception. The exhaust air from the radiator increases in temperature as the ambient increases. The hotter the ambient air, the more damage is done to exposed skin. See earlier posts that reference an external link on temperature effects. The ambient temp effect is why more cars will overheat in the summer then in the winter.
 
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