Number of Bars on Temp. Gauge ?

[DWJ Honda]

I normally have 3 bars showing, almost all the time. Is that the norm? How many do you usually have showing?

Am wondering if my cooling system is working properly, and if not, if that might be contributing to excessive heat while riding. Has anyone discovered such a thing on their bike?

THANKS.
Dennis

 

[Finewest]

I've had a new '06 now for two months and it has never moved off three bars. I think it's normal. Testament to Honda engineering!

 

[forgitaboutut]

3 bars no matter what the temp is!
any ride from 10 miles to 500 miles!

 

[Blrfl]

Three shall be the number, and the number shall be three.

--Mark

 

[sparkinator]

Mine stays on 3 bars also. If I do a lot of stop and go riding, my fan will kick on, but the bars stay on 3.

Sparky.

 

[dmcox]

Three bars is normal anything above 3 or under 3 bars is not normal.

 

[ST/SV]

Mine stays on 3 bars also. If I do a lot of stop and go riding, my fan will kick on, but the bars stay on 3.

Sparky.

Same here.

 

[BamaRider]

My 1300 has been many temps and climates. I've cruised uphill out of Needles California, on I-40, uphill at 90mph, at 115 degrees, temp gauge on 3 bars. In NY state on a fall ride, temp 46 and rainy, cruising at 65 mph-temp gauge on 3 bars. Stuck in a Phx traffic jam, 112 degrees-temp gauge on 3 bars. BUT on my most recent cross country ride, I was crossing the mountains near Helena, Montana on a cold, cloudy day, and one of the bars dropped off and I was on 2 for awhile.

I've been in some really hot places here in Alabama in the southwest, and have never seen 4 bars on my 13.

 

[Blrfl]

If the t-stat is stuck open the number shall be 2 or 1. Unless you consult your service department, and they call 1-800-HondaTechSupport@India, in which case the number shall be zero to six.

You just had to make me go there, didn't you?

And Honda spake, saying, "First shalt thou startest the engine. Then shalt thou wait for the temperature gauge to get reach three. No more, no less. Three shalt be the reading thou shalt see, and the number of the reading shall be three. Four shalt thou not read, no either read thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, thy Holy Fan of Cooling shalt engage, which, being functional, shall cause discussion about heat.

On second thought, let's not post this on ST-Owners, for it is a silly place.

--Mark

 

[FireSporT]

Thnaks BLRFL,

Now I'm going to have the holy hand granade going thru my head all day.

Well I guess I know what I'm watching tonight?

Rob

 

[nisbeam]

and lo, the sound of Moses Triumph was heard throught all Israel



the baffle was out

 

[motoman]

There is NO 4th bar.

It's not really a temp gauge.

It's a Idiot light disguised to look like a temp gauge.

 

[LandRover]

You guys are killen' me with the Python references ... some of the best comedy, IMHO, to hit the airwaves.

And I notice that the references show up allot on this forum ... they're everywhere it seems ....

"He's not resting, he's bleeding dead!"

 

[Piveteau]

Welcome to the Church of the Sacred ST...our Doctrine acknowledges the existence of the holy Trinity of 3 bars on the temp guage.

3 bars, and all is well

 

[ParkerBill]

Both of the '06 ST1300s I've owned, regardless of the temperature extremes of Colorado and Florida, summer or winter, or the altitude of the mountains vs. sea level in Florida, have always been three bars on the temp gauge after a very short warm up period. I've never seen anything different on them.

 

[nm6r]

My 1300 has been many temps and climates. I've cruised uphill out of Needles California, on I-40, uphill at 90mph, at 115 degrees, temp gauge on 3 bars. In NY state on a fall ride, temp 46 and rainy, cruising at 65 mph-temp gauge on 3 bars. Stuck in a Phx traffic jam, 112 degrees-temp gauge on 3 bars. BUT on my most recent cross country ride, I was crossing the mountains near Helena, Montana on a cold, cloudy day, and one of the bars dropped off and I was on 2 for awhile.

I've been in some really hot places here in Alabama in the southwest, and have never seen 4 bars on my 13.

Guy, you obviously have a stuck open thermostat. I have ridden at highway speeds for extended periods of time in 32 degree temps, 3 bars.

I would see 1 or 2 bars riding in 40 or 50 degrees when I had my stuck open thermostat.

Ray

 

[STPaulK]

First off, I'm in the camp that believes the 1300 digital readout is simply a software trick and is not a true linear thermal feedback system. Someone had the theory that it might be due to the Gold Wingers paying too much attention to their readout so Honda dampened out the readout of the 1300 (so the third bar could actually represent a 30 degree swing.)

Has anyone looked at implementing some sort of alternative gauge to know what is really going on with the system temp? I'm not talking about replacing the existing one, rather supplementing it with some sort of linear system so a rider can really see what is going on. It wouldn't need to be an absolutely perfect system which would require ideal placement of a thermal sensor. Rather it would only be used for relative feedback to know if the temp is really changing even though the gauge is reading 3 bars.

What is really strange here is Honda outfitted the newest gen VFR with a good linear thermal feedback. It's a digital readout on the instrument panel and it's three digits (which means it's always reflecting a change of single digits.) It's really nice to be able to see exactly when the thermostat opens (the tens digit stops changing). You can also see exactly how the system changes with the bike moving or idling. Why in the world didn't Honda put this one on the 1300 (understanding our proclivity toward anal behavior perhaps)?

 

[vossman]

If it were more accurate then they'd really have a thermostat problem

 

[STPaulK]

If it were more accurate then they'd really have a thermostat problem

I know what you are saying. You should hear the fretting that goes on now and then over the VFR readout ("my thermostat once opened at 205, but now it's not until 209!!!")

 

[curmudgeon]

Paul I think you are right on the money. On the other hand if it's not harming the bike I'd rather not know what the exact temperature is. Show me three an let me be blissfully ignorant.

Phil