question about cool down after ride in heat

[moldman]

I'm new to this board and have read some very useful information here.

I'm coming from a Honda VTX and would like to ask if I need to let the FJR idle before turning the engine off after riding in the heat of the day. This is my first bike with fairings and it just seems like the engine will soak in the heat.

Thanks in advance for the information.

 

[RenoJohn]

I'm new to this board and have read some very useful information here.
I'm coming from a Honda VTX and would like to ask if I need to let the FJR idle before turning the engine off after riding in the heat of the day. This is my first bike with fairings and it just seems like the engine will soak in the heat.

Thanks in advance for the information.

idle while not moving will only increase the temp of the bike's engine. (just as with any bike)

 

[RiderCoach Lar]

.... it just seems like the engine will soak in the heat.

The engine is the SOURCE of the heat. It cannot "soak in the heat" (unless you expose the cold engine to excessive ambient temps). As soon as you turn it off, it begins to dissipate the heat.

Fair question, however, turn it off and don't worry. It'll cool itself off just fine.

 

[odot]

Did the honda vtx engine soak up heat? I have a bad feeling that that is not a good thing.

 

[moldman]

Did the honda vtx engine soak up heat? I have a bad feeling that that is not a good thing.

No, the electric fan seldom was running on my VTX but I have noticed that the fan is running almost every time I get home when the weather is on the hot side on the FJR.

 

[RiderCoach Lar]

While it'll naturally dissipate heat, it cannot do it as fast and efficiently as your VTX because it's obviously wrapped in tupperware.

 

[Rondo777]

I'm not sure but I would guess no. My bike usually runs at 3 or 4 bars on the heat guage. When I idle, it goes up very quick, a 1 minute light can raise it to 6 or 7 bars. As soon as I pull away it goes right back down. For this reason, I've been AVOIDING letting idle before I shut down. It just seems to me that its at its coolest when I first come to a stop.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

My experience from driving in stop and go traffic in 105+ degree heat.

I park the bike in the shade and quickly strip down and jump into my swimming pool and enjoy a cool drink.

 

[r1byker]

The only time I can think of letting an engine idle to cool down is if you have a turbo and you've been driving hard; then, they say let it idle to let the turbo cool down, not the engine. Hey, an FJR is watercooled, just like your car; don't worry about it and grab that beer.

 

[odot]

I park the bike next to a tree and quickly strip down and jump into my swimming pool and enjoy a fifth of jim beam.

fixed fer ya.

 

[BwanaDik]

If you've been riding extremely hard (track days, mixing it up with 600 squids) then yes, I'd say to let it cool down some. The valves get really hot under those conditions and it's better to let them cool down some before shutting down. However, it would be better to do the "cooldown" on the run from where ever you've been hauling ass to your next rest stop (heard of a "cool down lap", there's a reason it's named that). Maybe a mile or two should probably do it at 1/4 throttle or less.

Driving around town, just park it. As noted above, it will heat up more during your "cool down" idle session.

 

[stormrider]

I would just turn it off and not worry

 

[artistonFJR]

Let it idle? WTF? Have you not heard about global warming and carbon footprints? Al Gore will have your license, buddy! He'll fly in personally on his multiengine jet, 6-car motorcade it to your house, kick yer bike off it's skinny little side stand, tell you how irresponsible you are, offer to sell you his book (now available on the internet he created), and then take the long scenic route back to the airport for his flight to Greenfest in BFE!

I'd just shut it off...

C

 

[Bustanut joker]

When mines to hot after a ride I jus pee on it. Hey it keeps folks away from it.

:jester:

 

[Sherman]

Let it idle? WTF? Have you not heard about global warming and carbon footprints? Al Gore will have your license, buddy! He'll fly in personally on his multiengine jet, 6-car motorcade it to your house, kick yer bike off it's skinny little side stand, tell you how irresponsible you are, offer to sell you his book (now available on the internet he created), and then take the long scenic route back to the airport for his flight to Greenfest in BFE!
I'd just shut it off...

C

Feels like April.

Here are tips from others that may apply. You may have something in cooling it down after a hard ride:

Turbo Diesel Cool Down Discussion

Mattituck Hints

 

[xharleyrider]

I just bring mine in the air conditioned house

 

[biknflyfisher]

Idling the engine with no air movement across the radiator will probably not help your cause any. If it's breezy outside your garage, park it there for a short while and let the breeze clear out the heated air from the cowling.

Or, simply drive the feejer in your living room, fix an ice cold Beefeaters gin and tonic (with fresh lime), and let it cool off whilst watching the SF Giants. Now that's a great idea!

 

[dcarver]

I've not thought too much about this.. and in summer time I ride in +100 all the time. My bet is that even at a buck+ the motor has more overall cooling that idling with zero air flow..

 

[wfooshee]

The "cool down" theory applies to turbocharged motors, you want to keep oil circulating in the turbo bearings after it's been run hard. If you've arrived at your stop after mild driving, it's already had oil running through it carrying heat out. What you didn't want to do was cook the turbo bearings by parking immediately after some high boost running, which puts lots of exhaust heat into the turbo.

For anything else, the only way to let it cool is to make it stop generating heat, i.e. turn it off. There's no such thing as "hot soak" to me, except in the previous paragraph.