Different angle on the HEAT.

[Pete in PA]

Some of you have wrapped your pipes and I DO believe that is where most of the heat comes from. You can light a cigarette on headers where they come out of the head.

For several reasons I'm not going to wrap mine.

What I'm wondering is why did Honda put that vent right at each header, right in front of your ankles, to pour the heat out?

If Honda would redesign, or we could come up with an aesthetic way to cover them that would solve the felt heat problem on the ankles.

I've got my inner cowls removed and it helped a lot but I can still feel heat and the 95 degree with 100% humidity days are coming.

I'm going to try duct tape just to see if it solves the problem.

 

[FLSTRDR]

One of the problems also is the large aluminum frame members that radiate the heat they absorb from the pipes and engine. You can't touch those parts on a hot day. If there was a way to force air through the frame cooling those parts they wouldn't be a heat radiator.
Sonny

 

[gregj]

Maybe the vents are mostly aesthetic in nature, but they seem to serve a purpose, to help vent heat out of the engine compartment. The heat (mostly generated by the headers) has to be vented out somewhere. If the vents in the lower cowls is covered up, then there needs to vents at the bottom of the lower cowls. I've thought about this, but havent looked at it closer. Not sure if there is enough room between the lower cowls and the engine to adequately vent. I would be interested in hearing your results.

 

[Mellow]

The only problem with your approach, as I see it, is the then will then do what? Where will the air push the heat that was going out that 'vent'? The tank area?

I did see an interesting farkle on Alex's bike at WeSTOC (not sure if Alex is a member of the site but he was rooming w/Ray and Hope). He had some deflectors on his ST1100 that pushed wind away from his angle/feet area.

Not sure if those were for heat or cold but they were very simple and didn't look bad. Looked to be thin plastic sheets that were attached via push pins? Sorry, I don't have pics.

 

[Blue STreak]

Mellow:

What are you reasons for not wrapping? Inquiring minds want as many data points as possible.

Thanks,

 

[MidLife]

The only problem with your approach, as I see it, is the then will then do what? Where will the air push the heat that was going out that 'vent'? The tank area?

I did see an interesting farkle on Alex's bike at WeSTOC (not sure if Alex is a member of the site but he was rooming w/Ray and Hope). He had some deflectors on his ST1100 that pushed wind away from his angle/feet area.

Not sure if those were for heat or cold but they were very simple and didn't look bad. Looked to be thin plastic sheets that were attached via push pins? Sorry, I don't have pics.

Mellow,

Didn't you post at one time about inserts/covers found on the 08 and available for retrofit on previous models? Wondering if they have any effects on airflow and heat control.

 

[Mellow]

Mellow:

What are you reasons for not wrapping? Inquiring minds want as many data points as possible.

Thanks,

His post wasn't discussing wrapping.. it was covering the vent area where you see the pipes - where the oil level view glass is, if I understood that correctly.

I'm not against wrapping but I do thing the heat that does not radiate outward is going towards the path of least resistance meaning towards the engine or towards the rear of the bike.. people have been wrapping pipes for year so I have to think there is no possible damage to the engine... so, that being said, if you wrap your pipes are your saddlebags getting a lot hotter than they did before? Maybe they do and it's not enough to matter.

I don't currently feel heat which I consider out of the norm or uncomfortable so I'm okay with how the bike is setup, no wrapping.

 

[Mellow]

Mellow,

Didn't you post at one time about inserts/covers found on the 08 and available for retrofit on previous models? Wondering if they have any effects on airflow and heat control.

Highrider did a write up here:
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39433&highlight=side+panels

 

[Lowrider]

Just a thought....and yes...it hurts!!

Most general aviation planes take air into the cowl in the front of the nose, force it over the jugs and exhaust it out the bottom thru vents. Some have cowl flaps to restrict air flow (mostly for cold weather ops or just to reduce shock cooling in long power off decents) or regulate how quickly it is exhausted out of the cowl. Air flow is as simple as it gets on small planes and very few have cockpit heat problems due to the air flow route and an insulted firewall. Yes, they usually operate at speeds a bit above the normal ST rider.

That said, it seems if you open up the front of the ST "cowl" and block the side vents, the heat must be vented out the bottom of the bike below the fairings, mostly directed at the rear tire and under the bags.

In winter, it would seem that heat could be directed up by blocking the bottom route and direct that wonderful (in the Winter) heat at the rider warming their legs and lower body.

Yeah...I know...it probably means a redesign of the bike, but there may be a simple way to accomplish dual air flow routes without doing that.

Just a thought....

 

[MidLife]

Highrider did a write up here:
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39433&highlight=side+panels

Thx Mellow.

Sounds like the jury is still out on the effect of the new side panels on the heat.

 

[dr1954]

Ok I will chime in on this. The only heat I have felt on my was out of the lower vent on the right side. Why only the right side? Who knows.

I tried the header wrap deal. My opinion it is a waste of time and money.

One day last summer I was gearing up to leave work. It was in the high 90s close to tripple digits with humidity about the same. I looked at the vent and thought to myself "what is the worst that could happen if I just blocked that thing off". So I found some wide cloth tape in the cabinet at work and just taped it off.

I stopped several times on the ride home to check if anything was on fire. The tape got hot but not any hotter than the other side of the fairing. When I got home I removed the tape and looked things over. No apperant damage and no fires!






I am not a thermal engineer but I can see the that if air enters the front of my scooter and passes over the headers and then exits onto the top of my foot, this is not good. So I removed the right sid plastic and made this (see photos)

I used a piece of thin aluminum roofing flashing and tucked it under the stock heat shield on the lower plastic and used a couple of small screws into the upper. Made a small hole to check the oil.

So far no problems. I have ridden in 90 to 100 degree temps all day and my:butt1: has not caught on fire. The heat has been reduced by at least 75%. Where does it go now? I don,t care because my right foot is happy.

Now the disclaimer:
This may not work for you.
I do not condone this procedure.
If you do this to your ST and you burst into flames do not sue me.

 

[Blue STreak]

Sorry Mellow, I directed my question to the wrong person. It was Pete who said that, for various reasons, he wasn't going to wrap. My mistake.

His post wasn't discussing wrapping.. it was covering the vent area where you see the pipes - where the oil level view glass is, if I understood that correctly.

I'm not against wrapping but I do thing the heat that does not radiate outward is going towards the path of least resistance meaning towards the engine or towards the rear of the bike.. people have been wrapping pipes for year so I have to think there is no possible damage to the engine... so, that being said, if you wrap your pipes are your saddlebags getting a lot hotter than they did before? Maybe they do and it's not enough to matter.

I don't currently feel heat which I consider out of the norm or uncomfortable so I'm okay with how the bike is setup, no wrapping.

 

[ChipSTer]

How about a totally different line of thinking?

What effect does adding after market mufflers have on the 'heat' issue? I wonder if less back pressure makes a difference? i.e. the heat flows out the back like it is supposed to....


P.S. The staintunes are lighter and run cool enough to touch...

 

[nybryan]

i think we are at the point that the factories are going to need considering firewall and venting the cowling heat to the bottom by the rear wheel. The Bmw gt, I'm told, has figured out the heat issue and that has a large motor with big horsepower so we know it can be done.

 

[pbenson]

I have, from time to time, read many post about heat on the ST1300. Personally, I have never thought it was an issue - until my ride back home from WeSToc last week!

Riding into Boise, with the temp at 105 -107 degrees, the last hundred miles of a 450 mile jaunt, (from Torrey, UT) I started to really feel some heat on the back of my right leg, just above my low-cut Sidi boots. If I kept the ball of my foot on the pegs, I could really feel the heat - to the point of pain. I had to move my feet forward, so the arch of my foot was on the pegs, and even move a bit more forward occassionally.

When I got to the motel, and got out of my riding gear, I found that I had actually burned my skin. This only happened to my right foot, and mostly to the outside of my ankle, just above where the boots stopped. I was totally amazed at this and didn't realize it could happen. I have over 19K on the 2006 bike and this is a first. I am not sure if it was caused by the combination of the 107 degree heat, combined with the heat from the engine or maybe just because of the short boots. Anyway, it was most unpleasant and I have an actual burned area on the skin. I do think Honda should be doing something to re-engineer this to avoid a similar problem in the future. I am considering going to the dealer and show them the burn. Maybe there is something that can be done to avoid it in the future. Anyway, it is worth asking. If there is any suggestion from the dealership, I will post it.

 

[Pete in PA]

Ok I will chime in on this. The only heat I have felt on my was out of the lower vent on the right side. Why only the right side? Who knows.

I tried the header wrap deal. My opinion it is a waste of time and money.

One day last summer I was gearing up to leave work. It was in the high 90s close to tripple digits with humidity about the same. I looked at the vent and thought to myself "what is the worst that could happen if I just blocked that thing off". So I found some wide cloth tape in the cabinet at work and just taped it off.

I stopped several times on the ride home to check if anything was on fire. The tape got hot but not any hotter than the other side of the fairing. When I got home I removed the tape and looked things over. No apperant damage and no fires!






I am not a thermal engineer but I can see the that if air enters the front of my scooter and passes over the headers and then exits onto the top of my foot, this is not good. So I removed the right sid plastic and made this (see photos)

I used a piece of thin aluminum roofing flashing and tucked it under the stock heat shield on the lower plastic and used a couple of small screws into the upper. Made a small hole to check the oil.

So far no problems. I have ridden in 90 to 100 degree temps all day and my:butt1: has not caught on fire. The heat has been reduced by at least 75%. Where does it go now? I don,t care because my right foot is happy.

Now the disclaimer:
This may not work for you.
I do not condone this procedure.
If you do this to your ST and you burst into flames do not sue me.

I KNEW I WAS ONTO SOMETHING!!

If Honda just enclosed that area the heat would just exit at the bottom, at the rear wheel.

I like your fix, just needs painted black.:yes:

 

[Pete in PA]

How about a totally different line of thinking?

What effect does adding after market mufflers have on the 'heat' issue? I wonder if less back pressure makes a difference? i.e. the heat flows out the back like it is supposed to....


P.S. The staintunes are lighter and run cool enough to touch...

Well, being in Alabama and having the Staintunes, do you fell less heat?

I've had cool and raining here for days (and more to come) but I'll be experimenting with both vents soon.

 

[gregj]

How about a totally different line of thinking?

What effect does adding after market mufflers have on the 'heat' issue? I wonder if less back pressure makes a difference? i.e. the heat flows out the back like it is supposed to....


P.S. The staintunes are lighter and run cool enough to touch...

From what I've read here, aftermarket mufflers reduce the heat quite a bit as they dont have the catalytic converters the stock mufflers do, which is where a lot of the heat is probably coming from.

dr1954, I'm very intrigued by the vent cover, I may try this as well.

 

[Lowrider]

Vent covers should help a lot as long as you have adequate airflow from the front of the bike...I think...by removing or perforating the inner cowl parts...especially the right side.

 

[gregj]

I just pulled off my right lower cowl to take a look at what you did. A couple of observations: the mid cowl has a recess, or a cut back area, where the vent is. So putting a cover here, it appears it would also have to have a lip on it, or bend it so that it also covers that cutout, to be effective. Looking at your pic again, it appears your cover also allows for the cutout in the mid cowl.

The other thing I noticed is with this vent covered up, now possibly more heat will be vented out the bottom of the tip over wing cover. Not sure, but it would make sense.

It's very interesting you reduced the heat on your right foot by 75%, that is a LOT. I would be interested in seeing the backside for how you bent it and attached it. Can you tell if the heat out or around the tip over wing cover is the same, more, or less?